I'm 53 years old. Grew up in NY-23 and left ASAP. Growing up, I knew of one black family, and that was in high school. They were "city kids" and I lived way way out in the sticks. The population of this "city" is now about 10,000 with a median income of about $33,000. Growing up for me, $33,000 would have been the rich kids. My dad worked afternoons 3 to 11, and my mom worked 10 pm to 6 am in a factory. I am one of ten children. My parents would have suffered and never come to see you, Ms. Sherrod.
I thought for most of my life that I was fair, that I saw the way things are. After all, one of my friends in high school was that black family's daughter. I never went to her house, and she never came to mine, but we were friends. She was one of the many people I left behind in NY23. I've since learned the word acquaintance. I grew up and did fairly well.
I supported Barack Obama against Hillary Clinton. I voted for Barack Obama against John McCain. I was one of the ones who thought President Barack Obama meant that the country had turned a corner. I was at a raucus election day party in a primarily white county and saw a black woman crying on election night. Racism is dead! Quit complaining and move forward. It's all fair! How else could we have a black president?
And then all the coded remarks started. Hell, they were blantant even to someone like me. Barack Obama is illegitimate. ACORN, the only organization tied to black innercity Americans, is somehow corrupt and bogus and taking massive taxpayer dollars.
I had an idea before, but I learned and BELIEVED in 2009 what Ms. Sherrod knew 20 years ago. It's not black and white, it's rich and poor. And the best way for rich white to attack all of America's poor is to divide and conquer. The easiest way to do that with whites is to make whites think that blacks are lazy, untrustworty, racist and now in complete power. Good God, let's call a weekend in Maine a whole Vacation! The easiest way to do that with blacks is to destroy Americans like Barack Obama and Shirley Sherrod. The easiest way to do that with those scared Americans who still have a job is to paint those unemployed as lazy and after your money. We all know the "show us your papers" issue with hispanics or anyone who looks hispanic. Arab Americans, I sincerely apologize.
And so Ms. Sherrod, I don't know if you'll see this. I don't know if you even care what I think. But I do have to say it.
I'm sorry for not paying any attention to how things really are for most of my life. I'm very sorry that 20 years after you learned about rich and poor in this country, so many white Americans are just now learning this lesson and are not there to help you. I'm sorry I did not work harder to make sure people were thinking before now. I'm sorry that organizations like Fox news exist for the sole purpose of making your life hell. Understand they don't care about you personally, but because of your life and your color and your educational life story to the NAACP they will use you to advance their racist goals. I'm sorry.
But, I did listen to your whole NAACP speech today. Please know that I an enthusiastic supporter.
I've called the White House and my Senators insisting that this wrong be corrected immediately, with a public apology from Mr. Vilsack. I've demanded that my White House, and my whole Executive Branch of government SUCK IT UP and start acting like leaders. I expect them to search for all the facts and never jump to conclusions again. Isn't that one of the prime rules for the United States of America - Innocent until proven guilty for ALL of her citizens?
One small request before you take up your job again (and if you don't, I'll be making daily calls to everyone I can think of), would you please do an interview and say what YOU think is necessary to fix the situation we Americans find ourselves in? What can someone like me do to help? I already call and write letters more than most. I attend some meetings and protests. I vote and made sure my kids have all the same ideals. Is there anything else? From your perspective, what can I add?
Sure, I think saving the whales is important, and I love a lot of people in the LGBT community and support all their efforts, and I think all womens' rights and reproductive rights are very important. I love my planet. I've supported all of them and more sporadically or tepidly over my lifetime.
But I think, Ms. Sherrod, that after more than 50 years, if you are still this vulnerable, we haven't made an inch of progress. Please do make a statement as to how you would like someone like me to proceed from here. You've helped the poor in financial wealth for 20 years. Please take the time to help the not so poor in financial wealth. Should I focus there, or should I be concerned with the racism of Fox and their followers? How should I proceed?