| In the overheated political climate in America, | | | | him to a white lawyer, because she didn't really |
| there's a lot of charges of racism being tossed | | | | want to help him. |
| around. This may seem innocent, just typical | | | | There's no denying that this sounded terrible, but |
| political propaganda, but it can have devastating | | | | it turned out it wasn't the whole story. The tape |
| consequences, and real people can get hurt. Just | | | | had been edited, and Shirley had gone on to say |
| ask Shirley Sherrod, who just got fired from her | | | | that that approach was wrong, and it wasn't an |
| post with the US Dept. of Agriculture because of | | | | issue of black farmers or white farmers, but any |
| a speech she made back in March at an NAACP | | | | poor farmers who needed help. Plus, the event |
| banquet. | | | | she described happened nearly 25 years ago. |
| Shirley is an innocent victim who got caught up in | | | | Nevertheless, shortly after the video hit the |
| the drama between the NAACP and the Tea | | | | internet, she was ordered to turn in her |
| Party movement. NAACP leader Ben Jealous | | | | resignation by Tom Vilsack, head of the USDA. |
| asked Tea Party leaders to denounce and | | | | The good news is that it looks like the story will |
| repudiate racist elements in the movement, while | | | | have a happy ending. After the unedited tape was |
| he freely acknowledged that the Tea Party | | | | released, Tom Vilsack apologized, and offered |
| movement itself isn't racist. His concern was more | | | | Shirley her job back. But it never should have |
| about racist signs and invective that sometimes | | | | happened in the first place. We need to be very |
| make appearances at Tea Party rallies. | | | | careful with accusations of racism, and it's time to |
| In response, Andrew Breitbart, a right wing | | | | tone down the level of political rhetoric in America, |
| journalist, turned around and said it was the | | | | on all sides, before more people get hurt. It's time |
| NAACP that was guilty of racism, and he had the | | | | to restore civility and and good will in American |
| proof. He posted a video of Shirley Sherrod | | | | political discourse. If that happens, then we will be |
| talking at an NAACP banquet about a time when | | | | able to thank Shirley Sherrod for the part she |
| a white farmer came to her for help, because he | | | | played an an innocent scapegoat in this whole |
| was about to lose his farm to bankruptcy. Shirley, | | | | mes.. |
| who is black, said on the tape that she referred | | | | |