Of Course She Said it!

So it seems the latest media target is Paula Deen.  One of her former employees is suing her & her brother for sexual & racial harassment. During a deposition for the charges, Paula admitted to using the N-Word in the past & years ago!  OH MY GOSH! I'm shocked! NOT!!  She grew up in the south in the 50s & 60s for crying out loud!  Anyone who thinks she has never ever used that word is seriously delusional.  But, she has apologized & says she hasn't used it in a long time!  So, get over it people!  It's ridiculous that she's losing her Food Network & QVC contracts over things she said years ago.

You can read the story here:

http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/19/showbiz/paula-deen-racial-slur

Now, I'm not going to mention anymore about the lawsuit. I don't want to make judgements about that. I just want to voice my opinion about this N-Word subject.

N-Word, Nigger!  Yes. I said it!  Well, wrote it anyway!  It's amazing how a single word can be so powerful. Even just typing it made me cringe. There's a lot of terrible & negative history behind what the word represents. I grew up in the south with my relatives (I won't be specific here) saying this word. Even as a kid, hearing it gave me the same taboo feeling that I feel now.  I'm sure I used it at least once in my life.  Certainly, not in the past 20 years and I don't feel I should feel guilty or have to apologize for using it so long ago.

It's a word that we rarely hear or see anymore. The old saying "Sticks & Stones Will Break My Bones, But, Words Will Never Hurt Me" just isn't true!  Words can hurt way more than fists.  People have learned & are learning this.  If we're to move forward, we can't continually punish people for being ignorant in the past as long as they realize their past ignorance & don't continue it.

I commend Paula for having the guts to admit what she has done/said in the past.  I dont even think she should have apologized for it.  She doesn't need to apologize to me or anyone else that may have heard her public apology.  If she needs to apologize to anyone, it'd only be the person she said it to.  But, I bet, if half the people in the media or The Food Network or QVC were to be just as honest, they'd have to admit to making some kind of racial slur in their past.  So, let he who is without sin cast the first stone!  Good luck finding anyone worthy of throwing!