Ho ho hum

It shouldn't come as a surprise, given that Bill O'Reilly is the same guy who wondered on air, back in February, whether the controversy surrounding Mel Gibson's "The Passion" wasn't because "the major media in Hollywood and a lot of the secular press is controlled by Jewish people." But it's surprising nevertheless, as it always is when someone displays such ignorance and belligerence.

Here's the transcript, from the Dec. 3 broadcast of the nationally syndicated "The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly," of a conversation between O'Reilly and a caller who objected to "Christmas going into schools":

CALLER: The thing is, is when you have - for example, Christmas carols or gift exchanges being done in school - that kind of sets the kids up to being converted.

O'REILLY: Yeah, but you give gifts on Chanukah, don't you?

CALLER: No, there's not really a Jewish tradition of giving gifts on -

O'REILLY: Well, the seven candles (sic), you get a gift for every night, don't you?

CALLER: Actually, the Jews give gifts on -

O'REILLY: All right. Well, what I'm tellin' you ... is I think you're takin' it too seriously. You have a predominantly Christian nation. You have a federal holiday based on the philosopher Jesus. And you don't wanna hear about it? ... If you are really offended, you gotta go to Israel then. I mean because we live in a country founded on Judeo - and that's your guys' - Christian, that's my guys' philosophy. But overwhelmingly, America is Christian.

In a statement Dec. 8, Rep. Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) pretty much summed things up: "To insist that a Jewish caller should 'go to Israel' if he is worried about proselytizing with public funds is deeply offensive. Millions of Americans love both their country and their faith and should not be expected to choose between the two." Lowey is asking lawmakers to sign a letter to O'Reilly, seeking a public apology. We won't hold our breath.

And on the home front, a memorandum reportedly sent to every state public and charter school advises that it's lawful to celebrate Christmas in the classroom. The memo comes from The Center for Arizona Policy, which is associated with Focus on the Family. According to its Web site, the center exists "to influence the culture in Arizona on behalf of the traditional family and the biblical ethic." The center's "Parents' School Survival Guide" warns that there are "a number of 'code words' for homosexuality in public school curricula. Those include diversity, inclusivity, anti-bias and tolerance."

We thought those words also meant accepting people of other faiths. But maybe we're just old-fashioned.

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