Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack is reviewing his decision to fire Shirley Sherrod. Vilsack fired Sherrod after he viewed a misleading video that suggested she discriminated against white farmers.
The misleading video was posted by conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart and subsequently aired on Fox News. Rather than investigating the facts, Vilsack demanded that Sherrod resign.
One day later, after media and blogs have aired the entire content of Sherrod's speech, Breitbart's lie has been made public and Sherrod's name has been cleared. It turns out that Sherrod was encourage the audience not to think of the world in racial terms (rather than condoning bigotry). Vilsack is reviewing the firing in light of these new developments.
Sherrod, however, seems torn about the prospect of working for the USDA again. During an interview with CNN, she describe the possibility as "bittersweet." Sherrod is upset that after such a long career assisting farmers, she was pressured to leave without any investigation into the facts surrounding the controversy. Sherrod says she is unsure how the agency will treat her if she returned.
My Take
Sherrod sounds like a highly rational individual.
See also:
This Is How Post-Racialism Looks: Another Take on the Firing of Shirley Sherrod
Lessons For the NAACP From the Shirley Sherrod Fiasco.
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