Posted on 07/20/2010 7:59:45 PM PDT by kristinn
The NAACP has released a 43 minute long video of the controversial speech given by fired USDA official Shirley Sherrod. Excerpts of the speech showing her using racist language with the support of those attending an NAACP dinner in March were released yesterday by Big Government. Sherrod was forced to resign from her position last night.
The video can be viewed at the NAACP website or go directly to the YouTube video.
After pulling their initial statement denouncing Sherrod, the NAACP released a new statement today claiming the group was "snookered" by Fox News and Andrew Breitbart.
Earlier today, a bitter Sherrod complained of being betrayed by black people in an interview given to Georgia TV stationWALB:
She feels like no one's been willing to fight for her. "It hurts especially when the NAACP is doing it and Roland Martin is doing it. These are black people, they never asked me what happened, these are people who haven't been on the front line like I have for 45 years..."
The new statement by the NAACP:
July 20, 2010
(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 moved 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.
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."
###
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.
How do you know what “they” knew and when “they” knew it?
Yes, she made a rather vague statement at the beginning. So, from that, you are telling me that every single person in that room knew exactly where she was going, and that she was going to tell an entire room full of NAACP that reverse racism exists and that it is bad and that 100.00% of the people in that room knew this from minute one...
I’m sorry, but I don’t buy it.
I suppose that we can expect the NAACP to withdraw all support for reverse racist policies, such as affirmative action as well as hate crime legislation since its members now fully understand and amen the fact that black government officials sticking it to whitey, at least poor whitey, is utterly unacceptable? I suppose we can also expect the NAACP to cease calling the tea party racist since they have zero evidence of such?
Lemme know when this happens pls.
Should we abandon “firm ethics” when they are not convenient?
I understand we are at war with the progressives taking over our country, but to give them ammunition to fire back at us is less than wise.
Many on this thread are letting their passion overide their usually thorough insights and comments. You will not find many folks more conservative than I am, and I do not condone these tactics by the left, let alone the right. Yes! I see the hypocracy of the left. Who could miss it. Why participate in it?
You buy what you want. After viewing the whole speech I don’t see her as racist and the audience’s reaction is not what it appeared to be in Breitbart’s excerpt.
You certainly have your own way of interpretting what I say. It’s like arguing with a drunk person. Good nite.
I disagree with you and President Obama on this. She was talking about the evils of racism. You both jumped the gun on this issue, you, because you didn’t listen to the owner of the farm who says Sherrod help saved their farm 23 yrs ago and are still good friends. Sound like a racist to you? The Obama jumped the gun because she just won a multimillion dollars settlement on July 13th, against the very man who fired her! Please, don’t target this woman as a racist or we will be as bad as the NAACP. The Whitehouse is to blame, for firing her without cause. I’m watching Beck right now and he nails it. It won’t go away. Reinstate her NOW Mr. President!
No.
Now you're making things up. She said nothing about racial superiority.
Barack is between a rock and a hard place on this one.
I love it!
Now that funny. A group built on race is against racism. Calling Mr Orwell!
But she was a federal employee when she described her willful racism. That’s a problem.
well, heck, I’m shocked at some of the angry posts about Breitbart here...what exactly did he do wrong? It was his goal to show the racist cheers of the NAACP audience, which he accomplished.
It was the NAACP who jumped to conclusions and condemned Sherrod, before investigating. Lessee....justlike the jump to conclusions calling everyone in the Tea Party racist before investigating the truth? LIke 0 jumped to conclusions about the white cop in the Gates arrest? Like Sharpton and his ilk jumped to conclusions about the Duke Lacrosse case, and now refuses to apologize when the players were found innocent?
Save your vitriol against Breitbart, he did nothing wrong. How can you possibly say the NAACP was
“snookered”? This was not a hidden video that was found in a closet....this was an NAACP event!!! Their own event! How can they be snookered? Disgusting hypocrisy.
When heard in its full context it doesn't even sound like they were "amening" the racial aspect of what she was saying. She was making broader points about the sins of racism and they were approving of that.
What kind of superiority do you think she was referring to?
Farming superiority?
Yeah, it is amazing how all the colorblind conservatives just eat up Marxist race groups. Borg have nothing on them!
She feels like no one's been willing to fight for her. "It hurts especially when the NAACP is doing it and Roland Martin is doing it. These are black people, they never asked me what happened, these are people who haven't been on the front line like I have for 45 years..."
After watching this on Fox, it is clear to me that the NAACP was very wrong to demand the White House fire this lady. Blaming Fox News and Breitbart for misleading them is also a really lame excuse.
It is clear to me, after viewing more of the speech, this lady was relating the moment many years ago when she came to the realization that she didn't have to let racial influences cloud her actions. I applaud her candor and courage to talk truth to power in this way.
The NAACP should have screened the speech again before jumping to conclusions as to what they worried the public reaction might have been.
It's a problem that she described it in order to make the point that it was wrong? She went on to say that she went the extra mile to help that same farmer in that same time.
You can't be that stupid can you?
Just asked you a question.
What kind of superiority do you think she was referring to?
No need to get nasty.
But just ignore the fact that she went out of her way to help him after initially brushing him off. What she ended up doing for him was not part of her job. That was some of what the audience was lauding her for too.
Yes.
She was speaking of her racism to a racist organization.
I’m happy she turned it around, I really am, but I don’t want her in charge of distribution of tax dollars, nor anyone else like her.
What about those she didn’t help. What if she slips back into old habits? If David Duke quits the klan and says it was wrong, should we give him a government job in which he gives out tax payer dollars to needy black families?
I think not.
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