Project Logic Ga

Shirley Sherrod and her husband are civic rights icons in my community.  My father, a former high school agriculture teacher and big supporter of minority farmers, admired Mrs. Sherrod’s efforts to help Black farmers save their family lands. 

After being at the hospital with my mom yesterday, I was surprised to hear the Sherrod situation on MSNBC at 6:30 a.m.  Say what?  Stop the madness.

The snippet was clearly taken out of context and is similar to statements made by any of us who are fortunate to work in and around the federal government.  When I served as a congressional staffer, I loved loved loved the opportunity to help farmers, ranchers, veterans and business owners who never imagined that a young Black guy could be pivotal to sorting their problems with the big bad Fed. 

I heard Mrs. Sherrod speak at a UDSA event this year and was so pleased that an advocate for small farmers was now part of the establishment; Daddy is smiling on the other side.

In this time of PC and hungry new media, shall we just chill for a second and understand that older people get a pass on statements because they have earned it.  The nicest person in the history of Sylvester, Georgia, was Mr. Charlie Moore.  At the local gym, Mr. Moore went out of his way to be PC when talking about impressive “Black, African American fellows” on T.V.  Mr. Moore could say Negro if he wanted because he earned it by being nice to Black people….downtown…..in retail….in the 60s. 

My mother’s nurse (who doesn’t look like us) mentioned Proverbs 17:22 and I thought it was a cool passage as we prepare for the election season. 

A cheerful heart is a good medicine.  But a broke spirit drieth up the bones.  A wicked man receiveth a bride out of the bosom, To pervert the ways of justice.  Wisdom is before the face of him that hath understanding: But the eyes of a fool are in the ends of the earth.  A foolish son is a grief to his father, and bitterness to her that bare him. 

Also to punish the righteous is not good (nor) to smite the noble for their uprightness.  He that spaerth his word hath knowledge, and he that is a cool spirit is a man of understanding. Even a fool,  when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise,  When he shutteth his lips, he is esteemed as prudent.  ……. A fool hath no delight in understanding, but only that his heart may reveal itself.

Update: Mrs. Sherrod just said on CNN that she gave the same speech at Albany State Univsersity at a USDA event.  I was there and heard every word…no problem.  Are they tossing an icon under the same bus Mrs. Rosa Parks…..I better leave that alone.