Paula Deen and the "N" Word

So let me understand this.  Paula Deen is accused by a white employee for sexual harassment and racial discrimination.  Translate: a disgruntled employee.  Then, in a deposition, she is asked if she ever used a racial slur, specifically the “n” word.  She answers truthfully and says yes, years ago...to her husband.  She then admits that some of her kitchen staff may tell off color jokes and make racial comments in her kitchen which she has apparently “tolerated.”  Then, in answer to the accuser's claim that that accuser "overheard" a conversation where Ms. Deen wanted to a "plantation wedding with little "n...'s" dressed up and serving , she says she “considered” doing a wedding based on a recent restaurant she visited where all of the servers were middle aged black men dressed in tuxedos (think Youngstown Club).  It never happened because she also said it would be innapropriate in today's world. 

The race baiters went wild.  Paula Deen is a racist screamed the headlines.  The Food Network, that paragon of gluttony, indignantly decided not to renew her contract at the end of June and pulled her television shows from its lineup.  Smithfield Ham, now owned by a state controlled Chinese corporation, dropped her like a hot potato.  So did Sears, QVC, and her publisher. 

What did she do?  She said the "n" word to her husband 30 years ago.  She is my age.  She is from the south.  I would be surprised if she didn'd say the "n" word 30 years ago to her husband. 

Enough of this self righteous indignation about race!  It’s time America grows up.  Put on any urban radio station playing hip hop and you can hear rappers calling women whores and bitches and African Americans niggers in just about every song played on the radio.  I don’t think I would be wrong in surmising the use of words “honkie” and “cracker” is used by many members of the black community.

Add to that the testimony in the Trayvon Martin trial in Sanford, Florida, where the prosecution's lead witness spouted racial hatred like running water...or Alec Baldwin calling a reporter he didn't like a "queen".  That one even got Anderson Cooper fired up. 

To me, words are words.  If I had a nickel for every hateful deed let alone words directed at me, I’d be a rich man.  Should they be used? Probably not.  But at the end of the day, it’s not words but actions that determine a racist.  I never judge a person by the color of his/her skin or ethnicity.  I always believe in giving everyone a fair shot.  I believe that everyone is entitled to a fair shot.  I appreciate folks for who they are.  I respect our cultural differences because, after all, that’s what makes life interesting.  Be they black or white or native American or Asian or blue with pink polka dots…we are all human underneath…alleged racism and all.

So did Paula Deen use racial slurs?  Yes she did, and probably most everyone in the United States at some time or another, and if you deny it, I will call you a liar.  She didn’t kill anyone.  She didn’t assault anyone.  She didn’t rape or sexually harass a minor.  She didn’t steal.  She told the truth under oath.  She is a self starter who has worked hard through difficult circumstances to get to where she is.  And used the “n” word a long time ago.  

Maybe the Food Network should pull out the polygraph machines to see who else may have used the “n” word sometime in their lives, or told an off color joke, or made a sexual remark.  Hypocrisy is the worst sin, and the self righteous hypocrites walk among us.  Let he who is not guilty cast the first stone.  I don’t think the officials at the Food Network should be throwing any stones at all.    

Information Per La Bellezza del Giorno.

Civil disobedience has long been a hallmark of American politics.  It has been interesting to watch the nation come to grips with Edward Snowden, the twenty nine year old whistleblower who disclosed the extent of the massive surveillance of American citizens by the National Security Agency (NSA).  The debate has been raging among the talking heads and politicians alike whether he is a patriot or a traitor.   Their reactions have been chilling.

Start with the Patriot Act which is the basis of this massive collection of information. It was sold to the public claiming it would only be used to monitor incoming calls from suspected terrorists.  In addition, it was to be monitored by a FISA Court.  These are secret courts established under the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act.  The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court appoints sitting Federal judges to FISA Court positions to issue subpoenas in support of actions by the various intelligence agencies.   To date, about 98% of all requests have been granted, including the quarterly renewal of the subpoena under which the NSA monitors all telephone calls, texts, emails, internet searches particularly within the Verizon system, and most likely all communication systems. 

The reaction by those in the intelligence community, Republican and Democratic congressmen and senators alike fains disgust with Mr. Snowden.  Those who sit on congressional intelligence committees of both houses call him a traitor claiming he has irreparably compromised American intelligence operations.     Those who work for the intelligence agencies and former agency directors and Justice Department officials have looked positively scary.  One gentlemen looked so angry I thought he was going to have a stroke.

That begs the question as to whether gathering information relating to my emails, my telephone calls, my web searches, my texts is constitutional when I am neither a suspect nor participant in subversive activities.  What do they need my information for?  In what way am I connected to a terrorist in Pakistan?

This is a fishing expedition on steroids.  All of that information is being gathered not for la bellezza del giorno (Italian for “the beauty of the day!”) as my grandmother used to say.   They gather it, store it, and will use it for something.  What?

The Fourth Amendment reads as follows:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

There must be an oath describing both the place AND PERSONS.  Does the population of the United States meet that definition?  On its face, no!!!  The fourth amendment was set up specifically to prevent blanket searches and seizures. There must be specificity.  There must be more than conjecture. There is nothing different here than British soldiers going from house to house, rummaging through drawers and closets and basements, looking for traitors to the British crown.

The Obama administration has played fast and loose with the Constitution for the past five years.  Its representatives have lied to Congress.   They have lied to the American people.  Although the surveillance was started under George Bush, the expansion to this has taken place under Obama.  There is no excuse for either. 

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This intrusion of Big Brother on the American public is such an affront to the Constitution it is beyond comprehension.  If ever there was a case for civil disobedience to awaken the public and a compliant press, this is it. 

I don’t buy for one minute that the government watching who I call, how many times I call, or looking at my web searches or emails, bolsters national security one iota.  This is a bridge too far.  It is the stuff of of Nazis and Communists. 

I don’t know the motivations of Edward Snowden.  His connection with the Chinese is fishy.  But the fact remains that nobody else had the guts to tell the public the truth…especially those appearing in front of Congress and lying.  So for that, I am grateful. 
 

America, wake up.  Distrust of the government is reaching dangerous levels.  Do we have to rely on a 29 year old high school drop out for the truth about what these people are doing?  In what way does monitoring my calls make this country more secure?  When someone provides me with an answer, then I will be quiet.  In the meantime, we need more Edward Snowden’s.