Stop it!

Paula Deen has lost her Food Network Gig and some spokesman roles, for truthfully admitting, that in the past, she had used the N word.

How many of us have? There was a time in America when we were so proud of our great "melting pot". People of diverse ethnic and nationality backgrounds came together as proud Americans. We had varying social characteristics, which became stereotypes, and we pretty much laughed at those stereotypes... ours, and theirs.

 Remember when we told 'Pat and Mike' jokes, about two dumb Irishmen. And, Irish were considered drinkers. There were unending Polish jokes. Italians were chided for their manner of speaking English: American sailor, "Is that a U-Boat?" Italian sailor, "No, That's nota my boat." Asians were considered bad drivers. I had a close friend who was an Italian immigrant. When he entered the United States, his documents were marked "W.O.P.", meaning "without papers". He called himself a Wop.

Mexicans were pictured in a sombrero, asleep under a palm tree. Both Scotsmen and Dutchmen were considered tightwads. Jews were money-hungry, always seeking to "Jew someone out of" something. Germans were Krauts. Frenchmen were frogs. Blacks were called the N word. Nobody hated anyone. We laughed at our differences and moved on, abandoning many of those terms over time.

I am sure some people were hurt by this practice, although I hold it was mostly folks who did not have strong self-confidence. My guess is that the word, itself, was not too painful, since many black comedians and black youth use the word freely. I suspect it is who uses it that matters.

Years ago I worked with a wonderful young woman who was Jewish. She told me, "Jews love Jewish jokes - when they are told by other Jews. When told by non-Jewish people, we are never sure if they are laughing with us - or at us." Fair enough. I get that.

I, for one, have never understood exactly why black Americans were called the N word. The definition of the word, after all, is a meanly stingy person. Doesn't fit any black people I know! Think Joe Louis, the heavyweight boxing champ who made lots of money and gave it all away, 'treating' his friends.

Then, something happened. Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, et al, learned they could become rich and famous, while destroying their enemies, by claiming victimhood. Some of those terms were declared to be hate speech and people bought those definitions. The meanings changed entirely. Like the now-despicable C word. Once a vulgar, slang name for a part of the female anatomy, it morphed into a demeaning term for women. Where did that come from?

I never advocate violence, but I wish the mother of the lawyer who interrogated Paula Deen could grab him by the ear and wash his mouth out with soap for using unacceptable language.

He asked Deen if she had every used the N word. She could have just lied and said, "No". But she told the truth and is vilified. Has she been accused of truly demeaning any person because of their skin color? Has she exhibited racial prejudice in hiring practices? Hardly.

What about that planned "plantation wedding", with blacks as old time servants, posing as slaves? I am sure everyone would have been well paid and the 'actors' appreciative of the gig. If she had just had cameras rolling and called it a movie, it would have been wonderful.

Since these race-baiters have successfully turned certain terms into "hate speech", we, including Paula Deen, have quit using them. 

It is time to stop this divisive nonsense. If Sharpton and Jackson really deserve the "Rev." prefix before their names, let them go back to their congregations and preach the Gospel. Stop destroying people with this victim nonsense.