The embarrassing Shirley Sherrod saga is finally dying a slow death after she was flooded with apologies from the NAACP, The White House, and Secretary of the US Department of Agriculture, Tom Vilsak. This all came after a video excerpt of a 24 year-old case surfaced on a conservative blogger’s website. The excerpt portrayed Sherrod as a racist who used her power and position against a white farmer, while Sherrod actually was doing just the opposite – showing how she had overcome her personal prejudices to help people in need, regardless of their race.

After Tom Vilsak fired her and both the NAACP and White House bad-mouthed and denounced her, each of them had to eat their words when the full scope of the video was revealed. Later, everyone tripped over each other to apologize.

We already know that everyone should have done their due diligence, but NO ONE did.

The NAACP – Screwed up. That’s pretty clear. The National President, Benjamin Jealous, said they were ‘snookered’. One of my twitter friends said, "How can you be snookered by the facts?" I agree. If they had only done the most basic investigation, they would have found the truth and saved themselves a great deal of embarrassment.

But, believe it or not, I can actually understand why the NAACP felt pressure to come out against such an apparent display of racism. As a historic civil rights organization, the NAACP can least afford the appearance of being linked to a racist of any kind. That would quickly and effectively nullify everything they have fought so many years for. Therefore, I’m not surprised that they backed away from any association with Sherrod as quickly as they did.

Sherrod mentioned on CNN that she was particularly hurt by their statement, even though she immediately accepted Benjamin Jealous’, apology. I’m sorry the NAACP’s statement cause her pain, but being labeled a racist in today’s "post-racial" society is such an abomination against the ‘new’ American way of life, that no organization can risk being linked to it. Any organization would have back away quickly, just as the NAACP did. Were they wrong? Yes. But I can understand.

The White House – Screwed up royally, or should I say presidentially. While everyone seems to be more disappointed in the NAACP, I am more disappointed in the White House. They really should have known better, especially since President Obama got caught up in the Professor Henry Gates/Office Crowley scandal a year ago. Remember Beergate? The White House should have learned from that debacle not to say a word until you know ALL the facts … especially regarding anything related to race. But since they didn’t, they are apologizing once again. And like with the NAACP, I understand their making such a strong and swift statement against Sherrod.

This is my theory: Racism is the new AIDS. Remember how people ran away from HIV-positive people in the 90’s? That’s how people are running away from racism.

I remember when Magic Johnson announced that he was HIV positive and subsequently left the NBA. Shortly thereafter, he returned but left again, saying he could see the ‘fear’ in his opponents eyes when he played against them.

Magic’s opponents’ reacted to him in the same manner people are reacting to claims of racism today. The reason people were running away from people with or rumored to have AIDS was because it was new and we didn’t know anything about it. Even though racism isn’t new, there is a new stigma attached to it.

Just like in the 90′s when the stigma of AIDS, or even a rumor of such, could cost someone his job and ruin his life, today’s stigma of racism can do the same. This case proves that. In fact you would probably be more accepted today if you have AIDS than if you are labeled a racist.

Tom Vilsak and the US Dept of Agriculture – Screwed up and will pay the highest cost. Again, the US Dept of Agriculture will probably pay a very high cost for the forced resignation of Shirley Sherrod. Tom Vilsak has offered her a position that she apparently became ‘uniquely qualified for’ after the case broke. Sherrod hasn’t taken the position yet. She’s probably weighting her options… take the cushy new job or sue his pants off in a civil suit.

Shirley Sherrod – A lesson for Shirley too – This incident can be a teaching moment for everyone, including Shirley Sherrod. The lesson she can learn is: everything ain’t always about racism. I was very disappointed when she said on CNN that some people are just trying to send black people back to slavery days. She was taking the high road up until that point. Making that statement showed her as angry and paranoid; her case would have been better made if she hadn’t employ the ‘they are out to get us’ tactic. Everything isn’t about racism. Maybe Mr. Breitbart doesn’t want to send black people back into slavery. Maybe he’s just stupid.

Nevertheless, there is enough criticism to go around. Even so, I hope this is a lesson well-learned for everyone. There’s no substitution for due diligence; everything that happens between black and white people isn’t always about racism; and racism, like AIDS, requires education and learned tolerance before it starts to die.