Yahoo News
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and BEN EVANS, Associated Press Writers Mary Clare Jalonick And Ben Evans, Associated Press Writers – 22 mins ago
WASHINGTON – The woman at the center of a racially tinged firestorm involving the Obama administration and the NAACP said Wednesday she doesn't know if she'd return to her job at the Agriculture Department, even if asked.
"I am just not sure how I would be treated there," Shirley Sherrod said in a nationally broadcast interview. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday he would reconsider the department's decision to oust Sherrod over her comments that she didn't give a white farmer as much help as she could have 24 years ago.
The White House called the Agriculture Department Tuesday night after more information about Sherrod's remarks emerged, a White House official said. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the call, said the White House and the department agreed that the case should be reviewed based on the new evidence.
"I am just not sure how I would be treated there," Shirley Sherrod said in a nationally broadcast interview. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said Wednesday he would reconsider the department's decision to oust Sherrod over her comments that she didn't give a white farmer as much help as she could have 24 years ago.
The White House called the Agriculture Department Tuesday night after more information about Sherrod's remarks emerged, a White House official said. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the call, said the White House and the department agreed that the case should be reviewed based on the new evidence.
Full Story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100721/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_usda_racism_resignation#mwpphu-container
Picture: Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack
1 comment:
I would like to add that journalists, organizations like the NAACP, the Tea Party, and employers like the White House need to remember not to rush to judgment before taking action, notwithstanding the pressure of today's media cycle. Human lives are affected and in the case of Ms. Sherrod, potentially permanent damage to her reputation and employment status. As a rule, a story needs to be checked out and if it is a videoclip, this teaches us that we need to investigate the source first and the person speaking in the clip. At the very least, she should have been given a chance to defend herself. As for political appointees, as I was, they do not have the same rights as federal career employees have. They serve at the will of the President. However, basic fairness demands that she be given an opportunity to defend herself. This is reflecting badly on the Secretary and the White House, that seems to genuflect any time Glenn Beck or Fox News threatens to release a story. Too many appointees have been thrown under the bus when Beck makes his wild accusations. There is no way I would want to work in this environment. There is absolutely no job protection and apparently, no due process. This needs to change as a matter of good human resource management. This was a shameful episode for all involved. I only hope Ms. Sherrod finds a good lawyer and teaches Mr. Breitbart and Fox News an expensive lesson.
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