Obama, Fox News and Credibility

So once again Fox News has put a story in heavy rotation that at first makes us think that there are racist people working for the Obama administration, and called for Obama to remove the person in question from her job. If you haven't been following the news, Fox ran a story about a lady named Shirley Sherrod. Shirley works for the USDA as a Rural Development Director for the Obama Administration. Seems Shirley made a speech at a NAACP convention in March, in which she talked about a white farmer who needed help to save his farm from financial problems. Shirley went on to say that with all the black farmers who have lost their farms, that why she as a black woman should give any effort to help this white guy. Now Fox takes the statement and makes it seem that is what she is doing in her current role under the Obama Administration. Bill O'Reilly called for her resignation immediately saying a Federal government official cannot have skin color deciding who gets federal assistance. Hannity said that it appears that she used her government position to racially discriminate against white farmers. Fox went so far as to put wording on the screen to set the story up saying, "Ms. Sherrod admits that in her federally appointed position, overseeing over a billion dollars, she discriminates against people due to their race", and "Government discrimination caught on tape". This story ran all day Monday on Fox News. The opinion being that Obama has hired racist people to work in his administration. The sad thing is she was relating a story from 20 years ago, not now in her present position. The story she is telling took place in 1986 a little fact checking shows. And if you listen to the whole tape she said she realizes that this is not a black and white thing. She had always helped black farmers and this was her first opportunity to help a white farmer. In her initial reaction, which Fox News keeps running, she realizes that she was wrong. And if you listen to the whole tape, she says she realizes that this is not a black and white thing but it is a struggle about poor people. Now here comes Obama. Not only does his administration demand and receive her resignation but the NAACP denounces her as well. This is not the first time Fox has done this as the "Pimp and Prostitute" story is what brought down ACORN the community organizing group. Once again Fox showed highly edited tapes, the same tactic they used, making ACORN look bad. Now an ACORN worker who lost his job is suing the "Pimp and Prostitute", a legitimate story which you will not see on Fox. The worst part about all of this is that the Obama administration got Ms. Sherrod to resign, based on a story from Fox News without checking into any of this. Obama has lost any credibility he once had. Mr Obama should be ashamed and consider himself lucky if Ms. Sherrod would be willing to work for his administration again. As bad as Fox's reporting is, Obamas fact checking and rush to judgement is even worse. Cut to Tuesday and CNN has the farmer on and he says that Ms. Sherrod is not a racist and if it weren't for her he would have lost his farm. Nothing like a smear campaign and that's why I can't stand Fox News.

Hypocrites and More Hypocrites

The first thing I noticed lately is how many Republicans consider themselves good Christians, the key word being good. So I don't understand how Republicans in the Senate keep blocking unemployment benefit extensions. Actually it is unemployment insurance which we as employees and the companies we work for pay into. That's what insurance is, so why are we being denied it. Republicans say there is no money in the budget for it. There is also no money in the budget for our two ongoing wars but they have no problem voting for their continued funding. Then Michael Steele makes some comment about Afghanistan being Obama's war. Even the Republican leaders were cringing at that one. According to the Bible's New Testament, Mathew 25 to be exact says "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in". Sounds to me like that's what the government is trying to do with unemployment which by the way, that money goes right back into the economy because no one is banking their unemployment checks. And you say that Jesus did not mean for our tax dollars go to help less fortunate. That's because Jesus lived in a Monarchy. He had no choice in government affairs. We live in a democracy and right now for better or for worse, the Democrats have the majority to make decisions. There are many passages in the New Testament with examples of Jesus helping the less fortunate (Mathew 19, Luke 7, Luke 18, and John 3) John 3.17 specifically says " If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth". Seems to me there are a lot of people spouting Christian values out of their mouths but not living what they are saying. Maybe its time they ask themselves are they Christians through talk or are they Christians through their actions?