Employee of Agricultural Department Fired Over Alleged Racist Remarks

[guywithashovel]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100721/...sm_resignation

A black woman who works for the Agricultural Department was fired after conservative bloggers posted an edited video of her talking about her interactions with a white farmer 24 years ago. You may have already heard about this.

Just wondering what everyone's take is on this.

[KnitShoni]

I think if her views hadn't changed, that would be one thing. But, they did. The farmer in question considers her a good friend for all she did for them.

[Amina516]

I think they shouldve aired the whole video and also pointed out it was from 1986!!!!!!!!. The parts beginning and ending the story show that the point to that story was to offer help to all regardless of skin tone.

Fancy editing painted her to be a racist and she lost her job over it.

[Imprl59]

What really gets me is that they didn't even listen to the whole video before deciding she had to go. She's given at least 25 years to that job and they can't be bothered to listen to a 43 minute speech.

I don't understand this whole "you made a mistake now you are evil and must be destroyed" mentality out there. People are not perfect. We should all strive to be a better person and I think her story was pretty inspiring and hope she gets her job back.

Steve B.

[lordlundar]

I was watching this on CNN actually. Before I stopped, they reported that she was called by the minister of agriculture and offered a job. Whether it's the same one, better or worse isn't known. And CNN did air the entire, unedited (at least by them, the person doing he recording had to change tapes so there was a fade transition put in) video.

I do agree though, it was in bad form to fire her without investigating it, though what the person posted was FAR worse. He did it because of party fanaticism knowing that it would cause nothing but trouble and it cost a good person her job.

[draggar]

What really gets me is that they didn't even listen to the whole video before deciding she had to go. She's given at least 25 years to that job and they can't be bothered to listen to a 43 minute speech.

I agree with this and it's quite scary that "evidence" can be fabricated now and you're found guilty with no trial.

I wonder if she can go after the person who made / posted the video in a civil / legal court - if the video is edited to the point of changing the context isn't that slander / libel?

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

Behold the power of political blogs...it's pretty scary I tell you.

It's also ironic that these same blogs are so often the ones fuming about how the Liberals are constantly manipulating media to their advantage.

[KnitShoni]

^^^That's the way it is with politics. They condemn the other side for doing things like this, while conveniently forgetting they themselves do the same.