Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

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
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 221-234 next last
To: I'm ALL Right!

“Sounds to me like Star is a racist herself.”

Big time.


141 posted on 02/28/2008 3:55:23 AM PST by ought-six
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Mad_Tom_Rackham

“The Left is salivating for civil war.”

And, you know what? They’re going to get it. And, they’re going to get their collective ass kicked.


142 posted on 02/28/2008 3:57:13 AM PST by ought-six
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

This is RIDICULOUS!

When I hear “lynching”, I alwasy think of COWBOY movies, NOT lynchings of freed slaves.

If the black folk are upset by the word “lynch”, the the Mormons should be upset by it, too, since their prophet, Joseph Smith, was KILLED by a lynch mob.


143 posted on 02/28/2008 4:00:35 AM PST by Westbrook (Having more children does not divide your love, it multiplies it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: I'm ALL Right!
"Sounds to me like Star is a racist herself."

Myself, I get more of a "Look at me, See I am relevant!" kind of thing from Star Jones.

144 posted on 02/28/2008 4:04:10 AM PST by Mad Dawgg ("`Eddies,' said Ford, `in the space-time continuum.' `Ah,' nodded Arthur, `is he? Is he?'")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Lizavetta

I think (Star) needs to refrain from ordering those multiple barrels of KFC.

“One’s health is a terrible thing to waste.” Star should stop bying all that “barn-yard pimp” from those greedy corporate Americans.

The Corporate CIA operatives, under all those (Honkey Presidents)opened those KFCs, Popeyes and Churchs fried chicken establishments in an attempt to kill off the blacks residing in those areas with high cholesterol levels.

I believe Karl Rove is also responsible according to Calypso Louie, while orbiting in the “ Mothership # 19.”

Satire On The Spot,
NSNR


145 posted on 02/28/2008 4:05:34 AM PST by No Surrender No Retreat (Xin Loi My Boy!!!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
Star Jones

Is this the same Star Jones of the View? I think they started the liposuction with the nozzle in her ear.........

146 posted on 02/28/2008 4:08:40 AM PST by Hot Tabasco ( Don’t go messing with Smokey Taylor. He just bought a whole bunch of fresh ammo.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Consider the source. This was posted in a forum for White Hate.


147 posted on 02/28/2008 4:10:45 AM PST by Leftism is Mentally Deranged
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh
I have no idea, but he sure showed poor judgment She’s black. Lynching has an undeniable racial connotation in our country.

Horse sh!t This is just another ploy to suck up the very last drop of imaginary victimhood for the "See how we be mistreated?" "poor oppressed black" Michelle Obama as the wife of a corrupt politician from the Daley democratic political machine is hardly oppressed. In fact I wonder how long it's been since she and her husband received so much as a cent that honestly earned and not sucked out of taxpayers someplace or arranged as a "loan" from some political deal?

148 posted on 02/28/2008 4:11:32 AM PST by from occupied ga (Your most dangerous enemy is your own government,)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

"I am a lawyer!"

149 posted on 02/28/2008 4:14:34 AM PST by Sloth (If you took an oath to support & defend the U.S. Constitution, can you vote for its domestic enemy?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh

but he sure showed poor judgment.

Did he or are the complainers showing a disingenuous hypersensitivity?

I think the latter.


150 posted on 02/28/2008 4:16:25 AM PST by Adder (hialb)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: pandoraou812

Could be a real problem!

LLS


151 posted on 02/28/2008 4:22:32 AM PST by LibLieSlayer ("There is no conservative alternative in the race. It's just that simple." Rush Limbaugh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet; All

wow

what a bunch of pc nutjobs

and people who allow this demagogic crap spouted by jones and her ilk (jackson/sharpton, etc) to appear valid - they are sheeple

i guess if he had said ‘we’re going to burn her on this one’ they would have had him putting her on a cross in the yard

to me jones is a big-time race-baiter and the people who support people like her are ignorant

loudmouths and politicians on the left can make outrageous and provocative statements, and spread lies like the plague without concern, yet find one conservative or Christian that doubts the veracity or intent of a liberal and that conservative better batten down the hatches

I can only hope that there are enough true conservative people in congress to support filibusters for at least 4 years


152 posted on 02/28/2008 4:22:34 AM PST by jbp1 (be nice now)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
How niggardly of BO... he should have said she was ‘chained’ to the outdated, race-baiting attitudes of Farrakhan, Jackson and Sharpton.
153 posted on 02/28/2008 4:23:17 AM PST by johnny7 ("But that one on the far left... he had crazy eyes")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: OKIEDOC
If osamabama were pink with chartreuse polka dots... he would still be an inept air head leftist pushing marxism and sharia to every dumb-arse American that is gullible enough to fall for a sideshow... and there are about 50% that fit that definition!

LLS

154 posted on 02/28/2008 4:25:21 AM PST by LibLieSlayer ("There is no conservative alternative in the race. It's just that simple." Rush Limbaugh)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 102 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet

Z-z-z-z-z. Noose, lynch, hanging around the water cooler.


155 posted on 02/28/2008 4:26:37 AM PST by toddlintown (Michelle Obama; Teresa Heinz, minus the gin-soaked raisins.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lizavetta

Check her out now http://www.starjones.com/


156 posted on 02/28/2008 4:27:34 AM PST by toddlintown (Michelle Obama; Teresa Heinz, minus the gin-soaked raisins.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 45 | View Replies]

To: Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh
Lynching has an undeniable racial connotation in our country.

As a member of the race of white men who were lynched for rustling cattle, I am deeply offended. Especially when I think of my dear Father who died only seven years ago; and although he never experienced lynching himself, I am sure that he heard about it.

157 posted on 02/28/2008 4:30:47 AM PST by Ignatz (I am so jealous of these female teacher sex scandals. I didn't even get to bang the erasers!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: 2ndDivisionVet
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.

Someone please explain to me how the above statemens by ex-post-fatso Jones are NOT racist? They are far more offensive than BOR's statement in DEFENSE of Ms. Obamanation.

158 posted on 02/28/2008 4:33:35 AM PST by Ignatz (I am so jealous of these female teacher sex scandals. I didn't even get to bang the erasers!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh
This is utter crap. We are now to the point that we can not use a whole host of words in any paragraph, sentence or opinion if the context of that compilation of words refers to a black person.

translation: There is no substance to argue so I will call you a racist and thats easy to make stick.

America is lost without its right of free speech and free speech is currently curtailed under the auspices of “hate” crimes legislation and “politically correct” speech.

Walk by a group on many campuses or even in many towns and say “”hello Guys” and several lefties will spit then venom as to how you are sexist.

We will soon not be able to say the words “Black man/woman” in our conversation because we are white.

159 posted on 02/28/2008 4:35:35 AM PST by ICE-FLYER (God bless and keep the United States of America)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Mila
Probably both. She is most likely schizo.
160 posted on 02/28/2008 4:45:48 AM PST by societygirl
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 138 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 121-140141-160161-180 ... 221-234 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson