Bill O'Reilly's Throwing a Lynching Party

I'm sick to death of people like FOX News host, Bill O'Reilly, and his ilk thinking that he can use a racial slur against a black woman who could be the next First Lady of the United States, give a half-assed apology and not be taken to task and called on his crap.

This week O'Reilly gave the following response to a caller on his radio show who was making unsubstantiated negative charges against presidential candidate Barack Obama's wife, Michelle Obama:

"And I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels -- that America is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever -- then that's legit. We'll track it down."

What the hell? If it's "legit," you're going to "track it down?" And then what do you plan to do?

How dare this white man with a microphone and the trust of the public think that in 2008, he can still put the words "lynch and party" together in the same sentence with reference to a black woman; in this case, Michelle Obama? I don't care how you "spin it" in the "no spin zone," that statement in and of itself is racist, unacceptable and inappropriate on every level.

O'Reilly claims his comments were taken out of context. Please don't insult my intelligence while you're insulting me. I've read the comments and heard them delivered in O'Reilly's own voice; and there is no right context that exists. So, his insincere apology and "out-of-context" excuse is not going to cut it with me.

And just so we're clear, this has nothing to do with the 2008 presidential election, me being a Democrat, him claiming to be Independent while talking Republican, the liberal media or a conservative point of view. To the contrary, this is about crossing a line in the sand that needs to be drawn based on history, dignity, taste and truth.

Bill, I'm not sure of where you come from, but let me tell you what the phrase "lynching party" conjures up to me, a black woman born in North Carolina. Those words depict the image of a group of white men who are angry with the state of the own lives getting together, drinking more than they need to drink, lamenting how some black person has moved forward (usually ahead of them in stature or dignity), and had the audacity to think that they are equal. These same men for years, instead of looking at what changes, should and could make in their own lives that might remove that bitterness born of perceived privilege, these white men take all of that resentment and anger and decide to get together and drag the closest black person near them to their death by hanging them from a tree -- usually after violent beating, torturing and violating their human dignity. Check your history books, because you don't need a masters or a law degree from Harvard to know that is what constitutes a "lynching party."

Imagine, Michelle and Barack Obama having the audacity to think that they have the right to the American dream, hopes, and ideals. O'Reilly must think to himself: how dare they have the arrogance to think they can stand in a front of this nation, challenge the status quo and express the frustration of millions? When this happens, the first thing that comes to mind for O'Reilly and people like him is: "it's time for a party."

Not so fast...don't order the rope just yet.

Would O'Reilly ever in a million years use this phrase with reference to Elizabeth Edwards, Cindy McCain or Judi Nathan? I mean, in all of the statements and criticisms that were made about Judi Nathan, the one-time mistress turned missus, of former presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, I never heard any talk of forming a lynch party because of something she said or did.

So why is it that when you're referring to someone who's African-American you must dig to a historical place of pain, agony and death to symbolize your feelings? Lynching is not a joke to off-handedly throw around and it is not a metaphor that has a place in political commentary; provocative or otherwise. I admit that I come from a place of personal outrage here having buried my 90 year-old grandfather last year. This proud, amazing African-American man raised his family and lived through the time when he had to use separate water fountains, ride in the back of a bus, take his wife on a date to the "colored section" of a movie theater, and avert his eyes when a white woman walked down the street for fear of what a white man and his cronies might do if they felt the urge to "party"; don't tell me that the phrase you chose, Mr. O'Reilly, was taken out of context.

To add insult to injury, O'Reilly tried to "clarify" his statements, by using the excuse that his comments were reminiscent of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' use of the term "high-tech lynching" during his confirmation hearing. I reject that analogy. You see Justice Thomas did mean to bring up the image of lynching in its racist context. He was saying that politics and the media were using a new technology to do to him what had been done to black men for many years -- hang him. Regardless of if you agreed with Justice Thomas' premise or not, if in fact -- Bill O'Reilly was referencing it -- the context becomes even clearer.

What annoys me more than anything is that I get the feeling that one of the reasons Bill O'Reilly made this statement, thinking he could get away with it in the first place, and then followed it up with a lame apology in a half-hearted attempt to smooth any ruffled feathers, is because he doesn't think that black women will come out and go after him when he goes after us. Well, he's dead wrong. Be clear Bill O'Reilly: there will be no lynch party for that black woman. And this black woman assures you that if you come for her, you come for all of us.

Comments

[ranchobob]

People who are sane and persons of moral and intellectual character must band together and get people like O'reilly off the airwaves. Not by curtailing their free speech, not by intrusion of "big government" but by, as Ms. jones has done, exposing and challenging these sewage spewers at every turn until they are shown to be the vicious, mindless, hate mongers they are.
There are plenty of reasonable conservatives in the media, David Brooks, George F. Will, Tucker Carlson, to name a few. I may not agree with them, but I read them, and I do so because I think they have arrived at their point of view by a process of REASON, and this is America and they have a right to be heard. But the air waves are supposed to be a public resource, and the public should clean it up by voting with our feet and our dollars.

[StephenCRose]

We're whistling in the wind folks. Maybe we need to figure some way to get Rupert M. to lower the hammer. Roger Ailes of Willie Horton fame has no interest in doing it. We're just lucky we have a little democracy left to counter this crap. If we didn't, this would be Germany 1936 and counting. And O'Reilly would be ... Best, S

[michaelofthemeadow]

I'm glad you never said anything errant when you were on The View or this might be ironic.

[surfcitysteven]

His words of hate were printed on the internet as well. If he thinks that the internet needs more "policing", he should be the first one arrested for spewing hate on the internet.

[Artfulvision]

Thank You Star...... If only we could use this as a teachable moment. Sit Billy Boy on the couch in front of the nation, give him a history lesson and then have him right his wrong. That's the only way children learn from their mistakes.

[Dansden]

The oproble is NOT O'Peilly, it's FOX SPEWS- we all know that!

It is the corporate entity that encourages racism, prejudice and advantage where they can get away with it- FOX SPEWS have fewer intelligent audiences with a more base mentality of prejudice, reactionary regressive attitudes and mean-spirited commentary that seeks to debase, destroy and degenerate into yellow journalism disguised as real journalism, but when you have the audience that FOX SPEWS has, it is no wonder thay can spew such trash as O'Reilly, Hannity, and their host of bottom-feeder commentary ranters..
if you love The Three Stooges type comedy you'll feel at home with FOX SPEWS!

[butch5]

Well said. It is not just chicken hawk O'Reilly. It is the whole network which tacitly encourages this type of hateful rhetoric. Hannity, Limbaugh, Grant, Levin, take your pick.As a kid I use to wonder how Hitler and his cohorts were able to get so many people to standby and do nothing while they were committing their tyranny. As a 67 yr old I am no longer mystified.

[realpolitic]

Good analogy.

[gonavy]

Let me clear that I stopped watching Fox news years ago for all of the reasons stated here.

But I just have to point out that when someone does not agree with the liberal views on this site, we are told to go away, we are told to change the channel, and we are called every name imaginable. You liberals like to pull out the First Amendment card when it suit you, but put it away when you get offended.

O'Reilly has a show because he has viewers and it makes money. So if you do not like it, change the channel and go read the First Amendment

[realpolitic]

Shall I take out the first amendment card now or put it away?

[foxygarcia]

All of us women... black and white.

[CatfishJohn]

.....ms. jones, if it has not already been mentioned..bill O'reilly is from long island , new york. depsite its nyc radius "panache", lewt me assure you white ethnic ( i..e irish, italian ) racists are a dime a dozen on long island..the "N-word" is their test-kit..if you allow them to use it in fornt of you, you then can and will hear racism with a new york accent as virulent as anythign you will hear with a southern accent...racism has bene long island's not so secret secret for decades...o'reilly is just a loud exemplification of the many in nassau and suffolk counties....

[butch5]

Yes, Catfish John is exactly right. I live on Long Island and know from where he speaks. I am a 67yr old former Marine, retired cop and Black.

Yes, O'Reilly comes from Levitown, that bastion of White supremacy and exclusivity. It was borne out of discrimination and remains to this day as a haven for White folks only.

Created after World War II with government funds for the returning vets it excluded Black vets.

Black folks and Whites who are God fearing only need to fear O'Reilly if he is with a group and has his hood over his head because he is really a hypocritcal punk. He would not even go to court to defend his own character against sex harassment allegations. He settled out of court before the trial.

[realpolitic]

Yes, it is ironic that you know Long Island and speak of Levittown as an island of exclusivity. O'Reilly always describes his upbringing as hardscrabble and rough. He likes to maintain a fantasy that he overcame the odds. He even once tried to compare his upbringing with that of Mike Tyson who is from Brownsville, Brooklyn one of the toughest neighborhoods in NYC. O'Reilly likes to create a mythology surrounding himself, as many did with George Bush.

[cybersense]

There are no words that I can describe that would explain the disgust I feel for this network, or for Bill. It is so important we treat people with respect. This is supposed to be America. We are supposed to have that respect for all people. I really understand why Star took this, and I am really glad she did! I am white, but hell if I want this crap going on. This has no way has anything to do how I feel about the campaign. It has to do with the behavior of how certain people act and their misconceived notion that because they are on FOX they can behave any way they want to. What an idiot!

[BinBaldwin]

Its a term used to denote a pile on now. Enough of the FAKE OUTRAGE. Its Nonsense.

[GoodbyeKitty]

Time for Miss Jones to quit her day job, and move into the social/political arena.

[GoodbyeKitty]

You just gained a huge fan

[shugswoman]

And this white woman will be standing next to you Starr, fighting with you. Ignorance and racism, as well as all the other evil attitudes in this world can only be overcome by making a stand against it. Turn off FOX and write letter to anyone who pays their bills--let them know this type of behavior is inexcusable.

[ontheroad38]

Bravo to you Star. Never was a great fan of yours before but this response to a horrible inappropriate statement is right on and impressive. Thanks for standing up for us all who are insulted by O'Reilly's remarks - no matter what color skin we have.

[faust2001]

"Trust of the public"?

[Jacee]

This has been the story of the campaign. Not that O'Reilly would threaten a Dem candidate's wife, the presumptive next 1st Lady. Not that. To be expected, he is a sociopath.

The story was ignored. Completely. All around. was it too ugly, too frightening?

Do we now ignore threats of torture and bodily harm?

The nation needs to mount a campaign to ensure that Fox gets rid of O'Reily once and for all.