In the News

Two important stories today

First, a story I read about on the website of the Rude Pundit:

DeFarra Gaymon, an Atlanta-based credit union executive was killed in NJ last Friday by an undercover policeman. Gaymon (unarmed) is married and the father of four children. He was in Atlanta for his 30^th high school reunion. 

The reason he was killed and why law enforcement agents were in the park: "The two detectives were conducting an undercover investigation after complaints from residents about people engaging in sexual acts in public" authorities said. Sheriff’s officers have made more than 200 such arrests in the park over the last 18 months.

Hundreds of arrests in less than two years, for consensual adult sexual activity in a public park? Questions must be asked why valuable police resources were spent on this undercover sting operation. I doubt that Newark's violent crime rate and major drug problems have been reduced to the point where law officials had to target men gathering for sexual liaisons.

It wasn't until a few days ago that many in the gay community learned about this tragic killing, and questions are being raised by a few gay activists and the Gaymon family, challenging the official police version of what led to the fatal shooting. 

Shirley Sherrod Vs Fox News and the Administration

The second story is about a right wing swear attempt:

Here’s what it look likes to me.  

Recently NAACP delegates passed a resolution to condemn extremist elements (bigots) within the Tea Party, calling on Tea Party leaders to repudiate those in their ranks who use racist language in their signs and speeches (which seems fair to me).

This resolution came after a year of high-profile media coverage of attendees of Tea Party marches using vile, antagonistic racial slurs & images

Local Tea Party organizers disputed claims of racism and called on the NAACP to withdraw their resolution.

Well that didn’t happen. So, in retaliation, one of the really pissed off Tea Party folks (Andrew Breitbart) decided to distribute an edited version of a speech that Shirley Sherrod made back in 1984. To make sure it got out to the largest audience (and also smear Ms Sherrod’s reputation) a copy was sent to Glenn Beck as well as Fox News.

Now, to add insult to injury, when Sherrod’s boss (Tom Vilsack - USDA Secretary ) heard about it, instead of researching the authenticity of the tape, he asked Ms Sherrod for her resignation. Didn't and wouldn't even listen to her explanation. Called her not once, not twice but THREE times while she was driving in her car back to headquarters to turn in her badge. They had to have her resignation right then and there. On the 3rd and final call they asked her pull over to the side of the road and send her resignation in on her Blackberry. (You gotta be kidding me, right? Who does that?) 

And, do you know why they needed it right away?? Because they knew the video was going to appear on Glenn Beck's show later that day and they wanted to stay ahead of the story. 

 "Conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart said he had posted a portion of Sherrod's remarks in an effort to illustrate that racism exists in the NAACP, an argument he was using to counter allegations by the civil rights organization of racism in the tea party movement." -Huffington Post

Fast Forward to the next day. GOTCHA! The video was a fake just like all the hyped up Acorn crap and the newest Black Panther Party non story.

So, poor Mr. Vilsack. He did the right thing (or maybe the only thing he could do) and apologized to her. He also offered her a new position with the USDA. Today the President called Ms Sherrod to extend his apology (even tho she had not asked for it).  President Obama said he hoped that she would accept the new position.


But...Uh, Uh, Uh, not so fast! Ms Sherrod  isn't so sure....she wants to be displayed as the "Face of Racial Unity" in the USDA, when her belief is that, there have been many racists acts committed by the USDA which have been tolerated. 


Andrew Breitbart has not apologized and the media does not seem interested in researching his motives in this despicable act.

I'm Just Sayin