When The Nation Came Together: Shirley Sherrod Part 2
There are moments I feel proud to be an American, and this was one such moment.
I was listening to Bill Press Show this morning, and in half hour or so I heard callers after callers, all of them white American, expressed their views on Media’s unfair spin on Shirley Sherrod and their observation of Obama Administration’s conduct on that matter.
One caller said, “I am a 60-year old angry white American, and I am ashamed how three major news networks twisted the facts and played it over and over.” The next caller said, “I am a 64-year old angry white American and I am furious to see how Sherrod was victimized and the USDA acted in such unprofessional manner.”
Shirley Sherrod, a black woman, with a life long history of dedicated public service was forced to resign her position at the USDA when media wrongly accused her for exhibiting racial bias, and NAACP condemned her. When the truth was revealed, the accusation was found to be sham. This shook consciousness of the nation. People from all spheres of life, black, brown and all shades in between came together and voiced their disgust. Even media that is normally associated with conservative views, did not shy away from supporting Sherrod.
Yesterday, Shirley told the Press that she wished President would call her and talk to her, and this morning President did just that. Obama expressed regret and offered her a new job, however, Shirley refrained from committing.
Through my personal experience, I have come to this belief that if there is white racism in this country it does not lie with ordinary white Americans. The perceived white racism is in part imagination of the deprived minority, and the rest is the spoil of the vested interest groups. Whether it is in professional life, or social, I have never felt any discrimination, I repeat, I never felt any decimation for my brown skin.
I grew up in India reading about how India had been the crucible of cultures, the true melting point of civilization. Sadly, that great country is now saddled with all kinds of fractious sentiments while the U.S. has become the true melting point of civilization in our time. From the outside, many think Americans as monsters, for our foreign policies. Once you live in here, you learn, this is a country where a white person freely gives his kidney to save a black stranger's life.
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