"Last week Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy, who defied the U.S. government by not paying grazing fees for his cattle, made some ridiculous comments about black Americans and slavery. He instantly lost any credibility he might have had. A short time later, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Clippers basketball team, 80-year-old Donald Sterling, was embarrassed when his mistress released tape recordings of him insulting black people. Sterling's comments are just despicable and, like Bundy, he's finished in the court of public opinion. But why would these men say these things? First, both are ignorant. Second, both have a sense of entitlement, and that's the key. Cliven Bundy sincerely believes that he should be exempt from paying grazing taxes; Sterling thinks he can shoot his mouth off because he has bought his way out of past controversies. There's no question that Sterling has a problem, but here's the headline: It's primarily his problem, not the country's problem. He doesn't represent anyone but himself, although he has brought pain to other people. The coach of the Clippers, Doc Rivers, is a fine man. You can imagine what this has done to him and his team, which has worked hard all season. Other NBA legends have been insulted as well. They have a perfect right to be angry and to demand that Sterling be punished, and he will lose control of his team. The bigger picture is that there are bigots in every country and of every race. For example, what are we to think about the thousands of people who go to hear Louis Farrakhan rant against whites and Jews? Those folks represent a very small portion of the African American community. Same thing with Jeremiah Wright, who has made a number of anti-white comments. The vast majority of black religious people are good and decent, so it's not fair to draw any conclusions from Wright or Farrakhan, or Sterling or Bundy. They are just misguided individuals. I believe that when most Americans see and hear racism in their own lives, they get furious. This country has come a very long way from the days when denying Americans opportunity because of their skin color was acceptable in some places. Now, racists pay a huge price. For the rest of his life, Donald Sterling will be a pariah. He will not be celebrated or welcomed anywhere except other than the lunatic fringe precincts. There will be people who seek to exploit Sterling and Bundy. Al Sharpton immediately began threatening to boycott if Sterling wasn't dealt with the way he thinks he should be. Instead of allowing the NBA to investigate, Sharpton exploited the situation immediately, trying to bring attention to himself. Racism will never be wiped out, it's a neurosis and a mental deficiency. But America is a place that no longer tolerates it in the public arena, as Donald Sterling and Cliven Bundy have learned the hard way."

Guests:Juan Williams & Mary Katharine Ham
Fox News analysts Mary Katharine Ham and Juan Williams opined on the Donald Sterling race dustup. "When Americans hear this stuff," Ham said, "it makes their stomachs churn, and that is a good point about our country. These things become national news because they are not common. Donald Sterling will pay a huge price." Williams disagreed with the notion that racism is primarily an individual problem. "I think it's a country problem - we have a terrible history here of slavery and legal segregation. I think there are real repercussions from that history in the way we caricature black people and even Asians and Jews." But The Factor insisted, "This country has made more strides than any other country on the planet as far as giving opportunity to all."

Guests:Brit Hume
The Factor asked Brit Hume to evaluate the mild economic sanctions President Obama is placing on Vladimir Putin and Russia. "What he's basically saying," Hume theorized, "is that Putin can have his way with Ukraine and that these graduated sanctions are intended to deter Putin from later actions against NATO members in the Baltic. To be really effective, major economic sanctions would necessarily involve the cooperation of our European allies, who are much more financially intertwined with Russia." The Factor worried that President Obama is sending the wrong message to the world's evil-doers: "This is showing weakness, it's a wrong-headed policy. Right now Putin and China and North Korea are saying they'll just do pretty much what they want. Appeasement and weakness never work."

Guest:Dr. Nick Weiss
With racism in the news on a daily basis, psychologist Nick Weiss analyzed the effect of the stories on children. "Kids have often heard snippets here and there," he explained, "but they may have misunderstandings about what's going on. So you want to start with questions, not statements. If you show a genuine interest in what kids think, you'll start to find that they have a lot of ideas and curiosity. If they know they can say whatever is on their minds, they're going to start asking you questions." Weiss also opined on the impact on children of hyper-sexualized entertainment. "The Internet and the whole media landscape is a minefield for kids these days, and so it's a minefield for parents trying to help their kids navigate the territory."

Guest:Charles Krauthammer
Charles Krauthammer entered the No Spin Zone with his observations on the Donald Sterling controversy and racism in general. "I think we've had remarkable success," Dr. K declared. "We had legal segregation 50 years ago and now if guys like Bundy or Sterling say something outrageous, they're instantly done. If that doesn't speak to the incredible changes in the mindset of the country, nothing does. This is one of the most remarkable changes in the thinking of a country in world history - we decided as a society to step in and make racial discrimination illegal. We have come an incredibly long way." The Factor reminded Krauthammer that not everyone shares his generally optimistic view: "In many liberal precincts that is not the prevailing wisdom. I heard people on another cable network all day long today saying that the country makes Sterling and Bundy the way they are."

Guest:Jesse Watters
Last week Jesse Watters donned his Birkenstocks and paid a visit to an Earth Day celebration in Manhattan. Here are some gems he picked up from the folks in attendance: "Happy Earth Day, it's the best day of the year" ... "I don't really know what it is, but I believe in global warming" ... "Global warming is not caused by Mother Nature, it's caused by God bringing judgment" ... "I drive a really efficient car" ... "I'm wearing my magical crystals, I love the Earth."

Damen Steven, Bangkok, Thailand: "Bill, your commentary on the aftermath of the Bundy controversy was poetic. It was the best explanation for what happened that I've seen."

John DeGroot, Victor, MT: "Bill, as usual, you do not stick up for normal Americans like Bundy. Get a clue, moron."

Evie Welling, Missoula, MT: "I saw a clip of Beyonce on The Factor, Bill, and was stunned. What a terrible message she is sending to young women everywhere."

Carrie Perry, Garland, UT: "Bill, the way you talk about Beyonce is how they talked about Elvis in the sixties. She empowers women inside and out."

Actor Jamie Foxx's recent inaccurate comments about Bill reinforce an age-old adage: When you have no idea what you're talking about, it is always best to keep quiet.