Larissa
11th February 2003, 11:38
(I'm posting this on behalf of a colleague of mine)
Fox News Network is the biggest cable news channel in the United States. Its principal political commentator is a gentleman by the name of Bill O'Reilly. Today he urged viewers to tell their children that war is necessary. "My bootcamp was September 11." I'm quoting from memory, so this may not be entirely verbatim. Here's what Mr. O'Reilly said the on Feb. 7:
"Of course, overseas, nothing the USA could say would change the minds of the French, Germans and Chinese, who want bad things to happen to us... Now, I'm getting real tired of ignorant Americans blasting their country when they're clueless about history and geopolitics. Many of the loudest voices of dissent are also the dumbest voices.The truth is that America must now protect itself against fanatics who hate freedom and knowledge. And we must protect the world without the help of cowardly countries like France and Germany, and opportunistic countries like China and Russia. The task is almost impossible, but if anyone can do it, we can." On Feb. 3, Mr. O'Reilly said: "Americans also know that countries like France, Germany, Canada, and Russia have given Saddam hope. They are, in effect, Saddam enablers. If the West had shown a united front against Saddam, he'd already be out of there. So it will be interesting to see how Mr. Bush deals with enablers, and Mexico is included in that group."
On Jan. 30: "So if President Bush is going to remove Saddam Hussein from power, I'm going to support that because I have an obligation to protect my family. I think most Americans see it that way."
Mr. O'Reilly is one of the most influential men in America. He calls his show a "no spin zone." Here's an account of a recent interview:
"bill o'reilly attacks 9/11 family member by Not in Our Name - February 07, 2003
Fox News' Bill O'Reilly Threatens Physical Assault On and Ejects a 9/11 Family Member From His Show
On February 4th, during a live interview on the Fox News program "The O'Reilly Factor," media personality Bill O'Reilly verbally attacked Jeremy M. Glick, a signer of the Not In Our Name "Statement of Conscience" whose father was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Bill O'Reilly has referred to the signers of the Statement as "anti-American" and has said they should be "held accountable" for the expression of their dissenting
opinion. After cutting short the interview Bill O'Reilly threatened Mr. Glick, a professor at Rutgers University and teacher in the state prisons system, with physical violence.
The following day, Bill O'Reilly continued his attacks on Mr. Glick by falsely claiming that Mr. Glick "was out of control and spewing hatred." The transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor" itself shows that these statements are wrong. What Mr. Glick said was "Why would I want to further brutalize and punish the people of Afghanistan." "The people of Afghanistan didn't kill my father," and the CIA ". that trained a hundred thousand Mujahedeen" bore some responsibility. Mr. Glick remained calm, focused and dignified throughout the entire show. The video shows it was Bill O'Reilly that lost his composure. After the interview he told Mr. Glick to "Get out, get out of my studio before I tear you to f**king pieces!"
Mr. Glick was invited to the Fox News show after the January 27th appearance of Miles Solay, a NION Project spokesperson. Solay's interview was prompted by that day's publication in the New York Times of the Statement of Conscience, which has been signed by over 50,000 Americans, including Howard Zinn, Susan Sarandon, Edward Asner, Martin Sheen and Cornel West, to name a few noteworthy signers. The statement, which Le Monde called the "sacred text of the anti-war movement," has been published in over 40 journals and newspapers across the US, and 7 countries internationally.
On the 1/27 show, Bill O'Reilly challenged Mr. Solay that "Nobody signed this from September 11th." Mr. Solay pointed out that Jeremy M. Glick, among others who had suffered family loss on 9/11, had signed the Statement. Mr. Glick accepted an invitation to the show to explain why he had signed a document that reads in part: "We believe that people of conscience must take responsibility for what their own governments do."
During the interview Mr. Glick endured verbal barrages like, ". I don't really care what you think," ".so you keep you mouth shut," and "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up."
End of quote. Actually, I heard Mr. O'Reilly refer to the signatories of the "Not in Our Name" declaration as un-American. A term with a weighty pedigree.
...any comments?
(Edited by Larissa at 8:40 am on Feb. 11, 2003)
Fox News Network is the biggest cable news channel in the United States. Its principal political commentator is a gentleman by the name of Bill O'Reilly. Today he urged viewers to tell their children that war is necessary. "My bootcamp was September 11." I'm quoting from memory, so this may not be entirely verbatim. Here's what Mr. O'Reilly said the on Feb. 7:
"Of course, overseas, nothing the USA could say would change the minds of the French, Germans and Chinese, who want bad things to happen to us... Now, I'm getting real tired of ignorant Americans blasting their country when they're clueless about history and geopolitics. Many of the loudest voices of dissent are also the dumbest voices.The truth is that America must now protect itself against fanatics who hate freedom and knowledge. And we must protect the world without the help of cowardly countries like France and Germany, and opportunistic countries like China and Russia. The task is almost impossible, but if anyone can do it, we can." On Feb. 3, Mr. O'Reilly said: "Americans also know that countries like France, Germany, Canada, and Russia have given Saddam hope. They are, in effect, Saddam enablers. If the West had shown a united front against Saddam, he'd already be out of there. So it will be interesting to see how Mr. Bush deals with enablers, and Mexico is included in that group."
On Jan. 30: "So if President Bush is going to remove Saddam Hussein from power, I'm going to support that because I have an obligation to protect my family. I think most Americans see it that way."
Mr. O'Reilly is one of the most influential men in America. He calls his show a "no spin zone." Here's an account of a recent interview:
"bill o'reilly attacks 9/11 family member by Not in Our Name - February 07, 2003
Fox News' Bill O'Reilly Threatens Physical Assault On and Ejects a 9/11 Family Member From His Show
On February 4th, during a live interview on the Fox News program "The O'Reilly Factor," media personality Bill O'Reilly verbally attacked Jeremy M. Glick, a signer of the Not In Our Name "Statement of Conscience" whose father was killed in the World Trade Center on 9/11. Bill O'Reilly has referred to the signers of the Statement as "anti-American" and has said they should be "held accountable" for the expression of their dissenting
opinion. After cutting short the interview Bill O'Reilly threatened Mr. Glick, a professor at Rutgers University and teacher in the state prisons system, with physical violence.
The following day, Bill O'Reilly continued his attacks on Mr. Glick by falsely claiming that Mr. Glick "was out of control and spewing hatred." The transcript from "The O'Reilly Factor" itself shows that these statements are wrong. What Mr. Glick said was "Why would I want to further brutalize and punish the people of Afghanistan." "The people of Afghanistan didn't kill my father," and the CIA ". that trained a hundred thousand Mujahedeen" bore some responsibility. Mr. Glick remained calm, focused and dignified throughout the entire show. The video shows it was Bill O'Reilly that lost his composure. After the interview he told Mr. Glick to "Get out, get out of my studio before I tear you to f**king pieces!"
Mr. Glick was invited to the Fox News show after the January 27th appearance of Miles Solay, a NION Project spokesperson. Solay's interview was prompted by that day's publication in the New York Times of the Statement of Conscience, which has been signed by over 50,000 Americans, including Howard Zinn, Susan Sarandon, Edward Asner, Martin Sheen and Cornel West, to name a few noteworthy signers. The statement, which Le Monde called the "sacred text of the anti-war movement," has been published in over 40 journals and newspapers across the US, and 7 countries internationally.
On the 1/27 show, Bill O'Reilly challenged Mr. Solay that "Nobody signed this from September 11th." Mr. Solay pointed out that Jeremy M. Glick, among others who had suffered family loss on 9/11, had signed the Statement. Mr. Glick accepted an invitation to the show to explain why he had signed a document that reads in part: "We believe that people of conscience must take responsibility for what their own governments do."
During the interview Mr. Glick endured verbal barrages like, ". I don't really care what you think," ".so you keep you mouth shut," and "Shut up. Shut up. Shut up."
End of quote. Actually, I heard Mr. O'Reilly refer to the signatories of the "Not in Our Name" declaration as un-American. A term with a weighty pedigree.
...any comments?
(Edited by Larissa at 8:40 am on Feb. 11, 2003)