The Definition of Lynching

lynch   [linch]

–verb (used with object)

to put to death, esp. by hanging, by mob action and without legal authority.

It would seem that The American Spectator's Jeffrey Lord should invest in a dictionary. In a stupendously moronic editorial, Lord accuses Shirley Sherrod of lying about a relative, Bobby Hall, being lynched in the 40's because he wasn't specifically hanged. He was arrested, taken to the courthouse and as he was taken out of the car still in handcuffs...

"...three petitioners began beating him with their fists and with a solid-bar blackjack about eight inches long and weighing two pounds...

...after Hall, still handcuffed, had been knocked to the ground, they continued to beat him from fifteen to thirty minutes until he was unconscious. Hall was then dragged feet first through the courthouse yard into the jail and thrown upon the floor, dying. An ambulance was called, and Hall was removed to a hospital, where he died within the hour and without regaining consciousness."

Since there was no noose, no tree and no hanging, according to Jeffrey Lord, this was not a lynching.

Is this what passes for intelligent editorials at The American Spectator? For Mr. Lord to believe the word "lynching" is not limited specifically to "hanging from a tree" without even looking it up, and therefore accuse Shirley Sherrod of lying because of it, is the very reason conservatives are painted in broad brush strokes as unfeeling, uncaring, racist boobs.

Really, Mr. Lord? Arguing semantics on the definition of "lynching"? I'm expecting a retraction or better yet, another article formally apologizing for your idiocy, but I won't hold my breath.

(H/T Bob Cesca)

Time For Bill O'Reilly To Go

Don Imus gets fired for his "nappy headed hos" comment regarding the Rutgers Women's Basketball team. Kelly Tilghman was suspended for two weeks from the Golf Channel for saying last week that young players who wanted to challenge Tiger Woods should "lynch him in a back alley." David Shuster was suspended from MSNBC for his "pimped out" comment regarding Chelsea Clinton's role in her mother's presidential campaign bid. The list goes on and on as far back as Howard Cosell and Jimmy the Greek.

And now we have Mr. No Spin Zone, Bill O'Reilly with his "lynching Michelle Obama" comment regarding her misquoted statement about "truly" being proud of her country. The man is unhinged and has proven time and again that he is a racist and it's high time he should be fired or forced to resign.

Of course, we know it's never going to happen.

Bob Cesca: It's not just his flippant threat to "lynch" Michelle Obama. It's the Sylvia's Restaurant rant. It's the wetback remarks. It's the white power remarks. All of it. How many other reporters, personalities and celebrities need to be suspended and fired while Bill O'Reilly, time and time again, gets a pass? Instead, FOX News and Roger Ailes enable his prime time behavior because Bill O'Reilly's radio and TV shows are, of course, somewhat popular among similarly simplistic dolts.

Let's get this straight. This is what Michelle Obama said. "For the first time in my adult lifetime I'm really proud of my country, because it feels like hope is finally making a comeback." Immediately, Fox News and all the right wing nuts actually edited out the word "really" to make it sound as if she'd never been proud before this statement. Take a look. Or just Google "Michelle Obama proud country" and you'll get dozens of wingnut websites and edited videos to peruse for yourself. It's so ridiculously obvious that it is outrageous to me that those who want to believe the smear actually do. And yet everyone jumps on the bandwagon including Cindy McCain without knowing the actual quote.

Well, here's an actual quote by O'Reilly. "I don't want to go on a lynching party against Michelle Obama unless there's evidence, hard facts, that say this is how the woman really feels. If that's how she really feels -- that America is a bad country or a flawed nation, whatever -- then that's legit. We'll track it down. "

Unless there's evidence?! We'll track it down?! Jeebus Christ! The man is putting conditions on the idea of lynching someone. It just so happens that the "someone" is the African-American wife of the likely African-American Democratic presidential candidate.

Do you think we'll get an apology from O'Reilly? Absolutely not. He never apologizes because he knows that to this date, there have never been any repercussions for any of the offensive, racist, outrageous things he's spewed in the past.

Here's Olbermann last night:

It's time for O'Reilly the Racist to go. Fired? Angry... mob? Either would suit me fine.