O'Reilly to Media: Tell the Truth About Whitney and Drugs
Earlier on NBC’s Today Show, Bill O’Reilly got into a healthy argument with Matt Lauer on the unhealthy lifestyle of Whitney Houston and others who suffer from addiction. Later he went on Fox and Friends to discuss his points further. He said it’s appropriate for us to pay our respects, but her death serves as a cautionary tale.
He continued, “This is ridiculous, Whitney Houston killed herself. Do we all understand that? You don’t use hard drugs for decades, decades. You don’t spend $100 million on them not wanting to kill yourself. So why aren’t we telling the truth to young people in America?”
Bill noted that there aren’t any celebrities putting out public service announcements telling kids not to do drugs. He said all we see are “creeps” like Snoop Dogg and Willie Nelson who are celebrated for getting high. “There’s no one in the media saying this could lead to death and if it doesn’t lead to death, 75 percent of all child abuse and neglect is done by substance abusers,” contended Bill.
Eric Bolling asked what about the timing of it all since she hasn’t even been laid to rest, to which Bill retorted that this the time because everyone’s attention is on another famous and talented person who may have died as a result of drug abuse.
Bill called Houston self-destructive and that she was going to kill herself no matter what. Juliet Huddy questioned, “You don’t think she wanted to kill herself?” He responded, “It’s psychological, it’s subliminal. It’s not like she gets up every day and says I want to die. It’s, she gets up every day and says I want to get high. Well you gotta equate the two.”
As someone who has made a conscious decision not to drink because of family history, Bill says it’s the media responsibility to tell the truth. He doesn’t think the media speaks truth these days because “to make these pronouncements as I’m making them, I’m judgmental …”
Do you agree or disagree? Should this topic be open for discussion by the media or is this a personal matter? Is NOW the right time?
The focus and hatred (w/ serious racist/sexist overtones) on Whitney's death has had more attention than Johnny Cash, Amy Whinehouse, Kirk Colbain, and numerous other deceased entertainers who abused drugs and alcohol? Why is that?
Hmmm.....could it be she is just a easy scapegoat for racial hostility and animosity to whom is in currently occupying the White House? Let's see, I am guessing......Yes! How pathetic that in this intensely racially polarizing society, we Americans have to resort this type of underhanded vilification of an entire group of people by targeting the deceased who happens to be of that group? Coincidence, I don't think so...
I think it should be a wake up call to people abusing drugs. Still, the toxicology report has not come back yet so I don't think any sort of speculation should be made until we know for sure how she died.
Quoting jillianmayasmom:
I do actually agree with the point he is making, and it is very rare that I agree with Bill O'Reilly but, I think that there should be an actual official cause of death released before it is talked about. I also think she probably died because of drugs but without anything official it is mere speculation. It's better to wait.
Agree
Do you agree or disagree? I agree.
Should this topic be open for discussion by the media or is this a personal matter? Yes, it should be open to discussion. Tony Bennett sees this as a topic open for the discussion of legalizing drugs, so it should work in the reverse as well. You (not you, but a general 'you') don't get to have it just one way.
Is NOW the right time? It's as good a time as any, I suppose. I don't think it's necessary to be vulgar or insulting to her memory, but using the reality of the subject is fine and appropriate, IMO.
Come on. She died of alcohol and drug use....if not this time, it was due to damage already done....
ETA: As with many of these endings, the press always likes to talk about how "so and so" was just starting to turn his/her life around or doing all the right things to make a come back.....
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- imamomzilla
on Feb. 16, 2012 at 9:01 PM