by John Turner
Member since:
January 14, 2006

Follow-up on O'Reilly

January 21, 2006 09:40 AM EST
views: 15 | comments: 10
Bill O'Reilly has now taken to defaming people I know. Chris Graff, Jeffrey Amestoy, and Amy Davenport are all decent, intelligent people who know far more about the cases they take up than Mr. O'Reilly does about anything. But they have dared to disagree with him about Judge Edward Cashman and so O'Reilly thinks they are fair game for any distorted diatribe he decides to launch. I have tended to think of O'Reilly as a comedian and laugh off his name-calling. And that's still the position I generally take. Still, when you hear a media bully saying vicious things about your neighbors, it tends to shift your opinion a bit. Mr. Jefferson said we need not fear falsehood when truth is left free to combat it. But I wonder: is truth free in a world where a publicity hound like O'Reilly can blast his charges to millions and the people he slanders have little means even to reach hundreds? It's one of the more vexing questions of our time.
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Comments: 10

Carol Voigts Jan 21, 2006, 10:05am EST
Yes, I have wondered about the poisoning of minds that O'Reilly has the ability to do, and the lack of recourse anyone not on the airwaves have to defend themselves. Truly it is an unlevel playing field.
Diana Raabe Jan 21, 2006, 11:12am EST
Mr. Jefferson said we need not fear falsehood when truth is left free to combat it.

Great quote and very applicable here.
Seth Williams Jan 21, 2006, 11:44am EST
Could you add a little context? How did he defame them? Why does he even know about them--what have they done/not done to get his attention (especially in light of the fact that they have little power to reach people, as you stated)?
Dale Fisk Jan 21, 2006, 7:01pm EST
I wish we could write O'Reilly off as just an unscrupulous entertainer, but he is listened to by too many people. He is part of the Republican Noise Machine (see David Brock's excellent book by that name) that has cleverly usurped American media by pouring millions into right wing think tanks, TV and Radio networks, publications, and much more.

I think we DO need to fear falsehood when it is loose in a nation where money buys power and influence. Truth gets drowned out when rich conservatives like Rupert Murdoch buy up a majority of the media in America and diseminate lies and distortion. I believe truth always wins--eventually...but in the meantime, a lot of damage is done.

We all need to recognize the conservative propaganda machine for what it is and fight it with every ounce of energy we can. When conseratives attack the truth, they attack the very foundation of Democracy--an informed public.
Seth Williams Jan 21, 2006, 8:50pm EST
Oh Dale? And "liberals" never attack the truth? The media is all conservative? There is never any liberal bias? When I read your comment, I hear a repeating drumbeat:

conservative=bad! conservative=bad! conservative=bad!

Sorry, that's cartoonishly too simple. Conservatives aren't bad, they just don't agree with you.
Edward Shaw Jan 22, 2006, 12:33pm EST
O'Reilly is funny, all right, but to write him off as
a harmelss comedian could be a big mistake.
That's how people took Pat Robertson when
he started.
Rick Bettencourt Jan 23, 2006, 7:05pm EST
I actually like Bill O'Reilly. I think his opinion, albeit harsh, is fairly balanced. I don't agree with everything he says of course. I don't think anybody would but that's beside the point. Too many times we fall into the trap of creating an opinion based on an emotional feeling and not based on fact.

Bandit Talks
hugh kennsukkitt Jan 26, 2006, 12:09pm EST
gotta give oreilly credit for coming on tv everynight and acting like he is a CRUSADER for justice. i mean he stands tall for the rights of kids(however he seems to never mention all the children who have been exploited by members of the priesthood and the catholic church)religious freedom(for christians who have an invisible friend of course)domestic violence victims and many other victims who have had their rights violated by the "LIBERAL COURT system"! my main question is when is mr oreilly gonna let the american viewer hear his righteous stance on the subject of SEXUAL HARASSMENT. surely all of us have sisters,girlfriends and wives who are exposed to this garbage everyday and we would love to hear from him as it is apparent he is an expert on this subject since he was able to whip out his checkbook and make the WHOLE THING go away. just curious if he is still looking for someone to "use that falafel thing on!" LOL
PaulH W. Oct 8, 2006, 12:45am EDT
Hugh, real quick I came up with this article. I'm sure theres many more on O'Reillys point of view on priests.

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/cols/oreilly042202.asp

How often do you watch his show?
To :Edward Shaw...O'Reilly is funny, all right, but to write him off as
a harmelss comedian could be a big mistake.

It is also how the majority of the germans viewed Hilter at first

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