It’s safe to say that race was front and center in 2013, from the Richie Incognito/Jonathan Martin Miami Dolphins racial harassment and text messaging saga to Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertson being suspended then recently reinstated by A&E for making what many people would argue were unflattering and misguided comments in regards to Black Americans and gay people. No matter where you turned, racial politics dominated the public landscape.
In late spring, we heard of celebrity cook Paula Deen’s desires for a “slave themed wedding” with Black men and women dressed in slave attire reminiscent of the pre-Civil War era, as well as her blatant admission that “of course she had frequently used the N –word” throughout her life in a court deposition. More telling was the “why are you all that shocked?” sort-of-response she gave to her critics and the public at large. Quite frankly, I was not surprised. For several days, the mainstream media followed her suddenly newfound mea culpa’s and messy explanations (which actually made her situation worse) and the avalanche effect that the scandal had on her previously growing culinary empire. The domino effect was in full force.
