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January 19, 2007

Bill O'Reilly has some kind of weird problem

I listen to Bill O'Reilly's Radio Factor most afternoons while I'm working. Why? Because it is the only talk show on between 2:00 PM and 4:00 PM on my local station of choice, KMBZ.

When I started listening to him, he drove me nuts. He has some very annoying speech habits, like repeating the last few words of a sentence for emphasis. And he comes across as an incredibly pompous know-it-all on many subjects.

After awhile, you get used to his self-comments and on many subjects, he has some pretty good opinions. I have especially been impressed with his fight for Jessica's Law in every State. Sexual predators have been getting away with molestations and rapes for way too long of a time. I can't imagine what it does to the psyche of a child to be sexually abused - it has to affect them forever.

And because Bill O'Reilly has such an interest in protecting children from pedophiles, I was shocked to hear him talk about how suspicious he was of poor Shawn Hornbeck.
On Monday, O'Reilly opined that maybe Shawn didn't want to go home. He suggested that Shawn's family must not have been very close, otherwise, Shawn would have called his parents to come and get him.

I can see an ignorant person suggesting that, but O'Reilly is a smart guy. A smart guy. (That was an illustration of O'Reilly's annoying speech pattern, btw). O'Reilly taught school at one point in his life and seems to believe that makes him an expert on adolescent male behaviour.
Sigh. O'Reilly doesn't believe in the Stockholm Sydrome. Double sigh.

Since when is he an expert on kidnap victims? He says that since Shawn was left in the apartment during Devlin's working hours, Shawn could have easily just called home or told an adult who he was. Of all things, O'Reilly talked about the kid 'having fun' - didn't have to go to school, didn't have any rules.

After the Oprah interview with the Hornbeck family, O'Reilly talked on his radio show about how he didn't like the kid.

He says the kid must not have had much of a bond with his parents. And then he gets all bitchy about Shawn's pierced lip.

I'm sorry, but that family has gone through hell for 4 fucking years. I am offended as a parent that O'Reilly thinks he can make the call that the family was not close enough for the boy to want to go home and would prefer to be molested for four years.

I was starting to like him a little more, but this going on and on about a kidnap victim somehow being partly at fault is beyond the pale.

O'Reilly should do some studying of the Stockholm Syndrome - he's a famous guy, he could probably get some PhD types who are experts to explain to him what it is and that it does, indeed, exist.

And then, Bill O'Reilly should go to the Hornbeck home in person and knock on the door and beg forgiveness from Shawn Hornbeck, his mom and his step-dad.

Posted by Beth at January 19, 2007 5:25 AM

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Comments

Posted by: Michele at January 19, 2007 8:49 AM

Posted by: Clarence at January 19, 2007 9:21 AM

Posted by: Trias at January 19, 2007 1:47 PM

Posted by: Beth at January 19, 2007 2:23 PM

Posted by: Debbie at January 22, 2007 4:53 PM