Offended Yet?


The entrepranurial mega-cook Paula Deen is being sued. She is a brand unto herself with cookbooks, kitchenware and television programs. If you have ever seen her interviewed, you know she is a charmer who loves buttery, down-home dishes y'all.

Today I learned that she also owns restaurants and that a former employee is suing her for the behavior and language used at one of the locations. It seems that beyond the alleged sexual harrassment, the use of the n-word by fellow employees and management deeply disturbed this white woman. So she is suing Ms. Deen.

Earlier this week in her deposition, Paula admitted to using a racial slur once and tolerating racist jokes. Somehow the text from this deposition (which is merely part of the legal process) has been published and public reaction is huge. Yes, she did say "that word" to her husband in private after being held up at gun point over 25 years ago. Pundits think including her words (when the suit is more about sexual harrassment in the workplace) is to get more money out of wealthy target. Others sputter that the use of "that word" at any time is absolutely uncalled for.

What I want to know is why does one word get to own all the outrage rights?? Public figure upon public figure has been shamed via the media for their sin in using this one horrible word. Some of the people don't recover, some do.

According to the unspoken code about the n-word, using it reminds people of an atrocity and period of time when all people weren't valued equally.  It is okay to become angry about this word and at the users of this word. Users of this word are terrible, ignorant people.

Well, right now I'm thinking of a four-letter word referring to every woman on the planet that outrages me. I think it too should be banned. This offends and demeans over half the planet. Ooops, now I'm thinking of another four-letter word that is used in every sentence of many R-rated movies, on playing fields and finger-gestured to other drivers all the time. Its popularity has made it both a verb and a noun. This word offends and degrades the entire planet.

No, I'm not going to list every four-letter word I know but the holy grail of outrage should actually go to the use of the Lord's name as a swear word.  When you stub your toe and your kid's name is Thomas, do you snarl "THOMAS IT!!" I don't think so. Instead, the Creator of the universe is blasphemed. Reduced to a level beneath his creation. And how about all the "OMG" references we see in texts and FB posts? Turning God's name into a lark?

According to the outrage code, the use of any profane or blasphemous word is okie-dokie as long as it isn't 6 letters long starting with an "n". All other ethnicities are fair game to be referred to in the lowest most slandeous way. And you can litter the air with any foul words you like. Just don't give me no n-word.

Imagine a political cartoon where the dialog between an attorney and client reads something like this:
Client:       He  @*#'n  called me the  *!#%  n-word! I am so  $%#'n  offended!
Attorney:  No $#@!! What an  %$*@##. That is so  %#@

Instead of becoming the one-word police, why can't we fine tune our outrage gauges to be offended at the use of all pernicious words, and outraged at the ones devaluing our Creator?




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