Ad for "Redacted" airs on O'Reilly show

So as long as it's for money, it's ok, right, Bill? Obviously, Fox News's ethics are in their wallet.

"Redacted" -- the rhetoric and the reality

Director Brian DePalma got somewhat of an early Christmas present thanks to Bill O'Reilly's venting over DePalma's new film, "Redacted," which O'Reilly criticized without seeing. He said it was unAmerican and would endanger the troops.
Well, we have seen it and O'Reilly, as usual, is wrong.
O'Reilly's overreaction has certainly boosted the visibility of the film. "Redacted" may not do what DePalma hopes -- end the war -- but it delivers a powerful message about the war's effect on its soldiers.
"Redacted" is actually a combination of several stories merged into one film. It's the account of Angel Salazar (played well by Izzy Diaz), who spends a lot of time taking video of his fellow soldiers. Patrick Carroll as Reno Flake and Daniel Stewart Sherman as B.B. Rush also figure heavily into the story and both do a great job.
The big question, though, is is O'Reilly's criticism valid? Does it do an injustice to the troops?
Well, if you are one of those who believes anything that makes the troops look less than perfect is an injustice to them, well, needless to say you won't like it. But despite the less than rosy picture it paints, "Redacted" basically allows that war is hell and soldiers are human, even despite the ugly events depicted in the film.
Do these events and the film itself cast a shadow on the troops? We say no.
We all know war is hell. War movies are hell. "Redacted" isn't the first movie to show the ugly side of war. It won't be the last. It does, however, reveal the injustice of American occupation in a land where we are not always welcome.
But this isn't the fault of the troops, who are there to do a job. It's the fault of our government, who never should have gotten us there in the first place.
"Redacted" is a film that makes a good point, but it certainly isn't enough to make it the be-all, end-all at getting us out of Iraq. That will take the enlightenment of the politicians in Washington, D.C. -- either this administration (unlikely) or the next one.

The "Redacted" official movie site

Who's the real nut here?

Andres Oppenheimer, Latin American correspondent for the Miami Herald, who was called a "nut" on Bill O'Reilly's show on Nov. 8, has responded in a follow-up column.
In an earlier column on Nov. 4 titled "Angry migrant underclass might erupt in U.S.," , he said:

"We are creating an underclass of people who won't leave this country and, realistically, can't be deported. They and their children are living with no prospect of earning a legal status, no matter how hard they work for it. Many of them will become increasingly frustrated, angry, and some of them eventually may turn violent."

In his second column, he said,

"My main point was that the estimated 1.8 million U.S.-raised undocumented youths — who were brought to this country as toddlers, often speak no other language than English and don't even remember their countries of origin — will soon be thrown into the U.S. labor market with zero chances of getting a legal job.
What is going to happen with these youths? Most are barred from applying for in-state college tuition and will grow up on the streets. Many of them will join the gangs that are already terrorizing many U.S. cities. Undocumented kids, especially the brightest ones, need to be given an opportunity to gain U.S. citizenship, as was contemplated in the Dream Act that was recently defeated in the U.S. Senate."

And more importantly, people like Bill O'Reilly are more the problem than the solution.

"My opinion: For the record, I never called for violence, nor would I. Suggesting that I was endorsing violence, as was done in the O'Reilly show, is irresponsible journalism.
But even more irresponsible is what O'Reilly and other cable television anti-immigration crusaders are doing every day: inciting Americans to rebel against ''illegal immigrants'' -- most of whom are Hispanic -- without offering any realistic solutions to America's immigration problem."

Try to get O'Reilly and his minions to see that. Bet you it'll take awhile.

More smut from Fox

Brave New Films has created a new site called Fox News Porn to show some of the sexy footage that seems to run rampant on Fox News Channel. Their reaction to all this: "Can you quote us so not giving a shit?"

If all this bothers you, you can find a list of Fox News advertisers at http://foxattacks.com/attacker/?utm_source=rgemail.

Still no O'Reilly vs. Cuban

O'Reilly has yet to make a move to accept Mark Cuban's challenge to debate him, according to Newshounds.
No surprise here. O'Reilly is a big talker, but not much of a doer. And he likes to be in control.
We'll keep an eye on this.

Cuban challenges O'Reilly to a debate on Olbermann show

Bill O'Reilly likes to challenge people. You think he'll take a challenge when one is issued to him?
Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks and the force behind the upcoming film, "Redacted," which is critical of the Iraq war, has challenged O'Reilly to debate him on it (a film O'Reilly has admitted he hasn't seen!) on "Countdown With Keith Olbermann," reports Crooks and Liars.com.
I doubt that O'Reilly will do it. It would give credibility to his rival, Olbermann, probably the only man he hates more than Al Franken. And he'd have to think on his feet without pre-written remarks.
C'mon, Bill, how about it?

I'm adding a link to Mark Cuban's blog that includes his full remarks on Bill O'Reilly's campaign against the movie (the subject of a post earlier this week), plus his personal review of "Redacted."

Bill O'Reilly, strikebreaker?

Writers Guild of America member Steve Young complains that Bill O'Reilly is continuing to make a living off the back of striking writers during their labor dispute. On the Huffington Post, Young, whose column runs in the Los Angeles Daily News on Sunday next to O'Reilly's, complains that during a mail segment on "The O'Reilly Factor," he explained he was the sole writer of the show. That, Young opined, explains the quality of the writing, but it doesn't explain how he is allowed to continue writing the show.
"I'm not sure if he is a paid up WGA-ite, but he should be. In the very least he should honor the strike," says Young.
He explains that O'Reilly sold a novel to fellow WGA member Mel Gibson. Says Young, "The sale to a WGA signatory production company had to fall under WGA precepts and, in affect, brought Mr. O'Reilly into the WGA fold. If not the fold, at least near enough to benefit from the minimums the WGA has fought and died for.*"
Secondly and more important, says Young, "the WGA strike affects those writing television fictional drama and comedy. Certainly judging which of the two Bill's work falls under might be in question, but that he serves up plenty of fiction is not. That in itself should fall under Guild jurisdiction. Whether Fox News is a signatory network shouldn't be of matter."
He says, "The WGA must call for him to cease and desist. In addition, every WGA writer should contact the SRCC or call the WGAW STRIKE TIP HOTLINE at (323) 782-4898 to report O'Reilly."
He concludes," Whether fictional news is on the Comedy Channel or Fox News, it cannot continue during the strike."
We agree.

One of O'Reilly's most shameful moments

In this January, 2007, exchange on "The O'Reilly Factor," Bill O'Reilly tells Greta Van Susteren he thinks young kidnapping victim Shaun Hornbeck liked being kidnapped. Unbelievable.



Keith Olbermann responded with some very direct thoughts.

Stupid Bill tricks -- Vol. 1

I'd never defend Gerald Rivera these days. He's a showboater and hardly a journalist. But, for once, Rivera had the right idea in this confrontation with Bill O'Reilly that finds O'Reilly, as usual, twisting his guest's words, then, almost unbelievably, losing his cool completely and screaming at the top of his lungs at Rivera.

Say what Bill wants to hear ... or he'll cut you off

Here's a great clip that shows Bill cares only about his agenda. It's an interview with Col. Ann Wright, a 29-year veteran, about the capture of the British troops by Iran. When Wright doesn't say what he wants to hear, he refuses to listen what she has to say and turns it around to fit his agenda.