"Small Potatoes. Hot, Small Potatoes."

Devin Joseph Metz

"When We Allow use of the "N-Word" to become the litmus test for racism, we make it possible for the Rush Limbaughs of the World to claim that they are not racists. Racism is more than the use of a word." - Benjamin T. Moore, Jr.

Rush? Thoughts?

Never mind. 

The fact is, Mr. Moore is absolutely correct. The term is not where the buck stops when it comes to racism. It shouldn't be, at least. We are all presently aware and have been for a very long time about the sensitivity attached to the term(that is what I'll be calling it because I like many of us have used the word too often; so call it a scale back of sorts); but I'd hazard a guess at how many of us have actually taken time to ask ourselves why the term is as amplified as it is; especially in our current day and age with mainstream media, social networks and additional advancements involving communication technology at our grasp.

Before anyone gets bent out of shape or condemns me as "Pro___" or "Anti___", let it be understood that I am siding with no race, entity, faction or anything else when it comes to one's use of the term or racism altogether for that matter. I stand to believe that anything - be it a word, phrase, expression, thought, conversation, song, belief, lifestyle, etc. - that is expounded upon unnecessarily will at some point prove very controversial; therefore making everyone involved responsible for it being that way. Few things that stand alone command a slew of criticism, praise, sweeping indictments or any other kind of grand scale attention without having a fan for its flames; and I'm willing to admit that my arms are definitely weary years after my first initial interaction with something so controversial in exposure.

Those of you who viewed the recent documentary "Richard Pryor: Omit The Logic" this past May on Showtime will recall therein a portion of the documentary where his trip to Africa in 1982 was discussed:

"When I was in Africa, this voice came to me and said, "Richard, what do you see?" I said, I see all types of people." The voice said, "But do you see any n*****s?" I said, "No." It said, "Do you know why? 'Cause there aren't any."" - Pryor performing "Live At The Sunset Strip"

 Richard vowed never to use the term any more after that experience; and he never did. 

It took a trip to the motherland for a comedic genius such as himself to abstain from usage of the word in his stand up and overall schtick. He said that all he saw when he looked around were people.

People. 

To place this in perspective, use of the term was so prominent in what his acts constituted that he was initially perceived to a large degree not as funny without use of it. Needless to say, it wasn't even a dent in the legendary comedian's armor as he flourished extensively and abundantly without use of the term.

Whether the term is used to harm, make a joke or just in casual conversing, the sensitivity attached to the term is ominous but not insurmountable. Failure to recognize or the choice to blatantly ignore the ramifications of the words we choose to use will always constrict us at critical points in our lives.

But..... 

I believe that a great deal of that sensitivity is hinged upon our feeding into the controversy that surrounds it. A significant portion of that controversy we have built ourselves collectively to the point where lives have been threatened, personal images have been destroyed, livelihoods have been compromised, whole factions have opposed each other, careers have undergone tailspins, and the possibility for many more severe responses still looms ahead.

Excerpts from Paula Deen's deposition in lieu of a lawsuit filed against her by a former employee at one of her establishments revealed that Deen admitted using the term in years past; dating back as far as the 1960's according to her. She recalled using the term to refer to a black male that robbed a bank that she was working at back then. She stated that she "did not feel favorable towards him;" which one would understandably surmise after being held at gunpoint by anybody for that matter.

She went on to state that she used the word at times following the aforementioned incident. When her former employee's attorney asked her how the term could be used in a "non-mean way," Deen stated that use of the term was employed while conversing with other black people.

I'm not going to delve into how that may have gone over in closed quarters.

What likely hit a nerve, however is when Paula went on to describe wedding plans for her brother that she envisioned as a "true Southern plantation-style theme;" complete with black male servers to play the role of slaves during the antebellum era.

Although she did not use the term when detailing her vision for her brother's wedding, she no doubt may have stuffed her foot so far down her mouth that no amount of Southern drawl will loosen it considerably.

As was only slightly surprising but nowhere near shocking, Food Network elected not to renew Paula Deen's contract; which is set to expire at the end of June. Ensuing severed ties include Smithfield Foods removing her as their spokesperson, Wal-Mart ending their association with her and most recently, Caesar's Entertainment terminating their contract with Paula; announcing that they would rebrand four of their affiliated establishments as well.



Circumstances notwithstanding, there are opinions from a number of vantage points about whether or not Paula Deen deserved such an extreme response in lieu of her comments. Many believe that what happened to her was justified. Others feel that it may have been too harsh and likely could have been augmented to something more considerate: sort of along the lines of losing her endorsements but keeping her contract with Food Network. Whatever the predominant stance or opinion may be, the reality is that a term so amplified - even to some degree by Paula herself - mortified her and destroyed her public image and may have potentially shaped her livelihood and that of her family long term.


That is far too much power for one word.

Contrary to the fact that Paula Deen is a very fun-loving, animated person, one would have trouble disputing that her usage of the term would likely be considered pedestrian and rather demure in comparison to many other public figures that have used or discussed their usage of the term in public settings before her.


Hi, Michael Richards.

A term so damning and volatile only gains such weight from the purveyors of it; and a purveyor in this sense can be the person using the term, the person going out of their way to overtly and often unnecessarily express their hatred for its usage, a group of friends using it in casual conversing; whether to describe someone, each other or as a greeting, those placing the term in their everyday rhetoric whether in person or over a social medium, placing of the term in music, literature, film and other forms of mass media and just about any other platform or avenue that one can think of where this word is allowed and issued.

The overtly negative reaction to the term has served as the most consistent purveyor over the years. I'd venture to say that usage of the term in rap lyrics would serve as an extremely close second in my opinion.

I'm not at all saying that we - meaning black people or those who find the word offensive for sake of the history behind it - shouldn't find the term offensive at all. I just believe that we tend to over saturate the sting and overall bad vibe harbored by the word when we go to extremes in light of the utterance of a word. Expression is expected. Overt expression rather is exhausting to all parties involved, honestly.

We are all privy to our opinion on this matter while it still is considered an issue and long after it no longer is(whether or not that day comes remains to be seen). What should be kept in our collective minds, however is one's ability to give power to something that otherwise would not be considered as grand scale of an issue.Stating that an issue is small does not always mean that it is insignificant or that it does not matter. In this instance, the term is the issue obviously; and quite powerful for sure. Alongside our ability to amplify this term, our ability to look at this term for what it is still must be recognized; not for the sake of being passive about it but for the sake of one day coming to the point where the issue is done with altogether. I'm not in any position to speak on another person's behalf; but I for one am definitely looking forward to the day when we can see a small potato for what it literally is.