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Love is in the air.  Hearts and roses.  Hugs and kisses.  Love.  Love.  Sweet love. We dream about it, write poems about it, watch movies about it, listen to sappy songs about it.  It makes us laugh, it makes us cry, it makes us do crazy things. Love, sweet love. 

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in a baby carriage.  Then, what?  Hearts and flowers go out the window.  We’re up to our eyeballs in diapers and laundry.  We wear nursing bras and granny panties.  We don’t feel sexy - we’re tired,...

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HEARSAY HAVOC: Sherrod Forced To Quit Because of Race-Related Comments
Photo The Guardian

USDA executive, Shirley Sherrod, was allegedly forced to resign from her job as Director of Rural Development after a seemingly anti-white video clip was posted on Andrew Breitbart’s conservative blog. Breitbart claims he was trying to demonstrate the perceived hypocrisy of the NAACP since the organization has repeatedly made claims of racism against the Tea Party Movement.  The brief clip of Sherrod’s speech showed her saying that "maybe she didn't have to do all she could to help" a white farmer.  After the entire speech was reviewed, however, it was determined that her full statements were more about moving past pre-conceived notions and learning a lesson about fairness, regardless of race.  

In addition to FOX News' immediate calls for her resignation, both the NAACP and White House spoke out against Sherrod.  In an interview with the Atlanta-Journal Constitution, meanwhile, the spouse of the white Georgia farmer in question defended Sherrod saying she "kept us from bankruptcy" and calls her a "friend for life."

Sherrod claims she was harassed into resigning by USDA Under Secretary Cheryl Cook who told her, “You’re going to be on Glenn Beck tonight.”   After the video was released in full, both the NAACP and the White House have recanted their condemnation and USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack has issued a very personal and public apology.  He has offered Sharrod her job back.  She is considering the offer.

MOMism: "Don't rush to judgement."  We remind our kids not to believe everything they hear…to check it out and confirm their information.  Hearsay does not constitute a good source of info! That said, we are a reactionary society, trying to be "politically correct," but in worrying so much about the appearance of discrimination, we sometimes forsake the truth.   The lesson in this situation is for us to remember not to believe everything we hear and check our sources.  The video wasn’t verified, proper journalistic ethics were absent and a woman lost her job because everyone leapt to conclusions.  Tisk, tisk!  

NAACP: Video Of Sharrod's Speech
Huffington Post

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  • cocoljackson

    We are living in a "witch-hunt" environment right now, can't anybody else see that? Right wing republicans are using race AGAINST the current administration, and unfortunately Obama and his administration are falling for their back-handed tactics. They are slinging mud and the Obama administration is allowing themselves to get dirty. In the future they (the Obama administration) should give right wingers enough rope to hang themselves, instead of getting caught up in their tangled web of lives and rhetoric!!
    on 07/28/10
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  • momof3

    I expected it from FOX, but shame on the NAACP...they should have known better!
    on 07/21/10
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