It hurts me that they didnt even attempt to see what is happening here, they didnt care. -- Shirley Sherrod.
Consider this an early edition of our usual Friday feature, Stupid Thing of the Week. Shirley Sherrod was unceremoniously fired from her job at the Dept of Agriculture (USDA), just a few hours after FoxNews broadcast heavily edited, misleading, completely out-of-context bits from a speech she gave at an NAACP event earlier this year. As far as I can tell, everyone involved in her firing acted cynically and disgracefully except Sherrod.
The video which purported to prove Sherrod is racist, although the full video of Sherrods speech showed just the opposite was the cynical, lyin-assed product of one Andrew Breitbart, one of the most virulent, ruthless ultra-right online bloggers. If theres one central villain in this story, its Breitbart, and heres hoping Sherrod sues his butt off.
FoxNews broadcast Breitbarts video, and repeatedly blasted both Sherrod and the NAACP, without even once contacting Sherrod for confimation, explanation, or even comment. And as far as doing their journalistic duty to be sure they knew, and presented, the correct context of the womans remarks? Youve got to be kidding. Lets just say the network continued its standard hyper-partisan version of reporting.
The NAACP, upon hearing of the Breitbart video, quickly condemned Sherrods racist comments, although they had the entire speech on tape and should have known better. But no, it was cover our asses time at the NAACP, and they threw the woman under the bus. Completely disgraceful.
As if that wasnt bad enough, USDA honcho Tom Vilsack fired Sherrod from her job of course, without any knowledge of the real facts of the situation, in a pathetic administration attempt to cover its own ass, no matter what. Thats disgraceful enough, but it also turns out that Pres. Obama was briefed on the situation (aka potential political damage) and the decision to fire Sherrod, and went along with the whole sordid deal a performance worthy of Nixon.
Then, ta-daa, the truth started to come out, Sherrod was vindicated, Breitbart was recognized for being a lying, amoral jerk, and Vilsack quickly apologized and asked the unjustly accused woman to come back to work. She hasnt yet decided whether shell do so, and who could blame her if she didnt?
The stupidest thing in all of this debacle, though, is the Obama administrations habit of caving whenever FoxNews fabricates a scandal. First we had Van Jones, run out of office by Glenn Becks lies; then it was ACORN, an entire organization ruined by one of their offices foolish decision to play along with the since-debunked video pimp James OKeefe . And now the Sherrod firing. Why in Gods name does this White House kowtow to right-wing lies? Is it to appease the right? Do Obama & Co. really think the right is suddenly going to like them and quit criticizing them? Hey, Obama White House! Somebody there, starting at the top, needs to grow a pair, begin hitting back, and expose FoxNews for the collection of partisan hacks it is. At the very, very least, how about checking out the validity of the rights attacks before you sacrifice people, like Shirley Sherrod, who are doing what you hired them to do?
View Sherrods unedited speech below.
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