O'Reilly To Black Guest: Confederate Battle Flag “Represents Bravery”

Bill O'Reilly: Flag “Represents, To Some, Bravery In The Civil War Because The Confederates Fought Hard”

From the June 22 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:

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JUAN WILLIAMS: You know, I just wanted to say we are having a difficult conversation here this evening. But I just wanted to end on this note. You saw Mitt Romney say we should take that flag down. 

O'REILLY: The Confederate flag.

WILLIAMS: The Confederate flag, symbol of hate. You saw people like Tim Scott, Reverend Goff, the man who spoke in the church yesterday. They talked about he wanted a race war and, in fact, somehow, this is bringing black and white people together. I think we sometimes don't celebrate when people come together.  

O'REILLY: That's a positive and I just -- got to go. You say the Confederate flag is a symbol of hate and you believe that. 

WILLIAMS: That's the way I feel when I see it. 

O'REILLY: Okay, okay. And absolutely 100 percent legitimate. For some other people who see it in a historical context -- 

WILLIAMS: What's the historical context?

O'REILLY: It represents bravery. 

WILLIAMS: Oh get out of town. 

O'REILLY: In war.

WILLIAMS: They put it up in anger when they were trying to mass resist the Civil Rights Movement in the 60's. 

O'REILLY: You know as well as I do that it represents, to some, bravery in the Civil War because the Confederates fought hard.

[...]

But that's what it represents. You're right historically, but in their minds, that's what it represents. And in your mind it represents hate. So, and everybody should know what the two sides are believing. (emphasis added)

Previously:

Fox & Friends Hides Hillary Clinton's Condemnation Of South Carolina Flying Confederate Flag

NY Times' Helene Cooper Explains The Problem With The Confederate Battle Flag Being Displayed By Southern States

Radio Host Michael Berry Defends Confederate Flag As Simply Representing South Carolina's “Heritage”

UPDATE: This headline has been updated for clarity.