Note to self: do not EVER play poker with Andrew Breitbart. The man does not know how to bluff.
Last week, the NAACP decided to declare war on the Tea Party movement, with a resolution that condemns them for not tar and feathering, then lynching anyone who might be a racist in their ranks. Or maybe not. They won’t release the text of the actual resolution passed until October, so it’ll be nice and fresh in people’s minds for the election.
Well, Andrew Breitbart decided that someone ought to show the NAACP some real “racist elements,” and he announced that he would do just that — and he had video of racism that the NAACP had no problem tolerating.
That should have made the NAACP very nervous, because Breitbart does not bluff. He doesn’t say he has something unless he does. In fact, he makes a point of not saying just what he has. During the ACORN video scandals, he specifically refused to say how many videos he had or where they were shot — giving ACORN and its defenders plenty of rope to hang themselves.
He released the first video, and ACORN went ape. “That was just one rogue operation! It didn’t happen anywhere else!”
Next video: “OK, it happened twice. But nowhere else! In fact, they were turned away from several other ACORN offices, including New York!”
Next video: New York.
And he STILL hasn’t said if he has more videos.
The man is one cagey bastard.
Anyway, the day after he said he had video of racism tolerated within the NAACP, he released it. And hoo boy, was it a fun one. An Obama administration appointee, receiving an NAACP award at a banquet last March, admits that she willingly discriminated against a white applicant based purely on his race.
Four months ago, at an NAACP function, the guest of honor and federal official told a whole roomful of NAACP members that she had violated federal civil rights laws — and not one person there attending cared enough to pass that information up the organization. Or, if they did, the higher-ups didn’t think it worthy to publicize her admission or even take back the award.
Well, less than a day after that video was released, the official in question — Shirley Sherrod, the USDA’s Georgia Director of Rural Development — has resigned her position. She offered no defense, put up no fight — she went quite quietly.
It seems she was pushed, though. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack — who had appointed her to that job — didn’t bother with the typical mealy-mouthed regrets and best wishes.
“There is zero tolerance for discrimination at USDA, and I strongly condemn any act of discrimination against any person…We have been working hard through the past 18 months to reverse the checkered civil rights history at the department and take the issue of fairness and equality very seriously.”
The NAACP wasn’t far behind in their condemnation, and it needs a bit of Fisking:
“Since our founding in 1909, the NAACP has been a multi-racial, multi-faith organization that– while generally rooted in African American communities– fights to end racial discrimination against all Americans.”
Even whitey. When we have to.
We concur with US Agriculture Secretary Vilsack in accepting the resignation of Shirley Sherrod for her remarks at a local NAACP Freedom Fund banquet.
Which happened four months ago, when we were giving her an award for her achievements and efforts. And we’re only now rethinking that because we got caught.
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.
Remember that, “racism is about the abuse of power.” Which means that the powerless can’t be racist. That’s why we didn’t have a problem with the Black Panther case until we got called on that one, too, and why we don’t have a problem with “reverse discrimination.”
We are appalled by her actions, just as we are with abuses of power against farmers of color and female farmers.
None of which we can document at this point, but let’s throw around the accusation and smears to give this lady a little cover.
Her actions were shameful. While she went on to explain in the story that she ultimately realized her mistake, as well as the common predicament of working people of all races, she gave no indication she had attempted to right the wrong she had done to this man.
All of which we didn’t realize until someone posted that video of what happened AT OUR OWN EVENT, when we were GIVING HER AN AWARD.
The reaction from many in the audience is disturbing. We will be looking into the behavior of NAACP representatives at this local event and take any appropriate action.
And when we say “the audience,” we mean “many of our proud members and supporters.”
We thank those who brought this to our national office’s attention, as there are hundreds of local fundraising dinners each year.
Andrew who? And hey, there’s always a bad apple or two. Don’t let that mess with our carefully-cultivated image.
Sherrod’s behavior is even more intolerable in light of the US Department of Agriculture’s well documented history of denying opportunities to African American, Latino, Asian American, and Native American farmers, as well as female farmers of all races. Currently, justice for many of these farmers is being held up by Congress. We would hope all who share our outrage at Sherrod’s statements would join us in pushing for these cases to be remedied.
Hey, still got that bucket of slime handy? Our gal — who we haven’t asked yet to give back that award — needs some more cover!
The NAACP will continue to advance the ideals of America and fight for freedom, justice and fairness for all Americans.”
Especially when caught honoring those who do that, backed into a corner, and left no other choice.
Note, also, that the press release is only accessible through the Google-cached version of their web site. It’s currently been scrubbed. Are they (dare I say it) trying to white-wash things?
Breitbart hints that this isn’t the only video he has like it. I’m betting he’ll drop another today, then wait for the furor to die down a little before #3 hits the net. He’s a master at keeping the story going, of keeping the pressure on, and never showing all his cards.
I predict a very, very rough few weeks for the NAACP — as they will never know when he has released all the videos he has.
Because Breitbart doesn’t bluff.
