Race to the Bottom.
As a path to counter the recent accusations of racism in the Tea Party (I wrote about it here), conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart posted a speech made by one Shirley Sherrod, USDA Georgia State Director, at an NAACP event.
Nevermind the video was made 24 years ago; let’s assume Ms. Sherrod hasn’t learned anything, changed her mind, evolved as a human being, or become a completely different person in nearly a quarter of a century.
Discount the idea that racism doesn’t exist within the NAACP, because it most certainly does. Bigotry is everywhere and comes in all colors. There are black racists as surely as there are white racists and I’m sure one or two of the latter work within or around the NAACP; they just seem to know how to keep their mouths shut.
No, the problem here is Mr. Breitbart didn’t post the entire video, just the part where Ms. Sherrod comes out looking like a total bigot.
Here: Open this link in a new tab or window and watch the AP News story, but stop the video at about 33 seconds, if you would.
Downright racist, right? Saying she wouldn’t help a white farmer to the best of her ability. Jebus, what the hell was she thinking? Didn’t she know she was being recorded?
Okay, now go back and start the video again, but this time stop right at about 1:32.
It made me realize then that I needed to work to help poor people.
Ms. Sherrod admits her prejudice, but then she saw for herself that poor white farmers suffer as much as poor black farmers. That is, she discovered her own racism and an ultimate truth of how racism diverts attention: The issue was not about color; it was about class.
It was not always so. Racism was a real problem in this country until just recently in our history. Yet it has always been the case that if the poorest among us keep fighting over who is superior by skin tone, they will always fail to notice that they’re all in the same sinking financial boat.
See, what white and black supremacists alike are missing is the understanding that poor people - no matter the color - could have enormous amounts of political power if they joined together to fight “The Man.” [Favored deity’s name here] help the administration who’s in charge if - or when - that happens, but until then, people like Ms. Sherrod are around to at least help them keep their farms. That is if she gets (or even wants) her job back.
As for Mr. Breitbart, well, he’s just another conservative liar caught in a lie.
Ho-hum.