Wurlitzer, the Mighty, or Wingnut Welfare Wurlitzer – Professional media outlets dedicated specifically to promulgating right-wing propaganda, such as Regnery Press or Fox News. In the modern era of media consolidation, it may be difficult to separate the deliberate organs of misinformation from the incessant general tinkle of infotainment. The term ‘Mighty Wurlitzer’ itself is pre-Internet, said to have been coined by an early CIA operative in reference to Cold War propaganda efforts.
July 20, 2010 5:37 PM
Shirley Sherrod Helped Keep Us Out of Bankruptcy, Farmer’s Wife SaysShirley Sherrod was forced to resign from the Department of Agriculture because of recent remarks she made that, taken out of context, suggested she discriminated against a white farmer. That farmer’s wife, however, is saying Sherrod is a “friend for life” who saved their family farm from foreclosure….
At Digby:
….Breitbart had edited the video, of course, and he refuses to release the whole thing, naturally. But that didn’t matter in this case any more than it mattered in the ACORN case….
….But I also have to wonder if they know what the optics of this are. If two-bit sociopathic wingnuts can scare them to this extent with obviously doctored videos, what happens when they see a real threat? Are they going to flap their arms like penguins and run around in circles screaming “they’re coming to get us, run for your lives!!?” At this point, that doesn’t seem entirely ridiculous.
Seriously, this shows tremendous weakness. Andrew Brietbart is a con artist and and right wing entertainer whose antics should always be met with a cynical laugh and a shake of the head. To fall for his schtick more than once is political malpractice….
Well, at least the NAACP corrected the record:
NAACP Statement on the Resignation of Shirley Sherrod
July 20, 2010(BALTIMORE, MD) – NAACP President and CEO Benjamin Todd Jealous issued the following statement today after a careful investigation into the presentation of former USDA Official Shirley Sherrod.
“The NAACP has a zero tolerance policy against racial discrimination, whether practiced by blacks, whites, or any other group.
The NAACP also has long championed and embraced transformation by people who have moved beyond racial bias. Most notably, we have done so for late Alabama Governor George Wallace and late US Senator Robert Byrd — each a man who had associated with and supported white supremacists and their cause before embracing civil rights for all.
With regard to the initial media coverage of the resignation of USDA Official Shirley Sherrod, we have come to the conclusion we were snookered by Fox News and Tea Party Activist Andrew Breitbart into believing she had harmed white farmers because of racial bias.
Having reviewed the full tape, spoken to Ms. Sherrod, and most importantly heard the testimony of the white farmers mentioned in this story, we now believe the organization that edited the documents did so with the intention of deceiving millions of Americans.
The fact is Ms. Sherrod did help the white farmers mentioned in her speech. They personally credit her with helping to save their family farm.
Moreover, this incident and the lesson it prompted occurred more that 20 years before she went to work for USDA.
Finally, she was sharing this account as part of a story of transformation and redemption. In the full video, Ms.Sherrod says she realized that the dislocation of farmers is about “haves and have nots.” “It’s not just about black people, it’s about poor people,” says Sherrod in the speech. “We have to get to the point where race exists but it doesn’t matter.”
This is a teachable moment, for activists and for journalists.
Most Americans agree that racism has no place in American Society. We also believe that civil and human rights have to be measured by a single yardstick.
The NAACP has demonstrated its commitment to live by that standard.
The Tea Party Federation took a step in that direction when it expelled the Tea Party Express over the weekend. Unfortunately, we have yet to hear from other leaders in the Tea Party movement like Dick Armey and Sarah Palin, who have been virtually silent on the “internal bigotry” issue.
Next time we are confronted by a racial controversy broken by Fox News or their allies in the Tea Party like Mr. Breitbart, we will consider the source and be more deliberate in responding. The tape of Ms. Sherrod’s speech at an NAACP banquet was deliberately edited to create a false impression of racial bias, and to create a controversy where none existed. This just shows the lengths to which extremist elements will go to discredit legitimate opposition.
According to the USDA, Sherrod’s statements prompted her dismissal. While we understand why Secretary Vilsack believes this false controversy will impede her ability to function in the role, we urge him to reconsider.
Finally, we hope this incident will heighten Congress’s urgency in dealing with the well documented findings of discrimination toward black, Latino, Asian American and Native American farmers, as well as female farmers of all races.”
###
Founded in 1909, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conduc
As if the Faux News Channel and their evil mighty wurlitzer minions have ever been credible.
…isn’t afraid of right wingnuttia they should reinstate Shirley Sherrod.
…of Shirley Sherrod’s speech.
The story of the farmer starts at approximately seventeen minutes into the video. The preface of the story is Shirley Sherrod’s story of personal loss and her journey to understanding and change.
The full story makes the right wing’s mighty wurlitzer character assassination of Shirley Sherrod even more heinous. And, if the administration doesn’t correct their mistake they show themselves to be nothing but spineless cowards – no better than the wingnuts who want to destroy them and not worth the effort to rescue from that fate.
The character assassination is looking even worse now (via Digby):
As Digby writes: “…They haven’t actually paid out the money yet, naturally…if only the government had moved as quickly to remedy systemic discrimination against black farmers as they did when someone accused one African American woman of discriminating against white farmers.”
…because they’re too busy peeing their pants:
aimai at No More Mister Nice Blog
Let us wake up tomorrow that the Administration admits they believed Fox News and they will never ever do that again.
Well, please let me dream.
I’m on my way to Netroots Nation tomorrow. You know this will be the number one story we will all share with each other.
I can’t wait for what Pelosi, Reid, and Franken say.
In Pittsburgh, I saw John Fund on the bus I took from the airport. I recognized him and said hello and he was at one of the sessions I attended. If he shows up, you know I will ask him about his story.
I’m angry the Administration believed this story and forced the resignation of the kind of people we need in government.
…the farm couple that Shirley Sherrod helped (a CNN interview):
http://cloudfront.mediamatters.org/static/flash/player.swf