Loofa Man's New Low
Bill O'Reilly is a disgusting piece of shit.
He started attacking John Edwards for mentioning the inconvenient fact that there are 200,000 homeless vets in this country. Talking with Ed Shultz, he said that there aren't "that many" and offered to get any homeless vet off the street if only someone could only find one.
Clearly the remarks of a completely out of touch elitist demagogue.
After being roundly criticized and rebuked, he's now trying to backtrack in the only way he knows how: by lying. Media Matters has the video of him switching the debate entirely:
But according to him, Edwards is "demagoging" because this is "something politicians can do little about." He's completely wrong. It's just his rabid right-wing brain recoils in horror at the actual solution: homeless services, affordable housing, job programs, increased services for veterans, and drug and alcohol treatment are proven to help people off the streets (especially if they can be reached early on in the process) and get them back on their feet.
On the same program Bill said, "I am living proof that you can start with very little and prosper economically if you work hard and keep it honest." If you don't end up a millionaire, it must be your fault.
Those of us capable of feeling empathy for other human beings understand that were our circumstances different--a runaway from an abusive household or a mentally battered veteran of war--we could be freezing on the street begging for the change of a passerby who denies that we even exist.
He started attacking John Edwards for mentioning the inconvenient fact that there are 200,000 homeless vets in this country. Talking with Ed Shultz, he said that there aren't "that many" and offered to get any homeless vet off the street if only someone could only find one.
Clearly the remarks of a completely out of touch elitist demagogue.
After being roundly criticized and rebuked, he's now trying to backtrack in the only way he knows how: by lying. Media Matters has the video of him switching the debate entirely:
Certainly there are homeless veterans, but it's not because of the economy. It's mostly because of addiction and mental illness, something politicians can do little about. But if Edwards admits the truth, it takes away the class warfare issue, which is his only issue.He's right about the addiction and mental illness, or course, but no one is saying otherwise. (he never mentions physical disabilities for some reason). Edwards never said they are where they are because of the economy--he regularly talks about the lack of comprehensive mental health care and veterans services.
But according to him, Edwards is "demagoging" because this is "something politicians can do little about." He's completely wrong. It's just his rabid right-wing brain recoils in horror at the actual solution: homeless services, affordable housing, job programs, increased services for veterans, and drug and alcohol treatment are proven to help people off the streets (especially if they can be reached early on in the process) and get them back on their feet.
On the same program Bill said, "I am living proof that you can start with very little and prosper economically if you work hard and keep it honest." If you don't end up a millionaire, it must be your fault.
Those of us capable of feeling empathy for other human beings understand that were our circumstances different--a runaway from an abusive household or a mentally battered veteran of war--we could be freezing on the street begging for the change of a passerby who denies that we even exist.
posted by Matt Bors at
1:44 PM
5 Comments:
First I'd like to say that I love your cartoons! I've only been reading them for a few months, but they're absolutely fantastic!
Second, I'm a combat vet (ONW 1999-2000). That doesn't justify my position, but I hope that it does make it clear that I don't have any "anti-vet/military" agenda.
I'm suspicious of the number given. 200,000 homeless vets sounds REALLY high. There are ~500,000 men and women serving now. How do they get that number of 200,000 homeless vets? Are they counting those guys at the freeway exits with their signs "Homeless, hungry veteran. God bless."? Most of those guys aren't vets, let alone homeless. There's no way a 30 something year old guy served in Vietnam. Offer one of them a job or a meal, and see how quickly they get all weird and try to get money instead. Scammers like that make it easy for us to look at someone who really needs help and wonder if they're just a scammer too.
With all of that aside, O'Reilly is an ass. The guy claims he has facts that are checked and verified, which is utter BS. The guy makes up "facts" on the spot as a matter of course. Anyone who quotes him as a credible source just needs to be laughed at. It seems like not a day goes by that I don't hear the latest piece on what an ass O'Reilly is. As far as credibility goes, look no further then his broadcasting station, "Faux News".
Chris,
I'm glad you like the comics!
The number seems outrageously high, doesn't it? But it comes from the U.S. Departments of Veteran Affairs.
The Iraq and Veterans of America have info on this:
http://www.iava.org/learn-the-truth/what-we-do/homelessness-among-veterans
"Almost 200,000 veterans are homeless on any given night. More than 335,000 veterans were homeless over the course of 2006."
1/3 of adults who are homeless are veterans.
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans estimates the number to be even higher, with 500,000 a year experiencing homelessness. C0nsider that there are 25 million veterans in the country though.
to answer your one question, I'm not sure of the exact method but it's not from counting people with cardboard signs that claim to be vets.
Since it's from the VA, I imagine they run into all these people seeking services and keep track of them.
The loofa is a nice touch.
I keep a list of people I'd like to punch in the face. Bill O's still at the top.
This latest crap reaches a whole new level. I would put John Gibson's mocking of Heath Ledger's death in that category as well. Just shit that rises above partisan disagreements and really points out what a horrible human you are, unworthy of being on television and having more influence on politics than a person sleeping under a bridge.
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