Those of us who follow the 24/7 news cycle on a daily basis are aware of the remarks made by FOX News host Bill O’Reilly in regards to first lady Michelle Obamas’s speech at the Democratic National Convention. Over the past several days, O’Reilly’s misguided and pathetic comments downplaying slavery have made him the target of ire from a multitude of individuals citizens from all walks of life.
For those unaware of what the first lady said, it was the following:
“I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves, and I watch my daughters two beautiful intelligent black young women, playing with their dogs on the White House lawn.”
It was evident to anyone with any reasonable degree of comprehension skills that Obama was making the case that the fact that a person such as herself, the descendant of slaves, is living at the world’s most power-laden residence that also happens to have been built by slave labor, is a testament to the opportunities that this nation has and can potentially offer to its citizens. Those citizens include those from groups who have been historically marginalized and denied opportunities.
On his FOX News program Bill O’Reilly responded:
“Slaves that worked there were well fed and had decent lodgings provided by the government, which stopped hiring slave labor in 1802. However, the feds did not forbid subcontractors from using slave labor. So Michelle Obama is essentially correct in citing slaves as builders of the White House, but there were others working as well.” It goes on.
Well, OK! Understandably, condemnation was swift. Rather than acknowledge that he missed the point and went far afield, O’Reilly went on the warpath defending his indefensible lunacy, blaming the left wing media, democratic politicians, his enemies and all those of political persuasions distinct from his as engaging in intellectual dishonesty. You see, it was not his fault that he made such irresponsible comments, it was that his political foes were misrepresenting and distorting his comments. Really? Please! Whatever!
