Bill O'Reilly needs a history lesson.

[Dinner]

My people came from County Cavan in Ireland. All right? And the British Crown marched in there with their henchman, Oliver Cromwell, and they seized all of my ancestors' lands, everything. And they threw them into slavery, pretty much indentured servitude on the land. And then the land collapsed, all right? And everybody was starving in Ireland. They had to leave the country, just as Africans had to leave -- African-Americans had to leave Africa and come over on a boat and try to make in the New World with nothing. Nothing. And succeeded, succeeded. As did Italians, as did -- and I'll submit to you, African-Americans are succeeding as well. So all of these things can be overcome I think, [caller]. Go ahead.

Oliver Cromwell worked for the British crown? The Irish potato famine occured during the English Civil War? (It actually happened two centuries later) Africans had to leave Africa instead of being forced to leave when they were captured as slaves?

This guy doesn't know jack about history.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200510060002

[korn469]

Bill O'Reilly doesn't know jack about anything really

[Sava]

what a moron

[Kropotkin]

You should never let facts get in the way of a good point!

[Dinner]

All that in just one 15 second on air rant. Wow, just wow.

[Seeker]

It's like an avalanche or a train wreck.

We'd all be happier if it never happened, but once it begins it's best to just let it run its course then stand in the way.

[Pekka]

He doesn't only rewrite the current time, he seems to be rewriting history as well. So Africans had to leave, because Africa was no longer good enough? TO what.. get a job? A job without pay?

If I was black in the US, I'd be pretty pissed off right now, perhaps trying to decide between Glock and Beretta

[DinoDoc]

Are you going to pick up Berz's slack in the O'Reilly Watch?

[Zkribbler]

Originally posted by Pekka
So Africans had to leave, because Africa was no longer good enough? TO what.. get a job? A job without pay?

Bill's just saying that Africans had to leave Africa. Having a chain fastened to your neck and being dragged aboard a slave ship qualifies as "have to."

However, his phrase "And the British Crown marched in there with their henchman, Oliver Cromwell" is mind boggling.

[Dinner]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
Are you going to pick up Berz's slack in the O'Reilly Watch?

I'm just making sure everyone knows what a ******** this guy is so next time we have some wingnut claiming Fox News is a reputable source they won't get any traction.

[Dauphin]

Priceless. Perhaps he was ordered by the Crown to execute the Royal family.

It wouldn't surprise me if O'Reilly's family arrived in the 20th century.

[Dr Strangelove]

Actually between ignoring Cromwell's historical role as a regicide and ignoring the slave status of Africans transported to America I believe that the latter is the bigger mistake. After all, Cromwell's expedition to Ireland can easily be seen as just another example of British imperialism.

[Dinner]

True, playing fast and loose with the history of slavery is worse. It is funny that he claimed Cromwell was a henchman of the crown though.

[Pekka]

the topic is all wrong though.. What Bill needs is .. an opportunity to defend himself after dropping the soap in prison shower..

[Dr Strangelove]

No, it was "the kid" who dropped the soap, Bill merely took advantage of the window of opportunity.