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Open Letter: Star Jones Checks Bill O'Reilly's Racist Remark
AOL Black Voices ^ | February 26, 2008 | Jawn Murray/Star Jones Reynolds

Posted on 02/27/2008 9:49:41 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet

Star Jones Reynolds has never been one to mince words. It's no wonder that when Bill O'Reilly's most recent controversial (see also: racist) comments about Michelle Obama, wife of Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama, were discovered by Media Matters, the TruTV legal analyst was infuriated!

O'Reilly, the curmudgeon host of Fox News Channel's 'The O'Reilly Factor,' was talking to a caller that was angry that Obama had said on C-Span that "for the first time in my adult lifetime, I'm really proud of my country."

The 58-year-old television commentator, who privately settled a sexual harassment lawsuit against him in 2004, responded to the caller by offering that of course they'd have to check the facts first.

He said: "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 is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever - then that's legit. We'll track it down."

"Lynching party? Track it down?"

In the words of Whitney Houston: "Hell to the naw!"

Even better are the prolific words of Reynolds.

With her permission, The BV Buzz is running the current 'Today Show' legal contributor and the former 'The View' host's entire 'Open Letter' about Bill O'Reilly.

"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 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." -- Star Jones Reynolds


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Illinois; US: New York
KEYWORDS: africanamericans; barackhusseinobama; barackobama; billoreilly; blacks; bor; clarencethomas; cultofpersonality; cw2; democraticparty; democratparty; democrats; election; electionpresident; elections; foxnews; howtostealanelection; husseinobama; lynching; michelleobama; noose; obama; race; racebaiting; racerelations; raceriots; racism; saulalinsky; soros; starjonesreynolds; talkradio; television; ubersensitive; yellowjournalism
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I use the phrase “call the spade a spade” every once in a while. I wonder if that means I am a racist?


101 posted on 02/28/2008 12:51:16 AM PST by LukeL
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To: LibLieSlayer
We actually have FReepers that are really “obamacuns”.

Comment:

To actually be able to pull the trigger ...errrr...lever in the voting booth for Obama is the height of total air headed stupidity.

What I am going to ask to you may sound racists but it is a question needing answered.

Some have asked Obama supporters to name anything he has accomplished as a politician.

Well I ask in the last thousand years how many great nations can be named off hand that were led by a black leader?

I can name several recent self sufficient nations that their white leaders were replaced by blacks and have slid off into the oblivion of third world obscurity, Zimbabwe and South Africa come to mind.

Just how would Obama be as a leader.

In my opinion not a very good one because without strength of a strong military most nations use negotiation only to lull the unsuspecting nation into a trap.

Obama will if given the opportunity to be POTUS by air headed voters, take this nation to new lows.

102 posted on 02/28/2008 12:56:32 AM PST by OKIEDOC (Kalifornia, a red state wannabe. I don't take Ex Lax I just read the New York Times.)
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To: Rte66
Speaking of Saturday Night Live, this discussion reminds me of the classic "Racist Word Association" skit with Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor.

Can't quickly find it on youtube, but here's the transcript for it

103 posted on 02/28/2008 1:11:25 AM PST by CardCarryingMember.VastRightWC
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To: Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh
She’s black. Lynching has an undeniable racial connotation in our country.

When I was growing up the term "lynching party" was when the towensfolk were going to break into the jail and hang the accused prisoners with out benifit if a trial. There was no racial connotation to it at all.

104 posted on 02/28/2008 1:12:40 AM PST by Old Seadog (Inside every old person is a young person saying "WTF happened?".)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

Some “black activists” steadily use the tools of frustration and racism to set the obama crowds against hese challengers ...
And it’s used here as a backfire to make people forget the BAD WORDS,ANTI AMERICAN STATEMENT from Michelle OBAMA.
All the critics against Obama should be considered like racists....
Think its only the beginning of the hysterical crisis of the Obama’s worshippers!

Don’t surrender!


105 posted on 02/28/2008 1:54:27 AM PST by Ulysse (freedom is not free)
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To: CaptRon
I’m with you on this one ... I never in my life ever considered the word ‘lynch’ to be racially exclusive. Yes I am aware that runaway Negro slaves were sometimes hanged, but so were cattle rustlers, horse thieves, and other socially aberrant folks. And I am reasonably sure they were not all blacks!

Political Correctness will destroy this country.

106 posted on 02/28/2008 1:55:42 AM PST by ByteMercenary (9-11: supported everywhere by followers of the the cult of islam.)
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To: Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh

Strange isnt it? I’m a Brit and the phraseology he uses has no such connotation to me. It sounds like a perfectly reasonable comment and, in fact, a voice of moderation against jumping to conclusions about Michelle Obama.


107 posted on 02/28/2008 1:56:52 AM PST by Vanders9
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To: Old Seadog

Oddly, modern cowboys and modern criminals dont have the same reaction to “lynching” as do modern blacks.


108 posted on 02/28/2008 2:07:23 AM PST by Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh
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To: 2ndDivisionVet; Liberty Valance

Maroons!

Approximately 25% of the people hung under the era of lynch law were white males... usually Republicans or such.


109 posted on 02/28/2008 2:11:12 AM PST by Brucifer (G. W. Bush "The dog ate my copy of the Constitution.")
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
And this black woman assures you that if you come for her, you come for all of us.

Identity politics at its finest!
110 posted on 02/28/2008 2:19:34 AM PST by GodBlessRonaldReagan (Big dog, big dog, bow-wow-wow! We'll crush crime, now, now, now!)
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To: Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh
...She’s black. Lynching has an undeniable racial connotation in our country.

The word also has another connotations --- its defined meaning. Because blacks have ascribed a negative connotation to it are we to quit using the word? Truthfully, it probably wasn't a good thing to say "on-air," but who the hell is Star Jones to be the "forbidden word Nazi?" She's black? That sounds to me like we have a protected class in this country to whom all must answer. It wasn't the fact that he used "lynching" it was the fact that he was saying something, potentially bad, about Mrs. Obama and "Star" was too stupid to stop and do what she should have done -- think a little.

111 posted on 02/28/2008 2:24:37 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: Lizavetta
Here's what she looks like now, with husband Al Reynolds.
112 posted on 02/28/2008 2:28:50 AM PST by Mila
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To: 2ndDivisionVet

I am sick to death of Star Jones BS or any of the today angry blacks who never paid the price their ancestor did.

I feel for their ancestors but have no need of today children who many got the red carpet treatment for the last 40 years!


113 posted on 02/28/2008 2:29:46 AM PST by restornu (Maybe your are a church mouse! cheese cheese...)>)
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To: 2ndDivisionVet
"Track it down"???

Pretty soon we won't be able to say vinegar.

114 posted on 02/28/2008 2:41:16 AM PST by rvoitier (Remember, she's just Mrs. Bill Clinton)
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To: pandoraou812
And quite frankly, should we care what LW blacks think? They don’t vote for us, so who cares? Everyone is sick of their whining. And vicimization. If you look at the crime stats, blacks victimize the rest of the country.
115 posted on 02/28/2008 2:43:15 AM PST by societygirl
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To: Rte66
Poor Jackie must have rolled in her grave. As if she didn’t have enough trouble on earth with sleaze ball JFK.
116 posted on 02/28/2008 2:45:10 AM PST by societygirl
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To: Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh
She’s black. Lynching has an undeniable racial connotation in our country.

Pure rubbish. Just because it has a racial connotation amongst racists doesn't mean none racists have to be subjecated to their every whim.

What a disgusting, desperate, flailing attempt to paint an entire race as ***victims***, so incapable of standing on their own two feet that they actualy identify a method of murder or vigilante justice that has happened to EVERY RACE KNOWN TO MAN with the color of their own skin.

Who would want to think so low of their race that they'd want to slap that label on 'em?

I refuse to be manipulated by race baiting skin pimps, and so should BOR.

117 posted on 02/28/2008 2:45:28 AM PST by 4woodenboats (defendourtroops.org defendourmarines.org)
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To: pandoraou812
Jackie was slender, well-spoken, and beautifully dressed. Skank Obama can’t come close. Jackie would NEVER make stupid remarks about how she was never proud of her country. Jackie loved her country. Ms. Obama will destroy her husband. I say we let her keep talking.
118 posted on 02/28/2008 2:50:10 AM PST by societygirl
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To: A CA Guy
If he told her to go clean the toilet or make the bed, he would be out of line, lol.
119 posted on 02/28/2008 2:51:43 AM PST by societygirl
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To: maine-iac7

Good grief, White folk will soon not dare open their mouths...

Want to bet?


120 posted on 02/28/2008 2:53:22 AM PST by societygirl
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