Bill O’Reilly. The man’s name alone stirs up a medley of emotional responses among many people: hatred, admiration, frustration, fear, gratitude and more. O’Reilly is an enigmatic person who seems to frustrate both sides of the political spectrum, but then a week later might have everybody saying “hear, hear!” with gusto.
However, his recent appearance on “The View” (which can be equally controversial in its own right) was one of those “frustration” moments.
“Muslims killed us on 9/11,” he said. Muslims. Not: “Muslim extremists” or “Muslim terrorists” or even, “some Muslims” to suggest it was a small group. Not even just “terrorists.” No. Apparently, all of Islam is guilty for the atrocities committed on that day.
The statement is not wrong. Yes, Muslims killed people on 9/11. Americans died on 9/11. Both are true statements. However, it is the use of the word “us,” that 9/11 was an affront to all Americans, and that it was committed simply by “Muslims.” The word “us” unifies all Americans, and thus also unifies all Muslims within the sentence.
The reasons this is such a frustrating statement are numerous. First and foremost, to suggest that all of Islam is guilty of the actions on 9/11 is simply offensive, both to me as a non-Muslim and to people in general. Did I kill Iraqis because the military of my country did? No, and just as well, my Muslim peers bear no responsibility for the events of 9/11. However, more importantly, it is frustrating because it is simply sensationalism. He said it to get a reaction (and if you actually watched the episode, you’d have seen Whoopi Goldberg swear, and then she and Joy Behar leave the set). It plays on the deep rooted bigotry that many people grappled with and still grapple with in the wake of 9/11. Worst of all, there are probably many people who would agree with him, and say, “Yeah, but… Muslims did kill us on 9/11!”
Remember the election of 2008. When it was even a slight possibility that Barack Obama was a secret Muslim, people (like O’Reilly) used it as evidence that he was unfit to be elected. Why? Because “Muslims killed us on 9/11!” They are not to be trusted. That is what those who brought up his possible faith in Islam said or meant: A Muslim could not be trusted with the Office of the President because all Muslims were guilty of murdering over three thousand people on Sept. 11th, 2001.
People like O’Reilly have a responsibility to the public to be honest. Bill O’Reilly is, whatever you think of him personally, an obviously intelligent man. He may believe that it is inappropriate to have any type of establishment relating to Islam located near Ground Zero. That is a perfectly valid feeling. However, he does not truly believe that all Muslims are guilty of killing people on 9/11. He says it to incense people — it riles up the people who agree with him into saying, “Yes! That’s why it’s wrong!” and it offends enough people who disagree into saying, “I can’t deal with people like him.” He is dishonest. He is sensational, and he does it so that when his show comes on the next day, all those people who watched “The View” will tune in for “The O’Reilly Factor” on Fox 11.
Is it a successful tactic to pull in television ratings? Sure. Does it make O’Reilly a good man who’s just honest about how he feels? No. It simply reminds me that whenever I find myself agreeing with Bill O’Reilly, it’s by sheer coincidence, and does not mean that he is any better a man than he was the last time I thought about him. He certainly speaks for a lot of people. Luckily for the rest of us, we do not have to watch his show and can tune into Bill Maher’s instead.
Your statement “Did I kill Iraqis because the military of my country did?” is an unstable foundation for a specious argument.
When you are a citizen of a democratic republic and your country goes to war, yes, you share culpability for the actions of your country. Just as the Japanese and German people shared culpability for the actions of their governments prior to and during World War II.
Without the support of it’s citizenry, a country cannot function, at least not for very long.
In the course of islamic history Muslims have killed about 300 million innocent kafirs (non-Muslims) and almost all caliphs (their supreme leaders). Genocide is their way of life because they follow Sunna (the example of an illiterate warlord called Muhammad). Muhammad is called uswa hasana (the model of conduct) and al-insan al-kamil (the perfect man). All outrageous Muslim customs (e.g., terror, lying, beheading, rape, pedophilia, misogyny and illiteracy) originate in the Sunna. Arabs are the most illiterate people in the world because they are the most pure Muslims. There is only one non-violent Islamic sect: Universal Sufism. Ahmadiyyas and Ismailiyahs… Read more »
Did we call the Japanese or the Germans JAPANESE TERRORISTS OR GERMAN TERROISTS we just referred to them as JAPANESE OR GERMANS THIS IS NOT RIGHT I AGREE WITH BILL O’REILLY WE ARE SO AFRAID OF POLITICAL CORRECTNESS TO A FAULT.
BARBARA ALSO MENTIONED NOT TO BRING OBAMA INTO IT WHY NOT HE QUICKLY GOT INTO IT WHEN HE WANTED TO MAKE A POINT WITH THE CAMBRIDGE POLICE OFFICER TO CALL HIM A RACIST SO IT IS ONLY WRONG WHEN A CONSERVATIVE DOES IT BUT IF A LIBERAL DOES ANYTHING IT IS NOT WRONG.
Yes, we do call the Japanese “the Japanese” and the Germans “the Germans”. We call them this because we were at war with the countries. World War I, Germany declared war on the US late 1917. World War II, both Japan and Germany declared war on America, Japan on December 7th, 1941, and Germany not long after. Who have declared war on America and her allies this time? The Taliban, a sect of Muslim extremists. America and her allies are not fighting all Muslims, as not all Muslims are a part of the taliban. Hence we call the Japanese “the… Read more »
Bill O’Reilly is one of those people who loves to hear himself talk, but at the same time, lacks that little filter between brain and mouth that regulates what should and should not be said. He has no variable for adjustment when it comes to his statements. I’m sure in his mind, he was referring to the Muslims that were actually involved in the 9/11 terrorist attacks, but it came out in the context of *all* Muslims, because however intelligent the man may be, he’s still an idiot when it comes to the concept of tact. I mean, even when… Read more »
Have any of you people woken up to the fact that the haters, the reverse racists, the anarchists, and the socialists have more say in this country than you do??? Have you realized yet that while all all of the above revolutionaries who are the most vociferous are nothing in comparison to the real enemy that works intelligently within the rules of the system. Whittling away nationalistic pride, filling the publics heads with fluff pieces about multiculturalism and the peaceful message that calls for “understanding” …These revolutionaries are the most dangerous, they make sure the revolution will not be televised..not… Read more »
This is just a friendly suggestion, but the next time you type out such a long, obviously well thought out post…you might wanna try actually SAYING something. Big words + long paragraphs /=/ Intelligent posts. Just sayin’.
who care i like bill oreilly and all others sometimes mr bill does go overboard but hes an ass in his own way go keith olberman
Really all that matters is the first amendment. It gives O.Reilly the freedom to say what he likes, and it also gives people the right to build their mosque anywhere they like.
Free speech does not stop when you hear or see something you do not like, that is where it begins.
people watch the view? bill oreilly is the man! f these b’s in the a
Bill OReilly saying “Muslims attacked us on 9-11” is not bigotry its a DESCRIPTION.
Islam is at war with us whether you want to believe it or not. Sooner, or later, you will have no choice whether it’s true or not as it will be staring you straight in the face.
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com/Pages/Quran-Hate.htm
Islam isn’t at war with us any more than Christianity is at war with abortion clinics. That’s why religion is for idiots. You get these people who think they’re doing “god’s work” and they end up killing dozens in the name of their invisible deity. What a crock.
99.99% of all terrorist attacks made in a name of religion all have MUSLIMS to thank for…I don’t see anything wrong with what O’Reilly said. After all…The evidence – the only evidence – proves beyond any doubt that “good” Muslims are terrorists because Muhammad, Islam’s lone prophet and Allah’s singular voice, was a ruthless and dedicated terrorist and pedophile himself! I can’t wait for the day when that is said on national television!! Islamic militants, which liberal apologists call “insurgents” today, are actually “good” Muslims, not bad ones. The jihadists haven’t corrupted Islam, hijacked their religion, nor interpreted it incorrectly,… Read more »
You know what? You’re right. The Crusades never happened. Neither did the Inquisition, or the Salem Witch Trials, or the Red Scare. You’re totally right, Muslims are the sole perpetrators of religious, dogmatic violence in history. Thanks for opening my eyes.