Dear America,

My Dear Union Tribune,

"Newspapers...serve as chimneys to carry off noxious vapors and smoke."

Thomas Jefferson

(or stoke a bigger fire)

The letters to the editor Sunday, on Shirley Sherrod, prove -- besides the realization of not believing everything you read, or hear -- the issue is far from black and white; like our lingering coastal cloud cover, it is gray as ever.

A true listener of Fox News (not the blind followers or those who only "hear things" about Fox) would know that, and at the same time, would take great exception to the blatant line of bigotry and racial network profiling going on.

Fox simply reported the news -- and by the way, it was hours after the White House and Tom Vilsack hastily jumped to the pink slip. Fox -- simply made the mistake of entrusting those in high places to have done their due diligence, and as we all know now, that didn't happen.

Remember Shirley on Tuesday, anyone? She was loud and clear with her report to, "pull over, pull over...[resign] before you get on Glenn Beck tonight [per someone at the White House]." While Glenn didn't have enough information by 5:00 to say a word, by Tuesday, he was going to Shirley's rescue! Asking the right questions, saying this was an atrocious mistake...

...and Bill O'Reilly quickly apologized to Ms. Sherrod for jumping into the controversy too soon, as well.

If anyone -- those like Shirley, now making horrific blanketed dispersions of racial prejudice and bigotry, saying things like this,

"I am just a pawn. I was just here.

They [Fox News] are after a bigger thing,
they would love to take us back

to where we were many years ago.

Back to where black people were looking down,

not looking white folks in the face,

not being able to compete for a job out there

and not be a whole person."

this, context included, from MediaMatters.org

If these people actually watched Fox -- they would realize it is one of the last bastions of fair and balanced news and political commentary on the planet (and rated number one, most watched...but I digress). They pride themselves of showing both sides of the argument, having people of all backgrounds speak their peace, and aside from making an apology when apologies are due -- they make no apologies for the level of professionalism and fair mindedness that permeates from their programing.

It is a sad day for America anytime we get into extremism -- especially of this kind.

Shirley, and perhaps a few of your readers (like Peggy, who claims "Fox loves to go after successful, intelligent people of color who fight for the downtrodden), should be more ashamed of the amount of racial epithets coming out of their own mouths -- with context made fully aware and without care.

The initial viewing of the video on biggoverment.com was Brietbart's way to show the hypocrisy of the colorful commentary of the NAACP audience in front of Shirley on that fateful day in March -- the "ahuh's and the that's rights" coming from the embers still hot in the crowd; it was an effort -- and a poor one at that -- to point out the character of the organization back behind calling all Tea Party Patriots, racists. It wasn't about Shirley at all -- and Brietbart would be the first to tell you about it.

If anyone should be ashamed, it is the techno-savvy White House who caught wind of the story, and wanted to beat Beck to the punch. How messed up is that, that we have an administration jumping to conclusions, upending a woman's life, and making decisions based on WWFD? Are you kidding me?

Being judged for the content of our character begins at home -- the messages we are fed, the fair mindedness and tolerance of all people, is set in motion from our parents and those who raise us; continuing through our experiences in school and congregations and associations, all Americans must make a concerted effort to grow up embracing all colors of the rainbow, including blacks towards whites, or we may never truly overcome.

I believe we are a nation of good people -- most every single one of us; this is what has set us apart from the very beginning. The intentions passed down from the founders was for all of us to come together, melting into one -- not continually splintering by issue or race or agenda. Albeit far from perfect, WE the People do our best to overcome a history of other people making bad decisions of creating racial turmoil -- and in each new day, we become better and better for it.

My wish for this week -- we all stop for a moment, take a breath, and reach down deep to discover our own strength of good character, and act or speak accordingly -- for the rest should take care of itself. A sound racial dialogue, one that can carry us as a people to the next level, begins with fanning the flames of mutual respect and thoughtfulness -- from here, the sky's the limit.


-----------end of letter to the editor-----------------

What did you do today?


Make it a Good Day, G