O'Reilly: Cardinal Mahony opposes immigration restrictions because he wants parishioners
SUMMARY: While discussing immigration, Bill O'Reilly claimed that Cardinal Roger Mahony opposes a recently passed House immigration bill because he "knows he'll get those people in church when he doesn't have anybody in church anymore." O'Reilly also attacked Sen. Edward M. Kennedy, saying that "the Ted Kennedys of the world" favor immigration "because they know they'll get the lion's share of those votes."
On the March 27 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio program, Fox News' Bill O'Reilly alleged that Cardinal Roger Mahony, Catholic archbishop of Los Angeles, opposes immigration reform because he wants to increase church attendance. O'Reilly compared Mahony's position on immigration to that of Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), claiming that while "the Ted Kennedys of the world" favor more immigration "because they know they'll get the lion's share of those votes," Mahony "knows he'll get those people in church when he doesn't have anybody in church anymore." Mahony has said he opposes a recently passed House immigration bill because it could threaten the Catholic Church's ability to "provid[e] humanitarian assistance to those in need," and that "[t]he church is not in a position of negotiating the spiritual and the corporal works of mercy." He has also stated that "we are called to attend the last, littlest, lowest and least in society and in the Church."
In the same broadcast, O'Reilly described the immigration debate as a "potential civil war in the U.S.A," and declared that Americans "all over the country" are finding that "the house next to you is turned into an illegal alien Club Med." The next day, on the March 28 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor, O'Reilly called the illegal immigration issue a "natural disaster."
From the March 27 broadcast of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:
O'REILLY: From the very beginning when I started covering immigration more than seven years ago, I told you this is about social engineering; and this country's whole political process is being changed by millions and millions of people pouring in here with a totally different lifestyle and a totally different frame of reference as far as America is concerned.
So, the country that you grew up in, if this isn't stopped, will change dramatically. And the Ted Kennedys of the world like that because they know they'll get the lion's share of those votes. And you can make an argument Cardinal Mahony knows he'll get those people in church when he doesn't have anybody in church anymore. Americans have bailed on the Catholic Church. That's tragic.
[...]
O'REILLY: OK. I'm doing this on TV tonight because we're going to have some interesting coverage on television as well. You'll be able to see the pictures of the demonstrations and things like that, as a potential civil war in the U.S.A. because you basically have Americans who don't have a dog in the hunt -- European Americans, black Americans -- watching a phenomenon -- and that's what it is: phenomenon -- that to them may not be serving their best interests.
So, you have millions and millions and millions of Americans saying, look, this has got to stop. This has got to stop. That's why they're doing stuff because it's critical mass right now. Critical mass. All the polls show that.
Heartland America , red-state America -- had enough. Had enough. But you've got an emotionally driven other side, Hispanic Americans -- not all of them but a lot of them -- saying, wait, what are you picking on us for? Stop picking on us. This is racism. And then you have the far left, the open border crowd, which thinks the U.S.A. is an evil nation anyway, and it's our fault that people in Mexico are poor.
[...]
O'REILLY: It doesn't matter. In this country, if you single out a group, any group, for criticism, you're going to be called a racist. I mean, that's just the way we play the game here. So, you have a potential civil war. You do.
You've got the folks who don't have emotion invested in it, other than the farmers down and the ranchers down on the border are going -- as the lady just called up, [caller] -- say, look, I got garbage in my -- on my ranch every day. I mean, I'm under siege. They have emotion invested in it. But those of us up here don't.
Unless you live in a town, like Farmingville, Long Island -- we went over this before -- where you bought a house, you spent a couple of hundred thousand dollars, you're on a nice block, your kids are happy, and then the house next to you is turned into an illegal alien Club Med. And this happens all over the country.
From the March 28 edition of The O'Reilly Factor, which featured Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-NY):
WEINER: You know, can I tell you something? I think you're right. I don't have any -- any, you know, gut or problem with an interagency effort to stop this, but let's not kid ourselves. You're talking about a 700-mile fence. You have 2,300 miles of just border with Mexico, and I don't know why you think Canada isn't a threat to have terrorists come in. Why do you think someone --
O'REILLY: Well, Canada's -- Canada's a terrorist threat, but it's not an illegal alien threat. There aren't hoards, millions of people coming down through Canada to work here. You don't need the fence if you use the guard.
WEINER: Well, even the guard -- listen, I can -- can I tell you -- first of all, you have to pull them back from Iraq, which I support doing.
O'REILLY: No, you don't. There's plenty of guard as you saw -- no, you don't.
WEINER: You have to pull them -- you have to pull them off of things like natural disasters and the like. I don't have any problem with doing that, but --
O'REILLY: This is a natural disaster.
Or for letting them sleep at a church shelter.
It's not that difficult, people.
Hey, this was an episode on "All in the Family" wasn't it? Only it was African Americans instead of illegals. Some things never go out of style.
If Mahony declared that O'Reilly favors immigrant restrictions because O'Reilly hates Mexicans and is courting bigoted viewers, Bill would cry and wail that it's absurd and unsubstantiated.
Civil War! Natural Disaster!
What will O'Reilly say today? How about: "A comet is about to collide with the Earth! And beware the War on Groundhog's Day!"
Gawd, what a drama queen. He should add drag to his shtick, become a drag queen, and have a little fun.
If O'Reilly were back in high school, he'd hang with the mean girls: that gaggle of gossiping, over-the-top girls for whom everything was tragedy and disaster and who disparaged everyone as soon as they left the room. He's got the heart of a 15-year old mean girl.
of that post on crybabies who later vote Republican. Was O'Reilly a crybaby?
If he was and he was teased by schoolmates he would run to his teacher saying :"They are doing it again! It's just because I said they were nutty fundamentally-left hippies that love the terrorists. It's all because this country is intel ... intell ... IQ is left and low."
O'reilly saying that Democrats(Kennedy) want more immigraton because they think it will translate into more votes is described as an attack? What, there is no merit to what he saying? Dems have no political motives? The next politician, R or D, that does something with no self serving motive will be the first.
"And you can make an argument Cardinal Mahony knows he'll get those people in church when he doesn't have anybody in church anymore."
What, you can't make that arguement? The fact the Mexico is a religious country with the overwhelming majority being Catholic has no bearing on Mahony's immigration stance? Giving someone a sandwich is a lot different than helping someone evade authorities or go around laws.
Good for you. Show me your identification and I'll give you a cookie.
Giving someone a sandwich(act of compassion not to be jailed for) is a lot different than helping someone evade authorities or go around laws (should be punished but not necessarily jailed).
From my post you infer that I want to jail priests for giving illegals a sandwich.
=No problem
BO says that Dems want the more Hispanics immigrants because the majority of Hispanics vote Democrat.
=Attack
HUH??
Are there references that the majority of the hispanics vote dem?
Democrats regard Hispanics as a core element in the party's base. But according to surveys of voters leaving the polling places, Bush raised his share of the Hispanic vote from 35% in 2000 to 44% in 2004. The surveys, known as exit polls, indicated that Hispanics were 8% of the electorate, an increase from 6% in 2000. More than 9 million Hispanics voted, compared with 6 million four years ago.-USA TODAY
It’s specifically the Mexican vote in play here and it's an important constituency because it's the largest Hispanic ethnic subset and the immigration issue is pretty unique to them and Hispanic ethnic groups from Central America. Cubans have historically voted Republican in the past and as you know US immigration policy grants them preferential treatment. Puerto Ricans tend to vote Democratic but of course they are US citizens and the immigration issue doesn't affect them. That said, I think that once the illegal immigration problem is resolved in a compassionate and smart way and the newest immigrants seriously examine the policies of the Democrats and how it’s historically championed diversity and access to opportunity for everyone they’ll become a solid Democratic voting block or maybe that’s wishful thinking on my part. .
Everybody knows the Dems have no ideas and steal all their plans from the Republicans.
Hello, anybody there? Hello ... was it something I said?
Everybody knows the Dems have no ideas and steal all their plans from the Republicans.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ That might be the GOP strategy this campaign season. They’ll say no that was our idea we just hadn't gotten around to implementing it. The Dems better be ready to bring it back this time, I for one am going to nag the DNC about this until the elections. They've got my $50 bucks membership dues so now they have to field my emails. (Smile)
I believe the rebuttal is that you cannot see the Cardinal supporting the Los Angeles Archdiocese's decisions to help "the least of these" as a Christian Act, but some type of Church attendance booster. Instead, you should be questioning the motives of BO, most notably his accusations that the Cardinal's support is more out "love of money" and new members and not an Christ-like action of Christian love and charity. War on Christianity indeed.
It's called 'material support.'
Presumably a single instance of giving someone a sandwich won't catch the authorities attantion, but operating a soup kitchen-like operation presumably would. And allowing them to sleep on your property certainly would.
"So, the country that you grew up in, if this isn't stopped, will change dramatically."
No. The image of America that he has formed in his head is being challanged. O'Reilly et. al. want images of Mom and Apple Pie and Flags and other Story Book images of "American Families" in their heads at all times, and when they see any real images on the TV of normal goings-on in the country, like immigaration, that he has not usually been accustomted to, he freaks.
He know nothing about the history of this country, nothing about immigration. He is an ignorant idiot.
All of his ilk -- self-proclaimed-Christain, white and bigoted -- are decendents of immigrants, Fact number one.
Sixty percent of "illegal" immigrants are over-stays, which means they got here with a temporary visa and stayed past their time, Fact number two.
"Illegal" immigrants can't vote, Fact number three.
The rest of O'Reilly's diatribes is blatant racism and misinformation.
Other things to consider are that the amount of immigrants coming in to the country every year is more like 500,000, not millions. And illegal" immigrants send much of their money earned in the U.S. back home to support their families -- not exactly the vermin that O'Reilly and others paint them as.
Millions of Americans are being stirred up by blantant racist morons on the Press and Congress. There has been more lies and misinformation in the MSM on this issue than any other issue in recent history.
Most Christian churches have outreach programs to help newcomers to the country, some of whom may be here illegally.
It's amazing to me how freely people attack Christians for the weirdest things, even when they have nothing to do with the subject.
the "self-proclaimed" part and jumped the gun.
Since I can't delete my earlier post, please accept my apology.
the increasing hyperbole (to use a nicer word) in BO's analysis.
Opposing the Dubai Deal was "spitting in the eye" of the Arabs, there was a WAR on Christmas, a cultural WAR, and now a potential CIVIL WAR over immigrations. This over the top language shows a lot of desperation for attention.
And by the way Bill, opposing illegal immigration doesn't make you a bigot. Calling people diseases, natural disasters, using inflammatory names and asking the military to shoot them makes you a bigot.
I use bigot not as a personal attack, but as a description based on verifiable fact.
Ted Kennedy? Kennedy and McCain designed an amentment allowing illegal immigrants to earn a path to citizenship through work.
O'Reilly only focusses at Kennedy.
Further, under the current proposal, illegal immigrants will be legal for a few years, but will that also provide voting right? Probably not, because they are guest workers. Can they rely on constitutional rights, such as a minimum wage? Probably not, and if they could they will be fired because they are too expensive. It seems that part of the problem is the demand for cheap labor. That issue is not addressed. The ball has been put at the feet of illegal immigrants.
"Cardinal Mahony knows he'll get those people in church when he doesn't have anybody in church anymore"
Churches are quit full, and who needs parishoners when you can get millions from the government for 'faith based initiatives'.
The "most damaging change in Catholic life is the precipitous decline in Mass attendance. It's the sign of a church collapsing," says Catholic University sociologist William D'Antonio, co-author of statistical studies of American Catholics.
Nationally, attendance slid from 44% in 1987 to 37% in 1999. D'Antonio predicts it will be 33% in 2005. -USA TODAY
For the numbers.
... if the vast majority of southern-border immigrants don't vote Republican, at least it shows that coming here wasn't their only good idea.
Oh wait! If they're here illegally, they can't vote, can they?
Never mind.
you could just put up a 'sticky' headline something like ;
"O'Rielly lies'
and never be wrong, ever...
There are only 9 seats on the Supreme Court, why would O'Reilly need more than 9 Catholic Americans?
Ok... So Canada is a terrorist threat..... My neighbor's house is an illegal alien club med... Mr. Kennedy, in Boston, needs votes of illegal immagrants... There is a difference between 'European' americans and 'black' americans... All polls everywhere use the words 'crirical mass'... Hispanics are driven by emotions... People trying to make a good life in America are a natural disaster...
Hhmmm.... methinks Mr. O'reilly was dropped on his head as a baby.
BOR asserts that Canada is a terrorist threat.
And Merriam-Webster asserts that terror is:
"2 a : one that inspires fear : SCOURGE b : a frightening aspect c : a cause of anxiety : WORRY d : an appalling person or thing; especially : BRAT"
Since BOR tells us be afraid in a new way everyday, he inspires fear. He is, therefore, a terror threat.
"Ok... So Canada is a terrorist threat"
Or, terrorists can cross into the US from Canada.
You have 2,300 miles of just border with Mexico, and I don't know why you think Canada isn't a threat to have terrorists come in. Why do you think someone --
O'REILLY: Well, Canada's -- Canada's a terrorist threat, but it's not an illegal alien threat. There aren't hoards, millions of people coming down through Canada to work here. You don't need the fence if you use the guard.
"My neighbor's house is an illegal alien club med"
I agree with you here, it is more like a disaster than a club med.
"Mr. Kennedy, in Boston, needs votes of illegal immagrants"
No, but trying to come off as compasionate toward illegal Hispanic immigrants might get support of Hispanics who can vote.
"There is a difference between 'European' americans and 'black' americans"
BO said "because you basically have Americans who don't have a dog in the hunt -- European Americans, black Americans"
And?
"All polls everywhere use the words 'crirical mass'"
BO said "That's why they're doing stuff because it's critical mass right now. Critical mass. All the polls show that."
Yes, polls show that the vast majority of American's think the illegal immigration is a serious issue.
Hispanics are driven by emotions
BO said "But you've got an emotionally driven other side, Hispanic Americans -- not all of them but a lot of them"
What drives 500,000 people into the street to protest for rights for illegal immigrants who broke the law.
People trying to make a good life in America are a natural disaster...
No, illegal immigration is a disaster. Oppose illegal immigration and support the laws of the country and you lack compassion for you fellow man. Support illegal immigration and you support breaking the law.
When it comes to Bush and wiretaps, obeying the law even if the program helps to fight terrorism is bad, but when it comes to immigration it is OK to break the law? Are different standards for different people breaking the law? Or if breaking the law fits our political bent it is OK?
Do you live near hayfields?
I ask 'cause you sure do build lots and lots and lots of straw men.
and feel free to set them on fire at any time.
Bush has been President since 2000, and He has done nothing to enforce the Laws against hiring Illegals. If there are no jobs available for Illegals, they will disappear.
You 100% right. I wish Bush would do a lot more.
It isgood news to see Bill attack ranking American prelates. He will lose in this shootout but is probably too far gone now to even know that. If crazy Charles Gibson permits, perhaps they could blame Mahoney for the war on Christmas! I know of no comic strip better, with the possibility of mud wrestling between Coulter and Malkin.
O'REILLY: This is a natural disaster.
The poor man don't seems to know what the difference is between a natural disaster and national disaster
As Christians do.
They act out of compassion for humanity and not the $$$$$
Bill, I totally agree with you. I was raised in the catholic religion and watching what has been going on in the Catholic church sickens me. Any person raised in the catholic faith knows that the more people the church brings in brings more dollars.I was one of eight children and my parents raised us Catholic, when I got old enough to see how the priests treated us because we had no extra money to donate to the church, we wre shoved to the back. More attention for those who had or the majority of those who could give more in the future. i.e. Mexicans and immigrants