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Dr. Laura showed herself to be a white supremicst the other day. She feels so entitled to the idea of white folks being in power that she had no problem accusing an African American female caller of having a "chip on [her] shoulder" and insisting that the woman was "hyper-sensitive" to racial incidents. Dr. Laura then decided it was within her rights to rattle off the N-word almost a dozen times in the live radio discussion.
Soulclap to Media Matters for providing a full audio of Schlessinger's comments:
Schlessinger has since issued an apology, claiming that in her attempt "to make a philosophical point" she realized she had made "a horrible mistake." Personally, I subscribe to the Maya Angelou philosophy:
"The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them."
On Monday, Andrew Breitbart (a blogger who works closely with FOX News and has a long history of launching deceptive, racially charged smear campaigns) posted a deceptively edited video of USDA employee Shirley Sherrod speaking at an NAACP function. The video shows Sherrod telling a story about how she once was asked for help from a White farmer, and how she didn't "give him the full force of what I could do" to help him, because of his race.
Breitbart touted the video as evidence that the NAACP and the Obama administration tolerated racial discrimination against White people, saying that it showed Sherrod's "federal duties are managed through the prism of race and class distinctions." Breitbart's doctored video and false storyline moved quickly to FOX News, where on-air personalities called for Sherrod's firing.
The truth is that Sherrod was telling a 24-year old story about her work for a non-profit organization whose mission was to help Black farmers. Discrimination against Black farmers was rampant, and she described how she was first reluctant when approached by a White farmer named Roger Spooner for help (Sherrod also says that her father was killed by a White farmer 45 years ago). But after seeing that no one wanted to help Spooner, she worked to save his farm, and eventually became good friends with his family.
Yesterday, Roger Spooner said that Sherrod saved their farm and kept them out of bankruptcy. He told CNN, "I don't know what brought up the racist mess. They just want to stir up some trouble, it sounds to me in my opinion."
The NAACP was snookered. They joined the attack on Shirley Sherrod based on the the edited video. They should have simply watched the full speech before they rushed to judgement. The full video is shown below:
It took less than 24 hours for the lies to be debunked. But by that time, it was too late — Sherrod was forced to quit.
Once the truth became known, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack issued a statement saying that whether or not the smear campaign against Sherrod was based in lies, it was necessary to fire her because the "controversy" would make it hard for her to do her job.
The Obama administration is essentially saying that they will always back down in the face of dishonest, race-baiting smear campaigns launched by right-wing propagandists. They've ended the career of someone who did nothing wrong, and by handing a victory to the people who launched this deception, the administration is encouraging them to launch even more smears. All to avoid "controversy." It's pathetic, it's shameful, and it has to stop.
It's not the first time this has happened. Several members of the Obama administration have lost their jobs or been demoted, and nominees to cabinet positions have either stepped down or withdrawn their nominations after becoming the target of smear campaigns launched by FOX News and Breitbart.
It's bad enough that we have to fight the constant smear campaigns and appeals to racial paranoia from FOX and the right-wing media. But it's completely shameful and outrageous for the Obama administration to throw innocent public servants under the bus just to avoid having to fight back against the lies.
Please join us in calling on the White House to immediately give Shirley Sherrod her job back, and to stop bowing to the will of right-wing propaganda artists.
Villager's Voice: There's a time and place for examining the political motivations of our elected officials. But yesterday wasn't that day. Limbaugh should have waited ... instead, he showed a complete lack of class.
The pressure continued to build against Lou Dobbs over his near-racist rants on CNN. Tonight we learn that the pressure got to be more than Dobbs could handle. He announced his resignation tonight on his show.
LOU DOBBS: Tonight, I want to turn to a personal note, if I may, and address a matter that has raised some curiosity. This will be my last broadcast here on CNN, where I've worked for most of the past 30 years and where I have many friends and colleagues whom I admire deeply and respect greatly.
I'm the last of the original anchors here on CNN and I'm proud to have had the privilege of helping to build the world's first news network. I'm grateful for the many opportunities that CNN has given me over these many years. I've tried to reciprocate with a full measure of my ability and my energy.
Over the past six months, it's become increasingly clear that strong winds of change have begun buffeting this country and affecting all of us, and some leaders in media, politics, and business have been urging me to go beyond the role here at CNN and to engage in constructive problem-solving, as well as to contribute positively to a better understanding of the great issues of our day and to continue to do so in the most honest and direct language possible.
I've talked extensively with Jonathan Klein -- Jon's the president of CNN -- and as a result of those talks, John and I have agreed to a release from my contract that will enable me to pursue new opportunities.
At this point, I'm considering a number of options and directions, and I assure you, I will let you know when I set my course. I truly believe that the major issues of our time include the growth of our middle class, the creation of more jobs, health care, immigration policy, the environment, climate change, and our military involvement, of course, in Afghanistan and Iraq. But each of those issues is, in my opinion, informed by our capacity to demonstrate strong resilience of our now-weakened capitalist economy and demonstrate the political will to overcome the lack of true representation in Washington, D.C. I believe these to be profoundly, critically important issues, and I will continue to strive to deal honestly and straightforwardly with those issues in the future.
Unfortunately, these issues are now defined in the public arena by partisanship and ideology rather than by rigorous, empirical thought and forthright analysis and discussion. I'll be working diligently to change that as best I can. And as for the important work of restoring inspiration to our great, free society and our market economy, I will strive as well to be a leader in that national conversation.
It's been my great honor to work with each and every person at this wonderful network. I will be eternally grateful to CNN, to Ted Turner, and to all of my colleagues and friends and, of course, to you at home. I thank you, and may God bless you.
The news continues for the rest of this hour, and I'll be right back after this.
I think that this is a good news message.Maybe Roland Martin can find some airtime on CNN now!
Sean Hannity hints about a desire to run for the presidency in 2012 and the right-wing wackos start having orgasms. It truly scares me that there are folks in the country who feel Sean Hannity and his Fox News mentality is the right person to serve as our President of the United States.
Much of America is eagerly awaiting mid-term elections next year and presidential elections in 2012 so we can stop and reverse the destructive policies of Barack Obama and the Democratic Congress.
Yet, we all know it takes something to beat something.
Republicans have not offered much in the way of an alternative vision. Nor have they even been willing and able to jump on the tidal wave of opposition that has spontaneously erupted across the country as a result of their adversaries' arrogance and their perversion of American ideals.
I think many Americans share my longing for new leadership to emerge.
We're looking for people of strong, unshakeable convictions to the principles that made America great. We're looking for people who don't desire a career in politics so much as an opportunity to serve their country. We're looking for people who can articulate their beliefs boldly. We're looking for people who actually like America and Americans.
Last week, radio talk-show host, Fox News commentator and best-selling author Sean Hannity just offered the slightest hint that he might consider a bid for the presidency.
I can tell you that he instantly became my pick.
Hannity brings a lot to the table, besides a big audience and the ability to communicate effectively.
He was not a child of privilege. He worked hard to make something of himself. He knew many lean times as he struggled to make it in the highly competitive field of talk radio. He learned that America works for those who work hard. And he sincerely wants to preserve that kind of America for his own children – and their children.
Hannity is a nice guy – and it shows. He has Reaganesque qualities and the ability to inspire people with hope, confidence and a vision of a better way to get things done.
Hannity knows what he believes, and he knows it deep down in his soul. He's got unflagging inner convictions – the kind needed to stand up to the compromising pressures of Washington.
Hannity has made many friends in his careers in radio and TV. That is important because he can be a uniter, a unifier. Every other Republican presidential candidate seeks his favor. But he begins with a constituency of millions who listen to him and watch him daily.
Hannity would be a formidable candidate.
Do I agree with him on everything?
No.
I don't agree with anyone on everything – with the possible exception of my wife. And she steadfastly refuses to run.
But I could get excited about a Sean Hannity candidacy. I could get excited about a Sean Hannity presidency. I even hear he has a birth certificate.
However, it is difficult for successful people like Hannity to risk everything, to put all they have worked hard for on the line, to give up multi-million-dollar contracts so they can beg others for money to help them win the most important office in the world.
It's a tough choice. Sean Hannity is at the top of his game. He's wealthy. He's influential. He's comfortable. And he's having fun doing what he's doing. Hannity loves his job. Giving it up would be a tremendous sacrifice.
He will need a lot of encouragement to step into this breach.
So that is what I am offering here.
I like Sean Hannity.
I respect Sean Hannity.
He's a righteous man.
He has all the ingredients of a good leader – a great leader.
And America is very much in need of a great leader.
I hope other Americans will join me in offering him encouragement to consider this mission – and consider it very seriously.
Villager's Voice: Personally, I think that a Republican primary season with Sean Hannity and Sarah Palin as major candidates would be a hoot! One of the best things about Hannity being a candidate is that he would have to give up his radio and television show. That alone makes it worthwhile in my view.
I have tried to ignore the birthers and the other right-wing wackos as they blabber on against our president. At the end of the day it appears to be simply more of the same fearmongering and race-baiting about the first Black president.
President Obama always seems to take these things in stride. He is one of the coolest and calmest public officials that I've ever seen.
However, the attacks appear to be picking up speed as various conservative pundits use Professor Gates' arrest to claim Obama has a "deep-seated hatred for white people" (Glenn Beck) while others have promoted fringe conspiracies questioning if Obama was actually born in the US (Lou Dobbs.)
I 'spose that when you can't win on the merits of your argument you turn to fear and race-baiting tactics. This is a strategy that worked for the Republican Party for many generations. Will it work in 2009 as well?
Sean Hannity is unnerved by the success of President Barack Obama. That is the only explanation I can come up with for the dirty tricks Hannity is playing on his Fox News audience in recent weeks.
Why does Hannity have so much disrespect and disregard for the intelligence and integrity of his audience?What do you think causes him to be so dishonest in his broadcast when it comes to President Obama and other progressives? I think that he is simply scared of having Obama in the White House for the next 4-8 years.
One of our villagers recently commented about the virulent racism spewing from Pat Buchanan in the past week or so. We talked about Buchanan's racist streak last year. No doubt about it ... Buchanan is at it again as we listen to his never-ending race-baiting tirades against Judge Sonia Sotomayor:
I agree with Media Matters when they argue that MSNBC is making a mistake by having Pat Buchanan on the air to discuss any issue related to race. What say u?
The first presidential debate between John McCain and Barack Obama takes place this week. I join with Media Matters and others in looking to 'change the debate' from the silliness that we saw during the debates in the primary season. Check out the following video as a reminder of debate questions that were unworthy of being used for POTUS candidates:
I encourage villagers to sign the online petition asking the moderators of the upcoming presidential and vice-presidential debates to do the right thing for the American public.
Hmmmm ... what is the question that you hope Obama or McCain are asked at the first debate later this week?
Glenn Beck named by 2009 Misinformer of the Year by Media Matters. 80 corporations can't be wrong!NN -- and as a result of those talks, John and I have agreed to a release from my contract that will enable me to pursue new opportunities.
Sean Hannity is unnerved by the success of President Barack Obama. That is the only explanation I can come up with for the dirty tricks Hannity is playing on his Fox News audience in recent weeks.
