Thursday, September 08, 2005

Did you hear what O'Reilly said?

It all started on Sept. 6, 2005 when O'Reilly said this, "Second point, New Orleans is not about race. It's about class. If you're poor, you're powerless, not only in America, but everywhere on earth. If you don't have enough money to protect yourself from danger, danger's going to find you. And all the political gibberish in the world is not going to change that.

The aftermath of Hurricane Katrina should be taught in every American school. If you don't get educated, if you don't develop a skill, and force yurself (sic) to work hard, you're most likely be poor. And sooner or later, you'll be standing on a symbolic rooftop waiting for help.

Chances are that help will not be quick in coming."

Then, syndicated columnist Liz Smith wrote this, "FOX News emperor Bill O'Reilly tells us in Katrina's wake that if we — Americans —depend on the United States government for any reason, we are certain to be disappointed. Always. Bill's advice to America (to the poor of New Orleans, especially) is educate yourself and get a well-paying job. Only then can you avoid standing on a 'metaphorical rooftop' when the next disaster rolls around. Bill did not give the poor any advice on how one finds a proper education or a job. Remember, the government can't help."

Then on Sept.7, 2005, in response to the article, O'Reilly responded by saying this, "The USA has mandatory education. You have to go to school or pass exams if home-schooled. But nobody can force you to learn while you're in school.

If you refuse to do the hard work that education requires, and millions of kids do, you're going to be ill equipped to compete in the marketplace. And all the government programs in the world are not going to change that.

So every American kid should be required to watch videotape of the poor in New Orleans and see how they suffered, because they couldn't get out of town. And then, every teacher should tell the students, "If you refuse to learn, if you refuse to work hard, if you become addicted, if you live a gangsta-life, you will be poor and powerless just like many of those in New Orleans."

That's the truth. And one does not find an education. This country provides every citizen a chance to get one. Public education's free. Public libraries are free. Many community colleges are basically free. And scholarships of all kinds are everywhere. But no politician can make you learn or develop a skill...."
(I've removed 2 paragraphs here, but by clicking the link above, you can read them)

I wonder:
~Isn't something wrong here?
~Isn't O'Reilly saying that all victims of Hurricane Katrina didn't study or learn?
~Isn't he saying they refused to do hard work?
~Is America a class system where only the affluent get immediate assistance?
~Isn't this prejudical?
~Isn't this a slight generalization by Mr. "let me play with my falafel" ?"Oh wait, let me pay you off before the tapes go public" O'Reilly. Talk about spin!!

I'll be the 1st to admit it, I'm in leftfield a LOT, but am I on this one? What do you think? I'd really like to hear your opinion.

Last night I felt like a 5 year old on Christmas morning when I came across the actual court transcripts of the sexual harrassment suit on Thesmokinggun.com. In case you're unaware of what I speak, Bill O'Reilly of The Factor was charged with sexual harrasment in 2004. Even though he tried to intimidate the Plantiff, she stood her ground. Fox News offered to pay for the legal costs for O'Reilly to fight this, but O'Reilly chose to settle out of court. The case was suddenly went away on October 28th, oh, so quietly. Gee, I wonder why. I'm sure you've probably read them, but if you haven't just click here. The transcript where he refers to Al Franken is quite interesting!

My 2 cents:
Look, I could careless what people do in their private lives. But when someone claims to take the moral highground & is actually a hypocritical pompous ass scum sucking bottomfeeder, well, then I do take issue with that & will expose them for what they are. Mr. O'Reilly, education obviously can't teach class.

Technorati tags: falafel, oreilly, liz smith, al franken, race, poor, poverty, education, college, library, scholarships, hurricane katrina, louisiana, new orleans,marketplace, government, study, learn, gangsta, prejudice, transcripts, sexual harrassment

posted by jane at 10:20 AM