Bill O'Reilly: Violence in Michigan
December 13, 2012

By Bill O'Reilly

Last night I opined that hate speech is a violent act because it incites people to harm the target of the speech. Well now we're seeing speech leading to actual physical violence in Michigan. The issue is a new state law that allows Michigan workers to legally opt out of joining a union. President Obama and most union leadership despise the law saying it will hurt the power of workers to bargain for better wages and benefits.

Yesterday the three television evening news programs on the networks covered the intense situation.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The anger boiling over. Officers turning to pepper spray to control the crowd at least 10,000 deep.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Union members from across Michigan and other states voiced their anger at the Michigan Capitol.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Despite the chill, today thousands of union workers far outnumbered supporters. Directing their anger toward Republican lawmakers and Governor Rick Snyder. Under the watchful gaze of police some in riot gear, protesters swarmed the Governor's office building, finding the doors locked.

BRIAN WILLIAMS, NBC NEWS: -- after a boisterous day at the state capital.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: But there is a big difference between being boisterous and being violent. And here the networks missed a big component of the story. Perhaps they missed it intentionally. Steven Crowder, a comedian, who involves himself with the issues of the day and sometimes contributes to Fox News was at the demonstrations in Lansing yesterday conducting some interviews when this happened.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He's got a gun. I'll kill (EXPLETIVE DELETED). I'll kill (EXPLETIVE DELETED).

(END VIDEO CLIP)

O'REILLY: And Crowder was lucky emerging from the fracas with a chipped tooth and some minor cuts. He has not filed charges, at least not yet. "Talking Points" expects to see more violence like that as the country becomes even more divided. There is no question that the re- election of President Obama has emboldened the committed left and angered the committed right.

Both sides are spoiling for a fight, but it is the left that is driving the division right now. In recent weeks we've seen the agenda; a massive redistribution of wealth through taxation, a national move to legalize gay marriage defining it as a civil rights issue, the first steps towards the legalization of drugs, mandated health insurance coverage of both birth control and abortion-inducing drugs. Also the confiscation of private property through an ever higher death tax.

Right now, liberal America is more powerful than conservative America, even though there are more self identified conservative, according to the polls. What happened in Michigan may be just the beginning. This is not a tranquil country right now.

And that's "The Memo."

- You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the Fox News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com.

Transcript Date: 
Wed, 12/12/2012
Transcript Show Name: 
O'Reilly Factor
Posted by BillOReilly.com Staff at 5:08 AM
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