Bill O'Reilly...wise up.

 

 

Potential?
(by R.P.Edwards)

“Potential Human Life”
The antiseptic phrase
Used by careful cowards
Fearful of…the day
Not unlike the era
When “potential” dealt…with skin
And the gentle spoke misgivings
While the heavens cried out…  “SIN!”

“I’m absolutely, factually correct when I say a fetus is a potential human being; and no one can deny that.  I respect your opinion, but until you become a Supreme Court justice, Hugh, it remains your opinion; your belief.  I can’t run this program based on my religious beliefs, so I try to put up arguments based on facts. And I believe we are successful in doing that.” 

The above is Bill O’Reilly’s answer to the following question: “A fetus is a human being with potential, not a potential human being! As a Roman Catholic, why do you keep getting it wrong, Bill?”  (submitted by viewer, Hugh Garber)

Short and sweet.  Listen, I’m a Bill O’Reilly fan.  He’s the regular guy who made good.  The rough, no nonsense interviewer known for piercing questions and opinions that don’t back down.  A champion of the “folks,” and, who can forget how he led the charge to have “Jessica’s Law” (legislation to greatly increase the penalties levied against sex offenders who prey on children) put on the books of many states.  But, when it comes to abortion, Bill has become…something less.

A couple things: The “Culture Warrior” segment, where Bill converses with a couple of well spoken ladies (Margaret Hoover and Gretchen Carlson) about the issues of the day; when it comes to abortion, this hot-button topic becomes…tame, tepid, colorless.  Indeed, the term “baby” is forboden.  And, this “opinion” show suddenly becomes almost nauseatingly…neutral.

Understand, I’m all for hearing both sides.  But when it comes to abortion the “Factor” is stuck in middle-left.  Question: where is the abolitionist on the panel?  Where is the champion for the innocent? Where is someone like Alan Keyes who can eloquently speak for those who cannot speak for themselves?  And Bill, really, equating Supreme Court speak with fact? How about the justices on the Taney Court?  You know, the wise ones who equated black skin…with property? Surely if this was 1859 you wouldn’t use the “until you become a Supreme Court justice” line.

Conclusion:  Bill, you’ve got a great platform.  A ponderous pulpit.  We’ve seen how your passion on a subject can direct your stories, your words, your invitations.  We’ve seen how you can move the nation; influence the “discussion,” indeed, in some ways…change the culture.  I have to conclude that perhaps when it comes to life in the womb; you’re unconvinced.  And sure, you don’t want the show to be all about your “opinion,“ but, as you’ve said before, it’s not a “news” broadcast.  “Opinion” is given and asked for…all the time.  So, for whatever reason, in this area, the "Factor"...fails. And, although you may be wavering, there are millions and millions of us in your audience who believe that the birth canal is not the determiner of personhood. And…we “regular folk” would like a representative on your show to say it. 

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