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Bill O’Reilly in the Spin Zone
Grove City College ^
| 5/4/04
| Dr. Warren Throckmorton
Posted on 05/05/2004 5:22:39 PM PDT by wagglebee
Bill OReilly, host of the OReilly Factor show on Fox Network, describes his show as the no spin zone. Guests on the show dont get much slack to slant their cause or issue in the most favorable light. Most of the time, Mr. OReilly confronts them in mid sentence. However, way back in February, Mr. OReilly had Kevin Jennings of the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Educators Network (GLSEN) on his show. Mr. Jennings was touting his organizations high school curriculum on gay marriage. Not only did Mr. Jennings engage in spin, he did so under the watching eyes of the one who presides over the no-spin zone, Mr. OReilly himself.
Lets set the stage: Here is a portion of Mr. Jennings description of the same sex marriage curriculum: our curriculum is designed to give them (students) a fair and balanced set of resources concerning gay marriage, everything from position papers provided by the Catholic Church to position papers by the people who argue... At this point, Mr. OReilly cut him off and asked: So you give them both sides in this? To which Mr. Jennings replied, Absolutely.
And that was pretty much Mr. OReillys challenge to Mr. Jennings. Mr. OReilly must not have read the curriculum because it does anything but give both sides. As I found out when read it, a reference to the official position of the Catholic Church is the only dissenting resource about same-sex marriage in the entire curriculum. In short, the curriculum is spin.
Geared to high school students, I found instances where the curriculum suggested direct advocacy of same sex marriage with students who disclose a moral objection to it. For instance, the curriculum urges teachers to help students to move past preoccupations with the rightness or wrongness of same-sex coupling or homosexuality in general. Place the debate over marriage within the context of human rights, thereby expanding the dialogue beyond the realm of morality (p. 6). Todays lesson: morality doesnt matter.
The curriculum did not present both sides of the issue. No Internet resources are offered that take an opposing view of same sex marriage, whereas 8 are listed for organizations that actively work for same sex marriage. Students are urged in one lesson to consult the website of the Freedom to Marry Coalition, a pro-same sex marriage website to follow the events in Massachusetts. No corresponding source of news or commentary is offered from the other side of the issue. These examples of bias form the tip of the iceberg. In no way does this curriculum encourage an examination of both sides. A better title for this document would be How to Advocate for Same Sex Marriage in the Schools: A Teachers Guide.
So what is the point of exposing this issue? As same sex marriage becomes more of a possibility, then the likelihood of school children being educated by means of such two-sided material is great. However, if this curriculum is implemented, schools will be saying in essence that moral views of behavior are irrelevant in matters of public debate and policy. Students will also be told that there is only one fair position concerning same sex marriage and that those who oppose it are like the bigots who once opposed civil rights and interracial marriage. Is such indoctrination the proper role of education?
Another way of asking this question is: Shouldnt schools be in the no-spin zone?
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: billoreilly; foxnews; gaymarraige
Bill O'Reilly is the most ego-maniacal idiot on the air, at least the other liberals admit it. This guy is like the John Kerry of broadcast, he can never stick to anything. The only thing he is sure of is that he is the best at everything. Give me a break.
1
posted on
05/05/2004 5:22:39 PM PDT
by
wagglebee
To: wagglebee
Nah, O'Reilly's just afraid of gays, women, blacks, etc.--just like everyone else in the media. That's why he gives these spinsters a free pass.
2
posted on
05/05/2004 5:30:23 PM PDT
by
MegaSilver
(Training a child in red diapers is the cruelest and most unusual form of abuse.)
To: wagglebee
O'Loud Mouth should go back to hosting "Inside Edition."
To: wagglebee
Blow'Reilley is Chris Matthews with a mean streak.
4
posted on
05/05/2004 5:38:58 PM PDT
by
Ken H
To: wagglebee
No spin zone? He should call it the Bill O'Reilly spin zone. He cuts off his guests, puts his "spin" on the question he just asked and then lets the guest speak about two more sentences and interups again in order to put his "spin" on it again, and on and on, ad ifanatum, ad nauseam. Not only is it NOT a NO spin zone, but by the time you are through, if you can stand it long enough, you are dizzy from all the spinning!
NO spin zone? I think NOT.
5
posted on
05/05/2004 5:55:31 PM PDT
by
mc5cents
To: wagglebee
Watching Billy O tonight, I noticed that he takes personal offense to anyone who might not agree with his opnions. As he was trying to get JD Hayworth to agree with him that Iraq would cause Bush incredible harm in the upcoming elections, Hayworth was pointing out the paradox which was Kerry and how things could only get worse if he was president. Billy called it nothing but Republican spin...but I could just see the anger in Os face because Hayworth wouldn't give Bill in inch on his thesis. Ironically, the very next segment on his show was "Kerry's Unpopularity Rating," were he took Estrich apart for Kerry's incompetent campaign. In essence, his next segment supported Hayworth's contention...and Bill looked like a drooling fool.
6
posted on
05/05/2004 6:54:21 PM PDT
by
cwb
(Liberals: Always looking for social justice in all the wrong places.)
To: cwb
The problem is O'Reilly's opinions change all the time, I think he just wants to boost his own ego by disagreeing with everybody.
7
posted on
05/05/2004 6:56:42 PM PDT
by
wagglebee
To: StarFan; Dutchy; Timesink; Gracey; Alamo-Girl; RottiBiz; bamabaseballmom; FoxGirl; Mr. Bob; ...
FoxFan ping!
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.
8
posted on
05/05/2004 9:28:01 PM PDT
by
nutmeg
(Why vote for Bush? Imagine Commander in Chief John F’in al-Qerry)
To: nutmeg
Thanks for the ping!
To: wagglebee
Most of the time, Mr. OReilly confronts them in mid sentence.That's not "no spin", that's "no class or brains."
10
posted on
05/06/2004 6:56:35 AM PDT
by
The kings dead
(O.C.-Old Cracker:"It's time for some of our freedoms to get curtailed for the sake of the Republic.")
To: wagglebee
O'Reilly is a buffoon.
11
posted on
05/06/2004 6:57:55 AM PDT
by
Protagoras
(When they asked me what I thought of freedom in America,,, I said I thought it would be a good idea.)
To: nutmeg
Thanks for all the Fox pings, nutmeg. They are very much appreciated.
Does anyone remember a couple of weeks ago when O'Reilly shouted down General Vallely and Colonel Callum and lectured them on how the war in Iraq should be waged?
He must have received a slew of e-mails (including mine) because the following week "General" O'Reilly stated that it would be "the Factor's policy" to no longer second guess military actions in Iraq.
LOL! I wonder why?
O'Reilly cares most about his ratings. E-mails are very effective.
12
posted on
05/06/2004 10:08:19 AM PDT
by
RottiBiz
(Help end Freepathons -- become a Monthly Donor.)
To: RottiBiz
"O'Reilly cares most about his ratings. E-mails are very effective."
Best observation on this thread.
13
posted on
05/06/2004 10:12:24 AM PDT
by
Badeye
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