Local Walmart, Target Drop Paula Deen

Despite Paula Deen's tearful public apology on the Today Show, multiple companies are dropping the well-known Southern chef. 

Walmart, Target and pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk are the most recent disenchanted corporations, following in the footsteps of the Food Network and Smithfield Foods. Caesars Entertainment, which operates Deen's four restaurants, has also cut ties with her, according to ABC News. 

So what's going on here? Let's consider a few possible scenarios (these are not the opinion of Patch):

1. Deen's admission of using the N-word decades ago led to an overreaction by corporations in an attempt to be politically correct and boost their public image.
2. Deen's admission of using the N-word, and subsequent claims that there is a "non-mean" way to use that word, is a sign of her consistent racism, whether she used the word repeatedly or not. (Telling jokes that use the N-word, for example, is not considered a "mean" way, according to Dean in a June 19 deposition.)
3. Deen did use the N-word and, due to her age and culture, does hold racist ideas; but, that should not affect her business relationships. 
4. Or, there's a lot more to this story than what's floating around in the media.