I don't have time or energy to rundown the whole Shirley Sherrod story. You'll have to go dig out the specifics yourself if you've been under a rock the past 48 hours. But here's what I think about this incident, and how it shows everything that's wrong with race in America.
Breitbart Is An Asshole. Period. - Before we start pointing fingers at everyone else here, let's get one thing clear: without Andrew Breitbart's intentionally edited, clearly out of context video, Shirley Sherrod would be still working today, rather than becoming a trending topic. Anyone with half a brain could have looked at the wholly manufactured ACORN scandal and known something was iffy here. Of course, Breitbart now says this wasn't about Sherrod, but about "showing how racist the NAACP is". Bullsh*t. I really, really hope Sherrod sued this jacka$$ for slander.
The NAACP Is A Joke - Clearly the NAACP jumped the gun when the original edited tape dropped. After a week of clumsily (but correctly) accusing the some elements of the Tea Party of racism, they were so quick to show that they didn't tolerate such activity within their own ranks that they didn't bother viewing their own videotape. Of course they walked this back, but the damage was already done. Not that the NAACP had any credibility left anyway.
Obama Finds His Own Sister Soulja - I can't let the Obama White House off the hook for this bullsh*t either. Instead of looking into the facts, Obama (who was briefed on this and agreed with the action taken) was so intent on avoiding another Gates-gate that he didn't worry about whether or not Sherrod was innocent either. While I agreed with much of his prior racial roadkill (Rebb'n Wright, Van Jones, and even Gates) from a damage control standpoint, it's becoming a bit harder to trust this guy on any matter of race. When in doubt, kick the black folks out!
Sherrod Is Gonna Get Paid - This woman's entire career as an underpaid civil servant goes poof overnight, all because some jerk wanted to prove the Tea Party wasn't racist. The funny thing is, this incident proves exactly what the NAACP was trying to get across, but they've got zero credibility left to double down on the point. I hope Sherrod lawyers-up, and hits Breitbart, The US Federal Government, and the NAACP for this. If there was any justice here, she'd be rehired with effusive personal apologies from the USDA and Obama. You and I both know that won't happen.
Gotcha Journalism Rules! - The funny thing about all this is that a story that was completely fabricated and pointless was originally ignored by the MSM. But thanks to Fox News and Conservative media, an unsubstantiated slander can grow to the point that someone unfairly ends up fired. I'm sure Walter Cronkite is rolling in his grave.
Question: Who is most to blame for this clusterf*ck? Who should Sherrod sue first? Will the USDA hire her back?
