Bill O'Blivious
By Jayar Jackson
Conservative Fox News channel host and talk radio show host Bill O’Reilly illustrated some widespread racial ignorance regarding Black Americans and their lifestyle on his September 19 radio show. While discussing a recent and apparently inaugural trip to for dinner at Sylvia’s with Rev. Al Sharpton, O’Reilly shared with his audience surprising facts about the Black-run restaurant being like any other one in White neighborhoods. Listen to his outrageous conversation here.
While the media giant claimed no racial intent in his revelations about Black Americans, his unawareness to the fact that Black people are “normal” was blisteringly clear. The way he proudly asserted that Black people are BEGINNING to move forward in this country, owning businesses and not embodying the slow, lazy, illiterate and dumb stereotypes, showed that he felt he had stumbled upon some information unbeknownst to the world. Being the roving reporter that he is, O’Reilly felt the need to deliver this breaking news of responsible and cheerful Black life that so many others in this country just don’t see.
While the media giant claimed no racial intent in his revelations about Black Americans, his unawareness to the fact that Black people are “normal” was blisteringly clear. The way he proudly asserted that Black people are BEGINNING to move forward in this country, owning businesses and not embodying the slow, lazy, illiterate and dumb stereotypes, showed that he felt he had stumbled upon some information unbeknownst to the world. Being the roving reporter that he is, O’Reilly felt the need to deliver this breaking news of responsible and cheerful Black life that so many others in this country just don’t see.
Although these comments that border on insanity were delivered on national airwaves across the country, it’s not an Imus or racist moment, just a revealing one. I cannot conclusively say that Bill O’Reilly’s brain dives into hate or belief that the color of one’s skin determines success in life, and that his is superior. I also cannot say that he doesn’t believe this either, as these eye-opening experiences to common Black life exposed just how detached he is from it.
Conservative Fox News channel host and talk radio show host Bill O’Reilly illustrated some widespread racial ignorance regarding Black Americans and their lifestyle on his September 19 radio show. While discussing a recent and apparently inaugural trip to for dinner at Sylvia’s with Rev. Al Sharpton, O’Reilly shared with his audience surprising facts about the Black-run restaurant being like any other one in White neighborhoods. Listen to his outrageous conversation here.
While the media giant claimed no racial intent in his revelations about Black Americans, his unawareness to the fact that Black people are “normal” was blisteringly clear. The way he proudly asserted that Black people are BEGINNING to move forward in this country, owning businesses and not embodying the slow, lazy, illiterate and dumb stereotypes, showed that he felt he had stumbled upon some information unbeknownst to the world. Being the roving reporter that he is, O’Reilly felt the need to deliver this breaking news of responsible and cheerful Black life that so many others in this country just don’t see.
While the media giant claimed no racial intent in his revelations about Black Americans, his unawareness to the fact that Black people are “normal” was blisteringly clear. The way he proudly asserted that Black people are BEGINNING to move forward in this country, owning businesses and not embodying the slow, lazy, illiterate and dumb stereotypes, showed that he felt he had stumbled upon some information unbeknownst to the world. Being the roving reporter that he is, O’Reilly felt the need to deliver this breaking news of responsible and cheerful Black life that so many others in this country just don’t see.Although these comments that border on insanity were delivered on national airwaves across the country, it’s not an Imus or racist moment, just a revealing one. I cannot conclusively say that Bill O’Reilly’s brain dives into hate or belief that the color of one’s skin determines success in life, and that his is superior. I also cannot say that he doesn’t believe this either, as these eye-opening experiences to common Black life exposed just how detached he is from it.
It is obvious that he definitely has sweepingly preconceived ideas about Black Americans; that a majority chooses to live a sub-par life due to a failure to use their own brains, and that civilized behavior is only prevalent in White culture. His use of the terms “respectful” in describing how Black people responded to him and “I couldn’t get over the fact” give you an idea about what he previously thought about Black culture.Instead of racism, what we’re dealing with here is O’Reilly’s incomprehension of certain parts of the world around him. Sadly, he is not alone in these beliefs, but this ignorance doesn’t automatically make those that think like O’Reilly racist. We as humans generally have a fear of the unknown. This fear can lead certain people to the hate and revulsion that is racism, though. Like my boy Yoda from Star Wars so eloquently said, “Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering.” Just ask the Jena 6.