Bill O’Reilly phoned in another cranky, condescending, whitesplaining scold to African Americans over the Ferguson protests last night. The aging, pompous – and did I mention white? – O’Reilly believes he not only knows what everybody should do in Ferguson and about Ferguson, he thinks it’s vitally important he lecture us about it. O’Reilly’s pronouncements are so important, in his own mind, that he once again interrupted his vacation to hit us over the head with them.
Despite his self-importance, O’Reilly’s reprimand last night was pretty similar to the one he laid down Friday night, but with the addition of “the media is too frightened of African Americans to tell you what’s wrong with them, like I do.”
First, O’Reilly reprised his “black grievance” grievance, this time packaged in a dismissal of concerns about police killings of African Americans: “This is an infinitesimal situation. …Those people who run into Ferguson or any other city and say the police are hunting down young black men are lying. …It doesn’t happen that much in this country.”
Then O’Reilly let forth on the “grossly irresponsible” press coverage: “Most television journalists are terrified – terrified – of being labeled a racist. Therefore, they’re never going to challenge any kind of smear thrown out in any kind of a situation.” His “proof” was that some MSNBC guest said Michael Brown was shot in the back and the host did not challenge that, given that two autopsies suggest otherwise.
As if no falsehood ever went unchallenged on Fox. Anyone remember how Fox promoted Donald Trump’s endless, phony-baloney birtherism? Instead of being discredited, Trump is still presented as a credible expert on Vladimir Putin, terrorism and more.
White Papa O’Reilly then bestowed his praise on Congressman John Lewis, “an old civil rights guy,” for having “struck the right tone” on Meet The Press. Why? Because Lewis said, “every American should be concerned” about an unarmed teen getting shot and killed by the police. In other words, Lewis isn’t one of the “racial provocateurs” too partial to blacks – and “we all know their names” – trying to “stir up trouble.” Translation: Some of O’Reilly’s favorite talking heads are civil rights leaders, just not those despicable louts who are making trouble in Ferguson.
“I am very, very upset that Michael Brown’s family and friends have to go through this. …It’s heartbreaking,” O’Reilly continued. But he seemed a lot more upset by what white people, such as the white Fox viewers, might “have to go through.”
O’Reilly allowed as how “Obama’s doing the right thing by calling for calm.” But, “That’s all he should do,” O'Reilly cautioned. You may be glad to know O’Reilly has “no problem with Attorney General Holder going to Ferguson… because the state authorities there have botched the case and the local authorities are the Keystone Cops.”
But O’Reilly also lashed out at African Americans, under cover of concern trolling media bias:
When you have facts in a case and there are people who are trying to exploit the case in a violent way, you have to put the facts out. And the facts are that this young man did something wrong… and a confrontation happened. We don’t know why, we don’t know how, we don’t know what happened. Let the justice system play out.
…No justice, no peace. There are 100 people – that’s according to the authorities, that are causing trouble in Ferguson. They’re violent people, they’re throwing Molotov Cocktails, some of them are armed. 100 – that’s all. …These are anarchists, these are haters, these are New Black Panther Party, these are zealots, alright? They have to be controlled.
…But it‘s not the African American community. They’re concerned and they should be. …But let’s keep everything in perspective and let’s deal with the facts.
…Absolutely, they’re all terrified (in the liberal media), Eric, of saying anything that a race hustler might turn around and say, ‘Oh, look, you’re a racist.’ …That kind of thing. So no justice, no peace? These people don’t want justice. What if the facts come out and say it was a justifiable shooting by the police officer? This guy was coming at him? What if they say that? You think these people are gonna accept that?
Ironically, substitute host Eric Bolling asked why CNN and MSNBC can’t “just ask the darned question and let us decide?”
O’Reilly said he can’t speak for them but, “We ask the questions that need to be asked.”
In reality, O'Reilly is "asking questions" as a white person speaking only to other white people. O’Reilly has already dismissed or never has much time for the questions in black people’s minds. Our Priscilla noted that Fox & Friends also concern trolled "media bias" over Ferguson on Fox & Friends this morning.
Watch the arrogance below.
I guess BOR thinks that his brand of race hustling has more impact when the folks can actually SEE him spewing, ahem, sharing his racial ignorance/arrogance, er, racial expertise. And, in the light of the horrific beheading of journalist James Foley, no doubt BOR is also hoping to bring some attention to himself being that HE did an interview with Foley in 2011.
“Discussing his recent dinner with Rev. Al Sharpton at the Harlem restaurant Sylvia’s, Bill O’Reilly reported that he “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.” O’Reilly added: “There wasn’t one person in Sylvia’s who was screaming, ‘M-Fer, I want more iced tea.’”
Billy would scream, “police were out of control” and “use of excessive force” on the kid.
Billy’s own network loves these types of stories. It draws big ratings and advertising dollars.
Or, am I right in thinking he is the only one who really misses himself…?
