Roy Exum: Bill O’Reilly’s Wisdom

  • Wednesday, February 15, 2017
  • Roy Exum
Roy Exum
Roy Exum

I’m a big fan of Bill O’Reilly, the heralded commentator on Fox News. I know he’s not perfect and can accept that because I’m further away from perfect than he is. But on his “Talking Points” program just out, he made a dazzling, well-substantiated point that none of us can easily dispute. It was about the dishonesty that Mr. O’Reilly and so many others like me see happening every day as our new President fulfills the promises he made to the American people. Donald Trump’s promises got him elected and, as he delivers what he told us he was going to do, it is unconscionable how his mission is being distorted.

I know many of my friends and others I admire from a distance wouldn’t dare be caught watching what they laughingly call “Faux News,” and I respect their choice. But sometimes O’Reilly says things that not only need to be said to all of us, but I think need to be understood by all of us as well. Here’s the transcript of his Monday night gem and I think we are doing ourselves a disservice – liberals and conservatives alike-- by not listening to as many different voices as we can:

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BILL O’REILLY -- A STUNNING DISPLAY OF DISHONESTY FROM THE NATIONAL PRESS AND RADICAL LEFT

“Last week, about 680 undocumented aliens were arrested by ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) officials countrywide. Many of them have already been deported. The coordinated raids targeted aliens who had committed crimes in the USA -- mostly felonies.

“Seventy five percent of those taken into custody had convictions (key word: convictions), including homicide and rape. One man arrested in Chicago, was an Iraqi citizen with a conviction of sexual abuse of a victim [who was] unable to consent. Many of the arrested non-felons were associating with the criminals. But those facts have largely gone unreported by the American press. And by the radical left, which is actively misleading you. Here are a just a few examples:

“Speaking on CNN, California State Sen. Kevin De Leon (D) said, “What took place yesterday with raids and personal homes is part of the cog of the Trump deportation machine.”

“On MSNBC Attorney Raul Reyes said, “…how inhumane this is to be breaking down people's doors and separating parents from their children.”

“Also on MSNBC, Arizona Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) said, “This is Donald Trump really executing his campaign plan. He is trying to be a tough guy, so, he will go after, you know, the maids, the moms, the people that are working in the shops instead of going after the hard-core criminals.”

“Maids, moms, and shopkeepers, according to that dishonest politician.

“Now, the false news reporting, actually reached the level of hysteria.

“There were newspaper headlines screaming things like "The Trump deportation regime has begun," "Immigrant community on high alert fearing Trump's deportation force." “On Devon Avenue in Chicago, news of immigration raids intensifies fears.”

“We could find no headlines in major newspapers – none -- that bannered the fact that raids were targeted at illegal aliens who had committed serious crimes. Committed them. That is not press bias. That is blatant dishonesty.

“Here's another example. In the year 2013, the Obama administration removed from this country more than 434,000 illegal aliens, the highest number in history, which goes all the way back to 1892. Did you see any anti-Obama demonstrations? Did you see any screaming headlines in the national media? No, you did not. Even after President Obama said this:

“What we should be doing is setting up a smart, legal immigration system, that doesn't separate families but does focus on making sure that people who are dangerous, you know, people who are gang bangers, are criminals, that we are deporting them as quickly as possible.”

“And that is exactly what President Trump is doing. Exactly. But the illegal immigration issue has been set up by the media to demonize Mr. Trump, as a racist and a brutalizer of the poor. That is what is really going on here. A set up. It is flat out disgraceful. If the federal government cannot remove aliens who commit serious crimes in this country, then, we don't have an effective federal government. Yet, the far left and the press, knowing full well that the ICE raids last week were directed at dangerous people, chose not to report that.

“Instead, [they were busy] smearing President Trump. We have now reached a low point in American journalism.

“As for the far left, they are people who do not want any immigration enforcement. They want open borders. They want alien criminals protected. They want anarchy.

“Why? Because they don't like America as it stands now.

“So, it is very important for all honest citizens to know you are not getting accurate information. And that there is a radical element in this country that wants to destroy it. If this continues, there will be a breaking point.

(The above was adapted from Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" on Feb. 13, 2017.)

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If there are any among us who believe we should not be deporting undocumented persons who have well-documented felony convictions on United States soil, may God have mercy on us all.

royexum@aol.com

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