Bill O’Reilly Credit: Getty Images for The Rumble 2012)
Following his contentious Christmas debate with Atheists for America President David Silverman on Wednesday night, Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly confronted Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee on Thursday over his decision to rename the state’s Christmas Tree a “holiday tree” as a gesture of political correctness in “changing times.”
While Chafee accused O’Reilly of trying to start a controversy where there wasn’t one, the Fox News host said he was the one starting controversy by trying to “impose his will” on the residents of his state.
“I just want our traditions to be respected that’s all,” O’Reilly said.
Chafee also told O’Reilly that everyone on Fox News is “too angry” before wishing him a Merry Christmas.
Watch the segment via Fox News/Mediaite below:
Featured image via Getty Images
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Comments (67)
Tickdog
Nov. 30, 2012 at 8:28ami watched this last night.. He kept saying it was the previous administration that started calling it a Holiday tree.. Sounds familiar, the blame game that is.
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VoteBushIn12
Dec. 2, 2012 at 11:53amIf you want to agree the TREE is a representation of a secular philosophy, then the term used to refer to the tree should not matter. (Why, as a Christian, you’d want your primary religion secularized is beyond me, but that’s another matter)
BUT, Bill is stressing out because he wants it to be called a CHRISTMAS TREE thereby removing focus from “the tree” itself and placing it on the NAME of the tree. The fact that there is a tree is not important, he is upset over what we call that tree.
So now lets look at the name of the three.
“Holiday Tree” : Secular, inclusive, generic. Fit for a public space.
“Christmas Tree” : Direct reference to Christmas (an exclusively CHRISTIAN holiday) which bares the namesake of Jesus CHRIST (an exclusively religious figure) who is the primary figure head in CHRISTIANITY (a religious ideology).
So no, Bill, you’re wrong. And I, an intelligent liberal, would LOVE to explain it to you as many times as it takes.
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Akridgerunner
Nov. 30, 2012 at 8:26amIt’s true as others have stated here; RI citizens get what they voted for and what they deserve.
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Captain Whamo
Nov. 30, 2012 at 11:07amA Rhode Island RINO.
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Rightallalong
Nov. 30, 2012 at 8:17amBill O gets it right once in a while but at the end of the day BILL O is a big government progressive who just wants his BIG government done HIS way since he is so smart — how many times has he told the world how he went to Harvard…..
He supported gun confiscation during Katrina and thinks the oath to the constitution is a load of crap.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Isd0FlGb_LY
and watch him defend smashing the constitution
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICoiFBWGX4M
Bill O is a total POS!
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dvwrld
Nov. 30, 2012 at 8:08amWhat a Douche Bag!
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china clipper
Nov. 30, 2012 at 7:39amRI is so small, it’s population has squeezed brains.
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The_Jerk
Nov. 30, 2012 at 7:58amRI, Rampant Ignorance. And, Chafee represents them well.
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ColoradoMaverick
Nov. 30, 2012 at 7:37amThis governor is a total ass clown but so are the citizens who voted him into office. Get a clue folks, elections have consequences.
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blanco5
Nov. 30, 2012 at 6:49amWhy isn’t bill talking about the fact that any American can be siezed in the middle of the night and held indefinitely???? There’s NO issue of Christmas when that is happening.
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soybomb315_II
Nov. 30, 2012 at 7:10amexactly
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betterpart
Nov. 30, 2012 at 4:00amEvery year we go through the saaaame thing. So what else is new?
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Triple7
Nov. 30, 2012 at 2:37amFrom the:The Communist Takeover Of
America – 45 Declared Goals
Communist Goals (1963) Congressional Record–Appendix, pp. A34-A35
January 10, 1963
15. Capture one or both of the political parties in the United States.
16. Use technical decisions of the courts to weaken basic American
institutions by claiming their activities violate civil rights.
22. Continue discrediting American culture by degrading all forms of artistic
expression. An American Communist cell was told to “eliminate all good
sculpture from parks and buildings, substitute shapeless, awkward and
meaningless forms.”
27. Infiltrate the churches and replace revealed religion with “social” religion.
Discredit the Bible and emphasize the need for intellectual maturity, which
does not need a “religious crutch.”
28. Eliminate prayer or any phase of religious expression in the schools on the
ground that it violates the principle of “separation of church and state.”
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thetruthlives
Nov. 30, 2012 at 7:49amthe left is evil, but no one said they weren’t smart. we have to be smarter and fight harder
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dnewton
Nov. 30, 2012 at 11:24amC.S. Lewis warned of “social justice” in his book “Screwtape Letters.” The date was 1941. Unfortunately, he did not elaborate on what was so destructive and threatening to Christianity about “Social justice.” I guess back then and during a war, it got too little notice and the author expected people to be smart enough to figure out why it was evil without breaking it down to a first grade level first.
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berlet98
Nov. 30, 2012 at 2:37am2012 War on Christmas II: Nice Companies
(Part I of this series, http://tinyurl.com/cg7eolv, cited the Liberty Counsel’s 2012 listing of “naughty” American retailers, a designation based on companies’ refusal to recognize that much of their business this time of year is attributable not to some vague winter “holiday” but to buyers shelling out for Christmas gifts for friends and loved ones in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ. Part II deals with LC’s designees as “nice” companies, i.e. those that acknowledge the reason for the season.)
The good news is that retailers designated by the Liberty Counsel as “naughty” for their indefensible, anti-Christmas, effectively anti-Christian policies (15) are far outnumbered by “nice” companies (40+). The bad news is that many of the latter are perfunctory at best in expressions of the Christmas spirit. None, however, can be labeled as Scrooges or Grinches because they at least pay some recognition to the meaning of Christmas.
On the Liberty Counsel website, the “naughties” are afforded the opportunity to redeem themselves by “using online home page banners, images and text; printed advertisements; in-store signs and displays; greeting Christmas consumers with ‘Merry Christmas’ instead of generic terms such as ‘happy holidays;’ and consumer reports about online and in-store experiences.”
As LC explains, it “simply wants to give the gift of Christmas back to those who supp
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ShyLow
Nov. 30, 2012 at 2:23amHere is what Jesus would be outraged about. There are more Churches on a country road then homeless shelters in the entire county. Jesus was not a tree worshiper and did not follow the traditions of man.
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NickyLouse
Nov. 30, 2012 at 11:33amAmein. Amein.
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ShyLow
Nov. 30, 2012 at 2:14amGet angry over a tree celebration that the Bible said NOT to participate in,is ignorance at it’s finest.
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Greenwood
Nov. 30, 2012 at 2:12pmThe only event Jesus specifically instructed his followers to commemorate was his death, not his birth. (Luke 22:19,20 ) There is no historical evidence that the early Christians celebrated the birth of the Christ. But they did memorialize his death. (1 Corinthians 11: 23-26) It was not until more than 300 years after Jesus’ birth that Christendom began to observe Christmas on December 25. In the mid-17th century, an act of parliament banned Christmas celebrations in England. In the US the Massachusetts General Court did the same. Why? It was nothing but a pagan festival covered with a Christian veneer honoring the agricultural god Saturn and the sun god Sol Invictus, or Mithra.
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Alan
Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:51amThey’re outlawing the word Christmas because of a handful of professional whiners and we’re the bad guys.
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Linda SD
Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:35amSince the Pope admeited this month that x-mas has absolutely nothing to do with Christ or his birth, isn’t it time for ignorant pew sitters to accept the fact that x-mas is just what the Pope claims it to be, a celebratyion of the winter solstice and its pagan deities. Can’t we just let the atheists have their holiday back and finally start anew by worshipping Christ in Spiurit and TRUTH!!!
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universalphilos
Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:33amA Christmas prophecy, December 16, 1983: “Rejoice, as John rejoiced the first day that Mary came unto her cousin, Elizabeth, and he saw, therefore, his cousin and the Messiah, and knew that it was all so. Rejoice, and know that the Messiah is with you, for he lives upon the Earth. He breathes the same air you breathe.
And his time will come, if you make it so.
But rejoice, as he will rejoice with you, for as you shall have a Christmas tree so shall he. As he gives presents and you give presents, in your mind’s eye, be as the shepherd boy. Reserve your greatest gift that you might give it unto him.
We say unto you, shalom. Lehaim!”
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Wdawg
Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:21amHAHAHAHAHA…. War on Christmas? get Fu***ing real! there is a real war going on in the Middle East with American lives on the line! **** you O’Reilly!
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johnsmith500
Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:20amThis idiot is a governor? Really?Repeating “Times are changing” like a drone, and then “You are from Fox news, you guys are angry”? People elected this idiot?
All I can say is WOW!
Idiots and retards are running the country.
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loriann12
Nov. 30, 2012 at 8:51amMy husband spent 6 days in the VA Hospital after a surgery. He was actually TOLD BY A STAFF member to turn off Fox News, as it was a propaganda outlet. Guess his race?
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drenfroe
Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:11amIts past time to say no more of this crap.
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Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:47pmWhat holiday is Coward Chafee proposing to celebrate with this holiday tree, Ramadan?
I am assuming he and his staff are going to be taking a holiday on December 25th., why? Is that a special day, Governor? You sound stupid when you say one thing, but do another.
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pantokrator
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:36pmI don’t know, I don’t see the harm in officially naming it a “Holiday Tree”, I’m sure it’s not like you can’t personally call it a Christmas Tree. I like Bill’s intolerance for people trying to deliberately destroy Christmas, but I don’t think that’s the case here. This governor wants to change the official name of the tree for the “changing of times”, fine. I’ll still walk by it and say, “Nice Christmas Tree”. No harm done.
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RANGER1965
Nov. 30, 2012 at 12:50amYou’re both right and wrong.
You’re right that the governor is likely trying to do what he feels is right by calling it a holiday tree. Perhaps it’s his hope that by doing this officially, it removes the government stamp from a Christian themed item.
But the danger of this is seeing this incident in isolation. The enemies of this nation, of Christianity, Capitolism, and of American Culture have adopted the strategy of “Death by a thousand tiny cuts”
Many of us can no longer see these incidents in isolation, but instead see a steady relentless attack on everything Christian, and everything American.
It may not be just, to see things this way. It certainly biases the situation, but it makes it no less real.
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DIR
Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:37am“No harm done!”
Wow! Really? Who the hell is Chafee to make this determination. He’s the governor, not the supreme ruler of Rhode Apple. If it’s such a huge issue that the tree be called something other than what tradition has so far ordained, let the people vote on it. He works for them. Well maybe not. Maybe I’ve been misinformed.
This is one of those seeminly insignificant actions that’s a huge issue. Next he’ll be telling everyone in his state what they can and can’t eat, what they can and cannot drive, where they can and cannot not go.
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SacredHonor1776
Nov. 30, 2012 at 4:21amIronically by calling it a Holiday tree they are calling it a Holy Day tree…
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Jeetman
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:35pmI cannot believe that my fellow Rhode Islanders elected this BUFFOON. Rhode Island is a **** hole. I need to move to Texas and I would if I had the ability financially and occupationally to do so. When Ovomit crashes the dollar, I’m going to be in a really bad situation. I have neighbors who depend on their Obama phones and welfare checks. I recently was let go from my temp job I held for two and a half years. I hate this state. My votes are overridden by the dumbest people you can imagine. They are mostly dumbocratic zombies.
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biohazard23
Nov. 30, 2012 at 5:32amGod bless you. I hope things turn around and start looking up for you soon.
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THXll38
Nov. 30, 2012 at 8:44amI hope you enjoy those wonderful Texas property taxes.
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dnewton
Nov. 30, 2012 at 11:18amBut, if you leave, who is going to pay all of the taxes that they need to create the rest of Utopia? I sometimes wonder if the movement of people from blue to red states causes problems with electoral college a few years before the census and redistricting. A lot of people from blue states are moving to Tennessee also. Our state senate is about 80% Republican. The old timey local Democrats don’t get it but those who are fleeing California, Connecticut and other blue states do get it. Rhode Island has a very high per capita tax and per capita government debt.
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Theocracy588
Nov. 30, 2012 at 3:40pmI can’t believe all of the other states aren’t clamoring for you to move! You sound like a fine addition to any community. Not so sure why a crashing dollar would put you in a worse situation, though; perhaps it’s all the Italian suits and German sports cars you’re buying?
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TruthPolice60
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:34pmI am sooooo glad that Lincoln Chafed is no longer in the republican party. Rhode Island can have him and they deserve him. What a clown. But I will say this. Enough of the tolerance and political correctness. Americans have been too tolerent of other views which has led to these “changing times”. Now it’s time to change back to traditional American values, the values that made this country great. Those values don’t include socialism, atheism or sit on your a** and wait for your government checkism..
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DIR
Nov. 30, 2012 at 1:07amChafee is a chameleon. He changes his party affliation more than he changes his underwear, which is probably one of the reasons he stinks The guy looks and sounds like a typical hayseed politician. That he gets voted in says more about his states voters than it does about him. P. T. Barnum said ” … there is a sucker born every minute.” a lot of them must live in rhode island. RI should be renamed, as has been done to the ‘Christmas tree’, Rhode Apple and it’s state symbol should be the road apple and it’s state bird should be a fly. A DNA test will probably show the fly is the missing link in Chafee’s family tree.
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savagenatn
Nov. 30, 2012 at 4:19amyep RI got what they deserved when they voted for chafed a$$. What an absolute moron *******. You have GOT to be kidding me
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GeorgieJo
Nov. 30, 2012 at 4:29amRODE ISLAND has CHAFFEE
and MINNESOTA has FRANKEN
2 idiots kissing CLINTON makes
a Russian Son In Law
Weener will be elected KING of NOOYORK after this crap
FLUKE will be an intern and Cheeeesy Clinton
can forgive HER MAN
LMAO.
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RusHube
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:27pmOur country is in serious trouble!!
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TruthTalker
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:35pmyeah…what he said.
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sizzlinsexybeckster
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:25pmWhen George W. Bush was in office there was a silent war on Christmas for 2 years until people finally noticed they had to go to an old lady’s garage sale in order to find the words “Merry Christmas” on a decoration.
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soybomb315_II
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:10pmanother year – more christmas outrage by the right. As long as people keep nominating progressive republicans and RINOs….On what ground do you have to complain about a liberal government?
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Cosmos102
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:23pmuh…not following. Huh?
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TruthTalker
Nov. 29, 2012 at 11:28pmDon’t turn your back on what is right. I call B.S. on those who do the “It is what the American people want” schtick. Quit pouting.
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THXll38
Nov. 30, 2012 at 8:49amI am a libertarian and I love Christmas and I find it to be utter BS to destroy one of the greatest holidays in our country. Jesus was not born on Christmas, most scholars would agree with this. It is indeed a pagan holiday.
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