Bill O'Reilly: HISTORY FAIL!

[Cyranno DeBoberac]

While speaking to a reporter, Jessica Alba (who was a fervent and vocal Obama supporter, which I guess makes her a target in Billo's eyes) makes a reference to neutrality and Sweden.

O'Reilly took time out from molesting falafels to smugly correct her on his show and call her a pinhead for saying Sweden instead of Switzerland.

Maybe if he had paid attention in history class instead of daydreaming about growing up to sexually harass producers someday, he would have known that Sweden was neutral in WW2, just like Switzerland was.

http://www.rightpundits.com/?p=2772

fucktard

[daBaroness]

Personally - I think Jessica's response was quite good.

So there Bill - stick that up your history book!

[Peaches O Malley]

As the self-appointed spokesperson for intelligent, and slightly tipsy Irishpersons, I have 7 words for Mr. O'Reilly....You! off the island you thick plonker! Thank you, and goodnight. ;-)

[BronxGirl]

I love you all!

[Apropos]

Personally I thought she was a royal bitch to the guy she asked what Barack's greatest characteristic is going into office. Granted I don't know who the journalist is, but he is supposed to be objective. She hounded him and then even when he answered her, she couldn't hear past her own Obama lovefest and continued. Not everyone in DC thinks Obama walks across the Reflecting Pool on a daily basis.

And I am no fan of O'Reilly, but come on people, the country most noted and referred to as a neutral country is Switzerland, not Sweden. No one claims "Sweden" when they want to neutral. No one yells "Sweden" when they play capture the flag and need a safe place. She flubbed and it just happened that the country she said is also neutral.

[Ysobelle]

No, some of us were taught about Sweden's neutrality:

In 1943, Sweden received nearly all of Denmark's 8000 Jews. With the dissolution of the Danish government in the summer of 1943, the German authorities had decided to deport the Danish Jewish population to concentration camps. However, the Danes successfully transported all but 450 of the Jews to Sweden in an unprecedented rescue effort. There, they were granted asylum, and taken in by Swedes. Many stayed in Sweden after the war. Sweden also received refugees from Finland and Norway, including some of Norway's Jews who were able to escape. This, as well as the protection of Sweden's own Jewish population, was made possible due to Sweden's neutrality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweden_during_World_War_II


The Swiss, on the other hand? Not so much. They turned many Jewish refugees away because of their much-vaunted neutrality.


I know I have a different perspective. And I'm obviously not saying Alba is Jewish. I'm just saying it IS well-known to many of us. Maybe she did screw up and just landed on a happy coincidence. Or maybe she's well-educated.

[Psyche]

My father fought in WW2 and he made sure we knew about Sweden's neutrality, as did my teachers. I thought it was common knowledge that Sweden is the oldest neutral country in the world (they beat Switzerland by a year).

[AnnaFaerie]

I was also taught this in school.

[Margaret]

See, I don't recall hearing that in school. If it was taught, it was just a blip on the radar, so I don't think it is as common knowledge as you may think.

I know I did not recall that Sweden was neutral.

[Pathos]

See, I don't recall hearing that in school. If it was taught, it was just a blip on the radar, so I don't think it is as common knowledge as you may think.

I know I did not recall that Sweden was neutral.
Me either. The Swiss were always the one's that were the butt of jokes about being neutral.

8-)

[Kathryn Blakeley]

See, I don't recall hearing that in school. If it was taught, it was just a blip on the radar, so I don't think it is as common knowledge as you may think.

I know I did not recall that Sweden was neutral.

I only remember learning that Sweden was neutral through the book Number the Stars and I don't think I read it for school...I might have but I don't remember half the books I was required to read in elementary/middle school.

[Apropos]

I was a foreign exchange student in Sweden so I am well aware of their neutrality nor was I saying it wasn't.

I said the most common reference is Switzerland not Sweden when referring to a country that is neutral. I never said it was the only country that was neutral. In fairness to her, I suppose she could have told the reporter to be Liechtenstein (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Liechtenstein) and been just as correct. It still sounds as dumb as Sweden.

One of my favorite lines in the Twilight series is when Bella declares she is Switzerland because she won't choose sides between mythical creatures.

[Kathryn Blakeley]

In fairness to her, I suppose she could have told the reporter to be Liechtenstein (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Liechtenstein) and been just as correct.

Teehee Liechtenstien. :P (Makes me think of A Knight's Tale)

[LitlePepito]

I said the most common reference is Switzerland not Sweden when referring to a country that is neutral. I never said it was the only country that was neutral. In fairness to her, I suppose she could have told the reporter to be Liechtenstein (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Principality_of_Liechtenstein) and been just as correct. It still sounds as dumb as Sweden.


Or Iceland, We harbored both Germans and Americans in our ports. Talk about neutrality.
(I can say “we”, my husbands family came from Iceland. Grandma married an U.S. soldier she meet during the war.)

As for Bill, Let me just hit my head on the wall now. For a guy who’s suppose have some sense of history, there are times I want to give him a history lesson.

[Cyranno DeBoberac]

Maybe she genuinely knew about Sweden's history, and maybe she misspoke and just got lucky. We don't know.

But here's the thing.... either way, if you are going to call her a pinhead and correct her while reeking of smugness, you better fucking make sure you know what the hell you are talking about.

There's some saying attributed to Jesus I think about specks and planks and eyes that fits this exact situation, no?