Courtesy of the NAACP, click to view the full 43 minute Shirley Sherrod unedited video.
What a story line. When I first saw the damning edited Sherrod video on the news I was tempted to post it on this blog but my gut said no. Somehow, I smelled a rat and that rat was really a FOX - Fox news.
NAACP President and CEO Todd Jealous pulled a NBA referee move yesterday by calling a foul and then reviewed the tape, talked to some folks who were involved, and determined that he made a bad call and changed his initial decision.
Here is the NAACP's full statement on the resignation of Shirley Sherrod...
NAACP STATEMENT ON THE RESIGNATION OF SHIRLEY SHERROD
(BALTIMORE, MD) NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous issued the following statement today after a careful investigation into the presentation of former USDA Official, Shirley Sherrod.
The NAACP has a zero tolerance policy against racial discrimination, whether practiced by blacks, whites, or any other group.
The NAACP also has long championed and embraced transformation by people who have move beyond racial bias. Most notably, we have done so for late Alabama Governor George Wallace and late US Senator Robert Byrd--each a man who had associated with and supported white supremacists and their cause before embracing civil rights for all.
With regard to the initial media coverage of the resignation of USDA official Shirley Sherrod, we have come to the conclusion we were snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart into believing she had harmed white farmers because of racial bias.
Having reviewed the full tape, spoken to Ms. Sherrod, and most importantly heard the testimony of the white farmers mentioned in this story, we now believe the organization that edited the documents did so with the intention of deceiving millions of Americans.
The fact is Ms. Sherrod did help the white farmers mentioned in her speech. They personally credit her with helping to save their family farm.
Moreover, this incident and the lesson it prompted occurred more that 20 years before she went to work for USDA.
Finally, she was sharing this account as part of a story of transformation and redemption. In the full video, Ms.Sherrod says she realized that the dislocation of farmers is about “haves and have nots.” “It’s not just about black people, it’s about poor people,” says Sherrod in the speech. “We have to get to the point where race exists but it doesn’t matter.”
This is a teachable moment, for activists and for journalists.
Most Americans agree that racism has no place in American Society. We also believe that civil and human rights have to be measured by a single yardstick.
The NAACP has demonstrated its commitment to live by that standard.
The Tea Party Federation took a step in that direction when it expelled the Tea Party Express over the weekend. Unfortunately, we have yet to hear from other leaders in the Tea Party movement like Dick Armey and Sarah Palin, who have been virtually silent on the “internal bigotry” issue.
Next time we are confronted by a racial controversy broken by Fox News or their allies in the Tea Party like Mr. Breitbart, we will consider the source and be more deliberate in responding. The tape of Ms. Sherrod’s speech at an NAACP banquet was deliberately edited to create a false impression of racial bias, and to create a controversy where none existed. This just shows the lengths to which extremist elements will go to discredit legitimate opposition.
According to the USDA, Sherrod’s statements prompted her dismissal. While we understand why Secretary Vilsack believes this false controversy will impede her ability to function in the role, we urge him to reconsider and give everyday Americans a chance to surprise him.
Finally, we hope this incident will heighten Congress’s urgency in dealing with the well documented findings of discrimination toward black, Latino, Asian American and Native American farmers, as well as female farmers of all races.
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Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.
It might not be a stretch to call this one of the worst examples of overt yellow journalism directly influencing government action since the Spanish-American War. I'd like to believe it's a teachable moment, but for such a thing to exist there have to be people willing to learn. For some reason I get the sinking feeling there aren't many such people watching Fox News or going to Tea Party rallies.
ReplyDeleteLooks like Fox and the Tea Party are playing hardball on the backs of innocent people who could fall prey to the racial havoc they are inciting. They are instigating an all out racial war. Just hope that people have better sense than to fall for their treachery.
ReplyDeleteWhat are they planning to do next? That question should have people worried.
Get the facts straight - The White house had already asked for her resignation before Fox aired the story,It was NBC & CBS & CNN that ran with the story before all the facts were known.
ReplyDeleteAnyone or any group who goes against Obama's Agenda is considered a racist. That is what his party and the so called Main Stream Media is leading alot of people to believe.
ReplyDeleteFact is she was a racist and very few racists change..........I guess she deserves a second chance because she is just a poor little black racist and should be given a free pass because of skin color......LOL, this is why you guys will never be equal, to be equal you have to be able to play by the same rules.
ReplyDeleteNow who doesn't have their facts straight. Despite Fox and the Tea Party, the media is still trying to keep objectivity in reporting on the Obama Administration. Most of the people that are being asked to resign are Black people. Considering that he is actually biracial, Obama does not want to appear to be on either side of the racial issue. He wants to keep a balance and as President of the United States he should. Unfortunately, Blacks in the Administration are the ones that are suffering from the rush to judgment because he is viewed as the first Black President of the United States.
ReplyDeleteThis is for Anonymous who wrote on July 25 at 1:30 PM:
ReplyDeleteSome people learn from their prejudices against others. That is what Ms. Sherrod was speaking about when they took her comments out of context. She was talking about her personal experiences and how she overcame her racism. She does not deserve to be fired for that. She was passing this information on to benefit others from their despicable acts racism.
What's your excuse?