What the hell are you thinking????

No, seriously, I need to know what the hell everybody's thinking out there.  I realize I've been out of the blogisphere for about a month, but I keep checking my Facebook posts, and it would seem that some of you have gotten a bit unreasonable since the last time we met.

Time for a bit of a refresher.

Let's start with the recent good news, shall we?

I was both pleased and very surprised with the recent Supreme Court decisions that will help to further pave the way for legal recognition of same-sex marriage in our fair nation.  Goes to show that even the Fat Guy is wrong from time to time (though if you ask my wife, it's more often than I'd like to admit).  I honestly didn't think the court had the stones to do it.  I figured they'd throw Prop 8 back to the lower court, since that was the easiest (read:  Most Non-Political) move they could make, and that, of course, meant that Prop 8 got struck down.  However, I just figured that, knowing how this batch of conservatives rules, they'd figure out a way to hose same-sex couples that have been together for ages.  I'm perfectly pleased to be absolutely wrong.

Now, let me climb up on my soapbox and preach....um, I mean EXPLAIN a few things to some of you who apparently need it:

Federal recognition of same-sex marriage is coming, whether you like it or not.  Deal with it.  You can point to your Bible and tell me that it's a sin, and that it will lead to the crumbling of the traditional family, and that it will cause further decay of our national morals.  That's your opinion, and you're entitled to it.  However, I'm also entitled to tell you you're WAY off base.

"Really?", you say.  "But the Bible specifically says it's a sin."

Okay, let me go back and re-hash an argument I've brought up in the past, and let me see if I can make it clearer for you.....

The Bible has been used over the years to "justify" numerous instances of discrimination.  Supporters of slavery used to open their Bible and preach to anyone who would listen that the Bible specifically said that African-Americans were MEANT BY GOD (emphasis added by me) to be slaves, and, since it's in the Bible, that must make it okay.  When that didn't work, this same batch of bigots tried to convince us that the concept of marriage was between a man and a woman OF THE SAME RACE (again, I'm adding the emphasis), because the concept of interracial marriage was as foreign to them as a fungo to a Martian.

Hell, I'm even willing to go back to the Crusades, where the Pope himself said that the Bible said it was perfectly okay to go slaughter tons of "non-believers" (read:  non-Christians) in order to get the Holy Land back.

Again, you have the right to believe what you want.  Also again, I have the right to utilize logic, no matter how fuzzy you might think it is, to attempt to convince you that, morally, you're on the wrong side of history.

But, that's your choice.

Okay, enough of stirring up the religious pot.  Let me see how much shit I can cause in another area....

Paula Deen.

No shit.  I find it incredible that she's got as many supporters as she does after the way she's behaved over the past few weeks.  Hey look, I'll grant you that NOBODY should be persecuted for shit they said 20 years ago.  I believe, as most of us do, in giving someone the benefit of the doubt.  But, let us remember something......

This whole thing about her using racial slurs came because of her deposition in a case in which she's been accused of racial discrimination.  Also, by the way, it's not just her use of the dreaded and feared N-word, but other comments that she supposedly made.

Now that we've got the background, let me tell you where she went wrong.......

I posted this to Facebook earlier today, so I apologize if you're reading it for the second time, but, for me, it bears repeating.

Had Paula simply appeared on the Today show on the day she was originally scheduled to appear and acted like she was sincerely regretful, as well as show some sincere regret and/or an admission of understanding and knowledge that the way she acted was inappropriate, I don't think much of anything would have been done to her.  That goes back to my previous comment about Americans being a forgiving sort.  We'd have given her a second chance, pretty much no questions asked.

So, what did she do?

First, she cancelled that appearance at the last possible minute, giving a (in my opinion) extremely lame excuse.  If you're too broken up to go on the Today show, you sure as hell shouldn't post three videos of yourself online trying to explain your position.  And, before you comment that there were only two, pretty much every news source on the planet will confirm that there were three:  she deleted the first one before posting the other two.  That should tell you something about her state of mind at the time.

While we're at it, let's take a closer look at the videos, shall we?

Basically, she defended herself by claiming that she's "from the South", so that should make it okay.  She also showed zero remorse for being the way she was.  To her, it's all unfair persecution for things she did years ago.  Again, I refer you to the pending litigation and remind you that if she was being unfairly persecuted, her lawyers could have gotten the suit thrown out.  Tells me the judge thinks there might be something there.

Strike three for Paula was when she finally decided it was time to grace the Today show with her presence.  Her behavior wasn't a whole hell of a lot different from her video posts.  Again, she made it all about herself and how badly she's been treated, and blah blah blah.

Sorry.  That's NOT how you get forgiven in this society anymore.  You HAVE to take personal responsibility for your actions and admit you were wrong.

Had I been hired to consult with Paula at the beginning of all of this, and with my degree and background I'm definitely qualified to do PR, I would have suggested the following...

1.  Take your ass to the Today show on the day you've agreed to.  Act sincere, admit you were wrong, and, for God's sake, act like you've learned that your behavior, no matter how old it might be, was WRONG.

2.  Stay the hell off the internet.  No video posts, no online chats, no Twitter, no Facebook.  Nothing.

3.  Once the Today show appearance was done, TAKE A FRIGGIN VACATION.  Get the hell out of the public eye for awhile.  You've spoken, now let your words stand for you.  Let those who would persecute you try to undo them.  (Which they couldn't, since she'd have been honest and sincere in the first place)

Does that format sound familiar?  It should, since just about every politician who gets caught dipping his pen in the company ink uses it, or a variation of it, to try to regain the public trust.  And it obviously works, since we rarely kick any of them out of office, even when they've lied and told us "I did NOT have sexual relations with that woman."

Listen, I know that there will be people who would support Paula even if they'd heard she blew up a busload of nuns.  That's your perrogative.  I'm just asking, as I do, that you consider the possibility that she might have been wrong, so there MIGHT JUST BE A REASON all the multi-billion-dollar corporations are dropping her.

Oh, and for the folks who are pissed that black people can call white people stuff like "honky" and "cracker" and get away with it??????

What they're doing is racism, too.  Believe me, if it came out tomorrow that the Neely's (watch Food Network if you don't know who they are) said something about dressing a bunch of crackers up in cute little costumes for a banquet, the media would be raising Hell with them, too.

Unfortunately, racism still exists in all of its forms in this country.  Until we all realize that there's only one planet for ALL of us to equally share, it's a problem we'll have to wrestle with.  And that means that our public figures and celebrities, whether they want to or not, will continue to be held to a higher standard.

The Fat Man has spoken.

Now.....get the hell off the internet and go enjoy your Fourth of July.