THE DEAN OF THE SOUTH

Let me state at the start that I do not condone Paula Dean's alleged use of "the N word." I do not condone it's use because it is impolite in civil conversation, not because it has any intrinsic evil about it.

As we all know, I guess, the "N" in "the N word" stands for Nigger, an offensive term when used by anyone except a black person about another black person.

If I had ever used the term when I was growing up, my parents (who were both racists in their own way) would have whipped me to within an inch of my life. That's a literary way of saying "spanked." They never beat me. They did spank me...three times that I remember.

Although they were racists, they were also people who believed strongly in civility. There were certain words and phrases that were indicative of ignorance, vulgarity (in the "common" sense of the word), impoliteness, and low class. "Nigger" was one of those words.

Unfortunately, the language has "evolved" to the point that words that used to be "forbidden" are now considered acceptable "Jesus Christ almighty!" as a phrase for swearing is one example. "God damn," or "goddamn," or however you choose to say it is another.

Vulgarities revolving around the product of bodily functions, the reference to private body parts, the wishing of rape upon another and calling another's mother a female dog are others.

In the name of "free speech," these words and phrases have become acceptable and woe be to the one who tries to keep someone from using them.

"Nigger," on the other hand, is not afforded the same free speech rights as other words. It is offensive, and offensiveness is forbidden.Unless, of course, the offensiveness you are trying to forbid happens to be associated with Christianity. Then it is OK to offend.

So, it is OK to offend some groups, but not others. Hmmm.

Is there no one in the liberal community who can see the inconsistency of that thought process? How dense can you get?

It would really be a good thing if society would just learn to be polite. That's all. Just be polite.

Name me ten things that are wrong with being polite. Go on...I'm waiting.

Shame on Paula Dean for seeming to be racist. Shame!

While the Food Network has the absolute right to hire and fire whomever it pleases, shame on them for making Paula Dean the focus of an unnecessary controversy. A good warning and/or lecture in being polite would have been more than adequate.

I, for one, will never watch the Food Network again. Neither will I knowingly frequent a restaurant whose chef is featured on their network. To the best of my ability, I will never purchase a product that advertises on the Food Network (Given my propensity for eating, that might be a hard one).

I'm sure the executives of the Food Network will cry all the way to the bank over my one person boycott. But that is the consequence they must suffer for offending my sense of justice so badly.

Meanwhile, I hope Paula Dean will begin a regimen that will result in her learning to be polite in all circumstances. But then I wish the rest of the world would, too...including both liberals and conservatives.

In the words of a self-described victim of society, "Can't we all just learn to get along?"

Probably not.