America’s struggle versus your self-interests. That’s the subject of today’s Talking Points memo.
Like it or not, we live in a country where many people care only about themselves. Did you know that more people watched the Super Bowl last January than tuned into the coverage of the terrorism?
I was stunned. How could any American not watch what was going on? The fact is that most Americans — most — passed on watching television news about the terrorism.
Now we have this special interest popping up already in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Berkeley, California. We’ve had anti-war rallies. That’s hard to believe, but some people can’t wait to voice their dissent.
Many of the initial protesters betrayed their true intent by speaking of personal fears and inconveniences. Thus, the terrorism is all about them, not the country or the victims. This is sad but predictable, and we’re going to see more of it. Selfishness is rampant in America, and a terrorist attack is not going to wipe that out.
Here in New York City, police have arrested two men for looting stores underneath the World Trade Center, and we’ve already reported on various telemarketing schemes. The good news is those incidents are small and rare.
But there is a major story is developing about all the money being raised for the families of the victims.
Now, this evening, there is a two-hour celebrity-studded TV special designed to raise even more money, and I have mixed feelings about it. In the past I’ve seen celebrities use good causes to get publicity. .
For example, the actor, Roger Moore, the ex-James Bond, was appointed ambassador for UNICEF, but when given a chance to help poor black kids in Harlem, he passed, even though his advisers urged him to do it.
And the actress Angelina Jolie is the current U.N. Goodwill Ambassador for Refugees, but Ms. Jolie will not tell us or anyone else, it seems, exactly what that position is about, other than getting her some publicity.
There are legions of other examples I could give you, so I’m skeptical of famous people jumping on benevolent bandwagons. If I see a Paul Newman or a Susan Sarandon doing something, I am reassured because those people consistently help others and don’t seek publicity for it. But this big network hoo-haa, I don’t know.
Once again, Talking Points urges all Americans to put aside self-interests and personal fear and unselfishly help out the country, support the war on terrorism, work hard, and buy stuff when you can. We should all be in this together because we were all at risk.
And that’s the memo.
— You can watch Bill O’Reilly’s Talking Points weeknights at 8 & 11p.m. ET. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
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