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But the more important issue of judicial injustice in the south might be overshadowed by some comments Bill O'Reilly made last week in a radio discussion on race and racism.
The controversy comes from O'Reilly's retelling his experience with Sharpton at a famous African American restaurant in Harlem, Sylvia's. O'Reilly said he was surprised to see black folks acting civilized!
"It was like going into an Italian restaurant in an all-white suburb in the sense of people were sitting there, and they were ordering and having fun," he said. "And there wasn't any kind of craziness at all."
"That's right," O'Reilly said. "There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, `M.F.-er, I want more iced tea.'"
O'Reilly says CNN and Mediamatters.org, which first published a transcript, twisted his words.
You can read the transcript and decide whether or not his comments were racist or just dumb. While it did not amount to a Don Imus moment, there is no question, however, that his words point to the TWISTED racist stereotypes that O'Reilly shares with some other white Americans.
As one CNN reporter put it: "They call this a subtle type of racism. It's not the 'hit you over the head with a hammer' type; it's the 'velvet glove' type."
Sharpton told the AP he was confused that anyone would be "surprised" at how blacks acted at Sylvia's. He plans to ask O'Reilly to explain what he meant Wednesday night.
Comments: (37)
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By: Aliya on 9/26/2007 1:10PM
I read the transcript and I surprisingly was not offended by it. O'Reilly was just saying that contrary to popular belief, not all black people act like ignorant rappers. I don't think he was being racist at all, rather stating the truth.
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By: V.S. on 9/26/2007 1:11PM
Bring Imus with you Al......and Kanye West for your anchor on this one....ought to be a laugh....You're cool Al.....
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By: V.S. on 9/26/2007 1:12PM
Just don't bring Jesse.you have more class than that Al........
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By: V.S. on 9/26/2007 1:29PM
Since Bill was with Al and they kinda hang out together anyway...what is the big thing here.....Bill has Al on the "Factor" all the time and they eat out normally.....Don't make a big thing out of this...Al's cool and he'll hammer Bill on the Factor again....his turn on this one.....ratings you know!
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By: Bee on 9/26/2007 3:55PM
I think it was racist. Bill O'reilly is an arrogant, ignorant, ethnocentric, parochial bigot. Just beacuse he hangs out it Al, does not mean he doesn't belives Al is less than him. He did not say "people should know" it was the same anywhere else, but rather HE was "surprised!"
If this should be taken as a compliment, it's patronizing at best.
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By: stewart on 9/26/2007 4:52PM
It's funny to me. Because white people say some dumb stuff. They make them selfs look dumb.
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By: Fee Fee on 9/26/2007 5:02PM
I think that sometimes we are too sensitive. I read what O'Reilly had to say and I totally understood what he meant. He meant that the stereotypes depicting blacks as ignorant is not true. People need to LISTEN to what is said first before deciding to have an opinion.
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By: STACCEE on 9/26/2007 6:47PM
WHAT ELSE CAN ANYONE EXPECT FROM O'REILLY. I CANNOT WAIT FOR SOME RAPPER DUDE TO WHIP HIS ASS FOR ALL THE S**t HE TALKS ABOUT THEM AMONG OTHERS. HIE A BIGOT AND A RACIST.
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By: Cecil Jones on 9/26/2007 6:49PM
Bill O'Reilly is a serious political pundit trying to expand his base by insulting and infuriating the fringes to build his loyal core. If O'Reilly occassionally pulls an "Imus", then he is passively showing his hardcore supporters that he is with them. The outrage he attempts to create makes him more relevant. As Mr. O's ratings continue to fall, you can expect more attempts at failed humor. If you ever want it to stop, then demand equal time. O'Reilly isn't the only one who can be serious and funny. He may be one of the few on television, but it could be due to the fact that Blacks are not taken seriously in America. If Al Sharpton is the only Black that can be taken seriously, I'm laughing my butt of with Mr. O and Imus. We can do better, but until we do; disrespect is all we will ever get. We can be funny and serious. Where do I apply?
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By: JayHawk Phrenzie on 9/27/2007 4:09AM
More politically correct manufactured bullshit from Media Matters. Yawn.
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