Fox News host and bigot Bill O’Reilly outdid even his own most offensive comments on Thursday night when he hosted journalist and activist Jose Antonio Vargas. The two were discussing immigration and Pres. Obama’s executive actions when O’Reilly seemingly lost all self-control and flat-out said what we already knew he was thinking: “you don’t deserve to be here.”
Vargas’s mother sent him by himself from the Philippines to the U.S. when he was 12 years old to join his grandparents, who are both naturalized U.S. citizens. He went to college and became a journalist, and even worked on a Pulitzer Prize-winning Washington Post team before he finally publicly revealed that he is an undocumented immigrant.
An emotional Vargas expressed to O’Reilly that he’s looking forward to getting a work permit and a driver license. He also noted that he’s not seen his mother since he left the Philippines as a child.
O’Reilly said that surely Vargas, as an educated man who sees the world in a sophisticated way, must be able to see things as O’Reilly himself sees them.
“Surely you understand how millions of Americans say ‘You know what, bad behavior is being rewarded’ … […] but there are a lot of people who aren’t of your circumstance, who came here in devious ways, who did things they shouldn’t have done, who didn’t contribute to our society,” O’Reilly said. “Yet they’re in the same blanket. So how do you justify that?”
Vargas tried to explain that more than half of undocumented immigrants have been in the U.S. for ten or more years.
“This has been our home. This is where we go to school, this is where we work, this is where we go to church. This is what we call to be our own community.”?
He further explained that he fears this issue will become over-poltiicized. O’Reilly interrupted to say this:
?It is a compassionate move, but it may not be a just move because you and the other people here illegally don’t deserve to be here,” O’Reilly said. “That’s harsh. It’s harsh, okay, but you don’t have an entitlement to be here.?
Vargas responded:
“Sir, I don’t feel entitled to be here,” Vargas responded. “I don’t ask for any sort of entitlement. All I know is this is where I grew up, this is my home, my family is here.”
O’Reilly acknowledged that Vargas’ circumstances are different, to which Vargas disagreed and said “we’re?all in the same boat.” Then he asked the question that Bill O’Reilly couldn’t answer honestly on air.
“What does Congress want to do with us?”
This is what Congress wants. They want you gone. Whatever it takes. They see no value in anything you or any other immigrant brings to America. Period. There’s no middle ground for them.?
Bill O’Reilly then blew all of his credibility out of the water and suggested that if Pres. Obama had waited another seven months or so, Congress would have passed a bill. (!!!!!!!!!!!)
OK, pick yourselves up off the floor now, clean the coffee off of your keyboard that you spit out when you laughed, etc….and let’s applaud how Jose Antonio Vargas ended this absurd interview.
“I’m here. This is my home. I’m not leaving. Thank you for having me.“
Watch below.
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Tiffany Willis is a fifth-generation Texan and the founder and editor-in-chief of Liberal America. An unapologetic member of the Christian Left, she has spent most of her career actively working with ?the least of these? and disadvantaged and oppressed populations. She’s passionate about their struggles. To stay on top of topics she discusses,?like her?Facebook page,?follow her on Twitter, or?connect with her via LinkedIn. She also has?a?grossly neglected personal blog?and a?literary quotes blog that is a labor of love. Find her somewhere and join the discussion.
h/t Talking Points Memo
