Manufacturing racist charges to cover up racism

[Skeptic Ginger]

Fox News is at it again, repeating ad nauseum manufactured fake news. This time they've taken a clip out of a speech given in front of the NAACP in the mid 80s by USDA Director of Rural Development, Shirley Sherrod.

First, they implied the event occurred recently after Shirley Sherrod was appointed by Tom Vilsack (Obama Admin) to her government position. It happened when she was a volunteer 20+ years ago, not when she had a government position where she could discriminate against white people.

But worse than that, Fox put out a totally distorted version of the actual speech by taking an out of context clip from it. Sherrod was saying how she felt about these white people who had a racist attitude and were asking for help, and that Sherrod's father was murdered by the KKK. What Fox left out was the rest of the comments where Sherrod said that in the end she realized racism was wrong and she helped the farmers keep their farm.

Rachel Maddow discussed this story tonight and brought up the underlying issues here. The Tea Party has been faulted for not speaking out against the people identified with the Party who hold up blatantly racist signs and make blatantly racist comments. There has been a recent public tiff between the NAACP and the Tea Party leaders. Maddow suggested someone went to a lot of trouble to sift through NAACP video clips to find this one. She pointed out that manufacturing outrage against blacks by claiming whites are the victims is what underlies this faked news story.

This is the second story Fox lied about recently which also tried to show Obama had a racist administration. The first one was claiming a voter intimidation charge against the "New Black Panther Party" was dismissed by Obama administration. But the case was dismissed BEFORE Obama took office. The theme was the same, claiming white people are the victims of the black Obama administration.


The original Fox News distortion of the story

Days after the NAACP clashed with Tea Party members over allegations of racism, a video has surfaced showing an Agriculture Department official regaling an NAACP audience with a story about how she withheld help to a white farmer facing bankruptcy -- video that now has forced the official to resign.

Shirley Sherrod, the department's Georgia director of Rural Development, is shown in the clip describing "the first time I was faced with having to help a white farmer save his farm." Sherrod, who is black, claimed the farmer took a long time trying to show he was "superior" to her. The audience laughed as she described how she determined his fate.

"He had to come to me for help. What he didn't know while he was taking all that time trying to show me he was superior to me was I was trying to decide just how much help I was going to give him," she said. "I was struggling with the fact that so many black people have lost their farmland and here I was faced with having to help a white person save their land -- so I didn't give him the full force of what I could do. I did enough."

Shirley Sherrod, Ousted USDA Official, Defended by Farmer She Helped, Others

Roger Spooner told CNN he credits Shirley Sherrod, who resigned Monday as the USDA's director of rural development for Georgia, with helping his family save their farm. Spooner, who is white, said he can't understand accusations that Sherrod is racist.

"I don't know what brought up the racist mess," Roger Spooner told CNN. "They just want to stir up some trouble, it sounds to me in my opinion."

Sherrod, who is black, assisted Spooner and his wife in working with a lawyer to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which ultimately kept their farm afloat, he said. "If it hadn't been for her, we would've never known who to see or what to do," Spooner said. "She led us right to our success."

Shirley Sherrod Update; Mother Jones

UPDATE 2: The NAACP backtracks: "With regard to the initial media coverage of the resignation of USDA Official Shirley Sherrod, we have come to the conclusion we were snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart into believing she had harmed white farmers because of racial bias. Having reviewed the full tape, spoken to Ms. Sherrod, and most importantly heard the testimony of the white farmers mentioned in this story, we now believe the organization that edited the documents did so with the intention of deceiving millions of Americans."

NAACP releases the full video. I guess Fox didn't think anyone would actually check on the facts.

The video of Shirley Sherrod released by Andrew Brietbart's Big Government Blog on July 19 didn't tell the full story. It was selectively edited to cast her in a negative light. Here is the video, shot by the local NAACP unit that hosted Ms. Sherrod. Watch the video, and judge for yourself.

From the Mother Jones blog about the video:

The segment in question starts at 16:30 and goes for about five minutes. "You know," she starts, "God will show you things, and can put things in your path, so that you realize that the struggle is really about poor people." Then, after telling the story of Roger Spooner, she ends with this: "Working with him made me see that it's really about those who have versus those who don't. And they could be black, they could be white, they could be Hispanic."

Back ground information on Sherrod's appointment: Shirley Sherrod named Georgia Director of Rural Development]Shirley Sherrod named Georgia Director of Rural Development

RDLN Graduate and Board Vice Chair Shirley Sherrod was appointed Georgia Director for Rural Development by Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack on July 25 [2009]. Only days earlier, she learned that New Communities, a group she founded with her husband and other families (see below) has won a thirteen million dollar settlement in the minority farmers law suit Pigford vs Vilsack.

In announcing the appointment of Shirley and other new officials, Secretary Vilsack said that "These individuals will be important advocates on behalf of rural communities in states throughout the country and help administer the valuable programs and services provided by the USDA that can enhance their economic success."

Shirley is a graduate in the first group of RDLN Leaders and serves as Vice Chair of our Board of Directors. She earned her master's degree from Antioch through RDLN, has helped orient every group of RDLN participants, and has taken leadership in many other ways. She serves as Georgia lead for both the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund and the Southern Rural Black Women's Initiative (SRBWI).

And the New Black Panther Party story, Conservative Media Stokes New Black Panther Story

In late 2008 — during the waning weeks of the Bush administration — the Justice Department filed voter intimidation charges against the New Black Panther Party and several of its members, but charges against the group itself were dropped in May 2009. Justice officials argued there was no compelling evidence that the party itself was involved. In the end, only one person was actually sanctioned, and a brief flap ensued.

Then, late last month, former Justice Department civil rights attorney and Bush political appointee J. Christian Adams rekindled the story by suggesting that under President Obama, the department is now unwilling to prosecute blacks for civil rights violations.

....And while Potok believes the November 2008 incident to be relatively minor, it's actually inspired a tremendous amount of coverage — especially from the Fox News Channel.

According to the liberal watchdog group Media Matters, Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly had 45 segments totaling more than 3 1/2 hours from June 30 through July 14 on the subject of the New Black Panthers and Adams' allegations.

Kelly also assailed others for failing to cover the story, including CBS chief Washington correspondent Bob Schieffer. On Sunday, CNN's Howard Kurtz asked Schieffer about his failure to ask Attorney General Eric Holder about Adams' allegations when Holder appeared on Schieffer's Face the Nation.

...Others seemed to suggest that some mainstream news outlets needed to catch up, including the Washington Post's ombudsman and one of its senior editors.

Conservatives argue the episode fits a pattern of protecting the Obama administration from embarrassing stories, such as the ACORN tapes or the incendiary beliefs of the president's former pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright.

"These stories kept building, building, building in this undermedia," argues Andrew Breitbart, who runs a network of conservative blogs. "You can call it Fox News; you can call it Breitbart sites; you can call it the Drudge Report; you can call it whatever you like — but this undermedia builds up stories."

Notice Andrew Breitbart is involved in promoting this story as well.

John Fund also played it up: Holder's Black Panther Stonewall. Fund made up the charges of massive voter fraud against ACORN which was also a totally distorted story. He wrote a whole book of lies about massive voter fraud that never happened.


But Olbermann revealed the story was totally distorted: VIDEO: Countdown Shreds Fox’s Fake New Black Panther Story

As is also pointed out, point by point in this blog (Willis works for Media Matters and claims the views on this blog are his alone.):
Why Didn’t Obama’s DOJ Go After The New Black Panther Party For Voter Intimidation?

 

[PixyMisa]

Mind you, this is precisely what the NAACP was engaged in when they started the whole mess.

Edit: Correction, the manufacturing part, not the covering up part.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

Mind you, this is precisely what the NAACP was engaged in when they started the whole mess.

Edit: Correction, the manufacturing part, not the covering up part.

Care to at least point out the story(ies) you are referring to? Are you saying that the NAACP is seeking to gain black votes for liberal candidates by manufacturing fake news stories of racist persecution?

This issue is not about painting with broad brushes, if that is your complaint. The issue is knowingly publishing false stories


And a side issue was the stupidity of NAACP and Vilsack for taking a Fox News story at face value without checking the story out, then proceeding to denounce an innocent woman. Fortunately that part of the story is redeemable.

 

[bit_pattern]

There really should be laws against the sort of distortions that Faux and the rest of the News Ltd. media stable get away with on a routine basis.

 

[Skeptic Ginger]

I'm looking for unsupported lies or a fake news story here but I don't see it.

NAACP: Why We Passed Our Tea Party Resolution

One resolution, which was highlighted in my convention speech, created media frenzy: The unanimously passed resolution demanded that the leadership of the Tea Party repudiate its racist elements and make it clear that there is no space in the organization for bigotry.

It is unfortunate that at a time when our nation is reeling in the midst of one of the most devastating downturns in our economy since the Great Depression, the NAACP is compelled to deal with a disturbing, corrosive attack from the Tea Party.

Instead of joining us to repudiate racism, Tea Party leaders have attempted a tit for tat and demanded that we condemn the New Black Panther Party for reported hate speech. It is a false argument. Of course we condemn hate speech from anyone and any organization, including the New Black Panther Party. But that party is a mere flea compared to the influence and size of the Tea Party. And the New Black Panther Party is not a member of the NAACP. What we are asking the Tea Party to eschew is not the racism of some outside organization, but the bigotry within.

The issue has repeatedly been described by the NAACP and various liberals as the Tea Party failing to denounce the racism of individuals.

The Tea Party response has repeatedly been to deny the party has a racist platform, a straw man.

 

[leftysergeant]

Breitbart was behind most of the Sherrod flap. You know what happens to the most mundane video footage in his hands.

And Beck really left a slime trail when he said that the Democrats should have known they were being lied to about what the FULL tape said.

Like the DNC knew there was more footage available.

 

[Neally]

I guess Fox didn't think anyone would actually check on the facts.

I guess that includes the NAACP and USDA, since first they condemned her.

 

[johnny karate]

I guess that includes the NAACP and USDA, since first they condemned her.

Are you claiming that anyone who believes a lie bears the same culpability as the liar?

 

[GreNME]

This thread is like a time machine.

 

[Newtons Bit]

Are you claiming that anyone who believes a lie bears the same culpability as the liar?

I am appalled at the White House's gullibility. The left has called Breitbart and Fox News liars rather consistently over the past two years so it is a little bit disoncerting to see them take a story like this at face value without even consulting the victim accused for her side of the story.

I am reminded of a famous saying, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, never fool me again?" Which is only slightly more famous than, "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me."

 

[MG1962]

Are you claiming that anyone who believes a lie bears the same culpability as the liar?

In this instance yes. Her boss obviously did no research or get her version of what was happening. He simply took it on face value and sacked her with faux rage

 

[Lurker]

I am appalled at the White House's gullibility. The left has called Breitbart and Fox News liars rather consistently over the past two years so it is a little bit disoncerting to see them take a story like this at face value without even consulting the victim accused for her side of the story.

I agree but soften any condemnation knowing that perception for these sorts of stories is more more important than fact. Once the story is out there most people will not hear about Breitbart's decption, or even if they do they won't care. They will still associate the Obama administration with racism. So to quell that reaction there was immediate action in her firing. FoxNews certainly won't be telling everyone how wrong they were. Breitbart won't either.

Many, many people still think Al Gore claimed to have invented the Internet despite it being quite untrue. It is hard to fight back against initial claims.

 

[johnny karate]

Hmm... well then I guess the lesson to be learned by the perpetrators is "Keep doing it".

 

[headscratcher4]

The first thing that needs to happen is that the President and the Secretary of Agriculture need to apologize and re-instate the women whether she wants the job or not. It won't cure it, but when you make a mistake you should admit it, apologize and try to correct the mistake.

The next thing that should happen is that the fired official should sue Beibart to become a persona non-grata for any credible news channel/organization. What he did is as bad, if not worse, than what got Dan Rather fired. But, I suspect nothing will happen...either from the Administration or from the news sources that perpetuated this outrage...I'm not holding my breath, but I'd like to be surprised.

 

[Newtons Bit]

The first thing that needs to happen is that the President and the Secretary of Agriculture need to apologize and re-instate the women whether she wants the job or not. It won't cure it, but when you make a mistake you should admit it, apologize and try to correct the mistake.

The next thing that should happen is that the fired official should sue Beibart to become a persona non-grata for any credible news channel/organization. What he did is as bad, if not worse, than what got Dan Rather fired. But, I suspect nothing will happen...either from the Administration or from the news sources that perpetuated this outrage...I'm not holding my breath, but I'd like to be surprised.

The Dan Rather analogy is apt. From what I can tell, Breitbart didn't verify the source and didn't have the entirety of the clip before posting it. He was all too willing to find something damaging against an idealogical opponent, much like Rather.

I imagine both he and Fox News will now shift the focus of the story to:
1) The Obama Administration's response
2) The reaction of the crowd as the victim accused was telling her story as a sign of institutionalized racism.

 

[A'isha]

I imagine both he and Fox News will now shift the focus of the story to:
1) The Obama Administration's response
2) The reaction of the crowd as the victim accused was telling her story as a sign of institutionalized racism.

Breitbart's already doing the latter, based upon his appearance on Anderson Cooper the other night (he's also apparently trying to claim he's totally neutral about Sherrod and wasn't focusing on her now-disproven-to-have-actually-existed racism, but instead was always solely concerned about the reaction of the NAACP members in the audience, something that is, unsurprisingly to anyone who knows anything about the man, totally contradicted by his own post on his own website when he first "broke" this story).

 

[Newtons Bit]

Breitbart's already doing the latter, based upon his appearance on Anderson Cooper the other night (he's also apparently trying to claim he's totally neutral about Sherrod and wasn't focusing on her now-disproven-to-have-actually-existed racism, but instead was always solely concerned about the reaction of the NAACP members in the audience, something that is, unsurprisingly to anyone who knows anything about the man, totally contradicted by his own post on his own website when he first "broke" this story).

I was right! Unfortunately it's already happened, so I am no longer elgible for Randi's million

 

[Lurker]

Hmm... well then I guess the lesson to be learned by the perpetrators is "Keep doing it".

Unfortunately that seems to be the case. Until there is strong pushback on these sorts of things they will continue. I keep hoping for pushback but our media is pretty weakwilled.

I predict Breitbart will suffer no damage whatsoever. Already as I went to lunch today I listened to a snippet of Rush and he was blaming Vilsack for firing her without hearing her side. No mention of the conservative Breitbart.

 

[headscratcher4]

The Dan Rather analogy is apt. From what I can tell, Breitbart didn't verify the source and didn't have the entirety of the clip before posting it. He was all too willing to find something damaging against an idealogical opponent, much like Rather.

I imagine both he and Fox News will now shift the focus of the story to:
1) The Obama Administration's response
2) The reaction of the crowd as the victim accused was telling her story as a sign of institutionalized racism.

But it was a post hoc rationalization. Yesterday, when asked about the tape, its integrity, its editing and what it portrayed Sharrod as actually saying, Breibart said this:

"I think the video speaks for itself. The way she's talking about white people ... is conveying a present tense racism in my opinion. But racism is in the eye of the beholder."

I note that he didn't say: "it isn't about what she said, look at how the crowd reacted ... that's the real problem." No, he said she was showing that she was a racist. now, its about the crowd. The guy has no moral core.

 

[Newtons Bit]

But it was a post hoc rationalization. Yesterday, when asked about the tape, its integrity, its editing and what it portrayed Sharrod as actually saying, Breibart said this:

"I think the video speaks for itself. The way she's talking about white people ... is conveying a present tense racism in my opinion. But racism is in the eye of the beholder."

I note that he didn't say: "it isn't about what she said, look at how the crowd reacted ... that's the real problem." No, he said she was showing that she was a racist. now, its about the crowd. The guy has no moral core.

Oh, I completely agree with you. They're shifting it to this, rather than what it was originally about. People have a tendency to not admit mistakes and apologize, especially when there is a lane of attack still open.