Bill O’Reilly, who with Glenn Beck on the payroll is suddenly Fox News’ moderate pundit, has offered to pay the $16,500 in legal costs that Albert Snyder was ordered to fork over to the Westboro Baptist Church, to pay the church’s way through Snyder’s Supreme Court lawsuit.
“That is an outrage,” says O’Reilly. “I will pay Mr. Snyder’s obligation. I am not going to let this injustice stand. It’s obvious they were disturbing the peace by disrupting the funeral. They should have been arrested, but our system is so screwed up, so screwed up, that loons are allowed to run wild. Snyder is fighting the good fight, and he is taking his case to the Supreme Court as he should. We are behind him 100 percent.”
At least we know where his priorities stand: Military families first, free speech second, wingnut lunatic groups third.
(Also worth noting: Mere laypersons are donating to Snyder’s legal costs.)
AlanInSLCUtah
This is the first good thing I think I have ever heard this man speak.
terrwill
Holy thit! do we detect a faint beating of an actual heart at Faux News???????
Jason
Bill O’Reilly senses a promotional opportunity and he is seizing it.
This is nothing more than blatant propoganda at the expense of a Marine family.
Cam
The 4th circut really screwed this one up. Even right wingers are attacking this decision. The first two decisions were for the family and had the church paying them millions. Then the uber conservative 4th circut got it, overturned it AND sent out a bizzar message to not sue this church by ordering the family to pay the churches court costs. The family wasn’t suing on free speech grounds, they were suing for “Intentional infliction of emotional distress” I think showing up at the funeral of somebody they didn’t know, and screaming at the family that their son was buring in hell pretty much qualifies for that. Westborough may have gone to far because if O’Reilly takes this on as a cause, he will hound them on TV, and really publicise the case.
fredo777
I think the court should be ashamed at themselves for this decision, even if it means O’Reilly has to do the shaming.
Lanjier
It is sickening the way conservatives always, eventually, are dragged screaming into finally understanding the righteousness of progressive causes. It took hurting a military family, instead of a gay family, for Bill-o-the-clown to finally wake up. Fox is just OK with religious bigotry until it effects one of their own. They all of a sudden it is an issue. Fucking douchebags.
Alexander A.
Even if it WAS just for the press, O’Reilly did the right thing, as much as it pains me to say it. The right thing for the wrong reason? Still a karmic positive in my book.
WiseUp
I don’t always agree with O’Reilly, but of course I agree with him here. I’ve also liked the times he’s defended gays against homophobic bigots (since his audience is mega-huge).
terrwill
@WiseUp: Co-sign. Although he scores fairly high on the pompousdouch meter on the majority of issues he has defended the Gays on occasions. Unlike the majority of the asshats who infect Faux News, he doesn’t spit out the RNC talking points memos word for word…………
B
No. 3 · Jason wrote, “Bill O’Reilly senses a promotional opportunity and he is seizing it.” …. and I bet it comes out of his TV budget as “good will” or something that will generate a tax deduction for his organization, so he won’t run up against the federal gift-tax limit that would apply to his personal income-tax return!
PopSnap
He did an awesome thing, period. No need to badger him about it.
Thanks, Bill. You are by far the best (only?) good thing about Fox News.
alan brickman
Maybe’s he’s just pissed off by this stupity like everyone else…..but can actually do something about it….
chris
funnily enough? Bill O’reilly actually isn’t that bad on LGBT issues, and when you compare him to Hannity or any of the other fuckwits he turns into Hilary Clinton
Robert, NYC
Well, I applaud O’Reilly’s intervention and generosity, a first for me, I’m going to play devil’s advocate and ask, would he have reacted with the same generosity and financial support had the dead soldier been gay?
ben bona
How can Fake News be anything else. O’Reilly is now caught between the right wing military fanatics and the right wing religious fanatics.
kabukiscarab
@Robert, NYC: See that’s exactly what I was thinking and I think the answer would have been no.
Shaded Spriter
I had to check the date on this post…because this sounds like an april fools day joke.
Ioan
My, my, my. This is truly the first decent thing I have heard out of this person’s mouth. And yes, it is good he is paying the obligation of the deceased soldier’s father. But like others, I wonder would he have had the same reaction if the deceased soldier been gay.
The court was all wrong on this one. Someone like Phelps and his inbred clan of fundies should not be permitted anywhere near a funeral! There are people I don’t like, but if they died, I would have enough respect not to harass their relatives at such a stressful time. Phelps apparently has NO sense of decency–the court should have.
angel
Bill O’Reilly has gained my respect!