Posted on 07/20/2010 3:47:32 AM PDT by tobyhill
The USDA's rural development director for Georgia says she was forced out of her federally appointed job after a "snippet" of a speech she gave in March appeared to show her admission to only half-heartedly aiding a struggling white farmer because of his race.
But in a phone interview from her home in Albany early Tuesday morning, Shirley Sherrod told the Atlanta-Journal Constitution that the two-minute, 38-second video posted online Monday by biggovernment.com and reported on by FoxNews.com and the AJC completely misconstrued the message she was trying to convey.
Sherrod, 62, insisted her statements in the video were not racist.
"For Fox to take a spin on this like they have done, and know its not the truth
its very upsetting," she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at ajc.com ...
Sherrod said the short video clip excluded the breadth of the story about how she eventually worked with the man over a two-year period to help ward off foreclosure of his farm, and how she eventually became friends with the farmer and his wife.
"And I went on to work with many more white farmers," she said. "The story helped me realize that race is not the issue, it's about the people who have and the people who don't. When I speak to groups, I try to speak about getting beyond the issue of race."
You know, this does sound like an opportunity to show a growth and learning process rather than just another slam against ignorance.
And if it did indeed happen 24 years ago, then it's completely misleading and inappropriate for Fix/AJC/Breitbart to not mention that.
Breitbart owes Sherrod an apology. I’m disappointed in him.
OK, I’ll bite — what’s the misconstruing she’s talking about?
Refused to help a farmer because he was white and uppity? Gee, I'd love to hear how that wasn't racist.
Yeah, Barry-O's USDA is completely under the thumb of the Fox Tea Party.
An overlooked constituency, farmers are very aware of this administration’s agenda. And this deplorable fool proves their suspicions.
If these outlets operate in the same way as The Washington Post, they even have an official ombudsman which will call them out for not reporting on such stories months after the fact, and only THEN will they report it... when it is "safe" to do so. :)
But if the rest of the story is true, then it happened 24 years ago, and she learned to get past her own prejudice. That's something to applaud, not condemn. And it's irresponsible to not mention it.
Hey, racist sherrod, STFU, you racist old hag. Why don’t you racist creeps leave this country that you hate so much. I am surprised your wardrobe isn’t replete with black sheets. Misconstrued????? I guess your racism is so endemic and commonplace in you that you feel others are “misconstruing”. You are disgusting.
No, you are wrong. She states several times “I took him to one of his own” for help. That is blatent racist.
If you or I were in the same situation as she was and said - I took the [pick your favorite minority] to one of his own - we wouldn’t have lasted until the end of the day in that job, let alone several months!
The she had a “revalation” that it is not a question of black/white (but it is ... lol) but of poor was thrown in - but she only could bring herself to refer him to “one of his own” for further help ....
I meant to reply to a different post. I need more coffee.
Regardless of what she says the “context” of her comments were, she was still comfortable with saying, in the retelling of it in February 2010, that she sent the farmer to a white attorney, or as she termed it “one of his own kind”.
She was unable to see him as just a farmer/person who needed her help, but a “white” person. Her “parable” was shot through with racial bias.
She is speaking about her reaction to an irritating person 24 years ago before she started to work for the USDA. Whether or not her opinions have changed since is an open question but her comments are not reasonably commensurate with a forced resignation, IMHO.
If, if, if .... if the moon were made of green cheese .... She’ll have to prove that by actions, not by words; it’s too late for that, Democrats/liberals have forfeited the right to be taken at their word. She’s a hardcore racist until and unless she can show by her actions that she’s otherwise.
Why? If it was a whitey who did this 24 years ago do you really think the MSM would let it go? If it was a whitey, they'd literally be calling for this person's arrest and prosecution. Turnabout is fair play.
Let the left suffer some media bias for once.
Why didn’t the reports mention that this was 24 years ago?
RACIST !
Little Green Footballs and DU are defending her, also.
The standard being applied to Ms Shearod is the same standard used on whites. Juxtaposition the situation. If a white fed worker ever made a statement or confession of dealing with a black applicant the way she stated, how long will the white fed worker keep her job?? Look what happened to Imus. Either change the standards for whites or everyone must live under it.
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