Father War-on-Christmas Bill O’Reilly didn't buy it because he's already declared victory in the War on the War on Christmas.
Donald Trump appeared on The O’Reilly Factor last night in an interview apparently recorded before Sarah Palin made her endorsement of him.
The subject of the interview was Trump’s promise to “protect Christianity.”
O’Reilly began the interview by asking, “Do you believe Christianity here is under siege?
TRUMP: Absolutely. You just take a look at what’s going on, even from something that is less important but very important to a lot of people, including me: the words “Merry Christmas.” You go to a department store today, you don’t see “Merry Christmas” any more. We’re under siege, we’re losing ground. Christians are losing ground in this country. Now you get outside of the country and they want to come into this country, as you know, whether it’s ISIS or anybody else. And you have the heads being chopped off. We are definitely under siege.
O’Reilly followed up by asking, “How does the president of the United States change the culture of secularism? Because that’s what this is all about.”
Trump responded with an “Obama’s a secret Muslim” dog whistle.
TRUMP: I think you have to change it almost with a different spirit than we have. We don’t have that spirit any more. You know, we have a president that is much more committed, in my opinion, to Iran than he is committed to Israel, as an example. Much more committed to certain things that you or certainly me would not be committed to than what we would be according to what we believe.
But then it was back to the War on Christmas.
TRUMP: Little things like I’ll have friends that aren’t Christian that love Christmas. They say, “Oh, Christmas is coming” and they’re not Christians and it’s OK to say Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday but now stores aren’t even able to say "Merry Christmas."
O’Reilly interrupted to re-assume command of the War on the War on Christmas. “Look, you know I’ve been in the forefront of that. I think we won that deal because we said to any major department store chain, ‘If you forbid your employees to say Merry Christmas, we’ll tell everybody and they’re not going to buy at your store.’”
But Trump insisted O’Reilly has not won the War on Christmas. “They don’t do it Bill, Trump said. “I don’t know why. Maybe they’re afraid legally, they’re afraid they’re gonna be sued, they’re afraid of retribution in some way.”
“And that’s a small thing but it really is a telltale sign of what’s going on,” Trump continued.
O’Reilly changed the subject.
Watch it below, from the January 19 The O’Reilly Factor.
Mr tRump might also want to consider that, as a minority religion in Israel, Christians have to seek special considerations on a host of issues—from Jewish leaders. But, for some odd reason, you never hear Israeli Christians (again, who are mostly ethnic Arabs) complaining—much less whining (as their American counterparts are so wont to do)—over being “persecuted.”
O’Reilly and his Fox News buddies – surprise, surprise – are a pack of hypocrites on the ‘War on Christmas/Christians’, just shot-gunning any spin realizing no right-winger will ever get any push-back in the GOPTV™ bubble.
How many times have we heard the Fox News excuse Christmas isn’t about Christianity? Oh, that’s to excuse mixing government actions, displays, etc. of Christmas celebration and symbology. In other contexts like this one it’s reconfigured to a war on the Christian religion itself.
Since I feel The Donald is certainly the person I look to for religious inspiration because he’s so obviously devoted his life to the humble pursuit of following in the footsteps of Jesus [chortle], it’s so refreshing to see him join fellow egomaniac Bill [in living the humility of Christ] defend Christianity. Since we know Christians in America, unlike say Muslims, are subject to physical assault for their beliefs. Or maybe not so much. But since Fox News doesn’t cover attacks on Muslims – being all fair and balanced – it’s got to be true, eh?
While Obama has spoken out against Christian persecution overseas, he could do more. However, don’t mistake O’Reilly’s and Trump’s spin here for anything but team sports: Christians vs. Muslims, atheists, et al.
