I mean other than for entertainment???
Is this how people really think in North America???

I really hope they don't. Or at least big majority doesn't.

[video:youtube]http://youtu.be/u9FfXIHNVL8[/video]

I think every country has a version of him spouting extremist views.

Nigel, that is my exact point here. Extremist is extremist, whether Christian, or Muslim or Jewish or any other extremism.

To me O'Reilly is not any different than any Islamist from Middle East who want to get rid of anyone else who doesn't think like them. Unfortunately for us here in the West he is on national television and many, many people watch him. And they are the real problem in my opinion, not O'Reilly. He is just another clown.

Here is a great discussion between John Cleese and Bill Maher on religious fundamentalism.

Here is another one from John Cleese.

And I have to say I do love this guy and work se has done .From Monty Python to Fawlty Towers and lots more.

[video:youtube]http://youtu.be/t5gm9hoTw6Y[/video]

Keep in mind, the O'Reilly is considered the "reasonable" one of the Fox news evening lineup...

I wonder if he gets another sit-down with the POTUS this Super Bowl?

Bill, that is exactly my point in what's wrong with this world. When someone like O'Reilly is "reasonable".And people that agree with him. Hehehe
It doesn't even matter if a person is religious or not here. It is a fundamentalism at it's best.

mirza,

I'm not a political person, and I don't want to get involved in any political discussions, but if I had to show any colors, I would consider myself a conservative like Bill O'Reilly.

Now, after seeing this post for the umpteenth time, I ask YOU......how would you feel if someone wrote a post here referring to your Prime Minister as a buffoon?

I don't know what he said on the video.....I'm not able to watch it. But, FYI, Bill O'Reilly is considered a national treasure by many in America. He's been on television for quite a few years now and has written national best-sellers. He's also considered a role model for morality, civility, and plain old common sense. I think that speaks for itself, don't you?

I resent your description of him. The worst he's ever called anyone is a "pinhead." Maybe you can tune into one of his broadcasts and learn how to disagree without being demeaning.

MARK

Hi Mark.

Where do I start Mark. Bill O'Reilly is a bully, arrogant, he yells at his guests if he doesn't agree, he cuts his guests mics, he interrupts his guests, he is a pro war, he is delusional, he is dishonest , very "narcissist" and "misogynist", loud .... I could go on Mark.

And if you call my Prime Minister ," a Buffoon" , I would congratulate you because I would thing that you are thinking with your own brain here, and you are not afraid to say what you really think.

How can we talk about Bin Laden or Saddam, or Milosevic if we are the same as them. If we are pro war as them. If we are radical as them, if we are simply idiots as them . How can we let young boys go to wars for few barrels of oil and lie to their families what they actually died for. It's easy to live in a bubble and believe what the "FOX" says. And all this has nothing to do with Christian values. It has to do with humanity and ability to look over the fence and see what is going on. And at the end to look in the mirror and see who we really are. One of the worst human conditions is choosing to be blind.

We need more compassion for each other, we need to listen more and try to actually understand the meaning.

You should know this better than I do. I am only 38 and here that is young, What would Jesus do??? Do you really think that Jesus would agree with Bill O"Reilly, or you ?? Where is compassion for other human beings ?? Not only whites or Christians.

A National Treasure ??? Really, that is what America has become.??????????????? I am hoping it's not, because I have a lot of American friends who are also Christians but also who know right from wrong without looking through religion.


"All that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing."
-- Edmund Burke

Everyone knows that no reasonable, rational person is ever going to win an argument with a "true believer". The words 'Religious Conservative' have become synonymous with bigotry and intolerance, and O'Reilly personifies this blight on society. If you want to know who Bill O'Reilly is and what he stands for, you need only look at the people who 'admire' him. He constantly fans the flames of bigotry, hatred, and not-so-subtle racism from his bully pulpit at (where else) Fox News.

To see him as a "role model for morality, civility, and plain old common sense" is to see the world through a set of very dark political, social, religious, and cultural filters that tend to embrace those things that favor YOU and give YOU privileges denied to those who don't embrace YOUR philosophy (or race, or religion, or politics).

Of course, everyone has a right to his or her opinion (alledgedly) but be aware that you WILL be defined by it. I'm always amazed (and befuddled) when I see otherwise intelligent people fall for this kind of propaganda that is so at odds with basic human values and sensibilities.

BUT, in the end, getting the great unwashed masses to think, act, and VOTE against their own interest (by making them feel somehow superior to their neighbor) has been VERY good (financially) to the O'Reilly's, Hannity's, Cain's, and Limbaugh's of this world. At $30M/yr (Limbaugh) it's hard to blame these guys for feeding the dragon.

chas

Chas, you say it better than I do.

Mirza, you say it just fine. Peace, my friend.

chas

Mirza,

I'm wondering if we're talking about the same Bill O'Reilly (Fox news). I've been watching him periodically/regularly for years....I never saw him act out any symptoms like you describe here....unless....he has a split personality. It IS possible there's another side to him, but I've never seen it. Don't forget that sometimes you have to act out of character for the cameras. I DO know that, in his personal life, he is a quiet down-to-earth neighborly type of guy whose only activity is a beer on weekends with friends. He doesn't get caught up in the carnival of life as many activists do around these parts.

I respect the somewhat orderly manner in which you addressed my post. I also agree and respect a lot of what you said in THIS post. My only beef was and still is your lack of respect for someone in my country who has many followers. He would not have held a TV show in prime time as many years as he has if he didn't!

I also watch FOX almost exclusively. I find they lay out "facts" in front of you (as compared to "opinions" that Liberals force down your throat) and let YOU decide what you want to. Yes, they can be biased toward the right, and they are, but Liberals are tearing this country apart (and that's not just MY opinion).

Don't forget that when this country goes down the tubes, the rest of the world will go with it, including Canada. A lot of us see Bill O'Reilly, Hannity, etc-types as our last hope to return to a structured and orderly existence.

Now.......I just read THIS post of yours one more time, and somehow the pieces don't fit. This can't be the same Bill O'Reilly I know. I think I'll go down to the Library and watch the video to see what you're all upset about.

MARK

Mirza......I just watched the video. May I make the following suggestions....

1) before you judge a person, become more familiar with who they are and their approach to both people and issues. I've been watching him for years.....that was not typical Bill O'Reilly.

2) live in this country long enough to get a feel for what's REALLY going on here and you'll understand the video better.

3) understand the video is pure discombobulated "spin," carefully choreographed to make Mr. O'Reilly look stupid. You can't judge a person by one video. You have to put that one video into context and then match it up against his past track record. You will then see him in a different light.

As far as I'm concerned, this issue we've been discussing is only about Bill O'Reilly, friend of foe, and NOT politics? I have strong views on what was presented here but I don't wish to "discuss" political topics.

I'll close this by saying I'm very open-minded. I also watch the "liberal" stations to listen to what they're saying also. To be honest, my all-time record for watching any left-wing news show is about 12 minutes before I want to vomit. Why is that? It's because they don't produce factual information. Instead, they spend their time making negative and stupid remarks about their opposition. How much can you take of that? I want to hear solid news......not solid negativity!

MARK

Mark, as I already said. Choosing blindness is one of the worst human conditions. I don't know what happened to you in your life. As Jesus said, "Don't judge", which is the first thing any religious people usually do. The way I am , and the things I saw over the years, from war and ethnic cleansing to poverty and being hungry . And this is all even before I was 15. And I still don't hate people and I still believe that we will overcome all this nonsense such as religion and skin color or human stupidity.

I wouldn't be able to live with myself looking at the world the way you described it . That view has the same eyes that all extremest around the world look through. From Jihad to Zionists to Christian Taliban which I see now is in America too. Extremest only see one color and that is very sad.
You said they O'Reilly and Hannity...etc are your hope to return to a structured and orderly existence. Have you ever read what your founding fathers were about?? What they stood for?? But, I am guessing here it's the same as playing Mozart sonatas to a deaf person or showing Leonardo Da Vinci's Mona Lisa or The Last Supper to a blind.
Regarding your friend O'Reilly. it's not just one video. It's hundreds of them.

My suggestion to you is to go and travel. See different countries and their cultures, different religions and how other people live their lives.
Take care Mark.

Urban Dictionary: bizarro world

bizarro world is a place where everything is inverted, backwards, or just not right but similar.

chas

Bill O'Reilly is a national embarrassment. Rush is WORSE!


Russ

We have a saying:" Smart man is ashamed of what a fool is proud of".
And I am not trying to undermine anyone here.It's just a quote that fits.

Also: The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.

A. A. Milne

Mirza.....again I appreciate your own "civility" in your replies though your dogmatic style of writing can be exasperating.

I find the main difference between everyone in this thread and me is that you all refuse to even consider what the "other side" is trying to say. I pride myself in listening to and exploring an argument from all directions. The one thing I noticed about Liberals is that they refuse to expose themselves to anything other than what they devoutly believe in.

Example: I'm completely anti-gun. But, I'm more than willing to listen to opponents of "anti-gun" sentiments and then make up my mind about the issue.

We both know by now I watch Fox news. Are you aware they have Liberals on the show to counter the right wing "extremism (?)? That is why I watch it. I'm presented with all points of view about an issue. When I watch Liberal news shows, it's all about how bad and how incompetent and how ignorant Conservatives are. Completely one-sided.

Now....I view you the same way. You refuse to see anything other than what you see. That's OK with me. But I find I have healthier discussions when folks are open to an opposing point of view.

Meantime...I respect your position. I never knock anyone for their belief system, except for the Bill O'Reilly comments.

And, in response to the person who said he's an "embarrassment," well....Bill and Hannity and Rush have been on prime time television probably longer than Letterman at this point. They must be doing SOMETHING right?

BTW.....I've traveled extensively, lived in Western Europe for 10 years, and worked as a musician in every country (in Western Europe). In London, I played for every nationality in the world for 4 years in a particular venue. I've seen and heard enough of different cultures and different political viewpoints than most.

What it comes down to in the end is.......everything that has been said in this thread is "opinion" and not "fact!" You sound like a smart person.....I'm sure you can understand that!

I'm out of here now. I prefer to spend my time "practicing my instrument" rather than spending that time getting involved with endless political discussions.

MARK

Mark there are lots of facts.
By the way you describe it in last few posts, you are liberal and I am conservative here...hehee..Don't tell me you are a democratic too.I guess black is white and white is black and we were here before natives. It is our America or Canada. I am already hearing the music from Twilight Zone.

I am just kidding with you Mark. Although I never said I was liberals or democrats or even conservative. My opinion here is that I belive one person should not be only one thing .But, if I really must pick up a poop I would pick up one that smells less.And that is usually determined by amount of garbage was taken in before it came out.
And that is my opinion of politics in the West or East. Same thing.
Sorry to describe it like this, but how else can we describe the amount of BS we get from TV.
And trust me Canadian politics is not any better. Bosnian, o god where do I start...
Usually, if we have only two sides there is not much thinking going on. One side usually open their mouths the other side bends over.
It is sad that we pick up which we are.

The take away here is, we had a serious discussion involving major political issues and differences and did it in as civil, intelligent and respectful way.

While I'm obviously on the other side, I respect and appreciate the thought and sincerity of Mark's contributions.

You have your opinions, which are well articulated and thought out.


Thanks for the input.


Russ

I guess he is an American Pride after all.