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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.
Respect...