O'Reilly's Dream Scenario: Culture Clash In San Francisco
Reported by Deborah - March 29, 2006
Bill O'Reilly might have custom ordered this scenario to showcase his " Culture War". A Christian Right youth group calling themselves Battle Cry had a gathering in San Francisco last weekend and decided to demonstrate against Gay Marriage at the Court House where many gay couples were married. The supportive community came out to respond to the demonstration and O'Reilly declared it an "anti- Christian" protest from "radicalized" and "intolerant" San Francisco.
The first segment about this story on Monday, 3/27, featured Ron Luce, Evangelical organizer of the youth group and Sunsara Taylor, from World Can't Wait, who participated in the counter demonstration. Gerardo Sandoval appeared for the second segment tonight, 3/29, where O'Reilly had the chance to attack San Francisco and hint at the possibility of financial ramifications for SF.
On Monday, Ron Luce , clean cut and bright eyed, claimed that Battle Cry was not political. Luce explained that the teens were rejecting pop culture. He claimed that when the teens go to the malls, " Victoria shares all of her secrets." He complained about video games that train to kill people and on line pornography. However, Luce did not explain why Battle Cry didn't demonstrate at the Victorias Secret or Circuit City but chose the site representing Gay Marriage instead.
Sunsara Taylor did an excellent job standing up to Luce and O'Reilly. She agreed that the world was indeed in a "moral crisis" adding that "religious intolerance" was a major problem. O'Reilly quickly dismissed Taylor as typically far left and started criticizing her for the "personal attacks" of the protesters . He showed a clip several times of people using the word " fascist" in a chant." Luce assumed the role of the injured gentle Christian who had suffered buitality but had turn the other cheek. "We love the Lord. We're not mean." He claimed that the young people were shocked by the violent response.
Sunsara Taylor asked why the group didn't protest the torture and death of 100,000 Iraqis and O'Reilly asked why she wanted to kill thousands of babies. He added thaty 90% of doctors in this country don't want to perform abortions. Luce then went on to to make his teens look like innocent angels who were mistreated at the demonstration.
Tonight O'Reilly went after Sandoval for condemning the Battle Cry demonstration claiming it showed that San Francisco was intolerant and suggested that the city council take a vote about it. "Didn't you guys vote for me to get fired?" he asked Sandoval. He then wondered if there was a danger that San Francisco will become so radicalized that it will suffer financially claiming that the city will " be so far left that the rest of the country will avoid you."
Sandoval was not moved by O'Reilly's taunts explaining that San Francisco during the gold rush years was the place where people could do things freely and this is part of the attraction for everyone.
It seems that Bill O'Reilly's incessant attacks against the city can only increase tourism. If O'Reilly hates San Francisct, it must be worth visiting.
