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Hatewatch is managed by the staff of the Intelligence Report, an investigative magazine published by the Alabama-based civil rights group Southern Poverty Law Center.
Shirley Sherrod and the Right: A Day That Will Live in Infamy
The entire Shirley Sherrod affair is so disgusting, such a stomach-churning episode of right-wing lies, propagandists posing as “journalists,” and craven political cowardice and gullibility, that it’s hard to know who to be most enraged at.
Andrew Breitbart, a particularly vile propagandist of the American right who presented a severely edited videotape of a speech by the Agriculture Department official to falsely label her an anti-white racist? Fox News, several of whose miserable excuses for journalists relentlessly plugged the entirely false story before and after Sherrod was fired? Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who had a minion call Sherrod on a cell phone and insist that she pull over to the side of the road and text in her resignation before any of the relevant background facts about the “scandal” emerged? The White House, which, apparently frightened of appearing in any way linked to black racism, stood by the forced resignation even when it became clear that Sherrod’s speech was nothing like what Breitbart suggested? Even the NAACP acted poorly in this sorry episode, saying it was “appalled” by Sherrod’s words and later “concurring” with her firing. (To its credit, the civil rights group quickly recognized its error, retracting its comments yesterday and saying it had been “snookered” by Breitbart and Fox’s falsehoods.)
Here’s the story in brief, for those few people who still don’t know about it. On Monday, Breitbart — the same loathsome character who publicly called Ted Kennedy a “pile of human excrement” a few hours after the senator’s death — aired a video of Sherrod speaking to an NAACP banquet in Georgia last March. In his edited version, Sherrod is shown talking about initially not wanting to help a white man who was facing the loss of his farm because of her anger toward white racists. But the tape presented by Breitbart, who was furious about the NAACP’s recent criticism of racism within the ranks of the Tea Parties, left out the crucial conclusion of what was really Sherrod’s tale of redemption — that in the course of the 1986 case she was discussing, she came to realize that “the struggle is really about poor people,” and that her anti-white feelings were wrong. She said the case changed her entire outlook. (And in fact the farmer and his wife were all over the media yesterday, saying that Sherrod had saved their farm, was a fine and caring woman, and should get her job back.)
FoxNews.com and Fox Nation, both parts of Fox News, immediately picked up Breitbart’s fairy tale and began plugging it, as did Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly (who demanded Sherrod’s resignation in taped comments run after she quit) and a number of other right-wing media outlets. (Many of these reports, following Breitbart, claimed that Sherrod’s actions in the 1986 case had occurred while she was an Agriculture employee — a complete falsehood.) That prompted Vilsack to have her thrown out of her job as the department’s director of rural development in Georgia (to the applause of an array of Fox hosts and guests) — an act that Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen rightly described today as pure political “cowardice.” Vilsack didn’t bother to hear Sherrod’s side of the story first, and he didn’t watch the full videotape. Incredibly, even as the true story began to emerge, Vilsack said he was sticking by Sherrod’s ouster, because, “rightly or wrongly,” perceptions about her comments could make her job more difficult. Then, early this morning, the Associated Press quoted an unnamed White House official saying President Obama had been briefed on the situation but was supporting Vilsack’s decision.
This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this kind of wilting of White House officials under pressure from the political right. They fired Van Jones, a White House environmental advisor, after Fox’s Glenn Beck made false claims that he was a “black nationalist” and former “radical communist” who was using green jobs as a form of “stealth reparations.” They repudiated an accurate 2009 Department of Homeland Security report that was leaked and then attacked by right wingers for supposedly defaming conservatives — a charge that was patently false.
Let’s take a closer look at a couple of the other actors in this nasty little episode.
Andrew Breitbart is a former editor for the right-wing Drudge Report (which also participated in the plugging of Breitbart’s video) and a columnist for the arch-conservative Washington Times who sometimes substitutes for Michael Savage, a radio talk show host who regularly makes racist remarks on the air (and who, I should say in the interest of full disclosure, has attacked me personally many times). It was one of Breitbart’s websites that aired videos made by right-wing activists of ACORN employees giving advice concerning prostitution, and that later suggested that ACORN was destroying incriminating documents. (California Attorney General Jerry Brown investigated, concluding there was no criminal activity depicted on the “severely edited” tapes Breitbart aired.) Breitbart also has claimed that Congressmen John Lewis and Andre Carson “made up” a story about being repeatedly called “niggers” during a walk through a Tea Party rally. His evidence? There was no videotape of the insults.
Breitbart recently blogged about the “insufferable assholes” he claims populate the mainstream media. Ironically enough, given the revolting role he played in the defaming of Shirley Sherrod, John Lewis and others, he described “the racket that is modern journalism,” saying that journalists “lie when they claim to be objective.” Elsewhere, in his first column about Sherrod, he crowed that “the new media will not be silenced.”
Which brings us to Fox News, that infamous purveyor of falsehoods, wildly skewed reporting and propaganda posing as real facts (some of Fox’s “journalists” even later suggested that Fox had never plugged the Sherrod tape story). As my colleague Alexander Zaitchik wrote on this blog Monday, the network has “a long history of crude and transparent race-baiting.” And Zaitchik wasn’t even talking about the Sherrod spectacle — he was writing about Fox’s current obsession with the “scandal” of the Justice Department dismissing part of a voter intimidation case against members of the New Black Panther Party, a black racist hate group. On MSNBC last night, Rachel Maddow did a serious takedown of Fox’s rantings about Sherrod.
The United States faces many serious problems in the year 2010, from a crashed economy to the largest oil spill in our history. But no American should ignore another serious threat to our integrity as a nation and a culture: the far-right propagandists, their media and political enablers, and the political cowardice that allows complete falsehoods to destroy perfectly innocent human beings.
on July 21st, 2010 at 1:45 pm
While it is vitaly important that be people be allowed to express their opinions freely no matter how vile those opinions are,slander is not protected speech.
on July 21st, 2010 at 1:52 pm
It turned my stomach too. It pissed me off on a deep level.
Be mindful of your tone in these missives. The actions of those responsible and their malicious intent will show themselves as such.
How you talk about this is your business, but furious emotional appeal is also in the wheelhouse of the opposition.
on July 21st, 2010 at 2:27 pm
Thanks for this helpful information. Keep up the good work.
on July 21st, 2010 at 2:43 pm
And I continue to celebrate Cal State Sonoma’s “Project Censored” which has been a media bullshit detector for many years.
on July 21st, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I don’t know when I have been so upset as I have when I learned the truth about what was really behind the firing of Shirley Sherrod. Even the NAACP and the White House threw her under the bus. You might say that the WH, USDA, NAACP, and especially Ms. Sherrod, was “punked” by Far Right trash. However, I was stunned when even Glen Beck said that Ms. Sherrod had been unfairly treated. I was glad I was sitting down when I learned of that fact. Somebody said Obama had apologized to her. I haven’t heard him. Maybe he needs to speak louder. I don’t want the Pres. to go off on FOX and Breitbart like Mel Gibson on Oksana, But the President and other decent ppl are going to have to stand up to the far right. Doesn’t anyone remember the McCarthy era? Doesn’t anyone remember the general (I think he was a gen.) who said to McCarthy, “Have you no decency, sir?” I don’t remember that era but McCarthy was exposed as a drunk who claimed he had a list of commies when in all probability it was a grocery list. I know this was in the Cold War era, but McCarthy had no right to bully people and defame them and ruin lives. Seem familiar? Obama needs to say to Breitbart, etc., “Have you no decency?”
on July 21st, 2010 at 3:25 pm
Seriously? C’mon guys boo freakin hoo. With the country being overrun by commies and illegals we’ve got time to whine about this garbage?
on July 21st, 2010 at 3:57 pm
The NAACP actually has a long history of betrayal. I suggest looking up a book called Hammer and Hoe, which shows how the “respectable” NAACP in Alabama during the depression was often opposed to groups who made clear, radical demands for equality.
on July 21st, 2010 at 5:03 pm
Wow! This entire event had me shaking with grief. Did Breibart apologize? Really! I’ve notice the right always demand apologies from others.
What people are failing to see in this event – She wasn’t given a chance to give her side of the story – a non-black made accusations against a black so ‘it must be true?’
This is also an example of what’s happening in California, with the help of radio station KFI640, the Jon and Ken show – these guys have helped and/or broadcast lots of tea party events, they broadcast and helped in the ‘boycott’ in Arizona, they have been pushing for state workers to be thrown under the bus, specifically, broadcasting people, some by name, salaries and positions. Then there’s KCAL 9 News and KCBS 2 News – they are following civil servants while on duty and exposing it on the news – see a website called ‘www.cityslackers.com’ most of these workers are minorities. They exposed a group from the city going to strip bars during lunch and drinking while on duty/driving (Latinos). A city worker, tree engineer, going home for lunch in city vehicle, driving around…(Latino). And the city manager of Bell Calif – a salary of $800,000.00 a year for less than 60,000 residents, a part-time city council over $100,000.00 – now this with the city of Bell is something that should be looked at. However, it just seems to me they are targeting non-whites, like with Tiger Woods, Chris Brown, A-Rod, Manny of L.A. Dodgers without wanting to give them a second chance.
on July 21st, 2010 at 5:12 pm
Just for the record, Sherrod was told by the White House to pull her car over and resign because she was going to be on Glen Beck. When Beck aired, he made no mention of Sherrod, but by then, she had already resigned. Oreilly, Hannity and Van Sustern aired the piece, but by then it was history. So I don’t think you can blame Fox News for this.
on July 21st, 2010 at 5:37 pm
While I extremely dislike Andrew Breitbart, I think the whole “Josef Goebbels of the American right” bit was a bit out of line.
on July 21st, 2010 at 6:05 pm
Where were you people and your insurmountable grief when David Howard was fired for using the word “Niggardly” in Washington D.C.? Ms.Sherrod unfortunately has become a “victim” of your prized possession: Political correctness run amok. I must say it makes me feel warm and fuzzy seeing the dog biting the hand that feeds it.
on July 21st, 2010 at 6:07 pm
I agree with Ian. Frivolous Nazi analogies are Glenn Beck’s specialty (not to mention Jeffrey Kuhner’s), and I was disappointed to see the author jumping on the Beck/Kuhner bandwagon. You should edit that line out.
Poopers: What kind of person uses a screenname like “poopers”?
on July 21st, 2010 at 9:17 pm
I’ll second the suggestion above by Ruslan to read Hammer and Hoe by Robin D.G. Kelley on the NAACP and the CPUSA during the 30′s. Have to disagree with Potok about Van Jones. Van Jones was a founding cadre of STORM, a group with a hybrid of ideological influences from Maoism, Black Nationalism and anarchism. The summation document of STORM can be easily found via a link at the wikipedia entry on Jones. As one who was active on the socialist left in San Francisco when Jones was in STORM, and has known many CPUSA’ers as well as former Maoists (such as cadre in the Communist Workers Party, which had fellow comrades killed by the N.C. K.K.K. in Grensboro in ’80) and Trotskyists , I always have to chuckle a bit when liberals seek to deny that there are those to their left who seek far more thorough going revolutionary transformations than what they feel comfortable with.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 4:20 am
Ok ! Guess what ! Here’s the deal ! This is a war of sorts! It is a one sided war! Meaning war has already been declared on most Blacks by the Far right! and some independants! Heres why! The fox News network and certain other interests made a pact that if Obama becomes President that they would do anything to defamate his presidency even if it isnt real or true! That they would make it stick ! What these people dont know and obviously dont believe is that GOD has chosen Obama to make the ultimate sacrifice other than sacrificing his life! and that is a showing of the character of a Black man inherent in most Black Men in America! The left isnt playing political games but they are protecting themselves along with Obama as the first Black american President! Why are they doing this? Because Most Blacks have had a stigma that is still apparent even till today! It doesnt matter how long a Black man has been around the block a million times ! To these far right and racist white people he is just another Black man and these Black men in their opinion need to leave the country and I quote” Obama go back to Kenya!” Here’s how I used to be before I was singling out certain white groups! I am a mixed Man with white and Black heredity! Race never mattered to me everyone was on the same level be it color creed religion man woman child etc! I saw absolutely no color! That was all the way till I was walking to work one day in west Nashville! I was walking down the street when a Girl from a car passing by yelled out “Nigger!” spat at and flicked me off all while I was walking to work and they drove on! Low and behold My senses kicked in and I realized that that was pure hate! For my color! Ya see the point I am making is simple! What I just told you was random. But now I am watching a machine of organized racist people hideing again behind a white sheet Invisible as it is! They Lie and say one thing at the same time calling out reverse racism! Yep there’s no doubt I think its time people for all those who are not racist to accept this war instead of run away and pretend its not happening Its time to while there is a black president to take certain liberties and expose all of these people for who they are amend some new laws along the way and get rid of the element through psycology and possibly hypnotism! and I say to this before there is another Martin luther King or a Kenedy!
on July 22nd, 2010 at 8:22 am
A few points to make here.
@Michael, it important to remember, when the right makes accusations about peoples’ pasts, that many of their top commentators are former radicals and in at least one case(David Horowitz), a Trotskyite.
@Geo- My new best friend. Thanks for calling the David Howard incident to our attention. Unlike you, I always check into these things when I hear about them, and look what I found in less than two minutes:
On January 15, 1999, David Howard, a white aide to Anthony A. Williams, the black mayor of Washington, D.C., used the word in reference to a budget. This apparently upset one of his black colleagues (identified by Howard as Marshall Brown), who interpreted it as a racial slur and lodged a complaint. As a result, on January 25 Howard tendered his resignation, and Williams accepted it.[1] However, after pressure from the gay community (of which Howard was a member) an internal review into the matter was brought about, and the mayor offered Howard the chance to return to his position as Office of the Public Advocate on February 4. Howard refused but accepted another position with the mayor instead, insisting that he did not feel victimized by the incident. On the contrary, Howard felt that he had learned from the situation. “I used to think it would be great if we could all be colorblind. That’s naïve, especially for a white person, because a white person can’t afford to be colorblind. They don’t have to think about race every day. An African American does.”[
Julian Bond, then chairman of the NAACP, deplored the offense that had been taken at Howard's use of the word. "You hate to think you have to censor your language to meet other people's lack of understanding", he said. "David Howard should not have quit. Mayor Williams should bring him back — and order dictionaries issued to all staff who need them."[4]
Bond also said, “Seems to me the mayor has been niggardly in his judgment on the issue” and as a nation we have a “hair-trigger sensibility” on race that can be tripped by both real and false grievances.[5]
on July 22nd, 2010 at 8:31 am
I don’t like to descend into anger but a few circumstances warrant it and this is one. I would go so far as to say this is unacceptable.
The right wing is continually disintegrating into moral dissolution. The festering morality of the Bush regime and the increased hostility of the right toward the democratic process has become increasingly apparent as a threat to the continued prosperity — indeed the survival — of our nation and our people.
Our Founders intended for there to be vigorous debate, yet there was fear among some that the popular will — which easily forms an unthinking mob — could be manipulated by the connivance of shrewd demogogues. Let us not forget that our American democracy was, and in many regards still is, an experiment that requires continued development of our legal and justice system and constant vigilance to ensure that our populace is governed by free will, not by manipulation of ones’ speech out of context and outright calumny.
The libelous parsing out of critical context can be likened to malicious fabrication of words that were never said, and indeed, impersonation, because the message conveyed is not the message originally delivered.
If our democracy is to survive in a world where information travels instantaneously, we must have sufficient checks and balances to ensure that critical information is passed through a seive of dispassionate reason before any action can be taken and innocents are tried and convicted in the court of public opinion.
If this were but the first example of this form of violence against character by the rabid right, if this were the first dehumanizing attempt to vandalize the video image for widespread political gain in the popular sphere, then perhaps it could be forgiven.
But this is more than an alert to America. This is a frontal assault on the principles of our Democracy.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 9:49 am
Larry, that post was a little out there, but I have to point out that what Fox and the right-wing noise machine is doing to Obama is not necessarily new. They did the same thing under Clinton, which coincides with the rise of AM talk radio and the founding of Fox news in 1996.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 10:25 am
The Goebbels connection is right on. What concerns me is that the great numbers of people who readily bought into this disgraceful, hate-based, racist pitch haven’t the vaguest idea who Goebbels was and what he and his Nazi compatriots did. Fox et al count on a dumbed down viewership/readership.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 1:10 pm
Point taken about the Nazi comparison. I was really, really angry at Breitbart when I wrote that, but there are surely better ways to express that. I’ve made that slight change.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 1:58 pm
What ever happened to the idea of sue the bastards when grievously wronged? The populace should be screaming it from the rooftops.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:01 pm
You must admit that she was and maybe is a racist. You just can’t bring yourself to admit that blacks are racists. The NAACP is the biggest racist outfit out there. Seems like you prople are simply out to hurt the white man, just can’t figure out why you feel you need ato do this.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:02 pm
Fox “News” is reprehensible, but apparently they did not start playing this smear job until AFTER Sherrod had been forced to quit. Breitbart probably had it up on his website first.
But that does not get FOX off the hook. They got “burned by a source” just like Dan Rather did. He got fired for it.
Time to FIRE O’Reilly and anybody else who allowed this smear job to be put on a “News” broadcast.
Rather got fired for the same thing. It’s only fair.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:04 pm
If Breitbart is not banned from the airwaves and kicked off the internet for this unexcusable smear job, then the gates will be opened up for more of the same.
You can expect cut-and-paste jobs of Obama appearing to admit that he is a Socialist and was born in Kenya.
You can expect Obama’s speeches to be taken entirely out of context as Sherrod’s speech was.
This is the death of the Republic. Big Brother is now in charge.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:17 pm
At one time, I considered Fox News to be a reliable news source. Yes, Fox News, just like all media source, has biases.
When Fox News parroted a story alleging that Obama went to a madrassa in Indonesia when he was 6 years old, I stopped considering Fox News to be a reliable news source. Consequently, it does not surprise me when Fox News parroted Breitbart on Shirley Sherrod even though the whole thing was taken out of context.
Asking Fox News to stop with the distortion is like asking a skunk not to stink.
I hope that Obama administration and other people in high places will vet whatever Fox News report BEFORE they make profound decisions based on what Fox News report.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:21 pm
cybelegoddess: It was Joseph Nye Welch, a civilian attorney representing the Army during the Army Hearings in the Senate who ask Senator Joe McCarthy, “Senator, may we not drop this? We know he belonged to the Lawyers Guild. Let us not assassinate this lad further, Senator. You’ve done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you left no sense of decency?”
It was the beginning of the end of McCarthy’s career.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:34 pm
As long as this country thinks it is exceptional and the president keeps saying “God bless America we are going to keep seeing this more and more. as though we haven’t heard enough already. I was wondering what was holding President Obama back and now I know. He is afraid of the right. Every time some white boy screams discrimination, every thing stops and it becomes the news story of the day. Poor Black, White and Mexican farmers have been discriminated against for decades. Jackie was making the point that because it was done by upper class white folk that she wasn’t and would not sink to their level. just like in the civil war it was the poor sent by the rich land owners and they didn’t know what they were really fighting for, which was to maintain the status quo. What she did say was that this is not a matter of race but a matter of rich against poor. But since we only have upper, middle and lower class folk it doesn’t make us identify with what she said. They are using reverse psychology and making believe that they are the ones being victimized by people of color,ie: blacks, mexicans, asians etc. this is not true but they have the forum, all we have are personal stories and stories handed down from our antecedents. By God! we have a history of lynching in this country. Remember Emmet Till? Just because the civil rights act was passed didn’t mean an end to racism. It was just a step and even those good white folk that helped pass the act grew complacent and forgot that the rest of us still have to live in our black and brown skins. And we have felt the sting of injustice through the dismantling of our school systems and the dismantling of affirmative action programs. A racist knows no other way than misdirection and lying. How can they claim with a straight face that they are under attack? And remember the majority of these are Christians. Where is the church in all this? We must step up our own psychological warfare but not for harm but instead for enlightenment. If we keep saying, “It ain’t happening to me!” It will. Speak up. 400 and some odd years of white rule has got to end and we have to all come together and help bring about a favorable outcome. Criminals and colored racists need not apply.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:41 pm
I agree with Larry, thanks John Harvey, I was about to go fact check that statement. This is the way Hitler and six of his followers managed to almost take over the world. I will make this comparison because these events both past and today’s merit this distinction.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:51 pm
As a former U.S.D.A. employee,who grew up in rual america,and worked in emergency response sector for the govt. I was in my own words,very aware of how easy you could be casted aside,by the same organization that trained you!. Let it be known this is truly what was meant by that (statement,the end of times). Sincerly the only Colored in the Graduating Class.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 2:54 pm
This is larger than us. In their eyes…we are all scum. You and I, Me and You. Global take-over. Lets not fight . Lets work together. I understand that we are all angry, but it is what the One World Order wants.
Peace Be With You All!!!
on July 22nd, 2010 at 3:07 pm
Fire Vilsack; give Sherrod his job.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 3:07 pm
“…an act that Washington Post columnist Richard Cohen rightly described today as pure political “cowardice.”
Wouldn’t happen to be your own Richard Cohen would it?
I didn’t think there was such a thing as a black racist!
Everyone of those listed as having thrown her under the bus, is a democrat. I thought they stood up for the blacks. Seems like someone made a mistake here.
Hummmm makes one think as to who is the racist.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 3:34 pm
The SPLC and Ms Sherrod need to sue the editor of the tape, owner of the website, fo TV and etc.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
Fox Media did the same ATTACK thing to Van Jones ,A black man who is one of the smartest men i have ever heard speaking on getting to a energy effecient America which re-tooled plants and turned them into production again making ,solar panels, wind turbines,elec car battries elec cars and trucks, etc etc making a more enviormentally friendly country his agenda, putting people back to work in good paying skilled jobs. but this black president picked a good knowledgeable on the subject black man and the ‘extreme right’ went on the attack mode and the rest of the media followed never questioning FOX before joining in and got him out of the job,if they did’nt some of these jobs could be taking place right now when they are needed ..same thing FOX to Rev. Wright, played him out of context in snippetts, and all you heard was’God damn America’ and not paying attention that he was giving America’s history leason in church which ALL those things he said America did, was done look at your history books, Google it on all the diffrent travistys that were done to diffrent races of people at diffrent tmes in history here in America. let not forget the ‘wise latina’ coment they went crazy over because of judge Sotamyor was speaking from her lifes experiances she has had as a latin woman which she is can she speak from any other? FOX did it to Acorn because they help poor people, a real fake 70′s throw back ‘pimp and prositute’ ANDREW BRAIBART, (this is the same man that has to do with Ms. Sherrods story which was edited so it looks and sounds bad ran by FOX ),and because of his edited lie of a story,congress voted to take the money away from acorn those “community organizers”that helps all those poor people with heat, rent, etc,etc, that the right wing made fun of when Barack was running for president because he said he worked as one and they made light os his service to the poor peoples ..Ms Bertha ceo of acorn said the same thing look at the full tapes they are edited . but no, once again the media ran with a black story with out vetting it , they jumped , (throwing off the true storry ), FOX started in on the President when he said correctly that the Cambridge police officer acted stupidly arresting Proff. Gates when the man shows this officer his photo id which has his picture and the same address on it which porch he was standing on had. so that was not stupid? how would you like to go thru that at your front door? and when he tried to make peace out of Proff Gates situation, what did the media dub it? laughingly,the beer summit after this man was wronged at his door step by the police ,these types of people have been using race against us since we arrived on Americas shores and we have for the most part had to take it and deal with it to the best of our abilitys which are always seems to be compromised insome way form or fashion.but now it’s an attack on blacks,hispanics,muslims each and everyday we watch the news, we have been watching them talk about this ‘tea party’ for better than a year, what kind of elements they are ,their tone of voice and then the media tries to tell us that we what we have been looking at and listening to ,what they have been feeding us,like we don’t know and have not seen and heard this stuff before how long is it thought that no one would respond ?..Pres Jimmy carter, and Homeland security Janet Napalatano tried to say this months ago but we let them shut them up and tip toed around this, same old messages just under a new name. tea party,birthers, patriots, militas, neo-natsi,aryans.skinheads,oathkeepers,ku klux klan,white pried,right wing, ultra conservetaives, minutemen libertarians ,conserveaitves,republicians ,and because they were cought out there they now try and call thereselves independants so look out,if i had another hour i could go on,yet all they try to now hollor about is the new black panthers, cause J. Edgar Hoveer has wiped out any millitant group we have had, stop and think about it, can you name how many that there was? i can’t think of maybe one and it’s suspect. so now they pick on the NAACP a respectable old hate fighter of over 100 years because they finally called their asses out. they won’t get over race we have to make them by our vote!!!! PS look at Russell Pearce’s background the man that wrote this immigration law out here, hangs out with J.T. Ready a known white supremist google them both as well as this sherriff Babue that does john mccains tv ad’s ‘build the dang fence’ speaks on one of their radio stations asking for posse help. we have been from white people killing their own wife and kids and husbands blameing us later to find out that no one black had anything to do with the crime its acuser did, it’s just always so easy to blame the black person cause as the media has shown once again thats it’s believeable to most and so easy to do.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 4:56 pm
Sheila is so right. She hits the truth like a lightning bolt.
I will add to that something else in the same vein because there is a pattern here that we must recognize.
Former Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt — a black man — was appointed to a high ranking position at Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to act as a liaison with local police forces on immigration.
Hurtt was widely criticized in Houston for fostering a “sanctuary city” for rejecting the federal program 287(g) that deputizes local law enforcement as immigration officers, enabling them to function in that capacity even though immigration enforcement is a federal aegis.
Hurtt — like every other major metro police chief in America — was against the program because he felt his department did not have the resources to be cracking down on immigrants in a city where fighting serious crime against persons and property requires intelligent community relations with immigrants.
As a result, the reactionary constituents of Houston rose up in arms over Hurtt — who was one of the best police chiefs this city ever had, particularly in dismantling gangs and vastly improving the technology available for fighting crime — and slandered him by claiming his pragmatic position was “soft” on immigrants.
As soon as Hurtt was appointed, the very day, out came the Fox News reports that Hurtt was soft on immigration. It just so happens that he’s black. Now they didn’t come right out and say, here is another political appointee who got the job because he’s black, instead of being the police chief at the country’s fourth largest city and one of the most difficult in terms of immigration and crime (if not THE most difficult).
Anyone who is familiar with his background understands that Hurtt is anything but soft, but has the intelligence and sophistication to act with grace without ever losing sight of the toughness required to fight serious crime. Crime dropped in Houston during his tenure, and people felt safe. I can tell you in a heartbeat that Hurtt’s core competencies are perfect for the job.
But you don’t hear that on Fox News. Not when it’s a black man getting appointed you don’t.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 5:35 pm
It is unbelievable what has happened to US politics in recent years. Mind you, my own country is breathing down your necks, but for Godf’s sake can’t you come to your senses? Lying and stretching the truth, intentionally misleading the American public – is there no sense of decency left in the land? When the president, himself, joins in this unsightly mess I wonder where the country is going.
Will someone pull up some socks?
on July 22nd, 2010 at 5:38 pm
There is no question when listening to the tape in its entirety she was a pure out and out racist and that the audience was racist. Not to mention a clear violation of the Hatch Act.
Looks like SCPLC only see’s whites as racists not blacks
on July 22nd, 2010 at 5:42 pm
This is history repeating itself. Just listen to the words spoken by Limbaugh and Beck…”whites are being threatened by blacks, this person made blacks millionaires at the expense of white men….”
Well, let’s look back at some events of history, Jim Crow Laws, Chinese Exclusion Act which restricted immigration to the U.S., Manifest Destiny, not only were there Japanese-Americans placed in internment camps – but German-Americans as well as Italian-Americans…..
I guess the moral of the story is, they are targeting black organizations, much like they have targeted Latino organizations, and let’s not forget, they are targeting organizations that are calling them out for their actions…
on July 22nd, 2010 at 8:12 pm
“Poopers: What kind of person uses a screenname like “poopers”?”
Errrrrrrrrrrr, possibly a person who is full of …… themselves?!
on July 22nd, 2010 at 8:58 pm
That there are vile, utterly ignorant, and hate-filled noise makers is perennial throughout the history of our land. What deeply bothers me is that this presidential administration will do nothing more than put forth a very easy, very lazy mea culpa. But do anything more? No, Sherrod has been tainted by the fringe which all in Washington fear. Make no mistake: The radical right has from the beginning unto tomorrow has won out completely. This will happen again, and everyone will take to the hills.
on July 22nd, 2010 at 9:49 pm
What planet are these people living on?
How do people get so far divorced from reality?
on July 23rd, 2010 at 9:50 am
Mrs. Sherrod, please sue Andrew Brietbart,FOX NEWS network,Bill O’Relley,Shawn Hannity and any other persons or NEWS networks who put your life in turmoil with out doing the job of vetting the stories about you before running with it, news journalist are to vette, seek the truth ,yet this is now done daily report something without seeking truth,these media people know that sometimes the ‘source’ has a questionable background and motive and they dont tell you that though, you have to find out these things on your own, they are now the tabloid media full of gossip, reporter commentary,and personal feelings. Tim Russert, was the last true one, but thank God we do have Keith Oberman.Rachel Maddow, who does their fact checking homework and i LOVE THEM for it, and at times Chris Mathews.all the Walter Cronkites, Chet Huntleys and David Brinkleys are all gone,they just gave us the ‘news’ each nite without their opinon or commentary just vetted news, lets hold them ALL accountable to do their research on subject matter and tell the truth something we all know FOX does not do,their news is a 180* degree turn of reporting of the same subject matter as CNN or MSNBC reports are. so what does that tell you…I got a little off the subject Mrs.Sherrod, to hit these people back physically,you would be in trouble and they will heal,but to hit them in their BANK ACCOUNT with a lawsuit. now that is when they HURT to have to give up to YOU all of that money they have gotten from ill gotten gains,,such as profiting by trying to destroy your life and as you so well know ,it goes on each and every day, me i know this from a simular shared experiance with you, sue that is what i did and PRAISE GOD I WON …that is why republicans are always hollering TORT REFORM to stop people from their right to sue when they are done wrong, GOD BLESS YOU. and thank you for being a wise, caring and graceful woman, an elder we all should listen to.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 11:22 am
The Right got us good here. They’ve embarrassed several major organizations on our side.
The only solution can be to thoroughly investigate the facts before making a decision.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 11:54 am
If Ms. Shirley Sherrod was here right now I’d give her such a HUG! Ms. Rosa Park finally said ENOUGH and I’ve a feeling that Ms. Sherrod is saying the same thing about the USDA. At one point in our lives we’ve all had racist thoughts; some of us grew up, others did not.
I pray that she sues all who were involved STARTING with Faux Snooze and working her way down to the offspring of unmarried parents who had a hand in editing the video who got her fired.
When Benjamin Franklin was asked by a woman, “What did you give us?” He replied, “A Republic, if we can keep it.” Can we keep ourselves a Republic when hate mongers stomp on the rights of others and call for firearms to be used to change the government?
on July 23rd, 2010 at 2:20 pm
The whole terrible miscarriage of justice could have been avoided if 1) politicians did not trust the Fox network (not news) and 2) if folks had taken two minutes to Google “Sherrod” and found out about the distinguished family history. 3) the NAACP needs to get someone in charge of institutional history. Charles and Shirley Sherrod are well-known activists for civil rights.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 2:28 pm
When people learn to stop LISTENING to the lies, only then can we progress towards becoming a civilized society. In other words, liars must be ignored. When an overwhelming majority DOES ignore them, then they will become truly irrelevant in society. I still hold hope that people have enough intelligence to eventually learn from these incidents and slowly but surely, tune out the “noise”.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 2:45 pm
Mark,
You too are a vial propagandist but of the left wing.
Mrs. Sherrod was un-justly fired well BEFORE Fox News/Bill O’Reilly “broke” the story at 8PM.
Maybe you too should fact-check…
on July 23rd, 2010 at 2:49 pm
SPLC is really running out of things to whine about when this is the best they can come up with … I see this as a good sign that things aren’t so bad if all they can do is fabricate this senseless story … Good thing there’s no actual problems in the country … ha ha
on July 23rd, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Our fight is so much greater than the components revealed. This is shear GOOD vs. EVIL and we know (the enlightened) that in the end Good will be victorious! Today in our country there are many people that are desperate to blame someone, many do not comprehend the dire situation President Obama has salvaged us from, and many are vulnerable to hate first. These vile, evil individuals that purport such lies and fabricate such false evidence belong in jail and it’s unfortunate that our criminal justice system does not agree. If were an attorney at SPLC I would suggest to Ms Sherrod that she should bring each of these organizations listed in this article up on slander charges immediately; and, to pursue civil and criminal actions for their role in this fabrication. Our President is too political and as passive as a school girl in these matters. I respect him greatly for his many outstanding achievement but history shall not overlook his timidity in matters such as these.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 3:14 pm
Seems that plenty of folks were upset by the firing and the way things were handled. Guess the white house got plenty of pressure and the president called and apologized to Ms. Sherrod. We all need to learn from this and be careful to not jump to conclusions about things. We have a lot to do to fix this country and it won’t happen overnight. Just read about some nasty stuff going on at one of the BP camps at Grand Isle, LA. Black and white workers who had been drinking at a strip club started a fight and police had to be called to intervene. Sounds like the “Decline and Fall of the Roman aka American Empire”, in a so-called God-fearing, Christian nation.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 3:16 pm
I think maybe “Breitbart” could be nicknamed “Blaubart” (Bluebeard the Pirate). The new job offer was suitable for a person several cuts below Shirley. We must demand an equal or better job. Maybe sack Vilsack and give her his job!
on July 23rd, 2010 at 3:42 pm
No surprise about Mr. B et al distorting the truth; it’s their stock in trade.
What stunned me was the lame and spineless cover-your-ass response once it became apparent that she had been falsely accused.
From a moral standpoint, it’s a breathtakingly easy call: “Sorry, our mistake, we apologize, just sorta lost our heads in the heat of the moment, here’s your job back”. It shouldn’t require public outrage at the patent injustice of her firing to motivate her superiors to simply do the right and decent thing. Have they no moral compass?
on July 23rd, 2010 at 3:43 pm
I have learned not to expect anything more than this kind of trash from the far right, but I am deeply disappointed in the NAACP, the Agriculture Dept and the Administration being sucker punched by a guy with absolutely no credibility. I believe our side needs to show a lot more courage. If we don’t a lot more good people will blasphemed and we look like fools. We must remember that Breitbart, Ann Coultor, Glen Beck and Rush Limbaugh pay no price for being wrong as long as they have discomfited us even temporarily. I fail to see the need for an instataneous reaction to this story. Surely somebody in the Ag Department should have stood u p for ms Sherrod who must have had loads of credibility. It makes sick to see the the President needing to apologize. He is a good man who was very ill served by some weakkneed syncophants.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 3:47 pm
Now, hold on just a minute. If we’re going to sue Fox News for their “slanderous falsehoods,” shouldn’t we sue MSNBC for theirs as well? It seems that it is not right to attack Ms. Sherrod (agreed), but perhaps it is also not right to scream about the racist tea party (it’s not), or to disagree that that the DOJ dismissing a slam-dunk (already obtained) default judgment against the New Black Panther party is problematic. This has to be a two-way street. If liberals want to claim “tolerance” and the “wish for an end to hate,” then they actually have to be tolerant, admit their own biases, and stop hating those who disagree with them. And, the left cannot hide its own dirty laundry (i.e., Van Jones’ past affiliations). Facts are facts, and falsehoods are falsehoods – it doesn’t matter who says or spreads them. As many are guilty of this on the left as on the right. The left uses supression and misinformation as often as the right.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Everyone – check your facts. Shirley was fired (asked to resign) before Fox News ever ran the story on Monday night. Blame the White House and USDA for over-reacting. I have WATCHED and LISTENED to Shirley’s speeches and her recent comments. I admire her for her bravery and the her ability to rise of the situation. Unfortunately, she still continues to use phrases like “white people” and “their own kind” and speaks of the “poor” vs. “those that have.” I think she still holds racist sentiments and certainly is using language POOR vs. RICH to try to stir up more controversy and adds to the problem. Does she consider Lebron James or Kobe Bryant – a “have” or a “have not?”
on July 23rd, 2010 at 4:07 pm
I am amazed at how Ms. Sherrod kept her cool during this horrible ordeal. She has demonstrated the strength required to function in a white dominated racist society, all the while retaining her poise and dignity. On the other hand, Breitbart, and company, have again revealed their hideous nature reminiscent of their KKK ancestors (perhaps current members as well). These are the people who wish to divide the nation, but their ludicrous behavior is the last gasp of a dying beast, as the beautiful diversity of OUR country is the wave of the future. No, they can’t have “their” country back
on July 23rd, 2010 at 4:08 pm
The deliberate & often libelous babble which victimized Shirley Sherrod should be condemned by all of us & if legal suit is the only way to interfere with these right-wing-nuts, then let’s sign on to class actions! Hopefully, it’s another
‘lesson’ for the Administration AND all of us, to demand
rationality & integrity!
on July 23rd, 2010 at 4:25 pm
Sirs,
Until someone reigns in Fox propaganda you can expect this to continue. They are not a news organization, but an extension of the Republican party and they are poisoning unsuspecting Americans with lies and distortions to the point of preventing the President from putting through the agenda the American people really want. As long as they control the media and spin, they will distort the facts to the benefit of those who gain by their deception.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Twisting people’s words can be very destructive!
When a person loses her job when misquoted, it is wrong.
I am very hopeful and optimistic that Ms, Sherrod will get a new job and be happy in that job!
We need more positive energy in the environment!
Accentuate the positive
Eliminate the negative
and Don’t mess with Mister in between. (Johnny Mercer)
on July 23rd, 2010 at 4:30 pm
• Without dismissing anyone’s comment, in fact agreeing with most, I’d like to drag the conversation back to what did happen to Shirley Sharrod. We might focus on the obvious, that everyone in the country we heard from was willing or eager to believe that if black people had power so long ago, they would naturally enact prejudice that would punish Whites. The point of Ms. Sherrod’s speech, at least as I hear it, was that White and Black people in the South share not only humanity but also experience with each other. The South is different from the rest of the country in one way always ignored: White and Black people live together there in at least the same harmony that Irish and supposedly “native” people live in Boston.
• But for the White farmer and family used as pawns by the right in this debacle, and unfortunately including both our Democratic Executive administration and Bill O’Reilly, this projection of absolutism across the board in the South has very little to do with the actual complexity of its history. Nor with the results of that complexity across races and regions.
• My evidence for this claim is not a simple-minded “we should all be our own versions of ‘fair,’ whatever our color.” It is experience at public universities in Georgia, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, and Utah. Only in Georgia and Chicago more than 20 years ago were my classes in some measure racially balanced; only in Georgia were students familiar enough with each other’s cultures to know precisely what they were prejudiced against. And for.
• The dull Whiteness, actual and cultural, outside major cities at the rest of the premier universities in these states worsens as one moves north and west. And while that fact results from settlement histories in many ways, it is nonetheless a reason to focus not on Right vs. Left or Party vs. Party but on what really did happen here: both ‘sides’ behaved like people who know very little about race from mutual experience. I think that is what Ms. Sherrod meant when she said she would like to educate President Obama a bit about different views of racial interactions.
• I wish that everyone using this event to repeat already obvious and accurate criticism of the Right would refocus on how little credibility about Others most of us actually have, maybe thus doing more to uncover racial and racist assumptions as most often that, personally ignorant assumptions that must become informed if such knee-jerk horrors are to be useful sources of change.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 5:20 pm
This blog and most of the comments ignore the
role played by the knee-jerk reactions of Vilsack and
especially of President Obama and his reality-deprived
gang of White House incompetents. Most of these
people still do not understand anything about the
civil rights movement or the South, much less
comprehend what makes someone like Shirley
Sherrod tick. Their stereotyped reaction to an unverified
report from Fox News–Fox News!–is as inexcusable
as the actions of the villains on the right.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 5:21 pm
another racist scenario not {OK} while in a store purchasing items of childrens clothing for winter…a store’s loss prevention goes up to a middleEastern looking guy and ask him to come to the back and handcuff’s him saying security believes the check is bogus and will call his buddy a local rookie police officer friend of his who will make an arrest because he gets the job done..the police man arrive and arrest the husband and wife on a suspicion? that they are passing bogus checks to purchase their items? the police man rides the couple all over to different small police stations and ask the on duty police officer at that small station if he would lock the couple up for bogus check writting…the station officer says that there is no grounds to arrest anyone writing their own checks..its not forgery and thats not law its a civil court matter if even that..so the police officer takes the couple to a dark place under a bridge of the highway…parks and starts talking how much he hates jews…and all foreigners who are not white and blacks and hispanics, etc…and women except his mother who birthed him….then…states that he, the police is a racist..a nazi..and will make sure he ends the jew existence on planet earth….then the policeman says get out and run up that hill…go now…all the while the couple is handcuffed at back..the couple refuses to get out and run fearing the police will execute them and say they were trying to escape or whatever storie he was making up…but the couple stood against HATE! so the policeman drove them to a scene of a drug/gang and police stand-off and positioned them right at gangers firing at police…all the while the policeman took cover and spoke to an officer on the scene who informed the policeman to take his suspect out of harms way immediately or else get written up…the policeman leaves the gang scene and returns to a mall where the checks were written and said he will make the couple out of a public example and escorts the couple back to a store with hand-cuffs on in the public and walks into the store and opens the couples check book and tell any sales clerk on the floor to take a good look at these kind of criminals and never let anyone looking like them make out checks…the store manager walks up to the policeman and ask what is going on..the distruption in the store in front of customers and why the loud talking and ask the policeman to leave or else they would report it…the policeman leaves…then take the couple to the couples house and knocks on the door where the couples children are and threatens couple he could have their children taken away and put into state custody in a shelter or foster home…because he wants every item purchased by checks so that he can put it in and use it for his own personal use because he just got an apartment and his mother could use the shoes…he then knocks on the neigbors door at 11 or 12 am loudly and ask the man who answered the door do he recognize the two people in the police car..then tells the man its your neighbor and they are going to jail for fraud..then the policeman drives the couple back to the mall where he picked them up at and told the couple to give him the keys to their car…the couple does and he walks the couple over to their car…while he had cell phoned his personal crew from the wrecker-tow company, and goes through the couples car like a fine tooth comb…and gets all the couples personal information..banking information…driver’s license info…family info…vehicle info…everything! and says he will keep all the info in his personal record forever and make sure he haunts us down and keep the couple under watch forever and also that he was going to call all our creditors and let them know we had been put in jail and he would check the jews immigration status but would not report that the jew was under arrest because he wasn’t going to let him escape his watch and hunting down…he would make him his personal prisoner forever and the jew’s family even till the last of their 6 children turned 18 and if he died before the jew…he would have by then passed on his file folder of the jew to someone he personally trained that would do exactly like he…the nazi…so, the policeman finally took the car and told the wrecker to handle it special because if they couple didn’t get it out in 30 days and he would make sure they didn’t cause he was going to make sure they stayed in jail for that long….that the car was his for storage fee and that he would contact the bank with the details..then the police stopped by one more small police station and they wouldn’t take the couple either, saying thats not breaking the law..no grounds..so the policeman drove the couple to the big jail and booked the couple in on stolen property….and then did a nationwide fbi check on the couple eventhough he was warned not to do that…the couple was booked but released with no record….the police has been keeping watch and spreading propaganda among the couples lifetime for some 14 years now…in which 3 separate times the jew and his family has almost been burned alive in their house…frozen alive in a so-called compassion church.OK and ran over with a forklift carrying almost a ton and then just recently as of 2007 hit by a commercial truck OK that broke 7 out of 8 ribs..broken leg..pelvic..permanent disability..permanent screws and plate in hip area of you jewish father who was once stronger than a bull…a believer of JESUS CHRIST who often gets blamed on what happened in okc and nyc by propaganda nazi hate monger..policeman..who is fatally addicted to brutally and demonically ruining this couple and their 6 children’s life…because theres nothing they can do about it..to society they have been painted the picture of mere criminal minded fraudulent..ill-legal and traitor and poor impoverished social services milkers…none of which is true…but we are constantly oppressed by this psycho cop who hides behind and spits poison about us to every neighbor/neighborhood/employer/creditor/land lord/utilies company/neighborhood watch groups/ and poor ignorant people…we are constantly watched and stalked and even sometimes indirectly threatened that they will kill us by running us over….both our good working vehicles have been immobilized by who? so many haters…covering up hate with the word Patriot……pray people pray..WE STAND!
on July 23rd, 2010 at 5:31 pm
It used to be that networks avoided controversy because that reflected badly on the paying sponsors, who then lost sales. Maybe it is time the sponsors of shows who lie and deceive should be help accountable. Boycott, anyone?
on July 23rd, 2010 at 5:35 pm
To those who feel it necessary to purify their own motives by disparaging others with having the very motives you deny are your own, please knock off the tired defense that has it FOX is blameless because Sherrod had already been fired by the time they ran it.
That’s not the point. And if you had any sense of morality you would know that too. The fault lies in how FOX ran the story of her firing offering Brietbart’s edited tapes as the reason for it. They did this without vetting the tape despite knowing it’s source to be a person well known to engage in this exact form of deceptive manipulation of his intended audience…..YOU.
Brietbart, FOX (Ailes, Murdoch, etc.) rely on the limited cognitive skills that characterize most of those who are attracted to their intentionally simplistic programming. Researchers now know of a syndrome occurring early on (pre-puberty) that limits critical thinking skills, induces high levels of fear and aggression, and compels an extreme level of deferential behavior toward those who manage to set themselves as a leader or trusted insider…as “one of ours”.
You have no way of knowing it but nearly all these reasons you cite for why the right is justified to engage in whatever it takes to bring down liberals are lies and exaggerations told you so you will do and say the very things they need to give themselves the political cover it gives them to continue helping themselves to yours and my work, wages, taxes, and lives should a war result from their careless power and wealth grabs.
Do yourself a favor by searching in GOOGLE SCHOLAR /only/ on the terms “conservatism” and “authoritarianism, RWA-SDO”.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 5:50 pm
The unwillingness of Pres. Obama’s administration to stand up for the truth has been an issue for sometime. He allowed the right-wing & “blue-dog” dems to hijack the healthcare issue & actively resisted the public option being discussed in Congress. He allowed the mis-information of the “death panels” to fester before finally confronting the republican leadership in his televised conference with them. Why he waited so long is a mystery. He seems to back away from using the “bully pulpit” to galvanize his ideas to the American people & when he finally does respond, it is in a reactive mode rather than proactive.
This latest episode regarding Ms. Sherrod is shameful. It’s typical that the right-wing respondents who have posted here have typically deflected the issue by their usual tactic of “bait & switch”. Rather than acknowledge the issue, they instead try to illustrate examples of racism from the left. Unfortunately, racism isn’t unidirectional. But equating Ms. Sherrod’s honesty about fighting so-called “reverse racism” in her heart & mind to actual hatred & prejudice that presently confronts many minorities in their day to day living is cowardly & disingenuous. And when she talks of the rich, she is not talking about the upper middle class. She is talking about the top 2-3% income earners of our population who made out like bandits during shrub’s term, when they received an unfair & unjust tax break. It would be hilarious, if it wasn’t so sad that so many misunderstand what Pres Obama’s tax reform would effect due to the misinformation & propaganda that so many believe is factual journalism. The right-wing would have you believe that the backbone of the American economy, entrepreneurship, will be stifled by this. But the majority of new businesses start-ups are not done by the top 2-3%, & that the tax levels for this section of the population would return to the rate they paid in the ’90′s, when they did quite well financially & paid their fair share, thank you very much!. It was this section Ms. Sherrod was referring to as “the rich” & the vast majority of white America has nothing to fear from this right-sizing of the tax burden. It’s comical to hear the right-wing cry “crocodile tears” about the deficit, yet fight so vigorously against a policy that would help diminish the deficit, just to keep their “fat-cat” political contributors satiated.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 6:06 pm
Ms. Sherrod has been exonerated. Her revelation should stand as witness to all Americans, me included. Shame falls on those who profit by defaming her.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 6:16 pm
Thank you for writing what really happened in this horrible, confusing story. Keep bringing the truth to light and people will eventually wake up. Fox News no longer even attempts to be a news station.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 6:17 pm
What democrats need to do is have a movement of open-minded people, regardless of color, to defend ourselves of the slanderous people in the extreme right. Answer their accusations as soon as they profer them. Be vigilant, my friends, be very vigilant!!!!
Wallis
on July 23rd, 2010 at 8:04 pm
Seems to me that we need to use the same citeria that we used when Dan Rather presented unverified information about President Bush. Where is he now?
I always wondered, how do you punish someone who screams”fire” in a crowded theatre? Is that just a theoretical concept or do we have an answer?
on July 23rd, 2010 at 8:47 pm
When will we realize that we are all of the human race?
on July 23rd, 2010 at 8:49 pm
We absolutely must realize we are all of the human race. This hatred of the right is ruining us, not allowing us to enjoy this country and constantly having to defend the liberal point of view.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 9:54 pm
I findd it ashtonishing that the WH would believe anything thats aired, published or blogged by FOX, Hannity, Beck or Rush_drugster” Limbaugh. I have been listening to them for years and have discovered that these illustrious few, make big money on slander and innacurate information.
It is also an underlying fact the the so-called far right has an agender or destroying this administration and any of its supporters. I further suggest that anyone who listens to the above, do so with caution and cross reference any information before the slighest comment about opinions to anyone other than themselves.
on July 23rd, 2010 at 10:33 pm
For those of you trying to sneak by the idea that Fox News is not liable for the firing. Bill-O was ranting about the need to fire her long before she was actually fired. Sue the bastards.
on July 24th, 2010 at 12:52 am
I think that when Mr. Feuer wrote :
“Until someone reigns in Fox propaganda you can expect this to continue. They are not a news organization,…..”
he meant “reins” not “reigns” but maybe someone can do both – rule over and restrict!
on July 24th, 2010 at 3:56 am
Fox news should be required to present truelly fair and balanced editorials. No one should be allowed to spew garbage into our airwaves freely like they do!!!
on July 24th, 2010 at 9:32 am
Whenever you call anyone especially the top ranked news channel out as a liar I would very much like to see the unedited video to go with it. Why? well in this case because you also have defended the Jusic Dept’s decision to drop a conviction against the man who was more than definitely intimidating voters, and because you also defended the ACORN garbage who (edited or not) was clearly advising people on how to do alot of very illegal things the fact that Democrat Brown chose not to prosecute these people says more about who he is than anything else and should scare you to the bone …lets see the video and let us decide because the only time anyone here gets mad its normaly to dfend the wrong people
on July 24th, 2010 at 9:34 am
good comment OKLAW!
on July 24th, 2010 at 9:43 am
We should be furious that some white men decided to lynch a Black woman for something that she did not do, and that our president, not only allowed it, but forced her to resign.
on July 24th, 2010 at 10:31 am
Someone please explain to me why this does not warrent the reponsible parties being sued?
on July 24th, 2010 at 10:52 am
Since Dan Rather was released by CBS for misrepresenting a story about former President George Bush’s military service, why isn’t similar pressure being placed on FOX News commentators who have clearly smeared Ms. Sherrod?
It would only seem to be the fair thing to do for a network dedicated to “fair and balanced” reporting.
on July 24th, 2010 at 12:21 pm
A clarification from the blog author for those of you who are confused about the fairly complex timeline: FoxNews.com and Fox Nation, both parts of Fox News, ran stories about Sherrod’s supposed racism on Monday BEFORE she resigned. Bill O’Reilly of Fox News did a segment that day in which he said, “Ms. Sherrod must resign immediately.” The segment was taped Monday afternoon before she did resign, but was run after the resignation. In the following hours, a series of Fox hosts — including hosts Sean Hannity, Dana Perino, Steve Doocy and Alisyn Camerota — joined guests in essentially crowing about the resignation and repeating the allegation that Sherrod had made a racist speech. And a minor correction: The NAACP did not call for Sherrod’s firing, but said it was “appalled” by her remarks and then, after she was fired, said it “concurred.” It was also the NAACP that first made public (on Tuesday night) the unedited version of the video that showed how Sherrod had been grossly wronged.
on July 24th, 2010 at 12:40 pm
It’s amazing to me how people of ALL entrenched views never waiver in those viewpoints no matter how much they are proven to be false. Whatever happened to working things out between one another, or plotting out some common ground so we can look at an issue rationally? To me, cooperation & it’s ilk, is what SPLC is all about & by handing hatred rhetoric out like it were penny candy is the opposite of what should be true. Ben Franklin said; “We must all hang together, or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separtely.” Peace seems to be hiding somewhere & I know my search for it will continue, just not in the recesses of the radical sides misguided verbiage.
on July 24th, 2010 at 12:43 pm
Mark Potok,
I believe you are right to be harsh on all-things Fox. I also believe you are making unnecessary excuses for the White House, Administration, and the NAACP, for their blunders and lack of due diligence in the Sherrod matter. Continue to challenge and expose the Right, but be careful about making excuses for the others. When you do so, it goes to your credibility.
on July 24th, 2010 at 2:55 pm
Considering the way African Americans have been treated in this country, I’m surprised they are as generous as they are. They have every right to be racist. As for MSNBC being as guilty fo distorting facts as Fox News, anyone who thinks that needs to check their own ability to think critically and perhaps also study more history and the principles of propaganda. Those persons would probably have applauded the McCarthy hearings. Mark, I applaud your work. Keep it up!
on July 24th, 2010 at 3:35 pm
I agree with the information in the article, but the tone used will likely be counterproductive. In fact, I did not finish reading the article because the tone reminded me of that used by “shout columnists” who are generally quite a turn out. Keep to the facts and keep discourse civil. Thank you.
on July 24th, 2010 at 4:03 pm
Very good points and comments above. However, part of the issue is between rich and poor. I mentioned the city of Bell above as an example, again, there is less than 40,000 residents, and it is alleged that the median income is less than 30k, the news reported and showed a long line across the street from city hall of residents lining up for food and stated that most residents are of Latino heritage and the city has the highest tax rate in the state. Yet, here you have a city manager making 800k a year, police chief 400k+ and it was voted for with under 400 votes.
I tell people all the time, no matter how much the rich complain that they have to pay so much in taxes…they receive a lot more free. People are always giving them stuff that we have to buy – example, ball players receive free shoes, movie stars get to wear designer clothes and jewelry – sometimes it is loaned, famous people sometimes get free hotel rooms just to make an appearance. Not only do they get a lot of free stuff, they have deductions to offset taxes, they set up tax-free foundations……oh, didn’t Eric Prince who owned Blackwater move to U.A.E? In case you guys didn’t know it, there are U.S. teachers moving to U.A.E., and rent for an apartment costs about 65k a year – yes, rent!
Someone made a comment about boycotting the advertisers….better to not watch the station, advertisers look for what’s popular based on ratings. I stopped watching C-Span’s Washington Journal, I don’t look at Fox, and I stopped watching CNN because I believe they are following in Fox’s footsteps, I watch only Keith Olbermann and Rachel Maddow on MSNBC. As far as I’m concerned the shows are only as good as the shows news editors/writers, so Rachel and Keith are excellent shows, they’re my favorites.
The comment about taking our country back – this country has been sold, yes, we have a 1 trillion dollar deficit – ha, the war spending just reached 1 trillion. As far as the job market – look up the Kyoto Protocol. When Obama said he wanted to review NAFTA – who was it that started yelling? Wasn’t it Bush Jr. that excelerated CAFTA? So, to boycott products is not the answer because half of the goods sold in this country is not made in this country – example, the syrup for Coca-Cola is made in Ireland, look at the products you buy in the store and you will sometimes see ‘this is a product of China, Philippines….’ or look at the labels on your fruit, it will be from Brazil, Ecuador…..
on July 24th, 2010 at 6:27 pm
Thanks again, SPLC, for accurate reporting of the goings-on of Fox News and their lock-step soldiers of false reports and prejudice. You fill a gap and provide needed balance to the U.S.’s vociferous right-wing contingent which continues to be the true enemy of democracy and of the principles upon which this country was founded.
on July 25th, 2010 at 7:19 am
I watch all the cable news shows. If I want the news I tend to watch CNN-HLN. The rest are not rally news shows as much as commentary shows. Most of the CNN commentators (Anderson Cooper, Rachel Maddow, etc.) claim to be “investigative ” reporters, while the vast majority of the rest of them (O’Reilly, Beck, Sanchez, and the guy on MSNBC that I can’t remember) are all just commentators who are offering their opinion on a position.
Fox news is no better or worse than CNN or MSNBC who push their own liberal agenda. What Fox does is offer an alternative to the other media outlets. Its evident that there is a market for this because they consistently get a better market share in the ratings.
I think Sherrod probably is or at least was a racist in her views. But the scariest thing to me is that she seems to be borderline socialist with her views about poor vs. rich. While we need to rein in the abject greed that has overtaken our country, capitalism is still a whole lot better than socialism.
on July 25th, 2010 at 10:21 am
What is frightning about the tactis of the far right today is that they are an exact replication of the ones used by the Nazi party after WW I.
The Nazis used scare tactics, untrue media reports and vicious racism to boost their rise to power.
The Right’s fight today isn’t against President Obama’s policies, it is against certain parts of our population.
Beware!
on July 25th, 2010 at 12:50 pm
My take on this is completely visual. I did a painting years ago that could be a depiction of the way that Fox News and/or Dick Cheney have manipulated our national media, but as some already know (and I confess I’ve not had time to read the above posts) Robert McChesney, David Brock and many others have been trying to deal with these issues for years…here’s the painting.
http://farm1.static.flickr.com.....cbac_m.jpg
on July 25th, 2010 at 1:03 pm
This case is the reason libel law exists. Sherrod should sue Fox, News Corps, the individual broadcasters, and creators of the fabrication.
She should file a wrongful termination suit against Vilsack as well. Just so he can realize that what he did is WRONG.
As for additional work, we can all file complaints against FOX and the News Corp. via the FCC. The FOX stations are not operating in the public interest. They should therefore, lose their licenses. The law says that stations receive their licenses to promote the public interest. Treating lies and libel as news is NOT in the public interest.
on July 25th, 2010 at 2:44 pm
I think there is enough blame to go around on the handling of this issue. Have we become so programmed that like the police, we shoot first and ask questions later? So politically correct that we will besmirch anyone for our own self aggrandizement? In the rush to make news, the media has diluted itself into what I consider to be a tasteless gravy train. The talking heads masquerading as journalists on Fox News should climb down from their lofty places and cease spewing venom. The NAACP has lost credibility among the younger generation and the career politicians and their “supporters” are like crabs in a barrel. This is a nation of free speech, but when an individual’s livelihood is threatened because of an edited speech, I say get a good lawyer and SUE Fox and its co-coconspirators.
on July 25th, 2010 at 3:05 pm
I agree with those who say SUE! THE! BASTARDS!. Landmark libel case, NT Times v. Sullivan (1964): publishing a defamatory report knowing it is false or with reckless disregard of whether it’s true or false is actionable libel. Fits Breitbart to a T, and very likely, Fox as well. Let them explain on the witness stand their standards for vetting information for its truthfulness BEFOREpublication. Southern Poverty Law Center took away some KKK property in a lawsuit. Here it could very justly take away some reputations for veracity.
on July 25th, 2010 at 3:49 pm
Every newroom, every politician, and everyone else who appears on tv news programs should have a picture of Ms Sherrod’s with the simple word: “Remember!” written below.
on July 25th, 2010 at 7:44 pm
“Andrew Brietbart posted an edited clip of Shirley Sherrod. Chaos ensued. Sherrod was fired and it’s the fault of Fox News. Or is it? Herewith a case study of Fox Haters and their noise machine.”
“To set the stage, it is necessary to know the true timeline. On the morning of Monday July 19, Andrew Breitbart posted a video clip of Ms Sherrod. Long story short, it did not provide the complete context of her remarks. That afternoon, Ms Sherrod was called repeatedly by the administration and told she was to resign. At this point, this story had not been reported on FNC, CNN, or MSNBC. There was a [reason]* why FNC had not been covering the matter:”
* http://latimesblogs.latimes.co.....ework.html
—
‘Michael Clemente, senior vice president of news editorial, said the network’s news programs reported the story with caution. “When I heard about this Monday morning and saw it on Breitbart’s website, I said, ‘OK, could be a story, let’s check it out,’ ” Clemente said. “We did the normal fact-finding we would do on any story.” At an afternoon editorial meeting Monday, Clemente urged the staff to first get the facts and obtain comment from Sherrod before going on air, according to internal notes from the meeting that were provided to The Times. “Let’s make sure we do this right,” he said.’
—
“Sherrod resigned, and the news broke on Monday evening. The first mention of the matter on FNC was from Bill O’Reilly. His show was taped about two hours earlier; he played the edited clip, called on her to resign. But by the time it aired, Ms Sherrod had already resigned, and an on-screen graphic noted same. (O’Reilly would later admit his mistake and [apologize]*.) That same night CNN also [played]** the [clip]*** in reporting on the resignation, as did Hannity (who discussed it with Newt Gingrich and a bi-partisan panel). It was also mentioned briefly by Dana Perino (subbing for Greta). By Tuesday morning, the NAACP had gone on record approving of the firing. Their statement has been [removed]^ from the NAACP website, but it [said in part]^^:”
* http://video.foxnews.com/v/vid.....#038;h=374
** http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA.....cd.01.html
*** http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRA.....cd.02.html
^ http://www.naacp.org/press/ent.....y-sherrod/
^^ http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-50.....ontentBody
—
‘Racism is about the abuse of power. Sherrod had it in her position at USDA. According to her remarks, she mistreated a white farmer in need of assistance because of his race.’
—
“Both [MSNBC]* and Fox & Friends discussed these developments. As the LA Times [noted]**:”
* http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036789/#38359302
** http://latimesblogs.latimes.co.....ework.html
—
‘The first reported piece on Fox News, by [correspondent James Rosen]*, aired on Tuesday morning, and included a second video clip that added context to Sherrod’s comments.’
* http://mediamatters.org/embed/.....sensherrod
—
“Along with the LA Times, reports from [Mediaite]*, the [Washington]** [Post]^, and [others]^^ make one thing clear: nothing that aired on FNC could possibly have caused Ms Sherrod’s firing, because FNC aired nothing until after she was already gone. That’s not a matter of opinion; it’s fact. So now the fun begins, as the haters kick into high gear.”
* http://www.mediaite.com/online.....to-resign/
** http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....06708.html
^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....06708.html
^^ http://weblogs.baltimoresun.co.....fox_n.html
***
J$P: Fox Haters Week in Review!
http://johnnydollar.us/files/100725fhwir.php
on July 26th, 2010 at 1:08 am
These racist have helped to again prove that lies can be perceived a truth if repeated loud and often enough. The majority of Conservatives, Republicans and Tea partiers are again propagandizing our free speech. Our country which is partly built on the backs of slaves and racism still denies this fact. This is why we can’t get over our racism.
South Africa is doing a better job on race than we are because they have admitted their racism and have apologized for it. You have to admit a sin before you can forgive yourself. I believe that the good people of these United States will still defeat you racist bastards out there who lurk in the shadows and divide us like Fox News and their prejudiced following. There is good evidence that we will prevail. The election of President Obama is a good example of us coming to grips with and throwing off part of the yoke of racism that still permeates this country. I have faith that mine and your God will survive and receive justice and liberty for all in this imperfect democracy of ours.
God Bless our beloved Country…CR
on July 26th, 2010 at 12:06 pm
It’s over, O’reilly and Fox news apologized for acting without validating the facts…move on people. Sue? For what?! Sherrod probably will attempt to sue but will be shot down because she spews plenty of overt racism throughout the tape. You litigious cowards take “sticks and stones” to a whole other level. As for how shocked and dismayed most readers are about the medias obvious bias?! Get over it..the media has been creating falsehoods since their inception.
on July 26th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
The way to solve some of these problems is to get tough on the offenders – London tend to ban such controversial figures coming into the country. We need to take it a step further – if some of these race-baiters have dual citizenship or they are not natural born citizens, we need to strip them of their citizenship, do to them exactly what they are trying to do to everyone else!
on July 26th, 2010 at 6:23 pm
When are real journalist going to step up an do their jobs. If just one journalist had done the research on Mrs. Sherrod then this would have ended before it began. ” When GOOD PEOPLE remain silent BAD THINGS HAPPEN!”
on July 27th, 2010 at 8:36 am
Geo, why should people just get over it as you say? This was a malicious attempt to destroy someone’s career, based on deliberately fabricated evidence.
on July 27th, 2010 at 9:11 pm
Fox News and everyone who support it from Rupert Murdoch down to those who applaud its dirty work are wallowing in their own vulgarity. To those who reply that shit happens it is to be noted that there is always an asshole involved.
on July 28th, 2010 at 11:37 am
It’s time to stop enabling the Fox propaganda channel and playing the fools by using their language. Remove “Fox News” from our lexicon by no longer referring to them using the word ‘news’, and by calling a spade a spade. They are not bad journalists, they are propagandists, plain and simple.
on July 28th, 2010 at 9:04 pm
the bigots and liars at fox news are alot smarter then people think! yeah o’reilly and his slandering colleagues apologized but not until after the damage they were after was caused.they took one for the team so to speak.when the damage of slander is so great apologies are worthless and insulting.fox news has now become the propaganda machine of the extreme right wing….you know the racists that the tea party keeps saying are not amongst them.i believe in freedom of speach but you cannot use it to create harm to any person with slander and lies.mrs sherrod should not only sue breitbart but ruppert murdoch himself for allowing this type of slander by his employees.
on July 29th, 2010 at 9:29 pm
I think a billion in punitive damages is not asking too much of Fox for its slander. At least, that’s what I would demand as a juror.
on July 30th, 2010 at 12:36 am
Wow,
Pretty strong editorial coming from a guy who works for an organization (SPLC) that has nothing better to do then label just about anyone and any organization opposed to mass immigration as a hate group.
While I think the whole Sherrod incident was unfortunate, it is highly hypocritical of Potok to complain about people being unfearly smeared, when his organization has done so itself.
If you really want this sort of behavior and tactics to stop, then be a leader and quit smearing people and organizations by using very loose “guilt by association” tactics to impugn people and organizations that have very real concerns about mass immigration.
on July 30th, 2010 at 9:08 am
ralphie….you are here because of mass immigration,just thought i’d remind you of that in case you forgot.and for the record most of the leaders of the anti immigration groups have strong white supremacist beliefs….splc does there homework so that they don’t slander anyone unlike the far right people like breitbart and propagandist fox news.the truth hurts.
on July 30th, 2010 at 9:33 am
They have labeled the Federation for Immigration Reform a hate group and smeared the Center for Immigration Studies and Numbersusa because of old, past association to one person. I have met and know the leaders of both of these organizations and am well aware of their work – and they are the furtherst thing from “white supremecists beliefs”.
So, if the SPLC is going to rely on old, distant associations to attack mainstream immigration reduction groups, then they should not be surprised or shocked when the Right does the same with Van Jones, Acorn, or Shirley Sherrod. And, by the way, many people now consider the SPLC to be a leading hate group because of the way they smear anyone who doesn’t agree with their left wing agenda
By the way, I’m a Democrat and am against mass immigration for environmental and economic reasons, as are many people I know. Does that make me a “white supremicist”?
on July 30th, 2010 at 3:43 pm
Ralphie’s post is very familiar (almost identical) to someone who posts on another blog with a different name who frequently mentions this blog with contempt. If it’s the person I think it is, they have claimed to be “independent”, not Democrat, but also are very avid about the Tea Party. It seems like after the Bush administration Republicans on independent blogs are like American travelers overseas who had to call themselves Canadians during the Bush years to avoid negative scrutiny. With that, I will conduct an analysis of the writing and get back with any relevant conclusions.
on July 31st, 2010 at 12:28 am
ralphie…. you sound just like fox news “fair and balanced” when you really are not! i believe just by reading your posts that you are a angry right winger….and of course splc is gonna rely on past associations to find out what and who these organizations are… i believe its called your rap sheet…you know…birds of a feather flock together.get pulled over by a cop or apply for a good paying job and they will also judge you by your past history….and what you are trying to say is that because groups like the splc expose these racist organizations for what they really are its ok for the right to counter with lies and slander.i believe that beholder is on to something about you.
on August 6th, 2010 at 1:57 pm
I am pleased to state with reasonable certainty my suspicion about the identity of “ralphie”, who is not, I believe, a democrat, but an avid and vocal supporter of the tea party. She posts as “bearded” on another blog, and we go way back on the immigration debate. She doesn’t like immigrants, but has an especially great hatred for the SPLC, and knows that I comment here.
I say with small modesty that I am the one who taught her what a “guilt by association” fallacy is (having caught her in quite a few different kinds of fallacies, strawmen, guilt by association, ad hominem and so on), so that is what raised my suspicion. Certain terms are used frequently (smear, for example). Another way to tell is an absence of factual evidence for anything and an appeal to scorn — she will always present strong opinions, in clear and not shabby prose, and when pressed, she may provide a link to some screed on FAIR, CIS, or NumbersUSA. Also there is the masculine nickname (“Raphie” and “Bearded”, whereas she is a woman. She has claimed to be independent or a moderate, but will always defend the Tea Party. Now she claims to be a Democrat.
Here is a quote from another blog, posted today:
“FAIR, NumbersUSA, and CIS are all very good and valid organizations. They demonize them with the guilt by association tag. If you ever go to the SPLC site and read their blogs it is mind blowing. It is basically an anti-white blog and like minds gather there to condone their views and express their shallow views. I will give you one guess who is a regular poster there. FYI, I have been going to that site for a few years, I like to check out what the lunatic fringe left thinks now and then.”
Now, let us compare with “Ralphie’s” comment above (elipses are mine for brevity):
“They have labeled the Federation for Immigration Reform a hate group and smeared the Center for Immigration Studies and Numbersusa because of old, past association to one person…So, if the SPLC is going to rely on old, distant associations to attack mainstream immigration reduction groups, then they should not be surprised or shocked when the Right does the same with Van Jones, Acorn, or Shirley Sherrod. And, by the way, many people now consider the SPLC to be a leading hate group because of the way they smear anyone who doesn’t agree with their left wing agenda “”
My hypothesis is now presented. I am open to challenge, but I am now comfortable making this association and open the topic for further inquiry.
Good day.