USDA Official Saying She Didn't Give 'Full Force' of Help to White Farmer resigns

Objective Voice said:

After watching the entire video posted on NAACP.org, I must state that I was wrong. Mrs. Sherrod did not deserve to be fired. She started off giving a brief history of how racism was prevalent in the South as she grew up sighting personal events of racism she had witnessed or things that had happened either to herself or to members of her family. When it came to her conduct with the white farmer, Mrs. Sherrod openly admitted that the event changed her perception of race relations and found the farmer an attorney to file the necessary Chapter 11 bankruptcy paperwork so that he would keep his farm.

Starting at the 26:00 mark, Mrs. Sherrod discusses the importance of racial unity which is the theme of her speech. Not once does she talk negatively about White people, not even as she gives her overview of the racism she witnessed as a child or young adult.

It's very apparent to me that a grave wrong has been committed against Mrs. Sherrod all for the sake of politics and saving face. Her attitude throughout the speech was one of supporting racial unity, not divisiveness. Considering that the event in question which she openly admits to wasn't committed in her capacity as Georgie State Director, USDA Rural Development, but instead took place 24 years ago while employed by the nonprofit group Federation of Southern Cooperatives, I believe it was wrong to force this woman out of her job which she promotes during the NAACP fundraiser event.

This woman was fired for the wrong reason - POLITICS AND FACE SAVING!!! She shouldn't have been fired.

EVERYONE allowed their personal prejudicies to get in the way. Many of us, including myself, relied on bits and pieces of "her story" and passed judgment before getting the full story. We jumped to conclusions while in the midst of a racial and political firestorm. And as a result, a woman who spoke of racial unity and shared information about certain government programs that could help people instead gets fired for speaking positively about improving race relations.

This is a sad day, folks.

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Respect...

Grim17 said:

I can't wait for the excuses from the NAACP and the progressive left.

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Now that the facts have come out, it would appear that someone on the right has got some 'splainin' to do.

Just sayin'. :2wave:

Objective Voice said:

This woman was fired for the wrong reason - POLITICS AND FACE SAVING!!! She shouldn't have been fired.

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She was caught in the crossfire. The more I've learned about the situation, the more I've become sympathetic.

But for better or worse, government jobs are necessarily political. Controversy doesn't help someone do their jobs and protecting an employee from attack journalism isn't the primary mission of the USDA.

I believe the true wrongs happened before she was pressured to quit.

Glinda said:

Now that the facts have come out, it would appear that someone on the right has got some 'splainin' to do.

Just sayin'. :2wave:

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There's enough blame to go around for everyone. I sure thought she was a racist *itch. Now it doesn't seem that way. I'd apologize to her face if I could.

Objective Voice said:

justa,

You mean to tell me you can watch the entire video and still come away with the notion that this woman was a racist? C'mon!

Sure, she experienced racism first had. Her father died as a result of racial hatred, but nowhere in that video is the woman who existed 24 years ago and mistreated a man based solely on the color of his skin. In fact, despite the fact that she initially did not perform her job in a non-bias fashion, she still did the right thing in the end and helped save this man's farm!

I just can't see how anyone who watches the entire video can bring themselves to believe Mrs. Sherrod is racist. She goes on and on speaking of the importance of everyone setting aside their racial bias and helping each other. The only way you miss that is if you choose to. Moreover, the incident happened 24 years ago! Not yesterday. Not last week. Not last month. Not last quarter. Not last year. But over 2 DECADES AGO! She may have at that time initially treated the man unfairly despite his racial biasness against her, but in the end she set her own prejudicies aside and did the right thing for him. And since then has apparently gone about her professional life speaking out against racism and how it is important for all of us to live out Rodney King's words, "Can't we all just get along?"

The only way you miss the message is if you chose to ignore it.

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absolutely. only her bigotry is now against those of means rather than of particular skin color
and i do recognize the time when she failed to provide the full force of her office was many years ago when she was a nonprofit consultant and not a USDA executive
but what you have chosen to ignore is that this woman, in her remarks to the NAACP takes pains to cite "... young people, i want you to know when you are true to what God wants you to do the path just opens up, and things come to you ..."
this is absolutely NOT what federal employees are to do in their official capacities as civil servants. her earlier statement about praying personally was fine, as she is entitled to recount her own faith, but she certainly cannot - in her official capacity - advocate God or any religion and be conforming to the standards of conduct required of all federal employees
her chosen words to indicate the white farm owners were taken to an attorney of their own kind betrays any semblance that she is not prejudiced
her expression that she sees her role now not as someone who helps people based on their color but because of their lack of wealth is also very wrong. that someone is affluent does not cause them to be undeserving of federal assistance ... unless there are USDA regulations which prohibit the giving of assistance to those of means. show me USDA regulations which prohibit the agency's assistance being available to people of means and i will retract this portion of my opposition
that initial breithbart video was a hack job, intended to cast this lady in a bad light. its editing was not well intended. but this woman, by her own admissions, by her own actions, has proven that she is not someone who can subscribe to the federal standards of conduct. her willingness to use her public official platform to advocate a religious viewpoint, combined with her willingness to treat people in a disparate manner as a federal official are intolerable in a civil servant

VanceMack said:

2 points...

1-even in that 00:01:20 worth of clip there is redemption
2-you admittedly pass judgement based on THAT???

I guess I could throw in the third point...the farmers wife who has come to her defense or the 4th...that comparing the judgement of and condemnation of this woman to the NAACPs incorrect declaration of 'the Tea Party' doesnt exactly cast you in the most positive of lights. but really...whats the use...

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I just lost a long post which pisses me off.... but I'll summarize because I don't want to try and re-create it....


The video shown, which the WH reacted to - was cherry picked. I was wrong in my assessment and in the story's this woman tells up until about 16:00 was about all the trials and racism she endured in the South. The part about the farmer was an epiphany - and yes, she walked into it being racist herself against whites but when she found out that this farmer wasn't getting help, she stepped up and helped out more. That epiphany was, this isn't necessarily only race, but it's economic classifications. Poor is poor. Overall - up until 22:00 it was a positive message showing how she changed with help from God and education and experience with people. She recounts at one point white and black indentured servants being segregated.

So the RIGHT thing to do is to reinstate this woman's job.

About the WH - they are ruled by fear and I think they are mostly to blame for the injection of racial tensions back into the national discussion. The NAACP coming out and calling an entire group racists - Eric Holder calling America racial cowards and then showing at least some inability to prosecute black on white crimes? The WH administration are paid to be more thorough that us schmucks typing on internet political forums -- why weren't they more thorough and check this story out fully before taking action? This has done less to shake my confidence in blogs - because let's face it blogs are wrong as much as they are right. However, I would expect more from people in the Fed before firing someone. The actions of this WH is more troubling than any I can remember. They are not qualified to run this country the way they are doing it.

Vance ... I stand corrected.

justabubba said:

absolutely. only her bigotry is now against those of means rather than of particular skin color
and i do recognize the time when she failed to provide the full force of her office was many years ago when she was a nonprofit consultant and not a USDA executive
but what you have chosen to ignore is that this woman, in her remarks to the NAACP takes pains to cite "... young people, i want you to know when you are true to what God wants you to do the path just opens up, and things come to you ..."
this is absolutely NOT what federal employees are to do in their official capacities as civil servants. her earlier statement about praying personally was fine, as she is entitled to recount her own faith, but she certainly cannot - in her official capacity - advocate God or any religion and be conforming to the standards of conduct required of all federal employees
her chosen words to indicate the white farm owners were taken to an attorney of their own kind betrays any semblance that she is not prejudiced
her expression that she sees her role now not as someone who helps people based on their color but because of their lack of wealth is also very wrong. that someone is affluent does not cause them to be undeserving of federal assistance ... unless there are USDA regulations which prohibit the giving of assistance to those of means. show me USDA regulations which prohibit the agency's assistance being available to people of means and i will retract this portion of my opposition
that initial breithbart video was a hack job, intended to cast this lady in a bad light. its editing was not well intended. but this woman, by her own admissions, by her own actions, has proven that she is not someone who can subscribe to the federal standards of conduct. her willingness to use her public official platform to advocate a religious viewpoint, combined with her willingness to treat people in a disparate manner as a federal official are intolerable in a civil servant

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I don't know what you watched but it cannot be the same thing I did. It's arguable that she was racist herself when she was younger but I submit at that time... she had a right to be! If you look at what she could have become given where she lived, the times, her father being killed by a white man and never prosecuted, the lynchings (and yes, I'm taking this woman's word for it that all this happened), she could have become what you think she is... but she changed. THAT was the story. Her religious beliefs helped. This woman probably has some biases still and it would be natural and expected but her message in that whole speech was a positive one, not a negative one. I think the issues are with you, and not her.

Barbbtx said:

There's enough blame to go around for everyone. I sure thought she was a racist *itch. Now it doesn't seem that way. I'd apologize to her face if I could.

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I can appreciate that, I feel kind of duped now myself...However, your earlier take on it where you said this could have been a set up designed to damage FOX News is interesting, and makes sense.


j-mac

Barbbtx said:

:lamo

Maybe......the whole thing was set-up to discredit Fox news. You know how Obama hates them.

The NAACP probably had the full tape all along. It was their banquet after all. They thought they would use it to their advantage on the heals of all the hooplah from the tea party, NBBP, NAACP and the WH in the news. I mean the NAACP refused to condemn the NBP but threw this woman immediately under the bus?
Anyway, suppose they sent an edited version of the tape to Brietbart, knowing it would make it to fox and talk radio. Then they (WH) hurriedly forced her to resign, then immediately (USDA and NAACP) come out and say they have zero tolerance for racism.
Now it's all over the MSM about how fox has been lieing and showing an edited tape of this poor woman who is now best friends with this farmer and his wife. It all does make FOX look kind of bad.
I know, I have too much time on my hands.:lamo:2wave:

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I still don't understand how it wasn't obvious as **** to anyone that watched the original video that she was telling that story to make a point. Obama screwed the pooch on this one, big government needs to be condemned by conservative media and issue an apology, right along with the NAACP and the Obama admin.

Now the whole idea that this was a setup to pin fox news is just a bit far fetched, lol.

edit: Also, if Andrew Breitbart and Fox News weren't so quick to believe anything that shows liberals in bad light then maybe they wouldn't be sitting there with egg on their face. This is absolutely no different then when they had that pimp and prostitute on their shows in their full get up and constantly played that selectively edited video 24/7 when in reality they never wore those costumes into any acorn office and often went in with completely different stories then what they made it seem.

Add Fox and any other media that didn't show the full video and apologized for jumping to conclusions onto that list of people that need to issue an apology.

I think this is a good lesson in what happens with "soundbyte media." I was listening to Sean Hannity yesterday afternoon, and he was all over this woman.

It used to be that journalism was a profession where they were very sure that they had their facts straight and their reporting was objective before proceeding with a story. Now, in order to make ratings, and beat their competitors, they jump in with a half-assed story that can ruin someone's life.

And that's what happened here, folks. This woman was unfairly victimized by people in the news media who had an axe to grind.

It can happen just as easily from either side, as we've seen with the story about liberal journalists holding back on the Jeremiah Wright story.

Just like the government, the news media WORKS FOR US. We pay their bills by watching, listening, and reading. When will we start to hold them--ALL OF THEM--to some kind of accountability?

It's not like this hasn't been going on for years.

There are a lot of people who are going to have heard just some snippet of this story who are going to walk away thinking this woman was fired---justifiably---for being a racist. Do you have any idea how detrimental that accusation is??? And, how difficult it can be to get rid of that kind of taint?

It reminds me of a story I heard about a girl who was caught gossiping about another girl. Her mom caught her, and to demonstrate to her the consequences of her actions, she took her on the roof, and ripped open a pillow, throwing the feathers inside to the wind, which scattered them down the street and all over the yard.

"Your punishment," she said, "Is to pick up every single one of those feathers."

It strikes me that what we really ought to do is something similar, every single time a member of the news media is caught reporting some half-assed story that damages someone's life. Sean Hannity, Breitbart, Fox News, and every other blogger that inflamed this story with 20% of the facts should be out on the streets of their community, picking up feathers, and wearing a sign saying, "I ruined a good woman's life."

I hope this woman sues breitbart for damages and slander. Or libel. Whichever one is accurate.

roughdraft274 said:

I still don't understand how it wasn't obvious as **** to anyone that watched the original video that she was telling that story to make a point. Obama screwed the pooch on this one, big government needs to be condemned by conservative media and issue an apology, right along with the NAACP and the Obama admin.

Now the whole idea that this was a setup to pin fox news is just a bit far fetched, lol.

edit: Also, if Andrew Breitbart and Fox News weren't so quick to believe anything that shows liberals in bad light then maybe they wouldn't be sitting there with egg on their face. This is absolutely no different then when they had that pimp and prostitute on their shows in their full get up and constantly played that selectively edited video 24/7 when in reality they never wore those costumes into any acorn office and often went in with completely different stories then what they made it seem.

Add Fox and any other media that didn't show the full video and apologized for jumping to conclusions onto that list of people that need to issue an apology.

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Fox News didn't do anything wrong. They reported that she had been forced to resign and showed the tape that lead to her firing. She was fired on Monday, Fox reported it on Tuesday. How were they to blame any more than every other news outlet. They have no reason to apologize.

If any one needs to apologize, it's the Obama administration. They are the ones that jumped the gun and forced her to resign without knowing the full story. Vilsack was a worthless and ineffectual governor when I lived in Iowa and he hasn't changed a bit.

Sherrod is blaming the NAACP for this. She is saying that their statements on the Tea Party being racist lead to her firing. She has a point.

Ockham said:

I just lost a long post which pisses me off.... but I'll summarize because I don't want to try and re-create it....


The video shown, which the WH reacted to - was cherry picked. I was wrong in my assessment and in the story's this woman tells up until about 16:00 was about all the trials and racism she endured in the South. The part about the farmer was an epiphany - and yes, she walked into it being racist herself against whites but when she found out that this farmer wasn't getting help, she stepped up and helped out more. That epiphany was, this isn't necessarily only race, but it's economic classifications. Poor is poor. Overall - up until 22:00 it was a positive message showing how she changed with help from God and education and experience with people. She recounts at one point white and black indentured servants being segregated.

So the RIGHT thing to do is to reinstate this woman's job.

About the WH - they are ruled by fear and I think they are mostly to blame for the injection of racial tensions back into the national discussion. The NAACP coming out and calling an entire group racists - Eric Holder calling America racial cowards and then showing at least some inability to prosecute black on white crimes? The WH administration are paid to be more thorough that us schmucks typing on internet political forums -- why weren't they more thorough and check this story out fully before taking action? This has done less to shake my confidence in blogs - because let's face it blogs are wrong as much as they are right. However, I would expect more from people in the Fed before firing someone. The actions of this WH is more troubling than any I can remember. They are not qualified to run this country the way they are doing it.

Vance ... I stand corrected.

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And I stand in respect...

Now that EVERYTHING is out it shouldnt be hard for EVERYONE to see the same things...even if we see them slightly different. Yes...Breitbart should have investigated more. They got that snippet and posted it. Its the same things others do...and that doesnt make it any less a piece of irresponsible journalism. The NAACP...man...talk about being quick to throw your people under the bus. They were in a storm over the Tea Party thing and responded to protect their own arses. Now instead of doing the honorable thing and admitting they were wrong both about the Tea Party and Ms Sherrod they point the finger of blame. Hell...the reality is they did the same thing Brietbart did.The White House pulled another Camden style boner. It shows their absolute lack of professionalism. They OUGHT to be embarassed and ashamed of themselves. Instead they will blame any and everyone but their own actions here.

Now as to ms Sherrod. I think watching the WHOLE THING I can EASILY say there are lots of things she said that I disagree with. She is certainly partisan and I'm sure we would disagree on the ways to help the poor. But I try to imagine some of the things Ive done and said in my life where if taken out of sequence or context what others might think...and...yeeeeikes!

Awkward, Andrew Breitbart an FOX show themselves to be nothing more than tabloids with zero journalistic integrity and somehow it is the fault of the NAACP. Cause it is obviously the first time Breitbart and FOX have been caught doing something like this. The mental acrobatics necessary for that are insane.

justabubba said:

absolutely. only her bigotry is now against those of means rather than of particular skin color
and i do recognize the time when she failed to provide the full force of her office was many years ago when she was a nonprofit consultant and not a USDA executive
but what you have chosen to ignore is that this woman, in her remarks to the NAACP takes pains to cite "... young people, i want you to know when you are true to what God wants you to do the path just opens up, and things come to you ..."
this is absolutely NOT what federal employees are to do in their official capacities as civil servants. her earlier statement about praying personally was fine, as she is entitled to recount her own faith, but she certainly cannot - in her official capacity - advocate God or any religion and be conforming to the standards of conduct required of all federal employees
her chosen words to indicate the white farm owners were taken to an attorney of their own kind betrays any semblance that she is not prejudiced
her expression that she sees her role now not as someone who helps people based on their color but because of their lack of wealth is also very wrong. that someone is affluent does not cause them to be undeserving of federal assistance ... unless there are USDA regulations which prohibit the giving of assistance to those of means. show me USDA regulations which prohibit the agency's assistance being available to people of means and i will retract this portion of my opposition
that initial breithbart video was a hack job, intended to cast this lady in a bad light. its editing was not well intended. but this woman, by her own admissions, by her own actions, has proven that she is not someone who can subscribe to the federal standards of conduct. her willingness to use her public official platform to advocate a religious viewpoint, combined with her willingness to treat people in a disparate manner as a federal official are intolerable in a civil servant

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There's absolutely NOTHING in that video to support your position...NOTHING!

Mrs. Sherrod didn't envoke class warefare. She spoke of the politics of the time where people were treated unfairly based on both the color of their skin and their economic status, but nowhere in that video did she give any indication that she treated people in that way before or since her involvement with Mr. & Mrs. Spooner, the white farmer and his wife whom she eventually helped to save their farm.

Anyone who watched that video in its entirety objectively cannot come away thinking the woman was racist or bigotted against Whites. You just can't!!! Because it's just not there. This woman goes out of her way to promote improving race relations in this country. She even advocates that young Black people should re-evaluate their position on race relations and not jump to conclusions. Now, granted it is clear that Mrs. Sherrod grew up in the South at a time when racism and segregation was the norm, and she openly admits that she didn't serve the Spooners well initially, but when they called on her for help one week before their farm was to be foreclosed on, she lite up the phones contacting everyone she could think of until she found the Spooners a lawyer who was willing to file the necessary Chapter 11 bankruptcy paperwork to save their farm. This was all done long before Mrs. Sherrod was employed by the USDA. And the speech she gave before the March 27, 2010 NAACP fundraising event was apparently the same speech she has given at other events around the nation that deal with improving race relations in this country.

So, how anyone who watched the full video can still come away with this same sense of bigotry and hatred is beyond me. As I said earlier, the only way you don't see that Mrs. Sherrod has been wronged here is if you choose not to see it.

Hatuey said:

Awkward, Andrew Breitbart an FOX show themselves to be nothing more than tabloids with zero journalistic integrity and somehow it is the fault of the NAACP. Cause it is obviously the first time Breitbart and FOX have been caught doing something like this. The mental acrobatics necessary for that are insane.

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1. Fox News didn't report this until AFTER she was fired.

2. Sherrod is the one blaming the NAACP for her being fired.

Hatuey said:

Awkward, Andrew Breitbart an FOX show themselves to be nothing more than tabloids with zero journalistic integrity and somehow it is the fault of the NAACP. Cause it is obviously the first time Breitbart and FOX have been caught doing something like this. The mental acrobatics necessary for that are insane.

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Oh come on now! The "evil" FOX News? Really? Surely you know that MSNBC has been nothing but an Obama administration propaganda source for the past two years now?

Liberal groups like thinkprogress faking pictures and video to smear opposition to Obama?

MediaMatters, and Podesta's group feeding talking points to supposed news outlets?

And you are concerned only with FOX getting a story out there hastily?

Get a grip man.


j-mac

Hatuey said:

Awkward, Andrew Breitbart an FOX show themselves to be nothing more than tabloids with zero journalistic integrity and somehow it is the fault of the NAACP. Cause it is obviously the first time Breitbart and FOX have been caught doing something like this. The mental acrobatics necessary for that are insane.

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Not surprising...your vision only goes one way...

Hatuey said:

Awkward, Andrew Breitbart an FOX show themselves to be nothing more than tabloids with zero journalistic integrity and somehow it is the fault of the NAACP. Cause it is obviously the first time Breitbart and FOX have been caught doing something like this. The mental acrobatics necessary for that are insane.

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And let me point out - this is not just Fox or Breitbart --- this has been happening in the media for YEARS. The level of journalism where so called "journalists" actually dig to find out about a story - not just what they WANT to believe but the actual facts, have been MIA for a long time. What some media deem as "not newsworthy" coincides with their editors ideology and not just with informing people of the facts regardless or the ideology. The split between ideology and now -- race is gaining steam and our media who historically has provided FACT based information is now providing IDEOLOGY based information - leaving us, on our own. As far as I'm concerned there IS no fact based media - everyone has an agenda.

VanceMack said:

Not surprising...your vision only goes one way...

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Well as long as I don't have egg on my face at the end of the day. How does the crow taste?

Gill said:

1. Fox News didn't report this until AFTER she was fired.

2. Sherrod is the one blaming the NAACP for her being fired.

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It's true Mrs. Sherrod was fired/forced to resign on Monday (7/19/2010) and the edited video presented by Mark Williams didn't air on FoxNews or any other national media outlet until Tuesday morning, but that doesn't erase the fact that FoxNews didn't take the time to review the facts of the matter but instead jumped on the racial slant to this story. Same as any other media outlet did. And considering that FoxNews and their major Conservative news personalities - Hannity, Beck, O'Rielly and others - have all taunted the racial slant concerning President Obama and his Administration since the issue of his relationship with Rev. Wright first hit the airwaves it's very logical to conclude that this network in particular was looking for something to further spin the race issue where the President and his Administration is concerned. And yes, they were going after the NAACP as well because that organization had gone after an arm of the Tea Party movement.

Again, this was nothing more than political theater that got way out of hand. People, including myself, jumped to conclusions without looking at the facts in full. The truly sad part here is although some Conservative talkshow host, such as Laura Imgrams, has admitted jumping the gun on this issue, I have not heard any one of them issue Mrs. Sherrod an apology. Instead, what I've heard specifically from Laura Ingram since it was on her radio show that I first learn of this story is a constant berating of the Obama Administration and soft-pedalling around the racial issue. In short, Laura Ingram hasn't taken any responsibility for her part in misrepresenting Mrs. Sherrod and instead continues with her "politics as usual" anti-Obama rants. It's pathetic!!!

j-mac said:

Oh come on now! The "evil" FOX News? Really? Surely you know that MSNBC has been nothing but an Obama administration propaganda source for the past two years now?

Liberal groups like thinkprogress faking pictures and video to smear opposition to Obama?

MediaMatters, and Podesta's group feeding talking points to supposed news outlets?

And you are concerned only with FOX getting a story out there hastily?

Get a grip man.


j-mac

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Who called them evil? I said they were tabloids. Do you have anything other than OTHER PEOPLE DO IT TOO! to prove me incorrect?

Objective Voice said:

It's true Mrs. Sherrod was fired/forced to resign on Monday (7/19/2010) and the edited video presented by Mark Williams didn't air on FoxNews or any other national media outlet until Tuesday morning, but that doesn't erase the fact that FoxNews didn't take the time to review the facts of the matter but instead jumped on the racial slant to this story. Same as any other media outlet did.

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As did the NAACP and as did the White House.

When are they going to take responsibility?

Hatuey said:

Well as long as I don't have egg on my face at the end of the day. How does the crow taste?

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I had some of the same crow, and it tastes fine - especially when we're honest about being wrong.

Ockham said:

I had some of the same crow, and it tastes fine - especially when we're honest about being wrong.

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Seems to me like you're still blaming the Obama administration for something. Hardly honest. Are you also going to now engage in long diatribes about why this woman should be rehired with the same fervor you did when you were convinced she was you know, a racist?

Hatuey said:

Well as long as I don't have egg on my face at the end of the day. How does the crow taste?

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You might want to actually look at my original post on this...long before ANYTHING came out in the news...just so...you know...you have a CLUE what you are talking about and dont look like a bigger dumbass.