Uh oh…
I first read this last night. I was on the fence about blogging about it. But then I heard that WABC’s 11 pm news did a report on it tonight. So here it is…
Update: I have replaced the original link with one that puts the matter in context because ICN isn’t going to be a party to misinformation…
O”REILLY: Now, how do we get to this point? Black people in this country understand that they’ve had a very, very tough go of it, and some of them can get past that, and some of them cannot. I don’t think there’s a black American who hasn’t had a personal insult that they’ve had to deal with because of the color of their skin. I don’t think there’s one in the country. So you’ve got to accept that as being the truth. People deal with that stuff in a variety of ways. Some get bitter. Some say, [unintelligible] “You call me that, I’m gonna be more successful.” OK, it depends on the personality.
So it’s there. It’s there, and I think it’s getting better. I think black Americans are starting to think more and more for themselves. They’re getting away from the Sharptons and the Jacksons and the people trying to lead them into a race-based culture. They’re just trying to figure it out: “Look, I can make it. If I work hard and get educated, I can make it.”
You know, I was up in Harlem a few weeks ago, and I actually had dinner with Al Sharpton, who is a very, very interesting guy. And he comes on The Factor a lot, and then I treated him to dinner, because he’s made himself available to us, and I felt that I wanted to take him up there. And we went to Sylvia’s, a very famous restaurant in Harlem. I had a great time, and all the people up there are tremendously respectful. They all watch The Factor. You know, when Sharpton and I walked in, it was like a big commotion and everything, but everybody was very nice.
And I couldn’t get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia’s restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it’s run by blacks, primarily black patronship. It was the same, and that’s really what this society’s all about now here in the U.S.A. There’s no difference. There’s no difference. There may be a cultural entertainment — people may gravitate toward different cultural entertainment, but you go down to Little Italy, and you’re gonna have that. It has nothing to do with the color of anybody’s skin.[…]
O’REILLY: No, no, I mean, I like that soul food. I had the meatloaf special. I had coconut shrimp. I had the iced tea. It was great.
WILLIAMS: Well, let me just tell you, the one thing I would say is this. And we’re talking about the kids who still like this gangsta rap, this vile poison that I think is absolutely, you know, literally a corruption of culture. I think that what you’ve got to take into account that it’s still a majority white audience — young, white people who think they’re into rebelling against their parents who buy this stuff and think it’s just a kick. You know, it’s just a way of expressing their anti-authoritarianism.
O’REILLY: But it’s a different — it’s a different dynamic, though.
WILLIAMS: Exactly right –
O’REILLY: Because the young, white kids don’t have to struggle out of the ghetto.
WILLIAMS: Right, and also, I think they can have that as one phase of their lives.
O’REILLY: Yeah.
WILLIAMS: I think too many of the black kids take it as, “Oh, that’s what it means to be authentically black. That’s how you make money. That’s how you become rich and famous and get on TV and get music videos.” And you either get the boys or the girls. The girls think they have to, you know, be half-naked and spinning around like they’re on meth in order to get any attention. It really corrupts people, and I think it adds, Bill, to some serious sociological problems, like the high out-of-wedlock birth rate because of this hypersexual imagery that then the kids adapt to some kind of reality. I mean, it’s inauthentic. It’s not in keeping with great black traditions of struggle and excellence, from Willie Mays to Aretha Franklin, but even in terms of academics, you know, going back to people like Charles Drew or Ben Carson here, the neurosurgeon at [Johns] Hopkins [University]. That stuff, all of a sudden, is pushed aside. That’s treated as, “You’re a nerd, you’re acting white,” if you try to be excellent and black.
O’REILLY: You know, and I went to the concert by Anita Baker at Radio City Music Hall, and the crowd was 50/50, black/white, and the blacks were well-dressed. And she came out — Anita Baker came out on the stage and said, “Look, this is a show for the family. We’re not gonna have any profanity here. We’re not gonna do any rapping here.” The band was excellent, but they were dressed in tuxedoes, and this is what white America doesn’t know, particularly people who don’t have a lot of interaction with black Americans. They think that the culture is dominated by Twista, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg.
WILLIAMS: Oh, and it’s just so awful. It’s just so awful because, I mean, it’s literally the sewer come to the surface, and now people take it that the sewer is the whole story –
O’REILLY: That’s right. That’s right. There wasn’t one person in Sylvia’s who was screaming, “M-Fer, I want more iced tea.”
WILLIAMS: Please –
O’REILLY: You know, I mean, everybody was — it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn’t any kind of craziness at all.
Spud, can you provide some context here? Was O’Reilly just blurting this out, or was there some type of discussion as to blacks having problems at restaurants (e.g., the alleged incidents at Denny’s over the years)?
Comment by Missy — September 25, 2007 @ 12:24 am
Hold on ! This story is waayyyy out of context and was planted by the DREADFUL Media Matters. Read what really happend over at Inside The Beltway and O’Reilly was talking with Juan Williams! Yes….Juan Williams is African American and seemed to have NO problem with what O’Reilly was saying.
Comment by 186 — September 25, 2007 @ 12:34 am
Well if Juan Williams doesn’t have a problem with what BOR is implying, he needs his head examined because it’s incredibly insulting.
Comment by Marty — September 25, 2007 @ 12:39 am
Spud, thanks for adding the context via your “update”. What he said makes perfect sense now with the background/setting being described.
Comment by Missy — September 25, 2007 @ 12:53 am
It doesn’t matter because Keith “I GET LOW RATINGS IN BED” Olbermann will use the Media Matter material and brand Bill O’reilly a racist thus making him WPITW. Even though Keith Olbermann admitts he’s Anti-American…
Comment by Zone Daiatlas — September 25, 2007 @ 1:16 am
If Olbermann tries to run with this and slander O’reilly I hope Bill sues the hell out of him.
I just want to know how many black people have been on Olbermann’s show compared to O’reilly?
And when has was the last time Olbermann has come to Harlem?
Comment by A.W. — September 25, 2007 @ 1:37 am
WABC did a story on this? Good luck trying to get BOR off the air with this non story.
Comment by Lurker — September 25, 2007 @ 2:30 am
This is still a pretty bad thing to say. Sounds like Billo is a little late to the party. Did he really just realize that not all black people are alike? He can’t really be that dumb, can he?
Comment by randy — September 25, 2007 @ 2:35 am
I’ve read through this thing twice, and I still don’t see what’s supposed to be racist. Basically he’s saying that, despite what some people think, most Black Americans don’t act like the stereotypical gangstas. Boy, what a racist jerk.
Following the Imus incident, I was under the impression that black leaders wanted people to start a dialogue about race relations and the negative stereotypes of black culture. BOR does a segment about how the vile gangsta rap culture portrayed on TV and music videos is not indicative of the entire race, and he gets called a racist?
Sounds like a bad case of Fox Derangement Syndrome. Some people hate FNC and O’Reilly so much they’ll try anything to attack them.
Comment by TBDave — September 25, 2007 @ 5:40 am
I think George Soros’s is going after O’Reilly now and his agents in Media Matters are leading the charge with a little help from their stooge KO..but if this is the best they can come up with then Bill has nothing to worry about.
Comment by mlong — September 25, 2007 @ 5:50 am
Thanks for putting this in context. He didn’t say anything
wrong or out of line. Good job
Comment by Bill — September 25, 2007 @ 7:02 am
Race will remain an issue, when it should not, as long as we have merchants like Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who continue to perpetuate this culture of victimology.
I urge readers to read an article by Heather MacDonald on this issue currently appearing in the City Journal, which she wrote in relation to the over-reaction to the so-called Jena 6. The link is http://www.city-journal.org. It is worth everybody’s time, and it will make you realize why so many blacks were so mad at Bill Cosby who dared to speak out the truth.
Comment by RGL — September 25, 2007 @ 8:35 am
Spud,
“ICN isn’t going to be a party to misinformation”
Are you kidding me? I know this site swings to the right of political views, but come on. What does Sylvia’s being a black owned and operated restaurant have to do with the point O’Rielly was trying to make. IT WAS A RACIST COMMENT. Let’s be honest here. As an African-American I am offended by his comments and this site “oh who gives a damn” attitude. African-Americans are not animals or savages. We are human beings. Most of us work hard every freakin’ day to EARN a living and care deeply about our families. We also treat people with respect. I won’t be coming back much here anymore. But then again, I’m sure this won’t bother you either. Will you even print this comment? I won’t hold my breath.
Comment by lonnette33 — September 25, 2007 @ 8:36 am
I’m talking about misinformation in as much as the original link took several quotes from a longer segment and strung them together out of context. I consider that misinformation.
Comment by Spud — September 25, 2007 @ 8:48 am
lonnette33
You just made Bill’s point. Thanks! That is exactly what he was saying. You, me, all of us live honorable lives - living day to day, doing our best, earning our way.
You need to re-think your reaction to his words, IMO.
Comment by Cella — September 25, 2007 @ 9:20 am
What’s wrong with Bill’s commentary? He’s right! Many folks in America are NOT from a racially diverse culture and their only impression of African Americans IS from the rap artists and it’s not good. Believe me, I know this. Instead of pointing out the differences in culture, why not for a change point out the similarities?
Comment by Olivia — September 25, 2007 @ 9:43 am
I think what you all dont get, is most normal people don’t think all black people are gangsters like BOR apparently thinks. It sounds like he was pleasantly surprised that some black people were just like him! Oh, and I wouldnt be shocked if those people dont actually watch the factor.
Comment by randy — September 25, 2007 @ 9:44 am
Everything was fine until:
O’REILLY: That’s right. That’s right. There wasn’t one person in Sylvia’s who was screaming, “M-Fer, I want more iced tea.”
WILLIAMS: Please –
O’REILLY: You know, I mean, everybody was — it was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun. And there wasn’t any kind of craziness at all.
I am completely opposed to making life hell for people who make remarks that sometimes don’t come out the way they meant it. It started with Jimmy The Greek and lately Don Imus. People will say foolish things. When they do simply point out your problem with it. Have a frank discussion and move on. Stop confusing a KKK like racist with someone who says something foolish or simply did not come out right. As for Media Matters I will leave you with this quote from Bart Simpson:
“You mean there are losers who spend all day
watching TV looking for stuff to complain about?”
Or this conversation between Ned Flanders and his son:
- Daddy, what are you doing?
- Imploring people I never met to pressure a government with better things to do to punish a man who meant no harm for something nobody even saw. That’s what I’m doing.
Comment by Rickky — September 25, 2007 @ 9:46 am
I bet KO wants to use this story to try to lure BOR into a defamation lawsuit over this, in the same vein Al Franken baited BOR into that lawsuit a few years ago.
Comment by eddiebear — September 25, 2007 @ 9:49 am
Some of the comments calling BOR racist is really off base. I think if white people could voice all the concerns, rumors, urban legends surrounding blacks without being sued or having Jackson or Sharpton come protest on your front yard, the 2 races would be a lot closer in race relations.
I am sure African Americans find some our ways peculiar and would love to ask us. I’m not sure that whites distance themselves from African Americans because they are racist, i think they are afraid they will offend and cause unintended consequences. I notice are events that whites will willing sit beside African Americans but the blacks tend to all sit together. Maybe they are afraid of whites for the same reason.
Comment by VMart — September 25, 2007 @ 9:51 am
what’s the problem here???
Comment by Chet — September 25, 2007 @ 9:58 am
But of course, we should always believe that the Soros-funded Media Matters is never pursuing a personal agenda or vendetta. And they, like the other blue blogs and TVN, never distort facts, quotes or statements.
Comment by eddiebear — September 25, 2007 @ 10:00 am
I heard Bill on his radio program talking about this - you’re making a story from nothing. As usual, Fox haters at work.
I saw Joe puke this morning playing it over and over so I’m done with him - what has happened to Joe S? I used to respect Willie but he made the stupidest comment about Bill’s use of the word ‘black!’ Sorry, Willie, most normal people do use white and black and it doesn’t mean they’re racists.
Comment by moonbeam — September 25, 2007 @ 10:01 am
A racial comment is not the same as a racist remark. If people are really going to discuss race in this country, they will need to use the vocabulary to describe what they are talking about. This goes for any segment of our American Society Equally. Anybody remember “equality” that is what it used to be about, now race is used as a club a weapon, against competing interest….”Got White Guilt” Filed under who hates who in America more.
Comment by Ree — September 25, 2007 @ 10:02 am
There really isn’t anything wrong with what he said. The people who are saying he was wrong, have to first essentially repeat Bill’s expressed point of view.
Then there’s the idea that it’s because he said there are people who think that black culture is all rappers and gangstas. Well… there are! Turn on MTV… turn on BET… tell me how many non-gangstas you see. The programming overwhelmingly focuses on one segment of the culture, over another.
Bill’s point was that in that culture, there’s more than just people who subscribe to the (as William’s called it) “vile poison [that is]… literally a corruption of culture.”
And yet, when people argue why it’s okay for black youths to call women “bitches” and “hos,” what do they say… “It’s part of the culture.” So to say that nobody actually thinks the way that Bill has said they think, flat out contradicts what we’ve seen time and time again.
It’s not simply racist because Bill said it. Get a grip, people.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 10:26 am
God, another slow news day! What are you trying to do Spud, increase YOUR RATINGS with implied controversy? Yawn
Comment by john — September 25, 2007 @ 10:27 am
lonetta,
Part of the problem with American society is the penchant for people who are obviously clueless as to the definition of “racist” bandying about the word whenever someone says something that they don’t like about the subject of race. Seriously, go look it up. You’ll present yourself in a less ignorant manner.
Now, if others would only get a grasp of “unilateral”, as well….
Comment by RW — September 25, 2007 @ 10:45 am
It wasnt a racism, but instead it was ignorance.
Comment by randy — September 25, 2007 @ 10:49 am
And none of you have a problem with him saying that he thinks blacks are “starting” to think for themselves. They are individuals with their own minds. They arent some flock of sheep that follows everything that some people say.
Comment by randy — September 25, 2007 @ 10:58 am
Randy, it doesn’t bother you to take a quote out of context? No, guess not.
“So it’s there. It’s there, and I think it’s getting better. I think black Americans are starting to think more and more for themselves. They’re getting away from the Sharpton-s and the Jackson-s and the people trying to lead them into a race-based culture.”
So, what he’s saying is that they’re moving away from using Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton as actual barometers of their culture… or at least there are more than a few people here and there who realize those guys are boneheads. You gotta read more, not just take a word or a line out of context.
And how was it ignorance? That’s what people say when they can’t really pin a claim of “racism” on someone… they just day “Well, it was dumb that he said it.” Well… no it wasn’t… what he said was right… and no matter how much the haters scream, people aren’t just going to accept their garbage.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 11:05 am
It’s ignorant to think that the entire black race is just starting to stop follow Sharpton and Jackson.
And why should i give into your “i’m taking it out of context argument.” isnt that what you did with Senator Kerry?
Finally, nobody finds it the least bit offensive that he was surprised that a black restaurant could be just like any other restaurant?
Comment by randy — September 25, 2007 @ 11:13 am
Let’s all rush out and be offended about nothing again! Oh no, my feelings might be hurt and my life is forever ruined. BO was paying a compliment. BO can’t be Imused.
Comment by moonbeam — September 25, 2007 @ 11:18 am
Give into my argument? I JUST SHOWED THAT’S WHAT YOU DID! You copied line one… without line two… that’s called out of context?! John Kerry? What the hell are you talking about?
The entire race isn’t just “starting to stop” following Sharpton and Jackson… who said that? O’Reilly’s point was that there are people who clearly don’t think they know what they’re talking about. But you rarely see those people on the television… instead, you see Sharpton and Jackson… surrounded by fans, eating up their every last word.
But because they’re black, all the libs just blindly agree with them. If this was a religious leader, preaching about religion, surrounded by people eating up their every last word… the libs would be up in arms, calling them “Sheep” and “Mindless drones” and the like. But the PC police prohibit them from saying anything negative about a minority… so Sharpton and Jackson remain heroes.
But I digress… why should we be offended that O’Reilly was impressed by the restaurant? Do you think he frequents restaurant in Harlem? Do you? But after everything we see on television… the explosion of the rap culture… of bitches and hos, and violence throughout… why shouldn’t he be surprised that a Harlem restaurant was such the opposite?
Turn it around… if you went to a restaurant in the deep south… with a girl who had really short cropped hair, and a guy wearing eye glitter, what do you think the reaction would be? Now what if, instead of getting your ass beat, everyone was really friendly, made little polite conversation, and you had a really nice time. You’d be surprised too… because we’ve been socialized to think the reaction would be different.
randy, you and all the other O’Reilly/FNC haters are really searching to find something to get outraged about here… and there is nothing. Move along… go find something else to hate on.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 11:27 am
randy,
the apologists for the type of rap music that O’Reilly (and Williams) has been criticizing have been saying that it’s part of the ‘culture’ and that the artists are simply giving voice to ‘reality’. Having it both ways (”well, it’s part of the culture when we say it’s part of the culture, otherwise you’re just a racist”) plays only in the obvious instances.
If your argument is that O’Reilly is speaking of every natural born American of ‘black’ pigmentation, then, yeah, you have your “gotcha”. Those of us who aren’t playing gotcha realize the conversation at hand.
And, obviously, so did Williams. The rap culture WAS the backdrop, was it not?
It’s ignorant to think that the entire black race is just starting to stop follow Sharpton and Jackson.
That does beg the question: what other demo votes 90% in unison?
Comment by RW — September 25, 2007 @ 11:33 am
randy just hates BO and Fox News
Comment by Chet — September 25, 2007 @ 11:37 am
Hey ImNotBlue
I don’t know where you are but I hate to tell you that the south “ain’t quite as uncultured and dumb as you thunk.” Jackson and Sharpton have a pretty strong hold here in addition to some local politicians. They run offices as a “revenge” platform instead of Martin Luther Kings vision of equality for everyone.
Comment by VMart — September 25, 2007 @ 11:50 am
Webster’s definition of racism: n (1936)1: a belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race. 2: racial prejudice or discrimination- racist.
Note, no where in this discription is Rev Al Sharpton’s definition of racism, mentioned in English Dictionaries as much as many have tried to re invent the meaning of the word, it doesn’t have anything to do with what some people, have described as, the People with the so called “POWER” I wonder who they could mean by that statement? I don’t really wonder, and I do not suffer from White Guilt.
Comment by Ree — September 25, 2007 @ 12:05 pm
Besides being ignorant and a blowhard isnt he also a sexual pervert and I believe he is also guilty of haressing in the workplace. What a guy!
Comment by ali — September 25, 2007 @ 12:11 pm
38# The discussion is about what he stated in the above blog. Having a difficult time focusing?
Comment by Ree — September 25, 2007 @ 12:24 pm
Why do all the liberals have to blast BO at every turn. The Factor leans to a more conservative viewpoint. CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS, PBS and of course MSNBC all have a take a liberal stance on every issue. Can’t you liberals allow one dissenting voice to try to get some balance or should we all march to move on blogs orders?
Comment by Sam — September 25, 2007 @ 12:31 pm
Bill O’Reilly won’t let anyone Imus him (he was eating with Sharpton after all). Dead intern in his office Joe Scarborough played the clip over and over this morning which was reprehensible and desperate. MSNBC is so jealous of Fox’s success. Joe has turned into a Keith Jr. and I’m afraid even Willie Geist sounded like a little Keith.
Comment by moonbeam — September 25, 2007 @ 12:32 pm
Thanks for the link, Spud. The blogger’s comments were interesting. I don’t know about O’Reilly’s having white guilt but I suppose it be. He has made comments in the past that black Americans have had a more difficult time of it and that there weren’t blacks in the suburban neighborhood where he grew up.
When I heard O’Reilly say that on the radio, I figured he was probably going to catch it. It’s tough to have a discussion about racial issues without the word “racist” being thrown out there. And it goes both ways…whites accuse blacks of being racists just like blacks accuse whites of being racist. I don’t necessarily consider O’Reilly’s remarks racist (because I see the point he was trying to make) but he sure could have said it much better. His “I couldn’t get over the fact that…even though it’s run by blacks, primarily black patronship” was a pretty poor way for him to have worded it. I don’t think he needed to point out that, at the 50/50 Baker concert, the blacks were well-dressed. I guess it goes without saying that the whites were well-dressed because they were white and that would be expected? Besides, the Baker concert was at Radio City and people have a tendency to dress nicer when going when going to a concert like her’s at a locale like that. I mean, it’s not like Baker’s music appeals all that much to the rapper or punk crowd.
That last line about white, suburban Italian restaurants didn’t help either. Apparently O’Reilly hasn’t been in some of the same white, suburban, Italian (or any type for that matter) restaurants I’ve been. I’ve seen plenty of M-F’er type of behavior done by white people.
When O’Reilly said, “this is what white America doesn’t know, particularly people who don’t have a lot of interaction with black Americans. They think that the culture is dominated by Twista, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg”, one has to ask why that is. So much of the time it seems like the media, when talking about black America, gravitates towards the rap culture. So do the entertainment channels. On this same show, O’Reilly said gangsta rappers “get all the media attention” and he complained that good guys like Denzel Washington and Will Smith get little attention. I would agree O’Reilly is correct in that. But, because O’Reilly himself has devoted a large amount of airtime to covering the gangsta rappers and, being that his audience is largely white, I think that makes him a part of the problem with regards to the perception of blacks.
I understand he wants highlight the part of rap that does harm but with “The Factor” he has the perfect platform to show the white Americans in his audience who don’t have much interaction with blacks that not everything is thugs and hos. It’s really a shame he doesn’t do more segments on (or have on as guests) black artists who represent the positive in black America today…and not the good old Motown days which O’Reilly seemed to pine for in other parts of that day’s show.
Comment by STP — September 25, 2007 @ 12:41 pm
The first paragraph should actually read:
Thanks for the link, Spud. The blogger’s comments were interesting. I don’t know about O’Reilly’s having white guilt but I suppose it could be. He has made comments in the past that black Americans have had a more difficult time of it and that there weren’t blacks in the suburban neighborhood where he grew up.
Sorry about that.
Comment by STP — September 25, 2007 @ 12:43 pm
I don’t know where you are but I hate to tell you that the south “ain’t quite as uncultured and dumb as you thunk.”
Vmart: Good quote. Having worked in the deep south after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, everybody I saw got along well. I was very surprised over the Jena 6 flap.
Comment by Ira — September 25, 2007 @ 12:47 pm
VMart… you miss-read me… or maybe I phrased myself wrong. My point was that a lot of people would be surprised by that, because on the television, the south is almost always portrayed as toothless ignorant hicks. However, that certainly isn’t always the case.
Personally, two of my very best friends in college were die-hard Texans… and true blue Democrats through and through. I’m well aware that the south is good mix of people… sorry if I was obtuse.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 12:54 pm
I said this last week that the jena BS was nothing more then a Get out the Black vote for 08 .We will see this kind of dirty tricks pulled off by the Poverty Pimps and Race Baters right up to the day we vote in 08.
Comment by mike — September 25, 2007 @ 1:02 pm
i am curious, has anyone asked what sharpton or williams thinks about what was said?
Comment by eric thomas — September 25, 2007 @ 1:24 pm
41:
Joe just needs to do that to keep his job on a network that has become moonbat central.
Comment by eddiebear — September 25, 2007 @ 1:35 pm
I couldnt’ agree more with #42. As a biracial person who considers herself just as black as any other African American, I wasn’t totally offended by O’Reily’s comments. I found some of his comments ignorant, but that’s all.
Comment by Lark22 — September 25, 2007 @ 1:38 pm
Lark22, may I ask you an unrelated question about being biracial? You say that you’re “as black as any other African American,” but not as “white as any other Caucasian.”
Out of total curiosity, and nothing more (because it has no relevance to what we’re talking about, I’m just interested)… why is that?
I mean no disrespect by asking, I just found what you said interesting.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 1:45 pm
Billo is correct and so are Bill Cosby and Juan Williams.
Comment by Juan, the Neo-Con — September 25, 2007 @ 1:51 pm
Sam, couldnt I ask you the same question about conservatives here and KO? We’d get the same answer. And INB, the difference between taking Billo and Kerry in context, is that Kerry’s comments can be dismissed as simply a joke. BOR’s are still ignorant
Comment by randy — September 25, 2007 @ 2:01 pm
randy, I have no idea what Kerry comment you’re talking about.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 2:31 pm
***Having worked in the deep south after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, everybody I saw got along well.***
That shouldn’t have been a surprise. When was the last time you heard about racial uprisings/riots occurring the south versus LA, Chicago, Cincinnati, Boston or some other DARK blue area? Harmony tends to exist when you’re living next to each other.
Comment by RW — September 25, 2007 @ 3:04 pm
The one last year bout getting stuck in Iraq.
Comment by randy — September 25, 2007 @ 3:21 pm
ImNotBlue, I made that statement about being just as black as any other blacks because I found this post to be about black people. Now that I think about it, I should have just left out the biracial thing all together. I guess that stemmed from having to prove my blackness to certain people. Technically, I am just as white as any other Caucasian. But, when given the choice to choose between checking a black or white box, I check black.
Right or wrong, while growing up, I was taught by both parents that I was black. They said that’s how the world would see me. When I look in the mirror, I don’t see a white woman, I see a black one. My elementary and middle school were predominately white. There were many times when I felt like I stuck out. When I got to high school, it was predominately black, and I didn’t feel that I stuck out at all.
It all boils down to how I was raised and how my experiences were growing up. Then again, I have a sibling who refuses to consider himself just black or check the black box. It all depends on the individual, I guess.
Comment by Lark22 — September 25, 2007 @ 4:02 pm
Ah yes… now I remember. The one that resulted in this photo:
http://www.claudemariottini.com/blog/uploaded_images/IRAQ-778969.jpg
(I don’t know whose website that is… just a Google image)
Okay, and how does this relate to what we’re talking about again?
Here’s what you said, “And why should i give into your “i’m taking it out of context argument.” isnt that what you did with Senator Kerry?”
So apparently to you, the “botched joke” was taken out of context… and that’s bad. But O’Reilly’s quote taken out of context to make him look like a racist… is good. It doesn’t matter what was really said… just so long as it makes O’Reilly look bad, it’s okay.
Well, how very clear headed of you. If it’s against your political adversaries… take stuff out of context, infer, slander, and do whatever you can. Just don’t do that to me… because that would be unfair.
randy, if ever you’re playing Scrabble… and you get the right letters to spell out “hypocrite”… just know somewhere, I’ll be smiling.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 4:03 pm
Lark22… Interesting stuff. Thank you!
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 4:05 pm
I watched Kiran Chetry this morning on AM discussing BO’s comments with a radio talk-show host who’s upset. She kept bringing up context when he’d mention a particular statement. She’s a fabulous, natural interviewer & I miss her on FNC.
Comment by Nancy — September 25, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
I caught a glimpse of CNN trying to slam the competition by playing up the story this afternoon.
Why is it, when someone talks about race, that suddenly makes him a racist? It doesn’t.
If you read the entire dialogue, you see his main point is that WE’RE ALL THE SAME.
Who wants to be Olbermann devotes 2 segments to O’Reilly tonight? Hell, he might even do a whole show on his obsession.
It’s a non-issue, with FOX haters trying to make something out of nothing.
Juan Williams, who is a lib and black, seemed to agree w/ every word Bill O was saying. So what’s the problem?
Comment by bigred — September 25, 2007 @ 4:30 pm
When BOR’s comment is put into context, it is still ignorant
Comment by randy — September 25, 2007 @ 4:39 pm
So I guess you’re saying that Juan Williams is also ignorant. Let’s see whom I believe… Juan Williams, an established BLACK author/radio host/tv commentator… versus randy, whom if I remember correctly, is a high school student.
The choice… it’s… so… hard.
Just admit it… just say, “I don’t like Bill, and it doesn’t matter what he says, I’m going to believe he’s ignorant. I have already made up my mind, and if Bill is involved, he’s wrong… no matter what.” Just say it, and we’ll all move on.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 4:45 pm
> Who wants to be Olbermann devotes 2 segments to O’Reilly tonight?
Sorry he already did that last night. One O’Reilly attack in the WPitW segment, and another (the Harlem bit) crammed in a different segment. When Media Matters and Think Progress have too many O’Reilly attacks for him to parrot, he’ll find space somewhere else in the program to repeat them.
Comment by johnny dollar — September 25, 2007 @ 5:11 pm
Do we really need to discuss KO’s obsession with BO. Having KO discuss this topic with his “not so great past” of offensive comments.
Pot meet Kettle
Comment by Rich — September 25, 2007 @ 5:37 pm
Well the MSM is going to try to turn this into an “Imus” moment but I think it’ll backfire because now the “Imus” moment looks less like the big deal it was made out to be..Bill can go straight at them and makes thisa case of powerful George Soro’s is after him and is using Media Matters to do it.
Comment by mlong — September 25, 2007 @ 6:20 pm
All Bill was doing was challenging prevailing stereotypes.
Comment by spiffo — September 25, 2007 @ 8:38 pm
I don’t get it. Wasn’t this conversation just private between Juan and O’Reilly? And we know Williams said he was not offended, and from what I heard tonight, he agreed with Bill. I must have missed something, but how is it that this private conversation is now the talk of O’Reilly’s competition on cable?
Not a rhetorical question; I think I missed something here.
Comment by Missy — September 25, 2007 @ 9:12 pm
Missy, I believe they said that Juan was interviewing Bill on Bill’s show.
Comment by ImNotBlue — September 25, 2007 @ 9:23 pm
people are saying this is a nonstory well…then tell Spud to stop reporting on it…tell o’reilly to shut up and say im innocent believe (b/c his true fans will) and SHUT UP AND IT WILL BECOME A NONSTORY and The “Imus” moment happened b/c Imus fans even had enough
Comment by Aaron — September 25, 2007 @ 9:29 pm
#42
I think you summed it up better than anybody. I don’t think it is the level of Imus’ remark, but more a result of some outdated thinking. Someone who likes BOR should pull him aside and point out to him what the hubbub is all about. Overall, I get the point he was making. It was just poorly thought out. Me myself, I would given him a pass on it.
I think that everyone that rushes to blame KO, Move On, Sharpton, Jackson are missing the point here - what BOR said was sort of dumb, regardless of what Juan Williams thinks. On the flip side, I think people are using this as a bludgeon specifically in this case because it is BOR. It’s been pointed out. He probably is aware now that he could have phrased it better. Let sleeping dogs lie.
As an amusing aside to this whole story, check out this link from CNN.
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/labnotes/archive/2007/09/25/why-grandpa-talks-like-chris-rock-in-nc-17-mode.aspx
It actually from Newsweek but oddly appropriate for our discussion.
Comment by Dead Air — September 26, 2007 @ 6:05 am