- 15 Oct 2010 15:05
#13524844
I have no idea why people watch "The View." It's basically a panel of gossiping women, none of which seems particularly smart with the exception of Barbara Walters. However what happened between O'Reilly and Behar/Goldberg did get a lot of media attention and the incident does raise an interesting point.
I have to say that although I believe O'Reilly could've phrased things better, his statement that "Muslims killed us on 9/11" is entirely accurate. The 9/11 hijackers were Muslim extremists therefore they were Muslim and because there was more than one hijacker saying "Muslims" (plural) is valid. Now would it have been better if he had said "Muslim EXTREMISTS killed us on 9/11?" The answer is yes (even though some on the far left will STILL call you a bigot for even using the term "Muslim extremist" but that's another issue.) Regardless I think most people understood what O'Reilly was saying and didn't interpret it as hate speech or a slur/sweeping generalization against the entire Islamic religion.
There are unfortunately people who are prejudiced against Muslims; that's a fact. However there are also people of the other extreme who are so hyper-defensive about any form of criticism that's directed at Muslims (or even Muslim extremists) that they'll immediately get absolutely hysterical and start crying "hate speech!" the moment any such criticism is uttered. I don't recall Joy Behar or Whoopi Goldberg ever having a fit or denouncing Bill Maher when he ridicules Christianity and makes sweeping generalizations about that religion. Yet when someone says something about "Muslims" (particularly when it's a mean ole Fox News commentator) they are absolutely (and selectively) appalled.
I wish there was no bigotry against Muslims but I also wish some on the otherside of the argument could accept criticism of Islam without instantly and spastically screeching about so-called "intolerance."
-
I have to say that although I believe O'Reilly could've phrased things better, his statement that "Muslims killed us on 9/11" is entirely accurate. The 9/11 hijackers were Muslim extremists therefore they were Muslim and because there was more than one hijacker saying "Muslims" (plural) is valid. Now would it have been better if he had said "Muslim EXTREMISTS killed us on 9/11?" The answer is yes (even though some on the far left will STILL call you a bigot for even using the term "Muslim extremist" but that's another issue.) Regardless I think most people understood what O'Reilly was saying and didn't interpret it as hate speech or a slur/sweeping generalization against the entire Islamic religion.
There are unfortunately people who are prejudiced against Muslims; that's a fact. However there are also people of the other extreme who are so hyper-defensive about any form of criticism that's directed at Muslims (or even Muslim extremists) that they'll immediately get absolutely hysterical and start crying "hate speech!" the moment any such criticism is uttered. I don't recall Joy Behar or Whoopi Goldberg ever having a fit or denouncing Bill Maher when he ridicules Christianity and makes sweeping generalizations about that religion. Yet when someone says something about "Muslims" (particularly when it's a mean ole Fox News commentator) they are absolutely (and selectively) appalled.
I wish there was no bigotry against Muslims but I also wish some on the otherside of the argument could accept criticism of Islam without instantly and spastically screeching about so-called "intolerance."
-