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July 26th, 2010
01:09 PM ET
Video: Shirley Sherrod's full NAACP speech
Watch Shirley Sherrod's full NAACP speech that ignited the controversy and decide for yourself whether it was warranted.
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Filed under: NAACP • Race Gender & Politics • Race in America • Shirley Sherrod |
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When it comes to the truth. There are several guys in the area that will loose their jobs with BP if they tell the truth about what they are doing and not doing. Seems like another great place to start investigating. How come air sampling is being done independently but not the AIR TESTING ? What happened to the local universities and the Government ship that was taking samples and showing the oil dispersed in huge plumes in the Gulf. Is what the Alaskan people say true from their experience from Exxon Valdez, are we getting the truth ? Ray Charles and Steve Wonder can see this isn't right. From what i gather weekly from many of the locals is that they are wasting time, but all are making a pay check. I don't want to leave out the new floating hotels that have just shown up to house the workers. How does this help the local economy ? Makes me wonder if it might be to control the workers stories as well as who owns the floating hotels and is making that paycheck instead of the local businesses ? Seems selling out has become the American way,, instead of the RIGHT WAY.
Mr. Cooper, at the start of the BP oil tragedy in the Gulf of Mexico, i was very impressed by your bold reporting. As a native of Louisiana, a firefighter, a pipe fitter, and an outdoors man who is now 49 years old, i know a little about the world and how things work here in South Louisiana. I have lived on the bayou for twenty years. It is a40 minute boat ride from my home to Grand Isle. I know all the water in that area like the back of my hand. Yes, i was on duty the night the well exploded and help receive several of the injured that were rescued. I told my friends, this guy has guts and is the go to guy that will tell it like it is for the good of all.
I want to tell you, it has been a while since i have seen any bold reporting on the subject by you, and i am disappointed. BP has sprayed thousands of gallons of dispersant on millions of gallons of oil and now the surface looks so much better. How stupid can people be to think that it has simply disappeared just because it not visible from the surface. The Gulf is full of Oil and dispersant now and it will just be a matter of time before the estuaries are full of this killer chemical mixed with the oil. How will our fish, shrimp, crab, oysters every re-populate and more importantly, "How will BP ever clean this up or make it whole again ?'" This has to be the biggest farce in American History. WHERE ARE YOU WHEN WE NEED YOU MOST ?
Don't sell out like the others have.
Hopefully, Ms. Sherrod will be offered her job back, if she even wants it now. This is what HAPPENS when sound bites are used for malicious intent. No one gets to hear the complete story and a mob mentality ensues. There are two sides to every story and what started out as this woman's story about a life lesson and compassion was taken out of context. This begat gossip and lies. Hopefully, this will be a lesson for all political, media and religious affiliations. A.C. & team @ CNN did a great job investigating this matter.
This entire situation is so disturbing. Shirley Sherrod is in NO way a racist nor were her comments in any way racist. The complete opposite. Firing her was clearly a result of a rush to judgment by the powers be who refused to do a basic fact check. It leaves one questioning their ability to make sound decisions and their intelligence as well – or lack there of. Very scary!
I'd like to see Shirley have her job back. She's an exception person! But, I can understand her hesitation to accept that offer – if it's made.
Shirley Sherrod has done absolutely nothing wrong; in fact, she's a perfect example of the process of maturing and learning from experiences in life.
USDA's knee-jerk reaction and right-wing media coverage is embarrassing and shameful!
I guess the only other thing I would say is there is a reason for everything.....Ms. Sherrod's story of transformation would never have been heard by the rest of us had it not been that she was fired and the further injustice occurs. It is all unfortuate especially considering that 24 years later we are still in need of the same transformation that occurred in the life of Ms. Sherrod 24 years ago. She is right the division that occurred so long ago with indentured servents continues to seperate us today.
This is wrong on so many levels. I hope some one makes this right.
Yes, we need to keep in mind the irony of the whole thing. 24 years after she delivered this speech about the epiphony she had regarding race, she is fired for making those very statements. Actually Ms. Sherrod should be reinstated in her position AND the people who were quick to judge and forced her to put her letter of resignation on a blackberry should themselves be fired including the man from the Department of Agriculture. There is no excuse for this and I believe the people who released this video knew exactly what they were doing and did it to have the inflamatory effect it had. It should not be allowed.
the situation leading to mrs Sherrod's pressured retirement is unfortunate. This LADY did not deserve the stigma attached to her name.
It also shows us as consumers of new reports to not jump to a conclusion. Wold it be nice to have a news reporting agency which gives us both side of an issue and does not lead us to a conclusion? As far as the NAACP and the president.. man up .. stop protecting your actions. Do the right thing and vindicate this woman.
I pray for peace and understanding on all matters. Shirley Sherrod story was so beautiful for it to be taken the wrong way. I feel that the person who fired her by asking for her resignation over the phone should be fired! What would be happening now if she had a heart attack on the road after receiving the call? And these are the type people in Charge of others....I don't think so.
This shows how naive people are when it comes to news media and live TV. Ms Sherrod needs her job back with an apology. President Obama needs to step up and make this right.
Now you can see how people get scammed on the internet.
If anyone else would like to email Secretary Vilsack as I did, here is his email address: AgSec@USDA.gov
Here's my letter:
Dear Secretary Vilsack:
While I urge you to offer a public apology and Ms. Shirley Sherrod her position back, my sincere hope is that Mrs. Sherrod will go into public speaking and become a wealthy woman because of your unfortunate error.
Its a said time and place where race is the issue of choice in todays news. Because of deceptive and misleading journalism a "heroic" woman who told an amazing life lesson, lost her career, her retirement and her reputation. The shame.
In a day where the US boasts of the level of education in this country, I find it hard to believe that anyone would jump to a conclusion without hearing the full story. This is the state of education in this country, nobody listens or reads. We just watch snippets of video and guess what the message is! Congratulations Mr. Vilsak! You are this week's winner.
Shirley is exactly the kind of public servant we need. President Obama needs to reinstate her and invite her to the White House. She is a treasure.
I thought we all came from 1 race, the human race. To see that in 2010 we still fight over our color. We should be ashamed. God help us all.
She'll be okay, it's just a misuse of words that led to this horrible misunderstanding.
Best wishes to Shirley.
Anderson, I just to tell you that I LOVE watching you. And I LOVE the way you broadcast your stories. I want to thank you for the AMAZING job you have done in reporting everything about the oil disaster. I live in Florida, but on the east coast, but we travel to the west coast alot. You HAVE really been KEEPING THEM HONEST!!!!!! Keep up the wonderful job you do!!!!