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Leave Bill O'Reilly alone!


By Mark - Posted on 08 October 2007

Bill O'Reilly

When I first heard O'Reilly speaking about Sylvia's Restaurant, I began a series of gestures more appropriate for my pet terrier. My head cocked to the side, my eyes widened, and my eyebrows shifted forward indicating a vain and futile attempt at comprehension. In case your home is located somewhere below a rock, O'Reilly said the following:

"I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between Sylvia's restaurant and any other restaurant in New York City. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by blacks, primarily black patronship...There wasn't one person in Sylvia's who was screaming, "M-Fer, I want more iced tea."

It was simply one of those moments where you feel a dizzying mixture of confusion, disgust and pity, like at a family gathering when your weird cousin says that Barack Obama is surprisingly articulate for a black man...

But then, it suddenly dawned on me that I had once been in an unfamilar place, and said something very similar. Some of you may remember me from my frequently bizarre 2006 campaign blog View From 22, in which I kept a diary of happenings in the CD22 races. In early July, I attended a super special emergency Fort Bend County Republican meeting in which they planned to vote on a replacement candidate for Tom DeLay. It was an odd experience: alternatively creepy and hilarious. But I was surprised in one important respect. When I got home, I told my wife:

"I couldn't get over the fact that there was no difference between the Fort Bend Republican meeting and any other meeting in Fort Bend County. I mean, it was exactly the same, even though it's run by Republicans, primarily Republican patronship...There wasn't one person in the men's restroom who was whispering, 'Cut-N-Runner, I want more gay sex.' Not one foot tap! Nothing! And I'm a young attractive man. Do you have any idea what it does to your self-esteem to be ignored by a restroom full of balding sexually repressed insurance salesmen? "

Shame on me. And shame on me for judging Bill O'Reilly. Frankly, he expects more of me.

 

Tolerance and forgiveness,

Mark Bankston

 

Mark Bankston again writing posts ala View From 22 that are right on the bleeding edge that separates truth from hilarity.

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