# Bill O'Reilly calls internet posters "the criminals at the computer" **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [June 17, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457 "2003-06-17T13:53:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/41 "2003-06-18T14:28:54Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by IzzyR \* > Which is one of the things that make the medium of the internet so conducive to passing along false information - info gets passed along from source to source at rapid speed with no one checking for accuracy. Which is the problem he is decrying. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JRDelirious \* > Which does not “criminals at the computer” make. Assholes at the computer, rather. His “criminals at the computer” line is obviously directed to “the guy who raped and murdered a 10-year old in Massachusetts says he got the idea from the NAMBLA Web site that he accessed from the Boston public library.” Not to those passing along gossip without fact checking it. ---
**Author:** ![Muldoon\_s\_Squishiness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/13edae/32.png) [@Muldoon\_s\_Squishiness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muldoon_s_Squishiness)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/42 "2003-06-18T14:32:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Debaser \* > \*\* Besides that, he isn’t in favor of restricting the speech of anyone that I am aware of. \*\* Except for anyone who dared to speak out against the war in Iraq. O’Reilly said, “When the military action starts, all of you people criticizing the Bush administration had better shut up and fall in line with the rest of us patriotic Americans, or I will consider you **an enemy of the state and a traitor.** ” So much for your first amendment right to protest. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/43 "2003-06-18T14:44:57Z")
Cite? ---
**Author:** ![Apos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/838e76/32.png) [@Apos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apos)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/44 "2003-06-18T16:07:05Z")
I don’t get it. O’Reilly has never taken a false story from traditional media and gone on about it? And from what I’ve seen, he has it exactly backwards. The net is a hotbed of critical discussion: that includes both telling lies AND correcting lies. And frankly, the web does a MUCH better job of eventually getting to the bottom of stories than traditional media has, especially lately. Bloggers not only issue corrections, but they don’t bury them or play them down. And both partisan and non-partisan debunking sites like [spinsanity.com](http://spinsanity.com) and the [dailyhowler.com](http://dailyhowler.com) do a far better job at catching errors than the punditry to which O’Reilly belongs: a punditry notorious for continuing to circulate false and misleading stories long after they’ve been exposed as such on the net. ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/45 "2003-06-18T16:19:22Z")
That’s right, with my two hands on the keyboard I’m using my **Weapons of Career Destruction** in my war of terror against the helpless O’Reilly. _snort_ BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA HAH! There’s no way I could have gotten out that sentence without laughing. I really think Needledick the O’Reilly’s control issues have been tweaked. It is so much harder to intimidate someone you aren’t directly screaming at in person or on the phone. Someday, I think it would be a hoot to be on his show. I am so inured to being screamed at in person because of the **Mother of Mass Destruction™** , that I think I could be mocking him on live television. I just hope I can bring my screwball placard on. I feel so Bugs Bunny when he’s frothing at the mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/46 "2003-06-18T16:20:53Z")
I just noticed that the subject line of the OP claims O’Reilly calls internet posters “criminals at the computer”. This is clearly false. At the end of the talking points O’Reilly uses the phrase “criminals at the computer”. However, it is reasonable to assume he is referring to the man who raped a 10 year old, not “internet posters”. ---
**Author:** ![Zakalwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zakalwe/32/270_2.png) [@Zakalwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zakalwe)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/47 "2003-06-18T17:29:52Z")
**Debaser** > [@](#): > > On February 26, during O’Reilly’s Fox News Channel show, he said the following, > “Once the war against Saddam Hussein begins, we expect every American to support our military, and if you can’t do that, just shut up. Americans, and indeed our foreign allies who actively work against our military once the war is underway, will be considered enemies of the state by me. Just fair warning to you, Barbara Streisand and others who see the world as you do. I don’t want to demonize anyone, but anyone who hurts this country in a time like this, well. Let’s just say you will be spotlighted.” From [Kurt Nimno: Bill O’Reilly’s Enemies of the State](http://www.counterpunch.org/nimmo03032003.html) ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/48 "2003-06-18T18:22:16Z")
So, he never called them a ‘traitor’ as was in the original quote. BTW, that page also goes on to say > [@](#): > > It’s no secret the corporate media is essentially the official propaganda office of the Bush White House. It’s the promotional department for the Pentagon. So that’s quite the unbiased web page. :rolleyes: However, if you put “Once the war against Saddam Hussein begins” into Google, you get 144 sites, all talking about how evil O’Reilly is for saying that quote. So, we can probably assume it’s true. This also illustrates O’Reilly isn’t paranoid when he says that there are lots of sites out there devoted to destroying him. Lets examine the statement: > [@](#): > > "Once the war against Saddam Hussein begins, we expect every American to support our military, and if you can’t do that, just shut up. The ‘we’ here is important. Despite that site claiming that O’Reilly speaks for the evil Department of Homeland Security and the equally evil Justice Department and CIA, the ‘we’ is harmless. O’Reilly often talks in terms of what the show thinks, not himself during talking points. This is just an unusual sort of 3rd person perspective that he uses during this segment of the show. He often says ‘we’, not ‘I’ and he says ‘the factor’ not ‘me’. So, instead of saying “I want to see schools improve. I support school vouchers.” O’Reilly during talking points would say “The Factor wants to see schools improve. We support school vouchers.” > [@](#): > > Americans, and indeed our foreign allies who actively work against our military once the war is underway, will be considered enemies of the state by me. He considers these people enemies of the state. Good for him. I agree that foreign allies and celebrities working against the military are enemies of the state. > [@](#): > > Just fair warning to you, Barbara Streisand and others who see the world as you do. I don’t want to demonize anyone, but anyone who hurts this country in a time like this, well. Let’s just say you will be spotlighted." O’Reilly plans on calling these people out and spotlighting them. Again, what’s wrong with this? Many American’s are greatly turned off by the liberal, anti-war activism of Streisand, Baldwin, Robbins and others. The just points it out to the masses who respond by not going to those movies or buying those CD’s. I just don’t see the Orwellian conspiracy here. ---
**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/49 "2003-06-18T18:24:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by IzzyR \* > \*\*But the sheer volume of junk out there on the internet is overwhelming. A determined discriminating reader can assess the credibility of internet sources with some degree of success, but the vast majority of people don’t fall into this category. \*\* Wouldn’t that make the real problem be the amount of gullible dumbasses on the internet? And how do you propose we either make sure only smart people go online or make sure only truthful stuff appears online? And it’s not the internet is the only way these ideas are created or spread. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/13edae/32.png) [@Dewey\_Cheatem\_Undhow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Cheatem_Undhow)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/50 "2003-06-18T19:19:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Debaser \* > \*\*I just noticed that the subject line of the OP claims O’Reilly calls internet posters “criminals at the computer”. > > This is clearly false. At the end of the talking points O’Reilly uses the phrase “criminals at the computer”. However, it is reasonable to assume he is referring to the man who raped a 10 year old, not “internet posters”. \*\* Anyone else amused by the sheer amount of spin necessary to defend the master of the “No-Spin Zone”? ---
**Author:** ![IzzyR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/2acd7d/32.png) [@IzzyR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IzzyR)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/51 "2003-06-18T19:28:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JRDelirious \* > Which does not “criminals at the computer” make. Assholes at the computer, rather. I agree. I am inclined to think he merely threw out some alliteration at the end. Certainly nothing in the rest of his article was devoted to showing how these internet people were breaking any law. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ElwoodCuse \* > Wouldn’t that make the real problem be the amount of gullible dumbasses on the internet? And how do you propose we either make sure only smart people go online or make sure only truthful stuff appears online? Gullible or lazy people are a fact of life. You can call that the “real problem” but it doesn’t change anything. If you can figure out a way to turn all these “gullible dumbasses” into witty and intelligent EldwoodCuses, please do so. Until then, it’s something to accept and work around. > [@](#): > > And it’s not the internet is the only way these ideas are created or spread. I’ve addressed this several times. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dewey Cheatem Undhow \* > Anyone else amused by the sheer amount of spin necessary to defend the master of the “No-Spin Zone”? Many people use “spin” to mean “something that I personally don’t agree with”. I actually find _that_ amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/52 "2003-06-18T19:56:56Z")
> [@](#): > > _Debaser_ > He considers these people enemies of the state. Good for him. I agree that foreign allies and celebrities working against the military are enemies of the state. Read comprehensively dipshit. He didn’t just include “foreigners and celebrities.” > [@](#): > > **Americans** , and indeed our foreign allies who actively work against our military once the war is underway, will be considered enemies of the state by me. So anyone who actively opposes the war is an “enemy of the state?” Does that include my dad, who’s a Vietnam vet? Fuck you! :wally ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/53 "2003-06-18T22:34:23Z")
I got **Diogenes** to tell me to go fuck myself. I must be doing something right. 😉 > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diogenes the Cynic \* > Read comprehensively dipshit. He didn’t just include “foreigners and celebrities.” That’s exactly who he is talking about. It was clear to me reading the article that O’Reilly was targeting those who work against the US war effort in large, meaningful ways. France bribing third world countries to vote against us at NATO comes to mind. As does hollywood celebrities organizing large protests. He specifically mentioned foreigners. He also specifically mentioned celebs (Streisand). > [@](#): > > So anyone who actively opposes the war is an “enemy of the state?” Does that include my dad, who’s a Vietnam vet? > > Fuck you! :wally O’Reilly doesn’t give a shit about your dad or any other private individual who is against the war. He is talking about celebs and such. However, I can see how it can be read that way if you take a couple of the sentances literally and without context. O’Reilly must have noticed this too, because he retracted it the next night on his program. [Another Bill bashing site](http://www.prospect.org/print-friendly/print/V14/4/tomasky-m.html) > [@](#): > > the next night he toned it – very marginally – down. He said he won’t think of dissenters as un-American, just as “bad” Americans. But he reiterated that “it is our duty as loyal Americans to shut up once the fighting begins, unless facts prove the operation wrong, as was the case in Vietnam.” [DU cite backing this up](http://www.democraticunderground.com/articles/03/03/p/07_history.html) ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/54 "2003-06-18T22:56:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Debaser \*O’Reilly doesn’t give a shit about your dad or any other private individual who is against the war. He is talking about celebs and such. So according to O’Reilly, if you get an acting job, you lose your right to free speech? Who in the name of Christ would so be goddamn stupid to believe this utter shit? ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/55 "2003-06-18T23:05:03Z")
He said “Americans” who oppose the war, **Americans**. BTW, why should celebrities have fewer rights than any other American? They were RIGHT, after all. Sean Penn was RIGHT. Michael Moore was RIGHT. Presidents who send Americans to die under false pretenses are the “enemies of the state,” not those who try to to stop them. ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/56 "2003-06-19T13:25:23Z")
Who in the name of Christ would be so goddamn stupid to not read the memo before making rediculous assumptions? O’Reilly isn’t talking about taking away anyones right to free speech. He is just planning on using his right of free speech to put a spotlight on the celebs who oppose the war once it started. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/57 "2003-06-19T13:42:09Z")
Oh, I read it alright. He’s implying that as celebs, they they’re enemies of the state if they speak out against the administration. Whether or not he’s actively calling for a repeal of of the 1st Amendment for celebrities is not the issue. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/58 "2003-06-19T14:13:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Debaser \* > \*\* He is just planning on using his right of free speech to put a spotlight on the celebs who oppose the war once it started. \*\* So we can all see that they were right? And that GW was lying through his teeth? Sounds like a public service! ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/59 "2003-06-19T14:21:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > So according to O’Reilly, if you get an acting job, you lose your right to free speech? > [@](#): > > Whether or not he’s actively calling for a repeal of of the 1st Amendment for celebrities is not the issue. Seems like you were making it the issue to me. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2003, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457/60 "2003-06-19T15:43:13Z")
The issue is that O’Reilly clearly wants celebs to not exercise their right to free speech. And we’re calling him on that bullshit. And even though it’s begininning to look like the evil liberal celebs were right, even if they were 100 percent wrong it wouldn’t make a difference. Michael Moore can say he believes W is the antichrist himself, and he still wouldn’t be an “enemy of the state”. And O’Reilly’s right to free speech has nothing to do with the issue, because no one is saying he doesn’t have the right to say what he did. We’re just pointing out was utter and complete shit it is. Compare that with what O’Reilly is doing, which is an attempt to stifle, not argue against. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bill-oreilly-calls-internet-posters-the-criminals-at-the-computer/182457.md?page=4)