The Shirley Sherrod fallout is not a time to point figures at one another for liberals but rather go on the offensive. In case you missed the story while hidden under some cyclopean rock, Sherrod is the United States Department of Agriculture employee who came under fire for a supposed inflammatory speech given to members of the NAACP earlier this year. Immediately, news outlets alongside the USDA and NAACP pounced by excoriating Sherrod; eventually leading to her ouster. However, it was later discovered that Sherrod was wrongly accused and was simply taken out of context. Moreover, Sherrod was exonerated by Roger and Eloise Spooner; her supposed victims. Now, everyone from the right to the left is calling upon the powers that be to reinstate Sherrod. This is quite a heart warming story of redemption and misunderstanding, yet there is an air of ignorance and perplexity that all point to one singular narrative -- the so called liberals have missed the point.
The Sherrod story was given legs via a conservative website and summarily carried out as a legitimate news story by varying news outlets. Conservatives have made it clear that there will be no apologies. Watching the story unfold on the different networks, it was clear that conservatives were all pointing their index finger in one direction; the Obama Administration. But this should not come as a surprise. Conservatives have been able to coalesce around myriad issues with no equivocations. Conversely, liberals have been known to dither while holding large majorities -- health care anyone? The general argument for family feuding and lassitude on key issues for liberals are that there are so many types of liberals. Well excuse me, but last time I checked there were freedom wielding Tea Partiers, right leaning libertarians and independents, moderate republicans, and the like. This is not just an excuse but one would dare to call it tantamount to running away from one's personal responsibilities. While Republicans give brick bats to Obama's agenda each day, one can not help but feel that liberals are acting bat boys; almost masochistic in a sense.
Now, with Shirley Sherrod liberals should be roundly pointing their angst in one direction. However, we've got some folks talking about the faults of the USDA on one hand, and repudiating the NAACP for jumping the gun on the other. One can not help but applaud conservatives. They know how to play the game better than anyone. In fact, if this does not foreshadow what looks like a slight victory in November for liberals then it certainly forebodes misfortune for them in the coming years. Suffice it to say conservatives get it, and liberals miss the point.
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The USDA should be ashamed of themselves for jumping the gun and reacting before they saw the full unedited video.
With this Sherrod fiasco further escalating the climate, but the malfeasance of it also imparting the wisdom of deliberate thought, how many lyin african signs are we gonna see now? The same amount? Less?
My money's on a more mindful climate, and a tea party with just a dog whistle, not the bullhorn they've been blowing.
YET THEY CONDEMNED HER,,, not some hearsay like the USDA ... What the NAACP did is incomprehensible to any sane person
No sir, that is exactly what started this whole mess and is threatening to escalate the divide that is preventing us from making progress on a whole range of issues.
The rhetoric needs to be ratcheted down on both sides and fast. No good will come of this.
Yesterday we learned that Mary Francis Berry (former chair of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights appointed by President Carter and Clinton) released this staement:
"Tainting the tea party movement with the charge of racism is proving to be an effective strategy for Democrats. There is no evidence that tea party adherents are any more racist than other Republicans and, indeed, many other Americans. But getting them to spend their time purging their ranks and having candidates distance themselves should help Democrats win in November. Having one’s opponent rebut charges of racism is far better than discussing joblessness."
Wanna bet? If some Democrats actually think that starting a verbal race war is going to help them in November, they are sadly mistaken. These tactics always backfire. Promoting hatred on any side only leads to more intense hatred.
Sherrod should be re-hired with a full apology. President Obama should go on television and tell all sides to cool down and stop the race baiting. It's time for everyone to grow up!
Shirley was shamefully and wrongly fired. Hire her back with a promotion!
GOP '10