Fox’s O’Reilly On The Ropes

Earlier this week, Prof. Watkins compared O’Reilly to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, stating that he also “makes outrageous claims and just waits for people to respond

[Race Matters]

Syracuse Professor Dr. Boyce Watkins, author of “What if George Bush were a Black Man?” was the topic of conversation for nearly the entire episode of “The O’Reilly Factor” Thursday night.  Bill O’Reilly has been under fire for controversial comments about his visit to Sylvia’s, a popular Harlem restaurant.  

Earlier this week, Watkins compared O’Reilly to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, stating that he also “makes outrageous claims and just waits for people to respond.” 

Watkins also critiqued conservative Fox Contributor Juan Williams and his agreement with O’Reilly on many issues. “Juan Williams sitting there as the happy negro agreeing with O’Reilly doesn’t impress me at all. That’s like Hugh Hefner hiring a stripper to tell him that he’s not a sexist,” Watkins said.
 
During the Thursday show, O’Reilly had a series of guests, including Williams and Rev. Jesse Jackson.  O’Reilly, Williams and others spent a great deal of time angry over Dr. Watkins’ comments. 

He also accused CNN and MSNBC of being corrupt in their news reporting. Rev. Jackson challenged O’Reilly in his comments about the Black community, stating that it was not appropriate for him to not expect African-Americans to behave with civility in Harlem.
 
Watkins agrees.  “If I go to your house and congratulate your mother for not being a prostitute, I am not giving you a compliment,” the professor said on a recent CNN appearance.  “Also, if you are dealing with issues such as personal responsibility, you also need to ensure that all of America has the personal responsibility to acknowledge the role it has played in the creation of racial inequality.”
 
Dr. Watkins is a Finance Professor at Syracuse University and author of “What If George Bush were a Black Man?”  More information about the professor is available on www.boycewatkins.com.

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