Was Richard Pryor a racist? How about Chris Rock? Tyler Perry? Maybe Eddie Murphy was a racist? I'm just listing the comedians that I can think of off the top of my head that have used the word that Paula Deen is being castigated for using.
Ms. Deen grew up in the south. That word, while ugly and demeaning, was used quite frequently in the south, and for that matter I have heard it quite a bit while living in the northern area. My ex father in law was the mental and racial equivalent of Archie Bunker. He liked to throw that ugly word around when ever he got the chance. It wasn't until my son was punished for using that ignorant, hate filled word that he adjusted it to 'noogle'. What can I tell you? He was a stupid, ignorant man who was raised by stupid ignorant people. I scraped his useless son off my shoes and didn't look back.
The difference is that Paula Deen used the word in the fifties. The ignorant father in law used it in the last few years before he died.
What do my ignorant ex father in law and Richard Pryor have in common besides being on the other side of the turf? They both threw that word around like it was nothing. Chris Rock (one of the most racist performers I have ever witnessed) throws that word around as well. Eddie Murphy at least had the benefit of being funny, but I have heard him drop the n-bomb as well. Is it okay if you are black?
I used to love Nick at Nite when it had the old sit coms from the sixties-Get Smart, the Monkees, Laugh In. Those were hilarious! Then it moved forward and had programs that I grew up with- The Jefferson's, All in the Family, Alice. Not nearly as funny. But while George Jefferson could call his white neighbor (portrayed as a kindly idiot of course) a honky- that was fine. Let Archie Bunker call one black person by the n word and stop the presses! The politically correct crowd was screaming from the roof tops. Boycotts! Embargoes! Letters to stations were reportedly on their way. Even Reverend Baby Daddy and everyone's favorite opportunist Al Sharpton got in on the action.
Everyone's favorite felon Martha Stewart was able to rehabilitate her image after spending a year in jail for the felony of insider trading. She came out of her white collar prison and took up where she left off. There were no cries for boycotts. Kmart and others still sell her merchandise. Her business empire is still going along swimmingly. So a stupid felony (that I would have committed also) is acceptable-but a word from decades ago isn't? That is quite the double standard.
My point is this: Paula Deen used an ugly word a long time ago. She apologized for it. The accusation came from an employee who was fired for incompetence, and no one else heard the racial slur. Ms. Deen denied using the word in her presence and she apologized. In three words : let it go.
I don't believe I will frequent the stores who feel the need to boycott Ms. Deen. Let it go. She has apologized ad nauseum. Leave her alone. And if you get the chance- make her pecan pie recipe. You'll thank me later.
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