by Ashley Murphy

To write this how I really want to write it would probably get me in even more trouble than poor Paula Deen, so, with that being said, I will try my hardest to attempt to keep this PG. Unfortunately, I know I actually have to or I could lose my job, too...

People today - I say this as I shake my head in disgust - are so quick to jump on bandwagons and point fingers and condemn. It really sickens me. I guarantee you that these people are no saints themselves. Hypocrites. At this point I want to go up to them, put my fingers around their necks and shake some sense into the stupid, idiotic masses they have for brains. Or punch them in the face. Either would work. But, that would also land me time in the local jail house so I have to hold my breath until I'm blue in the face to refrain from such actions.

Paula Deen. Paula, Paula, Paula. For goodness sakes, leave the poor woman alone! So she used some racial slurs when telling a story in the past. Even if the past was a week ago. Who the heck cares?! I sure don't! Now, for saying that I will be condemned as a racist. That's not the case at all. I have friends that are Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, you name it. But how a person lives their personal life is not in my interest. If she were going on TV or out in public settings and being openly vulgar and offensive, then maybe people would have something to complain about. But to my knowledge, she isn't. To my knowledge, this incident that has everyone up in arms happened over 25 years ago! Get a freakin' life people.

The woman was born in 1947 in Georgia for crying out loud. A lot of the south was still racially segregated at the time. And you people don't know how this woman's parents raised her. I'm not saying that makes it okay, I'm just saying there are millions more out there who were brought up differently. In addition to that, she spent a lot of time with her grandmother cooking. A grandmother who was probably born in the late 1800s or early 1900s and was brought up around racial segregation.

Again, that's not an excuse, but during her deposition she stated that the use of the derogatory term was to describe a conversation she had heard in the black community or it was used to describe the black man that held her at gun point during a bank robbery. Say what you want, but I can't blame her for referring to a crazed black man in that way if he had traumatized her. That still doesn't make me a racist. I would have some pretty nasty words for a white man that committed such a heinous crime, too.

In all actuality, I would bet that black on white racism has increased since the election of Barack Obama. Call me crazy. That's fine. But the black community has a new sense of entitlement since the election of America's first black president. Or, as Jamie Foxx called him, "the lord and savior." No, I will not encourage that nonsense with capitalizing the "lord's" name. Absolutely preposterous! In addition to that comment, Foxx also described his recent movie Django Unchained as "great" because his slave character becomes free and kills all of the white people in the movie. Ummm....he thinks its great for black people to kill white people?! That sounds pretty darn racist to me! Oh, and this was on national television.

I don't recall Paula Deen saying she's going to go kill a bunch of black people. Yet, SHE'S the one getting dropped by The Food Network, Wal-Mart, Smithfield Foods and denounced by many others. Beyond ridiculous.

Another black celebrity made a seemingly racist comment last year, suggesting that her pool was segregated, or that all white girls were alcoholics. I'm not really sure.

Queen Latifah was discussing her very large, party-friendly pool on the Late Show when she mentioned there was a four foot deep section with a basketball court. She continued by saying,  "If you can't swim, or if you're hammer-wasted, go there." She laughed at her own little quip, then further added, "Hammered or a white girl, whichever you prefer."

So "white girls" can only go into a certain section of her pool? Or all "white girls" are trashy alcoholics? Either way, this sounds a little sexist and racist. And in case you don't know the Late Show, this is also national television.

There have also been several instances in the world of sports where racist comments have been made by black players or commentators.

Charles Barkley said he hated white people. I wonder if that included his white wife?

Floyd Mayweather made a homemade video that consisted of several racist remarks toward opponent Manny Pacquiao and continued from there with other homophobic and racist remarks.

Shaquile O'Neal made a racist comment back in the early 2000s toward fellow basketball player Yao Ming.

And they didn't lose their jobs. To my knowledge, they didn't lose any endorsements. Their lives went on like nothing ever happened.

One of the biggest reasons racism is still alive in this country today is because the black community won't let it die. I get it. Our white ancestors held your ancestors captive. Your ancestors worked for nothing. And your ancestors lived in squalor. But I had no part of that. I had no say in what my ancestors did a century ago.

In today's society, you get what you work for. Period! I don't owe you a darn thing! Nothing! So how about you stop referring to your fellow brothers and sisters in derogatory ways. Sounds like the best place to start to me.

You're not better than me. I'm not better than you. If you want money and respect today, you have to earn it. It's as simple as that.

Stop making crap so complicated and drop the race card!

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