Me & G & A Little Politics
Hi,
Most of you know me here as
( |o )====:::
In my public persona I am just a guy who is a graphic designer who is also a musician and audio engineer. I stay far away from religion & politics in my professional life as my religious views state “if it doesn’t show in how I act then you’re not going to care ;)”
Last night I watched something unfold that so outraged me that I shared the following with my network of Facebook friends…
“Those of you who are my friends know I avoid religion & politics with rare exceptions. This is one of them. An innocent woman named Shirley Sherrod was unfairly dismissed from her position due to a heavily edited videotape that FOX News ran with complete disregard for the facts. Like my political profile says, I am an …:: Independent :: and this is why! Kudos to Rachel Maddow, a fellow Northern Californian from Castro Valley. I don’t care what your politics might be or your opinion about MSNBC or FOX, :: please :: follow this link and review all the facts as Rachael is reporting them…
I watched Rachael Maddow do an outstanding report on Shirley Sherrod’s presentation to the NAACP. Character is worth speaking up for. Shirley Sherrod has been unfairly asked for her resignation by the government and all over an edited video which is exactly the OPPOSITE of the truth.
Rachael Maddow did an outstanding job of reporting the full story.
Shirley is a person of faith (15:33 on the video)
I loved her unashamed, matter of fact statements about God and His work in showing her it was about “poor people” and NOT about race!
At 17 min into the video she recalls her story which she speaks of her realization. Listen to 18:28.
What is OUTRAGEOUS is the fact that FOX & Breitbart ran with an edited version of this video without checking the facts, sort of “ready, :: FIRE! :: … aim…”.
To quote Anderson Cooper, “Her story, the whole story, says a lot about how quick we can be to judge, how wrong we can be when we do and how the truth is out there if people would only seek it out instead of trying to score political points or run from political heat.”
FIRST!!!
This is all about the ministry of polarization at work…I care little for politics, but I am with G 100% on this one.
For the record, the Obama administration demanded her resignation before Fox aired a single word.
I do not desire to get into this personally…But I would also add, if the purpose of this post is to give the whole truth, then you should report WHY Breitbart released this video, since you have called him out by name above. He was on Hannity last night and made it clear his purpose had nothing to do with this woman, and in fact, didn’t want to talk about her.
You can dig out the rest of the facts if you desire…they are public knowledge.
The racist card cuts both ways on this story….
We should be very careful before trying to call down fire into another camp.
Didn’t we just have a post last week on politicos, and how easy it is to get sucked into the morass of political one-upsmanship?
“Stupid is as stupid does”
Forrest Gump
I care about Shirley Sherrod.
I admire her for her matter of fact way she gave credit to God for refocusing her to look past race and see the poor, especially in the face of the murder of her father.
She is a victim of power mad cowards and I want to see this injustice corrected immediately
the conservative blogger is either in way over his head, or is simply offering lines to pacify his critices. Yet, he got the video from other sources who were circulating it earlier. It is sad that politics, society, and even the church has become so polarized. All of us need to do better at checking sources, thinking better, recognizing unintended consequences, and speaking less harshly. Where there is smoke, there may be fire, but there also may only be a smoke-bomb. Wise as serpents, innocent as doves.
Perhaps the church can set a tone for reform by doing better within our camp, first.
The purpose of my FB post and here is to seek Shirley’s best.
Breitbart said on Hannity that this isn’t about Shirley.
Now ask Shirley…
To say “this isn’t about Shirley” is the same twisted reasoning that the Romans and the religious used, that for the sake of some greater good an innocent must be thrown under the bus.
I am an Independent politically and I find all of this reprehensible.
( | ø )=====::::: [just had to see if i could do that thing]
“She is a victim of power mad cowards and I want to see this injustice corrected immediately”
me too
I don’t watch Glenn Beck’s TV program, but interestingly enough I heard that Beck also took her side, saying that her remarks were taken out of context.
It would seem the Fox hosts are split on the matter.
Whatever….ready, aim, fire…
Don’t let all the facts get in the way….
For the record, my wife and I were talking last night how sad it was that this woman got fired by her boss, the Sec of Agriculture, with the approval of her President, having been tossed under the bus by the NAACP.
I will await the post on the NAACP’s racist actions and accusations against innocent Americans of a different political mindset, since that started this firestorm….but won’t hold my breath.
Not that it’s right, but I just call it politics and those who have chosen to be on the field of play have to take the knocks. It’s like chess – many of the pawns must fall if you are going to get to the king.
my daughter and family attend a very racially integrated church – big wedding Friday of a black girl (‘brown’ to be politically incorrect, but more accurate) and a white boy (right now ‘white’ is a perfect description of his color 😀 )
every now and then there is an offended person who stomps out (black pastor) and it is usually a person “of color’ – i would have to say, to that dear woman, Ms Maddow, “welcome to the real world.” It will be a good thing, a blessing to see her vindicated, tho.
Tim,, you are right about Beck. I have read the transcript and my wife saw the show, where he puts the blame where it belongs in this firing – the kneejerk reaction of the NAACP and Obama Administration, while saying she deserves her job back.
Em, that guitar is SO CLOSE 😉
( |o )====:::
Em’s guitar has a little pickup on it!
close, but no guitar? 😆
And it’s a……..10 string
Political passion turns into rabidness which in turns results in people being bit by those who are foaming at the mouth…
Let justice and mercy fall.
Heard this story this morning on Fox … they played the full clip saying that only partial clips were available at first. Can’t figure why the NAACP wouldn’t release the whole clip right from the start … why wouldn’t they set the record straight right from the start … before she was fired??? Anyway … just thought I would pass on that Fox did play the story making the corrections needed.
White House just apologized … yeah!!!
Don’t see the connection between this story and this blog. Michael- you must have realized posting this would just cause a firestorm here. I thought you were heading in a new direction?
Mark- the connection between this story and this blog is that Gren has been part of this blog for a very long time and he’s advocating for a bit of justice in the world.
Plus, it gets us out of only looking at the narrowly defined areana of looking to “right things” out of the CC, out of the church and into the rest of the world.
Seems a perfect fit for me.
Plus….there’s that whole “firestorm” connection too… 😉
good for the White House, good for FOX, and really good for SNL, Jon Stewart & Steven Colbert. 😉
Rachael Maddow can hardly be accused of journalism on this story either… she is grandstanding the truth is that 24 hour news channels have simply become whores to the culture. A good news report would simply have done the work, shown the truth and allowed the people to decide. That is why I do not like any of them Not Hannity, not Maddow, not Beck and certainly not that former sportscaster turned political ranter on MSNBC…
AV,
Thanks for doing your part in extending the polarization by pinning the blame on Obama and the NAACP, as well as making unjustified value judgments. Always helpful.
The Internet and its penchant for :instant everything” is making things worse with regard to civil discourse. Plus, our American penchant for ignoring or despising history in favor of the new and the shiny. People release things without knowing context or without caring (my conjecture is that this is true a lot more often) about the wider picture and having all the facts. Then what matters is not the truth and the original issue, but the (polarized) REACTIONS to it. Give me a break.
Man, I hope nobody here is a fan of MSNBC. They are just as bad as FOX.
got sherrod and maddow mixed up back up there – i already know more than i wanted to, but they’re straight in my head now… for the moment
Glad I could help Lutheran. Since the post is about the injustice of her firing, I thought it might be relevant to mention who it was she actually worked for and who fired her so rashly.
To the rest – An excellent point was lost in the presentation. Yes, we should not judge on incomplete evidence, and doing so can cause real damage in others lives. To repeat Cooper, ““Her story, the whole story, says a lot about how quick we can be to judge, how wrong we can be when we do and how the truth is out there if people would only seek it out instead of trying to score political points or run from political heat.” – AMEN
There is a lot more to her story than this blog entry presents in its villifying Fox and Breitbart. But the ‘rest of the story’ involves false accusations of racism too, except by the left to the right, instead of the false accusation of racism charged against Sherrod.
If we want to make Christian points about political events of the day, then we should do so in a NONpartisan manner, IMO. IF that is not the case in practice, then Michael please ban me because I do not like political halftruths smugly wrapped in Christian clothing. And I will bring facts to the table, whether Lutheran approves or not.
Is it OK to be called a racist falsely in ANY context. Is it OK to try to prove the falsity of such charges. You see, THAT is what this story is about. That is its genesis. That’s how this tape even showed up this week after being sat on for months.
Of course, in even sugesting we allow Breitbart to speak for himself – he is compared on this forum to the Romans who killed Christ.
Rail away…..
AV – there is nothing non-partisian about christianity in America unfortunately
Well now…this didn’t work out very well, did it?
I thought this was a cautionary tale about what happens when we react without having complete information and something for all of us to think about as Christians engaged in culture.
I didn’t expect a storm at all.
Live and learn…
Michael, it IS a cautionary tale…that is my point
I don’t watch TV “news” shows…I just pick up wire stories so in case we’re invaded by the Chinese I know it happened.
There is no concern for personal dignity or truth…just constant spin on both sides.
I’ll be returning to my apolitical self now.
From CNN,
“USDA chief makes “profound” apology to ex-employee Shirley Sherrod, offers her a job working on civil rights.”
It was the G mans article that did it… 🙂
My entire point of posting my thoughts at FB were about an innocent woman named Shirley Sherrod who was unfairly dismissed from her position due to a heavily edited videotape that FOX News ran with complete disregard for the facts. Maddow did a great presentation, unfolding the layers of truth artfully and in a compelling and journalistic fashion.
I participate in the American political process with eyes wide open.
I like Maddow a lot more than FOX or any of their presenters.
Is she biased?
Sure, just as every news agency.
Still, when someone does a good job they need to be given the credit.
You insist on your politics, I insist on mine as an independent.
if someone from FOX does a good job I’ll review them positively as well.
What I would like to know is have you listened to Shirley Sherrod’s presentation?
if not, please invest the 45 min to do so. She was artful in her presentation and it was a bit like the film “Falling Down”… the audience is sort of with the her when she is pre-epiphany, then is shamed if they were verbalizing anything racist because she kept unfolding her story of realization and redemption. I am proud to call her a sister in the faith! She’s unashamed of how God, Who she credits repeatedly, used the situation with the farmer to help her focus on :: a person :: and not their race. What I also like is the farmer & his wife have come to her defense with that typical brevity of comment… “hogwash!”
Shirley Sherrod is my focus here, and what happened to her, how she was mistreated by ALL parties, and hopefully by tomorrow she will have vindication and a raise.
Let me restate it: FOX, Breitbart, The NAACP and The White House and the Dept of Agriculture ALL were pwned by the truth.
As to Michael getting a bum rap, sorry, as a friend he noticed my FB post, then asked me to share my thoughts. Something touched both of us about the injustice of it all and we both think it was the love of Jesus Christ motivating us to simply share our hearts with the PhxP community. If anyone here takes offense then I maintain they are focusing on the wrong things and like Shirley testified, God asked her to look beyond race and see poor people, and I don’t think that’s too much to ask.
Ok, now I just want to go play my ( |o )====:::
cueing up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf7MbZPpDlQ
“It was the G mans article that did it… 🙂 ”
LOL, yeah, riiiiight ;
“Christians engaged in culture”
Shirley is a great role model
Just for clarification, I did indeed ask the G man to write this up for us and he graciously agreed.
…and no animals were harmed in the making of the post
Maddow is Hannity with different anatomy and politics.
You want to talk about legalized robbery? The Dodgers are paying Manny Ramirez about 20-25 million dollars for this season and he’s on the DL AGAIN!!
You want to talk about those who disregard the law and get away with it? Every UPS truck that drives through the neighborhood acts as though the police are chasing them, I roll innocently through a stop sign and a police officer follows me onto my driveway and tickets me in front of the neighbors!
How about the lack of common decency? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve waited in a long line at the market. Out of the blue a checker shows up and says I’ll take you at # 5. Who runs over there? The people at the BACK of the line who have waited the least amount of time!!
On a positive note… 🙂 I finally got around to watching Godspell last night. It’s a freebie on Netflix. Made in 1973 and based on a Broadway play. It’s a take on Luke’s gospel through music and schtick. It reminded me how my generation was. Instead of seeing this movie back then I got hung up with Billy Jack and his vision of things that had me at the opening butt kicking! Much better than J.C Superstar which I never really got although my wife and friends thought Ted Neely was a dreamboat! 🙂 I gotta jam!
I am so happy that the cheating, whining, quitter called Manram is no longer on my beloved Bosox… he disgraced the game and himself and should be run out of the league. I am just glad my team is not paying that kings ransom.
BD,
Amen!
I haven’t received your article yet…waiting… 😉
“Maddow is Hannity with different anatomy and politics.”
I’m not so sure about the anatomy – and i think that she can take Hannity 2 out of 3 falls. 😉
Erunner,
I’ll bet Frank McCourt likes paying Manny on the DL better than he likes paying his wife.
BD, That about sums it up!
MLD, How true! He can’t go out and spend on free agents and may not be able to afford Manny next year! 🙂
I am so sick and tired of having to justify my life because I watch FOX. I also watch CNN but folks are okay with that. But I draw the line with Olberman and Maddow. And I don’t apologize for it.
It seems to me that FOX equates to the Tea Party and the rest of the religious right. I am not a part of that element. Eventually the line ends up in the Evangelical camp which I am a part of. And by implication I am a dumb a**, non thinking Christian.
And for some reason being an Evangelical is a stain to the body of Christ. And then if we want to go further why not connect me to Calvary Chapel? That seems to get a lot of mileage even though I’m no longer a part of CC.
I am pro life and believe homosexuality is a sin. I do NOT act as if these are the only two sins on the map. I never have.
The marriage of portions of the church to politics is a disaster. That’s pretty clear.
Am I a racist if I’m not happy with our president? Some would say so. And Eric’s going to link over here and score a few points. Isn’t that special??
I’ve had it with a lot of this stuff going on. I don’t know that Christians are interested in unity any more. We tear down so easily. We pick on each other. We all seem to have an agenda. We seem to like the fight. We like to be right. What a pathetic road to travel. What a pathetic example to the world. We’re a bunch of hypocrites parading about like we are the one who represent our God. How can He not weep??
Wow, not sure where you got that from my silly little article. And not sure where your ire towards me is coming from. But hey, ill remove the link to the article and just leave it at that.
If you dont like me Erunner, im cool with that, but im not cool with you implying I said anything remotely close to what you say I did.
Eric, I should have made my comment towards you a separate paragraph. Nothing else in my post had a thing to do with you. I saw the link and read it and as I was already not in a great mood it added fuel to my fire. I saw no point in your comments towards whoever you happened to be aiming them at.
Whatever, ill just make sure from now on if I refer to something on this or any of the other sites I post a text link people can copy and paste to see what im referring too so I dont get accused of scoring points or whatever…
anybody notice that the nice lady was vindicated all over the place today? you guys want to tackle the underwater oil gusher by any lucky chance?
and Erunner’s points have merit and, strangely so do Eric’s 😉
I read Eric’s article and it sounds like what I would say on most days…
We are a reactive, fractured people…and it’s going to be our undoing.
( | ø )===:::: [just had to try that again] said:
“Stupid is as stupid does”
Forrest Gump
“life is like a box of chocolates” NOT much 😀
Em Gump
we want black and white, we want easy, we want to go to the mall
(where nobody knows your name or your politics or your religion and it’s hard to get lost as you wander mindlessly)…
BTW – a link i lost track of – that ministry outreach to young mall rats – definitely called by God, IMO
and now i’m gone – God keep all close and comforted this night
Eric, I owe you an apology. I’ll copy this and post it on the PP when I’m finished.
I was set to comment on the PP before you posted. I am an Evangelical and I get tired of being pigeon holed so often for stuff that isn’t me. Reading the article on PP today upset me and I wasn’t going to post but figured why not.
As I went back there was your post. I looked at it quickly and didn’t read it as I should have. I assumed you were taking sides and ran with it. I was wrong and I am sorry for causing you any distress.
I dragged you into this for no good reason. I hope you can forgive me. Allan
E, that’s why we love you and respect you.
Ann Coulter spoke for most serious conservatives when she called Sherrod’s words “a commendable speech about racial reconciliation”.
Thank you jlo. I blew it plain and simple and I took advantage of this blog to unload which wasn’t fair to Michael either. I went after Eric like I used to do around here when I first arrived. Thanks again.
Here’s what I’ve learned lately when I think about what “Christians engaged in culture” looks like…
“Christians engaged in culture” is BROKEN, but so vital to the mission Jesus gives us.
His kingdom is NOW, lived out though each of us from the moment He poured out The Holy Spirit to indwell each of us and be the One who brings us into the truth of His kingdom and desires. That means living breathing live real time expressions of His image within fragile earthen fiery indwelt vessels with unique flaws and cracks which allow the light within to uniquely shine to a dark world
“Christians engaged in culture” is DIVERSE. We do what we believe we must socially & politically, breaking down ancient fears and tribal barriers which once separated us because Jesus’ kingdom has no borders, color, gender or value on the stock exchange, yet it’s value is expressed in His willingness to call each of us by name and never leave or forsake us.
“Christians engaged in culture” is ACTIVE, and sometimes that means speaking and doing so respectfully and sometimes loudly so those in power hear us. it may mean signing a Declaration of Independence so boldly that the earthly king will have no doubt who’s signature literally jumps off the page. it means bringing abuse to light in the marketplace of ideas in the form of a blog and helping others find their voices.
“Christians engaged in culture” is COMPASSIONATE, in that when one of our own expresses hurt or temptation at our liberty someone will step up and change the course of conversation so the tempted one can gently be who they are for that moment as we prayerfully include and not exclude in the family gathering.
There’s more, but for tonight, I’m celebrating that Shirley Sherrod can continue to be used by Jesus to help end racism in America by showing us all how much more work needs to be done and how to do it with style & class
The real IDIOT of this story is the Obama Administration… prejudiced media is by nature irresponsible… the government is suppose to be competent… well… we used to think that.
😀 when i read the beginning article when i got online upon arriving home… i popped my bag of popcorn and e-n-j-o-y-e-d the dialog.
whoo hoo, i like that there are peeps from all points of view left, middle and right here.
Michael you are NOT an apolitical peep at all my friend 😆 you just usually manage to keep your thoughts to yourself… usually
Na’amah,
I have been informed a few times today that I am a liberal. 🙂
One person was even perceptive enough to discern that I am a liberal plant in conservative Christianity hiding my socialism behind the guise of being a Calvinist.
I have been exposed yet again… 🙂
😆 ooh i like this
” I am a liberal plant in conservative Christianity hiding my socialism behind the guise of being a Calvinist.”
and ya know, ‘being exposed yet again’….hmmm, perhaps you should reconsider those ‘contacts’ i’ve referred to you before 😀
LOL! 🙂
I always found it interesting that a Bentley Hinn can say some of the most ignorant things and they get funding increases, someone is misquoted and they get fired. I understand why they do, they are better at working the business, which justifies every single thing they do, and always will, but I just find it interesting. Sad to but that is because I am extremely spiritually shallow, on a good day.
Talk about a rush to judgement…this is very sad indeed.
Yet, aren’t we doing that here with Fox? O’Reilly “reported” on this AFTER Sherrod was fired. O’Reilly was the FIRST person at FOX to “report” the story. I am not an apologist for Fox but it seems as if your rush to judgement here is way off. O’Reilly apologized the next night for what he had said…is anyone here going to apologize to Fox?
Let me reiterate…this is sad indeed! Yet, Fox didn’t report the story until AFTER Sherrod was actually fired. How could Fox be to blame at all? Check the facts. If you want to go after someone, go after Breitbart. Here it is…
http://www.breitbart.tv/chris-wallace-i-hope-the-president-doesnt-speak-with-her/
cmk,
Check the notes & timeline via the links in the article
( |o )====:::
Any way you slice this shameful story…everyone comes out bad for not doing the work.. But Barak Obama himself is now the biggest buffoon of all… blaming the media… Does he have anyone with a nickles’ worth of brains to help him clean up his messes….
He is making Bush look intelligent…
Some updates…
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/07/23/sherrod.firestorm/
If the President calls you, but doesn’t say he’s sorry, did he apologize? 😉
(In the vein of “if a tree falls in the woods…”)
I’m learning more about the source of the call for Shirley Sherron to apologise & repent.
Here’s a thoughtful commentary by someone who didn’t pull punches at that notion
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100725/COL01/7250472/In-the-Sherrod-controversy-do-shoot-the-messenger&template=fullarticle