An Open Letter From Star Jones
Filed under: Barack Obama > Star Jones
We hate agreeing with her, but….
She brings up some very good points!
Star Jones writes:
"I'm sick to death of people like Fox News host, Bill O'Reilly, and his ilk thinking that he can use a racial slur against a black woman who could be the next First Lady of the United States, give a half-assed apology and not be taken to task and called on his crap.
This week O'Reilly gave the following response to a caller on his radio show who was making unsubstantiated negative charges against presidential candidate Barack Obama's wife, Michelle Obama:
'And I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels — that is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever — then that's legit. We'll track it down.'
What the hell? If it's 'legit,' you're going to 'track it down?' And then what do you plan to do?
How dare this white man with a microphone and the trust of the public think that in 2008, he can still put the words 'lynch and party' together in the same sentence with reference to a black woman; in this case, Michelle Obama? I don't care how you 'spin it' in the 'no spin zone,' that statement in and of itself is racist, unacceptable and inappropriate on every level.
O'Reilly claims his comments were taken out of context. Please don't insult my intelligence while you're insulting me. I've read the comments and heard them delivered in O'Reilly's own voice; and there is no right context that exists. So, his insincere apology and "out-of-context" excuse is not going to cut it with me.
And just so we're clear, this has nothing to do with the 2008 presidential election, me being a Democrat, him claiming to be Independent while talking Republican, the liberal media or a conservative point of view. To the contrary, this is about crossing a line in the sand that needs to be drawn based on history, dignity, taste and truth.
CLICK HERE to read the rest of Star's letter.
Bill, I'm not sure of where you come from, but let me tell you what the phrase 'lynching party' conjures up to me, a black woman born in North Carolina . Those words depict the image of a group of white men who are angry with the state of the own lives getting together, drinking more than they need to drink, lamenting how some black person has moved forward (usually ahead of them in stature or dignity), and had the audacity to think that they are equal. These same men for years, instead of looking at what changes, should and could make in their own lives that might remove that bitterness born of perceived privilege, these white men take all of that resentment and anger and decide to get together and drag the closest black person near them to their death by hanging them from a tree — usually after violent beating, torturing and violating their human dignity. Check your history books, because you don't need a masters or a law degree from Harvard to know that is what constitutes a 'lynching party.'
Imagine, Michelle and Barack Obama having the audacity to think that they have the right to the American dream, hopes, and ideals. O'Reilly must think to himself: how dare they have the arrogance to think they can stand in a front of this nation, challenge the status quo and express the frustration of millions? When this happens, the first thing that comes to mind for O'Reilly and people like him is: 'it's time for a party.'
Not so fast…don't order the rope just yet.
Would O'Reilly ever in a million years use this phrase with reference to Elizabeth Edwards, Cindy McCain or Judi Nathan? I mean, in all of the statements and criticisms that were made about Judi Nathan, the one-time mistress turned missus, of former presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani, I never heard any talk of forming a lynch party because of something she said or did.
So why is it that when you're referring to someone who's African-American you must dig to a historical place of pain, agony and death to symbolize your feelings? Lynching is not a joke to off-handedly throw around and it is not a metaphor that has a place in political commentary; provocative or otherwise. I admit that I come from a place of personal outrage here having buried my 90 year-old grandfather last year. This proud, amazing African-American man raised his family and lived through the time when he had to use separate water fountains, ride in the back of a bus, take his wife on a date to the 'colored section' of a movie theater, and avert his eyes when a white woman walked down the street for fear of what a white man and his cronies might do if they felt the urge to 'party'; don't tell me that the phrase you chose, Mr. O'Reilly, was taken out of context.
To add insult to injury, O'Reilly tried to 'clarify' his statements, by using the excuse that his comments were reminiscent of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' use of the term 'high-tech lynching' during his confirmation hearing. I reject that analogy. You see Justice Thomas did mean to bring up the image of lynching in its racist context. He was saying that politics and the media were using a new technology to do to him what had been done to black men for many years — hang him. Regardless of if you agreed with Justice Thomas' premise or not, if in fact — Bill O'Reilly was referencing it — the context becomes even clearer.
What annoys me more than anything is that I get the feeling that one of the reasons Bill O'Reilly made this statement, thinking he could get away with it in the first place, and then followed it up with a lame apology in a half-hearted attempt to smooth any ruffled feathers, is because he doesn't think that black women will come out and go after him when he goes after us. Well, he's dead wrong. Be clear Bill O'Reilly: there will be no lynch party for that black woman. And this black woman assures you that if you come for her, you come for all of us." — Star Jones Reynolds
[Image via Getty.]
first?
oh shit. FIRST TIME EVER. lol this calls for celebration =P
who is this?
i SO agree with her. after hearing the actual recording, it's impossible to take it out of context
first
Star Jones is an alien-headed idiot.
O'Reilley needs to be lynched, that fuckin' asshole.
i agree
IT WASN't A RACIAL SLUR–GET THE F** over it!
it's sickening that people like bill O'Reilly can get away with this type of crap. Are u kidding me? You don't think that the word lynching would provoke a negative response? PLease. This is an example of a man who claims to be a striaght talker but does not own up when he makes these comments…
first???
first!
eww
Stick first up your ass Ana. How about Bill O' is a freakin' dog shit burger with extra shit sauce for his shit lips.
Am I first ???????????
who cares about her anyway?
Uhhh… what did he say wrong? because he used the word lynch? come on she is totally taking it out of context to get some free press..the real question here is was Michelle making unpatriotic statements with that comment she made?
so what if your first loser
this is old news - it was posted everywhere a couple days ago
shitface
bagggggggggg LAYDAYYYY GROSS ASS HOE -_-
Bill is effin DISGUSTING!!!!!!! And should be removed from any work he is doing at the moment! Why would anyone want to hire him, or even have him on their networks? WTF?
Ewwwwwwwwwwww………Star Jones looks sooo deflated….like a flat tire or somethin……….????????? why????????
let's not pull the race card… chill out Bill O'Reilly is legit himself, ppl over react… dont use that fact that she's black as an excuse to over-analyze everything that is said
I HATE STAR JONES…. BUT SPEAK ON SISTER!!! BILL O RIELLY IS THE BIGGEST RACIST! I'VE HEARD ENOUGH OF HIS OPINIONS FOR ONE LIFETIME! HIM AND FOX NEWS CAN SUCK IT!
strange that some non-white persons can say just about anything and there are no repercussions, but if the person is white, everything is put under a microscope and picked apart. it happens all the time.
I was wondering whatever happened to her….
HE DID NOTHING WRONG. LEFT WING DING BATS.
Bill O'Reilly is an idiot. It's very sad that he has a forum to voice his moronic views.
who gives a fuck if you are first…do people really just sit and wait for perez to post something new…then say first? wow…how fucking lame and stupid. i bet you don't even care about whatever the posts say…fucking cunt
Ana if you think being first deserves a celebration you have a pretty sad life!
didn't sound like a racist comment to me. I have also heard him say that same phrase on his show before without talking about a black man or woman. I think blacks should stop and think before they react with such meaningless things. Seems to me that the real racist's in this country are the blacks. Everywhere they speak of discrimination but only when it applies to their race. what about the latino population or the native americans or jews? Oh right were not supposed to talk about things that deter from the " oh poor me I am black" bullshit
Sounds to me like she has a chip on her shoulder….Good Lord, we have Black History Month. If we had White History Month, the blacks would be up in arms saying we're being racist.
It would be great if you (and Star Jones) could leave the politics to the politicians and just concentrate on meaningless celebrity junk. Thanks.
Lynching in and of itself is not racist, many white men were lynched. But I agree it's a term not to be used lightly, especially in a political forum.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
He is a piece of the most vilest white crap that gets paid to be on TV. He needs to be fired!!!
k, so i'm 3rd? yay! lol
Good for Star, Bill O'Reilly is an idiot. How someone that ugly, egotistical and bloated stays on the air is beyond me. I'm waiting for him to pop a gasket as heated as he gets when anyone dare disagrees with him.
If someone says they watch his show, I think less of them.
He gives me the willies, he looks and acts as sleazy as a child molestor.
really though, star jones needs to get over it. stop pulling the racial card people, thats why racism still exsists in this country @$%#$
People need to stop giving these words so much power already, it's 2008 when are you all going to get it? ignorance
Didn't this pig eat herself to death yet? Who cares what the phrase evokes for her or anyone else. I CAN'T STAND BILL O'REILLY, but he didn't say anything wrong here. If he said the same thing about Hillary than nobody would have said a thing. Fuck this race hustling cunt. Excuse my french.
clearly he passed whats appropriate a long time ago. bill is so rude he should be kicked off that horrible news channel.
Why is lynch such a bad word. Get over it star. NONE cares about you.You are a hypocrite! You don;t care when the media is all over Pres. Bush only your candidate's wife!
Star Jones is totally annoying! How on this earth did she ever get famous?
SO NOW YOU CAN'T SAY LYNCH AND PARTY IN THE SAME SENTENCE? IT'S A FIGURE OF SPEECH. SO NOW WE HAVE TO BE CAREFUL WHAT WE SAY ABOUT BLACK PEOPLE OR TO BLACK PEOPLE OR IN REFERENCE TO BLACK PEOPLE….. I AM SO SICK OF PANDERING TO BLACK PEOPLE. AND PEREZ, WHERE ARE YOUR WEBOS?????? WERE THEY GOBBLED UP? HOW CAN YOU AGREE WITH STAR?
Bill o'Reilly is the scum of the earth. Racist pig.
Fuck you Star 'I married a homo' Jones. Why is it that the word lynch is now taboo. You got your freedom, right to vote and all the other perks of being a US citizen. Get over shit. Hmm, when I was young, kids called me names. Now those words are banned. If all of 'you' would just go about your merry way like everyone else, instead of constantly stirring shit up and preaching from your soap boxes, this country would be a lot happier. Hmmm, seems her little comment last week was quietly swept under the rug. What about in her youth, she called the 'white man' the oppresser and called for black power. Hmmm, I guess that's just fine and dandy to say. God forbid anyone says the word lynch. GIVE ME JUST ONE TINY LITTLE BREAK!!!!!!
Star is a strange one, but RIGHT ON SISTER. O'Reilly is a creep and a cretin.
omg i don't really care for star that much but fuck Bill O'Reilly who the fuck does he think he is.
this is 2008 we're in america buddy
he just needs to die hopefully from being lynched
wouldn't that be a great party
and i'm not black but it is an insult to every american living in this great land.
fuck you Bill. fox needs to do something about this
Is she trying to make something out of nothing because her popularity after the view has wained.Me think so.Its just really shady that she has to be so disgusting as bring race into this.Disgusting!We have enough racial injustice in this society without her trying to make an obvious coicedential play on words into racial prejudice.Seriously!Its not like he pulled a "snappyheaded ho." on Mrs.Obama.Good Lord Star shut up!
Wow.She's been making a lot of sense lately
Get em Star! O'Reilly is a hatemonger, but he definitely has an audience. I guess they are many more bigots in America than I thought. Sad but true
Yes Bill is an asshole, for many many reasons….just as much Star is using the race issue as a crutch, like many others, everyone needs to just give the race issue a rest and let everybody live as a person….well except Bill and Star, they are assholes.
She's right of course. I still have no idea why O'Reilly hasn't been fired 10 times over for all the racist, sexist bullshit he's said over the years. Not to mention the humiliating scandals he's been involved in (check out the smoking gun for the sexual harrassment lawsuit he settled out of court)(can anyone say LOOFAH?!).
Oh wait, now I remember why he hasn't been fired, he's on FOX NEWS, a bullshit, conservative mouthpiece of a 'news' station, that is inherently RACIST ITSELF!!!!!! People need to turn up the heat on O'Reilly (Mr. Loofah) and BOYCOTT FOX!!!! Write emails, tell them you're sick and tired of their bullshit, and O'Reilly's bullshit. People have gotten yanked of the air for WAY less than his crap.
And you idiots who feel some stupid need to comment "FIRST!" need to get a brain, a life or both.
Oh whatever….anything to toss the race card in…get over it STAR.
He should be fired but he won't because forx news is GOP television. Didn't Bill O'Reilly,pay some chick of because she was coming forward with an affair a few years back? He is a old as the hills pig.
FUCK.BILL.O.REILLY.
His remarks were insensitive and irresponsible. But there is a thing called "free speech" in this country and he can say what he likes, without inciting racial hatred. If people agree that Marion Cotillard and others can say what they please, then so can Bill O'Reilly. No matter how much you may not like him or what he says.
By the way, I don't like Star Jones or Bill O.
GOOD FOR YOU Star Jones!!! What an eloquent letter!
Oh cry me a freakin river Star. That's it, throw the race card again. People like you are part of the reason why racism still exists in this world. Grow up and stop acting like you are owed anything. He wasn't insulting you so get off your high horse and go eat a twinkie.
blah blah blah - shut up you stupid bitch. THIS is what we'll have to look forward to for four years if Obama is elected. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, will be refracted through a racial prism. Obama's wife is not just a radical but a BLACK radical - everything will be about race with those two.
Star Jones is a butthurt broke idiot who is inventing racism.
Racism would go away if people like star jones shut the fuck up and realized it is 2008.
Perez agrees with her because he is an overweight rainbow troll.
Those are my words of wisdom, thank you.
The guy is the ugliest bobble head I've ever seen alive. The only things uglier than his appearance are the ignorant words that come out of his mouth and his enormous sense of mistaken self-worth.
He acts all brave on air but I swear he's off in some corner sucking his thumb and calling for Mommy when the cameras are off.
I never thought I would say this but Star you go girl!
slavery ended what 125 plus years ago………GET THE FUCK OVER IT already stop playing race card every freakin time someone uses a word……..
Why did Imas get fired for his comments and that douche (O'Reilly) gets nothing? That idiot says the worst, unfair, ridiculous thing to people and gets away with it? Why? How can people watch that crap?
oh for shits sake… every little minor word is under a microscope from all these stupid black ni**g's… boo hoo…. so should we also ban the word white trash? let's just ban all verbs and adjectives… can't call them black, can't call them colored, can't say they do anything bad? Can't say anything anymore in this PC world and when that happens I guess it just goes back to the original word of nig*er to call them rite?! We have nothing left to call u?! Haha. Don't say whitetrash anymore it's SOOO offensive! These black people need to get over themselves….. So what if i said cotton and mentioned a black person in the same sentence? How bout all black comics who make fun of white people? and how white folks this and white folks that? how bout we even the playin fields on that. how bout we have white comics talkin about black folks shit.
WhatEVAH……………….
I have to agree with her 100%
She seemed nicer when she was obese.
WAKE UP AMERICA! DO WE REALLY WANT A BLACK PRESIDENT? WE WILL HAVE TO BE BOMBARDED EVEN MORE WITH RACE THIS AND RACE THAT. WHITE PEOPLE ARE SO OVER YOUR SKIN COLOR, ITS THE BLACKS THAT NEED TO GET OVER THE COLOR OF THEIR SKIN AND EXCEPT IT. I AM SICK AND TIRED OF THIS POLITCAL CORRECT BULLSHIT THAT TAKES PLACE ON A CONSTANT BASIS. "OHHHH YOU CANT EVEN CRITIQUE BARRACK HUSSAIN OBAMAS ACTUAL MIDDLE NAME OR YOUR A RACIST". AVOID AND FORGET THE FACT THAT HE HAS ADMITTED TO BEING FRIENDS WITH A KNOWN TERRORIST. IGNORE THE FACT THAT HIS PASTOR AWARDED THAT RACIST PIECE OF SHIT FARACON (HO