Sherrod tells NABJ she’ll sue Internet blogger

By NATELEGÉ WHALEY
nabjconvention.org

SAN DIEGO— Shirley Sherrod, a fired former director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, said she plans to file a lawsuit against a popular conservative Internet blogger and urged journalists to work on stories that matter at the National Association of Black Journalist convention on Thursday.

Sherrod, 62, answered questions put to her by a panel as several hundred journalists and dozens of news organizations looked on at the 35th annual NABJ convention, which is being held in San Diego through Sunday.

Sherrod has been in the news in recent weeks after a video clip was posted by an Internet blogger who suggested that she was racially biased. The blogger later posted the full video of Sherrod’s full comments, which happened only after Sherrod had resigned under pressure from USDA leaders and  President Barack Obama’s administration.

She talked about her experience since being thrown into the national spotlight and how it has affected her life and family.

“I knew it was racism when it happened to me, and nobody had to tell me that,” Sherrod said to the audience.

After an internal investigation by the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People revealed  that her comments were taken out of context and she had used the example in a speech where she spoke out against racism.

The report of video footage was posted by conservative Internet blogger Andrew Breitbart on BigGovernment.com nearly two weeks ago. Sherrod said she plans to file a lawsuit against the blogger, and possibly other news organizations who defamed her character. She said she hasn’t talked with Breitbart and does not want an apology from him.

“I don’t want it at this point, and he will definitely hear from me,” Sherrod said.

Sherrod did not give specifics on when she plans to file a lawsuit, but she did say she has spoken with an attorney. She also said she has been offered another position by the government, but needs time to research the opening.

Tony Shute, a television producer in Chicago, said the event was helpful and should teach a lesson to all journalists, regardless of their ethnic backgrounds. He also believes the government shouldn’t ignore the history of racism in the United States.

“One line that she said today that struck me the most was in referencing FOX News and that they were not interested in the truth,” Shute said. “That’s the reason I got into journalism and that’s what I always thought journalism was about.

“It was very important for her to say that the president of the United States needs to learn more about our history, as I think we all do.”