Racist,ignorant, or misunderstood? O'Reilly remarks

[eclectics]

But my point is that there is no context in which it is appropriate to exclaim with mock-incredulity that by-golly those black people are just like us!

It was O'Reilly's tone (reeking of condescension and noblesse oblige) that irritated me as much as his actual words.

ITA.

 

[salmoneous]

Sharpton - good.

Who do you think has said that Sharpton spewing racism is good?

Racist comments and the promotion of it are always wrong whether they are delivered by someone white or someone black. This is my view, but I don't feel my views about racism are shared by many on this thread.

I bet almost if not everyone on this board agrees with what you said above. Who do you think doesn't? Or do you have some other views on racism that you think aren't shared by many?

 

[shortbun]

Misunderstood. Read the transcript with Juan Williams. O'Rielly was trying to communicate how he was impressed with the Real African American Culture rather what is portrayed by Rappers. Al Sharpton will be on Tomorrow and I am sure this will be discussed. Why not tune in, or would you rather have media matters do your thinking for you.

Bill O'reilley sure won't be doing my thinking!!!
If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck and looks like a duck....it's a duck.

 

[pansmermaidzlagoon]

But my point is that there is no context in which it is appropriate to exclaim with mock-incredulity that by-golly those black people are just like us!

It was O'Reilly's tone (reeking of condescension and noblesse oblige) that irritated me as much as his actual words.

that's it exactly!!!!

 

[salmoneous]

Again I have read the transcript of the Radio Program. Again, I believe that O'Rielly was misunderstood. He spoke about how his grandmother had the opinion based upon Rappers, and how she was wrong.

Here's what he said: I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. Notice - *he* couldn't over it. Not his grandmother would have been surprised. He was surprised I don't know any way to take his statements other than O'Reilly was shocked that black people weren't acting different.

I think that their opinions will only lean one way to discredit the people they report on.

What they do is report what people say. By "discredit" O'Reilly, I assume you mean "quote him verbatim." How dare they!

 

[Fitswimmer]

"Launched in May 2004, Media Matters for America put in place, for the first time, the means to systematically monitor a cross section of print, broadcast, cable, radio, and Internet media outlets for conservative misinformation — news or commentary that is not accurate, reliable, or credible and that forwards the conservative agenda — every day, in real time."


Now we here we have a Media Watchdog that only watch's certain sort of Media, I guess there are no problems with other opinions. With an agenda of only viewing conservatives outlets, I think that their opinions will only lean one way to discredit the people they report on. But Hey it must be fact since it was reported by such a Fair and Balanced Org like this one. I really feel for poeple now who has to be told how to think by Orgs like this and Move On. I wonder how many will watch O'Rielly tonight with Al Sharpton. Or wait for the Mediamatters reports tomorrow to understand what really happened.

What media matters does is take the DIRECT quotes and research to see if the statements are factual. Sure, they're doing it from a liberal POV, but as long as they are using the actual quotes and using FACTS to debunk those quotes, I've got no problem. I don't read them daily, but when I have looked there they have used non-partisan information for their research, and they post the links so you can read the information for yourself and draw your own conclusions.

I don't know if there is a group out there monitoring people like Keith Olberman and Randi Rhodes, but I would have no issue with a conservative organization doing that if they were doing it the same way media matters is.

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I have a question for African-American DISers. I will hope to pose it as sensitively as possible. Does it make you just a little irritated when we (white people) behave as though we have to jump to the forefront of an issue and either dictate or validate how YOU should feel -as if somehow you were not allowed to make of this what you will on your own?

I ask this question because as I check out the media the last couple of days what I see is mostly a lot of white people explaining how terrible O'Reilly's comments were, or how he was ignorant, or how he is racist, etc etc ad nauseum. I confess that I myself jumped right on here yesterday (somewhere upthread) and wrote how I thought O'Reilly was ignorant. I don't know that it was the right thing for me to do.

I'm just trying to do a little thinking beyond the surface of the issue here.

 

[HakunaMatata2]

Who do you think has said that Sharpton spewing racism is good?

I bet almost if not everyone on this board agrees with what you said above. Who do you think doesn't? Or do you have some other views on racism that you think aren't shared by many?

My comment pretty clearly stated that racism is unacceptable regardless of who is spewing it. However, I have read posts that repeatedly criticize O'Reilly and people like Imus and rightfully so, but how many threads can you find on this board that criticize the racist promotions by Sharpton and Jackson?

O'Reilly and Imus were pretty blatant in their comments, but they don't solely rely on racism to earn a living. Sharpton and Jackson do. If racism were to instantly diappear in this country, these two would be out of a job. I don't have respect for any of these people. The difference I see is that O'Reilly and Imus presented their racists views very clearly and they have been and will be dealt with accordingly. Sharpton and Jackson make their living as racists. I can't defend a racist regardless of color.

 

[Robinrs]

I have a question for African-American DISers. I will hope to pose it as sensitively as possible. Does it make you just a little irritated when we (white people) behave as though we have to jump to the forefront of an issue and either dictate or validate how YOU should feel -as if somehow you were not allowed to make of this what you will on your own?

I ask this question because as I check out the media the last couple of days what I see is mostly a lot of white people explaining how terrible O'Reilly's comments were, or how he was ignorant, or how he is racist, etc etc ad nauseum. I confess that I myself jumped right on here yesterday (somewhere upthread) and wrote how I thought O'Reilly was ignorant. I don't know that it was the right thing for me to do.

I'm just trying to do a little thinking beyond the surface of the issue here.

I see it as people talking about people. If this happened to any other group, I'd be jumping in, too. It's common sense, and that should have no racial barrier.

What bothers me is how some media channels, such as the Today Show this morning, had some pardon the expression "Tom" defending B O'R like he spoke for all of us. The highest form of respect is to realize that no one person speaks for all of anyone. Like my Mom once said about statistics and opinion polls "NO ONE ASKED ME."

 

[Zippa D Doodah]

I see it as people talking about people. If this happened to any other group, I'd be jumping in, too. It's common sense, and that should have no racial barrier.

What bothers me is how some media channels, such as the Today Show this morning, had some pardon the expression "Tom" defending B O'R like he spoke for all of us. The highest form of respect is to realize that no one person speaks for all of anyone. Like my Mom once said about statistics and opinion polls "NO ONE ASKED ME."

Guess we can return to the free-for-all then.

 

[salmoneous]

but how many threads can you find on this board that criticize the racist promotions by Sharpton and Jackson?

Tons - do you honestly think there aren't any? But what does that have to do with your claim that some people think racism from Sharpton is good. Who do you think believes that racism from Sharpton is good?

You also said you don't think many on this board agree with your thoughts on racism. You said that following a statement that you believe that racism is wrong from both black people and white. Was that the idea you think people don't agree with? Or is there something else?

 

[Christopher Robin]

What bothers me is how some media channels, such as the Today Show this morning, had some pardon the expression "Tom" defending B O'R like he spoke for all of us.

Uh

 

[va32h]

but how many threads can you find on this board that criticize the racist promotions by Sharpton and Jackson?

I have no idea but...why assume that it's part of some vast PC-conspiracy to ignore the "racist promotions" of one set of people while "taking out of context" the mere unfortunate statements of another.

Maybe the posters on this board don't get regular updates of "things Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson said today." Unlike O'Reilly, those men do not have major-network daily news programs.

I've never seen a post on the CB about the shocking racist statments made by this guy that my husband works with whom you have never met. So should I assume that this means you all endorse those statements? Of course not.

 

[HakunaMatata2]

Tons - do you honestly think there aren't any? But what does that have to do with your claim that some people think racism from Sharpton is good. Who do you think believes that racism from Sharpton is good?

You also said you don't think many on this board agree with your thoughts on racism. You said that following a statement that you believe that racism is wrong from both black people and white. Was that the idea you think people don't agree with? Or is there something else?

You claim that there are tons of people on these boards condemning Sharpton and Jackson for racist actions. My business doesn't let me get on these boards very often so I must have missed them.

The comment about folks 'not agreeing' refered to giving a 'pass' to some racists and not others. To me, a racist is a racist regardless of color; if you defend a racist, you are a racist.

 

[salmoneous]

Does it make you just a little irritated when we (white people) behave as though we have to jump to the forefront of an issue and either dictate or validate how YOU should feel -as if somehow you were not allowed to make of this what you will on your own?

I can't speak for any other white people, but I'm not saying black people should be offended by O'Reilly stupidity - I'm saying I'm disappointed that people are still that prejudiced and ignorant.

 

[Robinrs]

Tons - do you honestly think there aren't any? But what does that have to do with your claim that some people think racism from Sharpton is good. Who do you think believes that racism from Sharpton is good?

You also said you don't think many on this board agree with your thoughts on racism. You said that following a statement that you believe that racism is wrong from both black people and white. Was that the idea you think people don't agree with? Or is there something else?

Make that MEGA tons... weekly, daily, whenever anything concerning race is involved.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I have a question for African-American DISers. I will hope to pose it as sensitively as possible. Does it make you just a little irritated when we (white people) behave as though we have to jump to the forefront of an issue and either dictate or validate how YOU should feel -as if somehow you were not allowed to make of this what you will on your own?

I ask this question because as I check out the media the last couple of days what I see is mostly a lot of white people explaining how terrible O'Reilly's comments were, or how he was ignorant, or how he is racist, etc etc ad nauseum. I confess that I myself jumped right on here yesterday (somewhere upthread) and wrote how I thought O'Reilly was ignorant. I don't know that it was the right thing for me to do.

I'm just trying to do a little thinking beyond the surface of the issue here.

Who said anything about how anyone (regardless of color) should feel? I see a lot of people stating that they thought O'Reilly's remarks were ignorant and/or racist. I also don't think one's skin color should matter when stating an opinion. I have olive skin, so where do I fit in on all this?

 

[salmoneous]

You claim that there are tons of people on these boards condemning Sharpton and Jackson for racist actions. My business doesn't let me get on these boards very often so I must have missed them.

To get picky - I claimed there are tons of threads. But, yeah, in those threads you'll find lots of people condemning Sharpton. Do you honestly not believe me?

And I know I should let it go, but do you still believe that people think racism from Sharpton is good?

The comment about folks 'not agreeing' refered to giving a 'pass' to some racists and not others. To me, a racist is a racist regardless of color; if you defend a racist, you are a racist.

Again, who do you think is giving a pass to some racists? Who do you think disagrees with your statement that a racist is a racist regardless of color?

 

[va32h]

I ask this question because as I check out the media the last couple of days what I see is mostly a lot of white people explaining how terrible O'Reilly's comments were, or how he was ignorant, or how he is racist, etc etc ad nauseum. I confess that I myself jumped right on here yesterday (somewhere upthread) and wrote how I thought O'Reilly was ignorant. I don't know that it was the right thing for me to do.

Maybe they are explaining it to other white people who didn't think it was offensive?

I'm white. I've been in situations where everyone in a group of people was also white, and racist jokes or comments were made. On those occasions I've expressed my discomfort. And I've been told "why should you be offended - you arent (black, Jewish, Hispanic, gay, whatever the target group is)." And to that I've always said - "I'm offened because I'm a human being."

'Offended' is a word that now has a bad repuation. The connotation is that a person is whining or complaining or too sensitive when they state they are 'offended'.

Perhaps "irritated" is a better word? I don't know what to tell you.

O'Reilly's comments irritated me. They made me roll my eyes. They didn't surprise me one bit though, which is pretty sad.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I see it as people talking about people. If this happened to any other group, I'd be jumping in, too. It's common sense, and that should have no racial barrier.

What bothers me is how some media channels, such as the Today Show this morning, had some pardon the expression "Tom" defending B O'R like he spoke for all of us. The highest form of respect is to realize that no one person speaks for all of anyone. Like my Mom once said about statistics and opinion polls "NO ONE ASKED ME."

Holy Crap!!! Now, that is racist IMO, calling another black person a "Tom" or "Uncle Tom" for taking up for a white man.....

Why in the world do you feel he speaks for YOU, b/c he is black?! The man seemed to be talking for himself.