Thursday, February 13, 2003

More On Bill O'Racist

I'm grateful to the e-mailers who sent me more information on O'Reilly's use of the racist term "wetback." I was hesitant to use CNS News as a source, but I've now got independent confirmation of O'Racist's bile at the January benefit performance. According to an Allentown Morning Call article that's only on LEXIS, a local journalist who attended the event heard the following:

"About protecting U.S. borders, O'Reilly criticized the Immigration and Naturalization Service for not doing its job and not keeping out 'the wetbacks.' He has often blasted the INS for allowing illegal immigration."

Can any intelligent person now believe that O'Reilly's on-air statement was a slip of the tounge, which wasn't meant to disparage anyone? Even the intolerant Sean Hannity admits that "wetback" is a racial slur, at least when a Democrat allegedly utters it. Will Hannity denounce O'Reilly?

The O'Reilly Take As for the beneficiary of O'Racist's fundraising efforts, Bill was working to ensure that the State Theater in Easton, Pennsylvania remained open for the upcoming performances of Burt Reynolds, Sandy Duncan, Dion and Rich Little. But was Bill spouting racial slurs pro bono, or was he taking a cut of the proceeds?

According to the reports e-mailed to me (which are not online, at least for free), there were three events related to the benefit: a $450 per plate dinner, a $50 reception and a $25 dollar seat. 1,500 seats were sold at $25 a piece, and 140 people attended the dinner. (It's not clear how many attended the reception separately.) The theater's director of marketing said the event raised about $30,000, but the take was at least $100,500 (1,500 x $25 = $37,500 and 140 x $450 = $63,000), or $97,000 if the dinner guests didn't have to buy a separate ticket for the speech. Did 140 dinners, promotional advertising and other expenses cost $70,000, or did O'Racist also have his snout in the trough?

Look for Bill to open up his new dinner theater in Elohim City sometime this spring.

(Thanks to Kynn Bartlett and others.)

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