Wishing Bill O’Reilly a Happy Festivus.
Bill O’Reilly makes me laugh. The guy is a goof. When he’s not out looking for new and fun things to do with falafels, he’s browbeating his guests…even when they work for the same network. Now, he’s latched on to, what I’m going to call, the most ridiculous state-related holiday “controversy” EVER.
You know about the all the commotion regarding the holiday signs/displays in the Washington state Capitol building, right?. If you don’t, here’s a quick rundown:
Atheists were allowed to put up a sign in the state Capitol building near the traditional Christian nativity scene and a “holiday” tree.
Then it was stolen.
Then it was returned.
Then the whole thing became a circus.
There are requests for other displays as well. Someone applied to put up a “Festivus” pole in honor of the invented holiday featured in the 1990s sitcom “Seinfeld.” Another person wants to create a religious-themed “balloon display.”
So back to O’Reilly:
O’Reilly, on his FOX News show earlier this week, urged viewers to call Gov. Christine Gregoire’s office to protest the sign. Gregoire’s office received more than 9,000 calls Thursday alone, said spokesman Pearse Edwards.
My absolute favorite quote from the segment he did on the displays:
“Washington is ground-zero for just about every nutty, secular cause on Earth, but this time, the State has embarrassed itself and the Nation.”
So Governor Gregoire had enough and has settled the controversy, cracking down on what can and cannot be displayed based on current laws. Bill, of course, disagreed with her decisions and decided to debate Fox News reporter and attorney, Megyn Kelly, on his show while making broad and completely incorrect statements about legal issues and First Amendment rights. He was completely wrong, as usual, and watching Megyn, who agreed with and defended Governor Gregoire, drill him for it was rather satisfying:
My take on the whole thing? People (I’m looking at you here, Bill) need to get a grip. Shit a lot worse than a sign stating the opposite of your beliefs being displayed at the state Capitol is going down all over the world. If that’s the kind of thing that ruins your day, you lack any sense of perspective and are wasting perfectly good air the rest of us could be using.
Happy Ramhankwamastice. If you celebrate that sort of thing.
–Gordy