Paula Deen 'People' Quote - Racist or Not?

[TexasTowelie]

Back to the People story that will be on newsstands Friday... Eonline had a few quotes from the story, including this one:

"I feel like 'embattled' or 'disgraced' will always follow my name. It's like that black football player who recently came out," she tells People, referring to NFL prospect Michael Sam. "He said, 'I just want to be known as a football player. I don't want to be known as a gay football player.' I know exactly what he's saying."

Why the need to call him a "black football player"? As he stated, he just wants to be known as a football player, but Paula referred to him as a "black football player."

What do you think about the quote? Did Paula have a slip of the tongue or no big deal?

The complete article is at http://www.foodnetworkgossip.com/2014/02/paula-deen-people-quote-racist-or-not.html .

[Squinch]

1. More than a slip of the tongue. Michael Sam never slurred or demeaned anyone.

Her use of him as a comparison shows a willful denial of what she did.

And pointing out his race is just icing on that nasty cake.

[yeoman6987]

5. I have been wondering

I am gay and wonder if in 40 years when someone used the "F" word early in their lives, are they going to have to go through what Paula has gone through if they are straight? Will it be a scandal to use the "F" word in your past in 2054?

[lunasun]

9. But it was not 40 yrs ago in her past

[Squinch]

16. In 40 years, if someone used that word in the past, and continued to use it through the years,

long after they should have known better, and then talked about that as if there was nothing wrong with it, and then did a "traditional" party that was served by gay people dressed up in costumes that, to that person somehow connoted traditional "gayness", I dearly hope it would be a scandal.

Oh, and don't forget: that person would also routinely pay gay people less over the years, and numerous gay people would have come out over the years to say that they felt discriminated against in that person's company.

[calimary]

12. It just shows how deeply ingrained it is, within her.

She can't not bring it up. Race is clearly a major undercurrent in her life. The color of that particular football player was irrelevant to the reason he's in the news. But she did have to throw it in, didn't she?

Sigh…

I guess some people just can't get beyond it.

And … um … I do notice that she's certainly used her time out to get a facelift. She's definitely had more work done. Getting ready for more camera work, girlfriend?

[TexasTowelie]

13. She either had a plastic surgery or they photoshopped about 20 years away on the

magazine cover. Here she is riding Robert Irvine at South Beach Wine and Food Festival claiming that she was "back in the saddle" again.

[jsr]

17. Where's the reverse cowgirl pic?

[onehandle]

2. 'Her Struggle to Start Over... As a multi-millionaire chasing even more millions'

Fuck that racist and each and every one of her racist followers.

[postatomic]

3. Don't hold back. Say how you feel

[AZ Mike]

4. I would say so.

His "blackness" is irrelevant the broader context of his story.

[Gravitycollapse]

6. I would not necessarily call that racist. She is simply incapable of eloquence.

She was likely trying to find a descriptor in her "vast" vocabulary and happened upon a subject she really shouldn't ever be talking about.

[Le Taz Hot]

7. I just got an offer in the mail

for "Paula's Favorite Family Recipes" series of cookbooks. I still use her fried chicken recipe (which I got off the internet) but I'll never support any of her products. I keep seeing her cookware and accessories at Big Lots sold at a HUGE discount. (It's cheap shit made in China anyway -- nothing I'd ever buy, much less anything with her name on it).

Some people say give her a pass because she grew up in the South with a certain culture. I say bullshit. She's only a few years older than I am. We were ALL conditioned with institutional racism -- we didn't have a choice. What we do have are brains and the ability to train ourselves OUT of old, 1950's indoctrination. She's no exception and she chose NOT to enlighten herself. Let her continue to pay the consequences.

[lunasun]

8. bless her little heart and comparing herself to Mr. Sam and his struggle in sports how precious

clueless that the disgraced Dean quotes he only wanted to be known as a football player but has to add black when speaking about him
She should stick to encouraging diabetesII and lay off interviews of reflection

[MrScorpio]

10. If this woman was any more tone deaf, she wouldn't have any ears nt

[ZombieHorde]

11. It's white hegemony/white privilege.

It's a common symptom in many parts of "US culture."

[Egalitarian Thug]

14. Another in a way too long line of morons elevated to the pinnacle of American Society,

only to then expose herself as the moron she always was.

[Iggo]

15. Racist.

She can't help it.

[gollygee]

18. That was my immediate thought too

He didn't call anyone horrible names or use any slurs. He just existed as himself. How can she compare her situation to his?

This was meant to go under Squinch's reply (#1)

[Paladin]

19. She's obviously in need of constant supervision.

Yet another wealthy, prejudiced conservative who just can't help herself.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

20. what a perfect example of someone who doesn't

understand privilege/oppression or false equivalency.

[Tom Ripley]

21. She's a racist, but she can't help it...

because she is an incredibly stupid person