Today's Situation Room:
Wolf Blitzer delivers the most important breaking news and political, international, and national security stories of the day. Tune to The Situation Room weekdays 5-7pm ET on CNN.
Wolf Blitzer delivers the most important breaking news and political, international, and national security stories of the day. Tune to The Situation Room weekdays 5-7pm ET on CNN.
June 20th, 2013
12:10 PM ET
Paula Deen admits to using racial slur
CNN's Alina Machado reports about a deposition showing celebrity chef Paula Deen admitting to making racist comments.
RELATED STORY: Celeb chef Paula Deen admits using 'N' word
About this Show
The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer is the command center for breaking news, politics and extraordinary reports from around the world. Tune in weeknights from 5-7pm ET on CNN.
On Twitter
RT @CNN: Former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson joins CNN’@wolfblitzerer for a one-on-one interview to discuss the security prepara…
RT @CNN: Former FDIC chair Sheila Bair joins CNN’@wolfblitzerer to outline her suggestions following the recent banking crisis. Watch here:…
RT @CNN: Former FDIC chair Sheila Bair joins CNN’@wolfblitzerer to outline her suggestions following the recent banking crisis. Watch here:…
I was at a very special dinner last night celebrating @AdamSandler for winning The Kennedy Center’s 24th Mark Twaintwitter.com/i/web/status/1…CM1P
Why aren't people focusing on the real issue here? hostility in the work place. The usual mob mentality to attack a woman for what she might have said in the past. instead of looking at what the very real issue is in this case. Stop playing the race card and stop this witch hunt.
This whole issue has nothing to do with what Paula Deen might have in the past. It has to do with hostility in the work place. That is the issue. It is a mob mentality . People always play the race issue! look at what the real issue is and leave this woman alone. Focus on the real issue. what is happening now and not what was said long ago. Move forward . Hostility in the work place is a real issue.
Question, How many, at some time in their lifetime, have made unkind remarks about different people? If any of you say you haven't I'm afraid you need to rethink your past. Does this make it right? No! But let us learn from our mistakes in order to make this a better world. We are AMERICANS, regardless of our ancestry.
It's all about someone wanting money or what others have. I'am not Caucasian and reverse discrimination is running ramped, it all stems from all this political correctness run amuck. It's gotten ridiculous.
I grew up in Winnipeg in Canada. I was a child in the 40s and 50s and most people referred to "black people", which there were VERY few of there, as "Negros" or they used the other N word. This is a culture we grew up in and it was all around. I don't know when the words "black person" started but it was totally unheard of in those years. Certainly afterwards the culture changed and the N word was no longer used in public. Heck there were candies with the N word and what about Aunt Jamima Syrup????
Paula Deen was being truthful about her past. Why is it not racist for a black person to use the N word but it is racist when a white person does that?
As for the Food Network............Paula has already apologized and gone overboard to do so. When she is dropped from your network you will be losing a LOT of viewers like me.
I don't know your race but the N word stands for Slavery. Slave owners named us that we weren't call The N-word before we became slaves. Just like Jew's in the Holocaust we don't bad mouth that era of there lives, why shouldn't the N-word be treated the same. I like all people I don't judge but being born in the late 50's I never remember being called but in 1990 I can tell you working for New York Tele the word can flow out of people mouth like water all races use the N-word just to let you know I don't like you so now I don't take it lightly coming from other races. I'm going to tell this story when I was 4years old. I grew up in Virigina with my grandmother . One Saturday we went to a store called Leggetts my grandmother walked us thuough the front door the sales women at that time approched my grandmother and said to her Ms P. you know your not allowed in this door please go to the back. So we did, got what we came for and left on the way home I ask her why did that happen she replied. I just wanted you to know what it felt like going thru the front door. So to all the people that never had to deal with racism there's know way for you to understand.
My heart goes out to you. What happened WAS WRONG! I grew up in a town of only Caucasians, but I was taught by my parents that God created all people and just because our skin might be a different shade did not make one race better than another. I pray that you will find it in your heart to forgive those unlearned individuals that do mistreat others.
We have become so politically correct in this country that we will villify someone for something she said years ago. What ever happened to accepting an apology and getting over it? Careers have been ruined by a slip of the tongue. I have said things in my life that I regret, hasn't everyone? I hope another network picks up Paula Deen so I can watch her.
RE: Paula Dean
Why does there seem to be a double standard concerning the 'N' word? African-Americans use it all the time to describe each other. Chris Rock uses it as he did on a memorable episode of Oprah. It's an offensive word no matter who uses it, however; we vilify whites for using it when we do nothing when African-Americans use it. Double standards should never be allowed. Offensive is offensive regardless who uses it. Why is the media and the Food Network crucifying Paula Dean for it? If an African-American athlete used the word would the media hop on it like they are with Paula Dean. I wonder.
I agree with you Terri, an offensive remark is just that, offensive, regardless of who uses it. In response to your question however I would say, If you heard a person of European decent refer to another of the same as "white trash", "cracker" or "pecker wood" it wouldn't be considered media attentive or news worthy, but if the same were said by an African, a Mexican or anyone of color, now it's front page material. The problem is the sensationalism of the media. If you've noticed, big issues, the things that would cause anger, provoke social change or revolution get little/no attention while these small, almost meaningless topics dominate the headlines.
This is ridiculous, the woman admits to using the N word, which she is being honest, anyone who says they have not used a racial slur of some kind is just a liar. She is from the south and in her 60's, so it was a common word 40 or 50 years ago. Mind you I am not saying that discriminating is right, I am just trying to make a point. If this was a person with no money, this wouldn't even be an issue. This whole situation is about money plain and simple and trying to ruin her reputation. People of all colors use the word with an a on the end instead of er, what's the difference, whether it ends with an a, it came from the same word. And why can a black person use any word they want to describe a white person or anyone else, reverse discrimination which is rampid in this day and age. Political Correctness is a way of taking one's personal opinion away from them, Freedom of speech means that you can say what you feel, as long as you are not physically hurting someone, you should have the right to say what you want. People say what they want about religion, at least about the Christian religion and take the rights away from Christians and American's, burn our flag, step on our flag, do not want the word God used in public, but this is what we call important in our society, absolutely absurd!
Your reply is simply FOOLISH! If I murdered a 100 people and apologized for it, whether you forgive me or not, does that it make it right? Plain and simple she was WRONG! I don't care what era she grew up in; that's just an excuse! Should we still be lynching people too? That was also in Paula Deen's "era"! Using the N word does not fall under freedom of speech any more than Wop, Spic or Cracker does! Paula Deen should be ashamed of herself and forgiven, but what she did should NOT be forgotten! It's not about her money; it's about the fact that she is revered or was, and is in the public eye!!! The Food Network is LOSING money by getting rid of her! Let her pay for her "crime" like everyone else. As for Black people getting away with calling people names; let me inform you that Black people don't get away with calling people anything in this country. You are must mistaken! Don't make comments about things you obviously DON'T know about!
I meant "MOST" mistaken; not "MUST" in my last statement.
Michele Clark.......Honors!! After reading your post carefully and objectively I have concluded that nothing else need be said. Your comment could not have been stated better. It contains the fire and passion this subject deserves and you delivered it flawlessly with humility, respect and class. Again....Honors!!
No, you are simply foolish. Are you really trying to compare using a word to murder? The era someone grows up in does matter. Yes, lynching was around when she said the word but guess what, it's not the same now. You claim she is revered, well as far as I know she is no god or religious leader. She is no more revered than Kanye West, who is an outspoken racist. As for black people getting away with calling people names, I don't know where you live but I live in a black city, Memphis, Tn., and I can tell you that black people get away with calling every other race names.It's clearly a double standard and equality will never happen until everyone wants to be equal.
Didn't Chris Rock say it's ok to use that word, ONLY in the situation Deen was in... which was when a gun was held to one's head? Weird.