Race Related

It’s about Paula Deen. 

The headlines reported, under oath the television personality said she had used the “n” word, “in the past”.  If you do not know what the “n” word is, good!  If you do know, then no doubt you are aware it is a derogatory label/word that should never be said.  Exception – it seems if you are of African heritage and attribute the word to another of African heritage, eh!  I’ll say this.  In my circles it’s not acceptable, at all!!!

Anyway, I’ve read that using the “n” word was one of a few less-than-admirable racially demeaning admissions made by Paula Deen, of European heritage, born in the deep south in the late 40’s.  None of what I read was OK.  But did it warrant the consequences interested parties are dealing with these days? 

Several corporate entities have announced a cessation of contracts with Paula Deen and her companies.  Paula has offered tear filled commentary; words vouching for her sense of self that does not think, feel or condone what the reported racially based inappropriate incidents imply.

From the people, there’s a hue and cry of disgust and sympathy. Sympathy because “who hasn’t used demeaning terminology at some time?”  Disgust because here’s evidence of the strong undercurrent of racial disparity we cannot seem to overcome as a group of people in this country.  And the perpetrator is a public icon. One person posted on the Internet, “Don’t you wish you had picked your own cotton?”

The questioner was not speaking to a person like me but I have an answer.

“Having lived my entire life in this country I was born in AND having lived my entire life as the descendant of slaves AND having managed to live a constructive, happy life in spite of the emotionally draining feat of periodically dealing with persons and groups of persons who demean me simply on SEEING me, I for one wish they had picked their own cotton and labored and toiled, broke their own backs to earn their future without taking away from me and mine.”

But that has not been America's history.  The good thing is we have come very far.  The not so good is, when incidents like this Paula Deen moment surface, the resultant discussion is verification we’ve ‘got a ways to go’.  Depressing.

Reminder

Welcome a happy attitude.

When a challenging thought 

Comes to mind,

Smile.                                   

Our world will be a better place for it.

                          

                                     My daughter's smile inspired my thinking today.

                              

Paula Deen Didn't Teach Me How To Cook

My mother was a great cook.  She taught me all I knew.  (I use the past tense. After all, via televised cooking shows, I know so much more today.)  Still, long before I left home for college I could confidently fix a complete family meal, thanks to mother.

Mother (June 24, 1911- August 12, 1987)

Baking an apple pie this morning I heard mother's voice, reminding me not to handle the pie dough too much.  “Your pie crust will not be tender and flaky,” her patient words came to mind as they do from time to time. 

I don’t know how she learned to cook.  She didn’t have a mother to teach her.  One afternoon, when I was a grade school student, helping her in the kitchen, I was saddened hearing mother tell me her mother was buried on her 8^th birthday.  That was in 1919.  Grandpa didn’t remarry.  And, it doesn’t seem likely her only sister, Aunt Cora, almost five years old when mother was born, taught her.  Perhaps it was the woman mother worked for as a housekeeper those years before she and daddy married.  The lady was always spoken of as a kind and caring person.  She may have taught her.

Daddy loved mother’s cooking, all the while boasting about being a good cook himself.  “I just don’t have the time.” We laughed.  He did make delicious snow ice cream.

A year or so ago, watching Paula Deen’s cooking show, reminded me of my father's unbridled taste for butter.  Mother’s yellow cake, hot from the oven, garnished with creamery butter served with a tall glass of cold milk was a favorite dessert of his. 

Many of Paula Deen’s recipes were butter rich.  Influenced by her glowing positivity, I wanted to consider diets laden with fats and sugars were not as bad for ones health as the medical community told me – even knowing heart disease killed my daddy at the young age of 58.  

When it was revealed that Paula Deen had been diagnosed earlier with diabetes, I stopped watching her.  She immediately lost her credibility with me.  (I was surprised her show wasn’t cancelled then.)

                       .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .   .

The Food Network remains a favorite TV channel. Their programming has strengthened my cooking initiative.  I’m not as shy with the knives!

Who teaches/taught you how to cook?