For those here who have defended Deen: She defended slavery in 2012

[cali]

Newly canned chef Paula Deen put her Southern-fried foot in her mouth in a bizarre 2012 discussion of slavery and the Civil War.


Deen, owner of a restaurant empire, asserted the owner-slave relationship was more kinship than cruelty.

“Back then, black folk were such an integral part of our lives,” said Deen. “They were like our family, and for that reason we didn’t see ourselves as prejudiced.”

She also called up an employee to join her onstage, noting that Hollis Johnson was “as black as this board” — pointing to the dark backdrop behind her.

“We can’t see you standing in front of that dark board!” Deen quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv-movies/paula-deen-appears-defend-slavery-2012-interview-article-1.1379912#ixzz2X3BAFaUZ

As I've repeatedly said, yes, she's a racist pig.

[Kahuna]

1. OY!

[snappyturtle]

2. I think she put the nails in her coffin.....sad. nt

[alcibiades_mystery]

3. Oh.

My.

God.

She also called up an employee to join her onstage, noting that Hollis Johnson was “as black as this board” — pointing to the dark backdrop behind her.

“We can’t see you standing in front of that dark board!” Deen quipped, drawing laughter from the audience.


What in holy fuck.

[cali]

6. that's so vile, I don't know what to say.

[hlthe2b]

4. OMG...

it just gets worse and worse...

I might be able to forgive one ugly comment from many years past if her actions towards others belied the racism. I saw that a lot growing up among older relatives and their friends... They'd make the most cringe worthy comment, but then be the very first to stop and help someone stranded on the side of the road or step in to defend someone--regardless of race or ethnicity--and do so with a sense of true and sincere kindness and not a hint of obligation.

But, her actions to demean, embarrass and disparage those in her employee or those with whom she had even the most casual contact tell me that this is deeply rooted racist bigotry--the really ugly kind.

[dawg]

5. There's no excuse for her casual racism.

The most pernicious part is how casual she is about it. It's ingrained in her.

I will say this, though. She's not alone. The things that have come out our her mouth could have come out of the mouths of any number of people I know here in the South. She probably lives in a racist bubble, and feels that since she may think kindly towards some of the black people she has met that she is not a racist. But of course, that's just self-delusion from living in the bubble.

All white people in the South don't think like Paula Deen, but many of the older ones do. She's terribly wrong, but not particularly unique.

I actually think it is a good thing that her attitudes have come to light and that she is being punished for them. It shows lots of people that times have changed and that these antebellum attitudes do not fly anymore - not even in the South.

[Arkansas Granny]

7. You're right about that bubble.

My fil explained one time that he was not prejudiced because he knew a lot of "good n*****s". He truly believed this.

[dawg]

9. Exactly.

I think people who haven't lived in an area with ingrained racism can't completely understand how pervasive it really is.

Paula Deen is horribly racist. She deserves to be fired and condemned. But she's certainly nothing special. I could swing a dead cat right now and hit twenty men and women just like her.

[cali]

10. yeah, but they're not household names.

[dawg]

11. That's why I'm glad Food Network is making an example of her.

I just hope the racists don't throw up enough of a backlash to embarrass my state yet again.

[PDittie]

16. Yes. Hers is that

benign racism that pervades the South (and exports poorly). I have known people like her all. of my. life. Fellow Southerners tend to excuse her "truth", repeating a variation of 'everybody I know talks like this, that's why there's nothing wrong with it'. Low expectations have NOTHING on soft bigotry like actual 21st century bigotry. It's like buttah, smeared all over her just like it is her recipes.

The classic question -- at least for me -- was when Chris Rock was asked by a white lady why it was OK for black people to use the N-word and not white people. His response?

"Why do you want to use it?"

[dawg]

17. You know, I feel guilty for not forcefully confronting these people every single time ...

they spew this crap. But due to where I live, I would be fighting them constantly.

The best I have been able to to is one part "gentle" correction mixed with three parts deflection. I know I should be more forceful, but I can't afford to be ostracized. Plus, they are more likely to listen to someone who is polite and easy than someone who harshly challenges their world view.

[Apophis]

8. She's a despicable human being.

[arely staircase]

12. cali on this, at least, we agree

as southerner with mixed race children, I know and despise her type - and know them well.

[cali]

13. yes we do. and it's not unimportant

I think this is actually an opportunity to make it clear that this is no longer acceptable.

[arely staircase]

19. her type is almost worse than the actual skinhead Klan types

she is nostalgic for a time when certain people knew their place - serving other certain people courteously. I am around her type too much. I recently had an elderly white woman tell me she didn't think it was proper for a black man to walk down the street with a little white girl. I politely explained my white daughter's only living grandfather was my black step dad. additionally my other child is the product of my miscegenation with a native American. It sickens me. But I take heart in the fact that demographics will eventually overwhelm such idiots.

[cprise]

14. Slaves may have seemed like family to the owners,

but a whole lot of abuse goes on behind the aegis of "family" even without slavery (which itself used to be compared to marriage).

I don't know if that quote can be taken as a defence of slavery. She's describing a mindset without really apologizing for it. In this case I think she lacked tact.

She does seem racist to me, but not to the point of defending slavery.

[jsr]

15. Paula Deen is trash

[underseasurveyor]

18. My heart breaks for Hollis Johnson

That was a humiliating and horrible thing for deen to do.