When I returned from living abroad, I was delighted to discover Bill O’Reilly on Fox News. Mr. O’Reilly’s no-holds-barred “right wing” commentary was a stark contrast to the proto-fascist statism of British broadcasting that I’d endured for more than a decade. But the more I watched the towering Empire Stater “opine,” the less I liked him or his message . . .
You don’t have to give credence to the charges of sexual harassment leveled against Mr. O’Reilly to conclude that he’s an egomaniacal bully. Just watch his show.
The Foxenator browbeats “interviewees,” panelists and correspondents with constant interruptions, heavily sprinkled with condescending and/or derisive remarks. He demeans his co-workers (O’Reilly’s petty snipes at Glenn Beck were particularly odious). He never honors his interview closer — “I’ll give you the last word.”
Why would he? It would detract from the main theme of Mr. O’Reilly’s “No Spin Zone”: BOR’s the ultimate arbiter of the truth.
The fact that millions of viewers who consider themselves conservatives are happy to surrender to The World According to Bill O’Reilly is pretty scary. Especially when you consider the fact that Mr. O’Reilly’s “truth” does not conform to conservative values.
Certainly not when it comes to the Second Amendment. A problem we’ve identified here many times. Here’s evidence, from our post Bill O’Reilly Bails on the Bill of Rights, Calls for Gun Control:
. . . the Second Amendment clearly states the government has a right to regulate militias, made up of individuals. They have that right in the name of public safety. Therefore, Congress should debate what kind of weapons should be available for public sale. And the states, the individual states, should decide what kind of carry laws are good for their own people.
Mr. O’Reilly has labelled the Oath Keepers’ oath an “extreme position” and stated his belief that gun confiscation is OK in an emergency (e.g. a hurricane). None of which is surprising, really. Elitists don’t support firearms freedom.
The People of the Gun should choose their champions carefully. While we wait to see what more President Trump can do for gun rights restoration, there’s no need to wait to see Mr. O’Reilly’s opinion on the Hearing Protection Act or National Reciprocity. As my cannoli-loving acquaintances in Rhode Island would say, Mr. O’Reilly is not a friend of ours.