This Needed to be Said
Reported by Melanie - August 27, 2004 -
An important, yet seldom heard opinion fought through to be heard on the August 26, 2004 edition of The O'Reilly Factor. Khalid Turaani of Arab-American Republicans Against Bush appeared with O'Reilly and Muhammad ali Hasan, of Muslins for Bush.
O'Reilly opened the discussion by asking Turaani, who used to support Bush, why he'd changed his mind. Turaani said he wasn't against everything about Bush, that he likes his "fiscal conservatism" and "eliminating the death tax," (COMMENT: He obviously needs to read up on these two subjects.) but what changed his mind was Bush's stance on civil liberties. Turaani, an extremely articulate man, said the terrorists who caused 9/11 would like nothing more than for us to "roll back the clock on civil liberties in America."
He said they'd love to see us "take America back to the time when we had the Japanese in internment camps."
O'Reilly said he's "about as sensitive to civil liberties as anyone," and that he has "looked and looked and looked" and has "found no one - no regular American - no media person - whose civil liberties have been violated by the Patriot Act." (O'Reilly should read this Washington Post article, or this from the Washington Report on Middle East Affairs.) He then asked Turaani to "pinpoint specifically" what he meant.
Turaani said, "when the powers [sic] be makes [sic] laws and allow [sic] itself to be in power, and then violating everybody else's rights, they would talk about it as if it is not happening...." O'Reilly interrupts: "Theory walks on this program." Do you have something or not?
Turaani brought up the three men arrested recently in Albany, New York, saying "they were touted as 'this is the biggest case.' Now we have...."
O'Reilly interrupts: "Well, they're still in the criminal justice system are they not?
Turaani: "Well, but, when you slap someone with 75 accusations...."
O'Reilly interrupts: "You don't know if they're guilty or not. Let the system play out."
Turaani: "The system did not play out during the civil rights era when were putting people in prison...."
O'Reilly interrupts: If these guys are charged, "let's see what the government has. That's our system."
Turaani: "So you want me to trust the government Bill? Is that what it is...."
O'Reilly interrupts: "Yes I do. You have to trust the government or you become....
Turaani: "Oh, you want me to trust the government?"
O'Reilly: "Unless the government proves itself untrustworthy, in this case...."
Turaani: "You know, this is what...."
O'Reilly: There's a criminal case against these guys.
Turaani: "This is what repressive regimes tell their people - to trust the government...."
O'Reilly: "Okay...I'm not buying this; I'm not buying this."
Turaani: "I have to be vigilant in order for me to protect my rights, and yours. I have to be vigilant...."
O'Reilly: If you can bring me specific evidence that shows "these people were railroaded I'll put it on the air in a heartbeat. I don't think you can." O'Reilly then turned to Muhammad Ali Hasan, who was so perfect in this pro-Bush speech that you'd think he was told what to say. Here's Ellen's post on it.
