Well well....

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Paula wants ya'll to have some Humble pie!

All claims dismissed against Paula Deen in employee lawsuit

Paula Deen no longer faces claims in the lawsuit that led to the fall of her food empire.

According to court documents filed in Savannah, Ga., all claims against the TV chef have been dismissed in the suit brought by former restaurant manager Lisa Jackson, with no award of costs or fees to any party. Jackson had sued on the grounds that the work environment at Uncle Bubba's Seafood and Oyster House, owned by Deen and her brother, subjected employees to sexual harassment and racial discrimination.

The news comes two weeks after a federal judge threw out the lawsuit's race discrimination claims, stating that though others may have faced that discrimination in the restaurant, Jackson could not sue since she was not one of the victims. Friday's agreement was filed with prejudice, which means Jackson cannot refile the lawsuit.

There was a lot of banter earlier last month about 'r-word folk like her'. You can split legal straws all you want, but filing with prejudice is bold talk for a one eyed fat man Federale Judge.

I expect the good folks here to publicly admit they were wrong in their prejudices about citizens of the SE US. Here is your opportunity.

Others, not so much. My opinion is some of you global citizens (and a few here in the good ole USA) still have a lot to learn about the United States and its melting pot of individuals. No one like to admit they were wrong, or even hasty in judging because there was no grounds for the accusations.

If you want to argue the position 'but she is still a r-word', I will say "tell it to the judge, buddy".

brb: pulling smoked BBQ pork shoulders off the pit

ETA: the bbq was exquisite. Those of you who are stuck on the technicality of the rational behind dismissal by explaining why there were no people with, er, standing, actually standing up and making the accusation. After all, if she was a dirty white girl, the folks with standing would be lining up to get a piece of Paula's pie. Where are they?

Comments

[kylinrouge.livejournal.com]

So... the one filing the suit had no standing. How you get that as conclusive evidence that she's not racist is beyond me. (Note: This doesn't mean I think she's racist.)

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

tell it to the judge see ETA

[musicpsych.livejournal.com]

This.

Also, "one person in a region isn't racist = everyone in a region isn't racist" is kind of a leap.

[dwer.livejournal.com]

You understand that the claim has been denied on a technicality, right? No decision was made on the merits of the claim but the standing of the plaintiff.

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Then where are the co-defendants with standing, or co-plaintiffs, if indeed she was as Jackson alleged?

You can't admit this might have been all fabricated by Jackson, can you?

[peristaltor.livejournal.com]

I expect the good folks here to publicly admit they were wrong in their prejudices about citizens of the SE US. Here is your opportunity.

I guess that makes me bad. My bad.

But that's okay. Southern folks can keep your prejudices about we northwesterners intact. No harm done. I, for one, just today wore sandals without socks just to be peculiar.

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

I can't think of a preconceived prejudice about people in the NW US because ya'll just so normal. Like Canadians. What, we going to goof on Boing and $tarbucks?

[telemann.livejournal.com]

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

[policraticus.livejournal.com]

I expect the good folks here to publicly admit they were wrong in their prejudices about citizens of the SE US. Here is your opportunity.

Don't hold your breath, brah.

[fizzyland.livejournal.com]

Jackson could not sue since she was not one of the victims

And that's the only conclusion one can reasonably draw - that Jackson didn't have standing to sue.

Also, Aunt Jemima costumes and using the n-word still firmly places one on the boundary of ignorant & racist.

There you go boundrying again!

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Perhaps you are right.

*thinking* OK so..how come no one with 'victim status' aka standing, was willing to back her claim legally or publicly? Co-file? File their own claim? Certainly it can not be because she is not so bound?

Your last comment is non sequitur to the post because those activities are sometimes used by people of all color. By that account, all people except you of course, would be "firmly" boundried.

I can count you as one of those who can not get over your personal prejudices? It's cool; it's human.

edit: fixed for tense

[mahsox-mahsox.livejournal.com]

I've worked in restaurants. Anyone who owns a large restaurant that serves a full menu of hot food is probably a dickhead who treats staff appallingly and wants lower management to do likewise. It just seems to come with the territory. So I'm not about to say that Paula Deen isn't all shades of wrong and stupid, including racist, just because one law suit has been dismissed. I didn't need the info included in that law suit to be able to say she's almost certainly a jerk and a total waste of oxygen who makes her employees' workdays miserable. It would be surprising if she wasn't.

I do feel, however, that a member of lower to middle management picking out just one or two ways in which lower staff are treated badly upper management and saying "oh hey that made my job *impossible* because staff who are badly treated don't work well, pay me" is sort of halfway to ridiculous. Pissed off, shat upon staff are the norm in that business, either you can cope with managing them or you can't. The people who really need to be asking for damages because the work environment included specific forms of stress and abuse that are illegal are the cooks, waitstaff, cleaners, dishwashing staff etc.

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

This is why my restaurant only serves booze and dubstep. I'd hate to be one of those kind of bosses.

[devil-ad-vocate.livejournal.com]

I celebrated by cookin' up some of Paula's recipe for beef stew (but cutting back the sodium).

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

that must have been a feat

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Did you use a crock pot or a dutch oven?

[rimpala.livejournal.com]

All I can ask is what of the other claims of racism? She's clear of the legal troubles but is she clear of whatever got her booted off of Food Network?

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

The article stated that even though this alleged vindication occurred, the person-corporations she shilled for are unlikely to re-embrace her.

Which in the end, is ultimately best for cleansing her soul.

[404.livejournal.com]

I expect the good folks here to publicly admit they were wrong in their prejudices about citizens of the SE US. Here is your opportunity.

[op-tech-glitch.livejournal.com]

Nice try. I'm still holding out to see her, Taylor Chapman and George Zimmerman all end up in the same porno.

Presumably with lots and lots and lots of butter.

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

Are you trying to sexually arouse me again?

[foolsguinea.livejournal.com]

"R-word"? There have been generations of proud Racists who would be bemused at your flinching from saying the word. What's the use of being a racist if you can't admit it?

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

I don't use that particular word that begins with an "r". It is too often abused to engineer reverse discrimination, instead of promoting equality.

It offends me and I request you do not spell out the 'r' word in my presence.

Now..is that TOO MUCH to ask? :)

[yelena-r0ssini.livejournal.com]

Concepts you are apparently deliberately pretending not to grasp:

1) Racism is neither a criminal nor a civil offense; one can be racist, or otherwise personally odious, without having committed a crime or tort. And judges cannot rule on personality traits, nor did a judge do so.
2) The judge in this case made no ruling as to the claims of race discrimination. He made a ruling as to standing, and ruled that the plaintiff did not have standing to file this suit. In fact, he went out of his way to state employees of color may have faced discrimination, and that the dismissal applies only to the specific plaintiff, who lacked standing to file because she was not directly affected by discrimination which may or may not have taken place.
3) Making/marketing tasty food, and being racist, are not mutually exclusive.

I Love lists Pt 2~

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

1. She has been exonerated in a court of law, but convicted in the court of public opinion. Explain that "being a r-word is not a crime" to them, not me. I clearly understand the nuance.
2. My stock comment (as forewarned) is "tell that to the judge". The case lacked merit on the most basic levels. How can YOU tell if the judge WOULD have ruled there was job/race discrimination? Could it be because you already assume she MUST be guilty, important technicality be damned, and the allegation, career path, her skin color and accent sealed the deal in your mind?
3. Nor are they mutually inclusive, much to the chagrin of others.

ETA: Let me ask you this: Jackson made allegations that no one else has backed up (speculation/excuse "they are askeered"). Deen denied it. Why do you have such an easy time believing Jackson over Deen? What is the rational basis for your position that you dance around?
And to be honest, in light of my BBQ comment, your last statement could have been a personal stereotype attack against me and the regional foods I choose to produce.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I never really heard of her before (or after) this case. I'm good that way too.

[yes-justice.livejournal.com]

I expect the good folks here to publicly admit they were wrong in their prejudices about citizens of the SE US.

"I hope neil young will remember
southern man will whine about the slightest bit of lyrical criticism don't need him around anyhow"

[rick-day.livejournal.com]

yes....and?

[underlankers.livejournal.com]