Bill O'Reilly stood strong on 2nd last night

[HiBC]

Back around 19 Feb there was a post here on commentary Bill made regarding post Katrina.
I disagreed with his opinion on that matter,said so here,and wrote Bill about it.
However,there was a certain amount of bashing Bill the man that took place here,and he was labeled,unfairly in my opinion.
In his earlier days ,he was decidedly more anti-gun,in the eastern urban style.I have seen his position evolve over time .He has come a long way.
Last night he was in a discussion with someone named Levine on his show,and this guy was calling himself a constructionist,yet trying to bury the 2nd under the organized militia part.

Oreilly stood tall,said Mr Levine,you are skipping over a very important comma,and "The Right of the People to Keep and Bear Arms Shall Not Be Infringed"

Bill further said the right is clearly about individuals,and he noted studying the correspondence of the founders.He even said he owns one of the original Thomas Jefferson letters.

So,while we may disagree on some matters,kudos to Bill Oreilly,and Thanks,for supporting the 2nd Ammendment on your show.

E-mailing a simple thank you may not be a bad idea.He may evolve even more.

[Rembrandt]

I'm skeptical of where he stands....if he is truly a 2nd Amendment proponent, he seems to lack confidence or the courage of his convictions to a point of being a firm gun rights advocate. What concerns me is his willingness to compromise that right for the implementation of what he calls "common sense" gun laws in bigger cities.

He quite often plays a "Devils Advocate" to create an interesting dialog for the TV ratings.

Talk is one thing......but his actions would speak much louder and carry more credibility.

[pendennis]

Bill O'Reilly clearly stated on his show, that the police had the right to confiscate citizens' guns during time of emergency citing Hurricane Katrina as an example. This is just one example of O'Reilly's siding with a too powerful central government.

Mark Levine is a true constitutional constructionist. The Second Amendment to the constitution clearly mentions militia, and militia is not the National Guard or formal military organization. The militia is the body of able-bodied citizens standing to defend individual liberties and the country.


Mr. Levine is absolutely correct. While O'Reilly has some conservative leanings, he is really a populist.

You should read Mr. Levine's writings. He's authored several books, and probably is one of the foremost experts on the constitution, especially the judiciary, in this country.

[Wildalaska]

You should read Mr. Levine's writings. He's authored several books, and probably is one of the foremost experts on the constitution, especially the judiciary, in this country.

You mean mark levine, the radio host with the whiny, nasal voice?

WildifthatswhoyameantherearesurelymorequalifiedexpertsAlaska ™

[alloy]

Levine was on O'reilly.
Levin was on his radio show.
Because the latter, mentioned the former if I'm not mistaken. My cable was out so there's that.

[Tennessee Gentleman]

Originally Posted by pendennis

and militia is not the National Guard or formal military organization.

The Supreme Court disagrees.

The National Guard is the modern Militia reserved to the States by Art. I. 8, cl. 15, 16, of the Constitution. MARYLAND v. UNITED STATES, 381 U.S. 41 (1965)

[KLRANGL]

Here's a video of him talking about the Chicago handgun ban case
http://www.foxnews.com/search-result...m#q=o%27reilly

He never struck me as anti gun before, but I'm not what you would call a dedicated viewer...

Now my dad on the other hand...

[44 AMP]

I have listened to him on car radio for years, but do not do so nowdays, as he isn't on during my travel times.

He has constistantly stated his support for the Second Amendment. But then, so have many people. His statements on specific gun issues have show him entirely willing to accept various (so called) compromises, and restrictions that many of us find unaccptable and even unconstitutional.

I don't know if he has changed his public stance lately, or not, but he always gave me the impression that on gun issues, he was a sheep in wolf's clothing, or wished to be.

[stickhauler]

I might point out that Chicago Mayor Richard Daley last week said he believed in the 2nd amendment as well, as he was also saying Chicago had every right to have a handgun ban. How that logic works is beyond me.

[HiBC]

First,it was not Mark Levine the conservative he was talking with.It was another Levine who was not a conservative.

I will agree that at times Mr OReilly and I have a very different point of view.

This time,what I wrote this thread about,Mr OReilly was talking with two folks who were not on the side of owning firearms.One was some Democratic strategist,and the other was the (not Mark) Levine.

I saw it,Bill did great. This time.

Why dump on it?
The guy is one of the largest voices on the media,and when he speaks out in support of the second,it seems wise to say,"Hey,Bill,thanks"

Folks,the energy that makes this forum work is that folks disagree,on Glocks versus Single action Army's,whether a .243 is a deer cartridge,the 30-06 and anything.
The trick is to disagree without trashing each other.
Bill did good

[stickhauler]

Standing up for the second amendment shortly after supporting the idea of confiscation of firearms in an emergency doesn't sound like a firm commitment to me. Is this his reaction to complaints about his earlier ramblings?

For a national commentator to assure me he or she truly believes in the right to keep and bear arms requires a bit more consistency than he's been showing. If he's being genuine this time around, sure, thanks Bill, but we will be watching, and we have very long memories. And we're not real partial to folks that talk the talk, but ain't willing to walk the walk!

[Pilot]

I didn't see the show so I don't know the Levine you are speaking about. However, the Mark Levin on the radio with the "nasaly voice" is a true, Constitutional scholar and author of several books on the subject.

Mark R. Levin grew up in Cheltenham Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Levin graduated from Cheltenham High School and holds a B.A. from Temple University, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude. Levin also earned a JD from the Temple University Beasley School of Law.

Beginning in 1981, Levin served as advisor to several members of President Ronald Reagan's Cabinet, eventually becoming Associate Director of Presidential Personnel and ultimately Chief of Staff to Attorney General Edwin Meese; Levin also served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education at the U.S. Department of Education, and Deputy Solicitor of the U.S. Department of the Interior.

He has practiced law in the private sector, and is president of Landmark Legal Foundation, a conservative public interest law firm founded in 1976 and based in Leesburg, Virginia.

Levin has participated in the Freedom Concerts, an annual benefit concert to aid the families of fallen soldiers, and he uses his radio program to promote the concerts.[1][2] Levin is also involved with Troopathon, a charity which sends care packages to soldiers serving overseas.[3]

In 2001, the American Conservative Union awarded Levin its Ronald Reagan Award.[4][5]

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

[Wildalaska]

However, the Mark Levin on the radio with the "nasaly voice" is a true, Constitutional scholar and author of several books on the subject.

No one disputes his education, I merely dispute him being "one of the foremost"....

WildandhisvoiceisannoyingAlaska TM

[RDak]

Yes I saw that discussion about the 2nd Amendment.

It was refreshing to see O'Reilly on the pro-gun side when he oftentimes talks like a rabid anti-gunner.

ETA: It's Mark Levin who knows alot about the constitution.

[AirForceShooter]

BillO goes where the ratings are.
He commented on the Katrina gun issue and got blasted by his viewers.
He got the message. Now guns are good.

He's a New Yorker. I'm sure he hates guns.

AFS

[Pilot]

No one disputes his education, I merely dispute him being "one of the foremost"....

Understood. He may not be one of the "foremost" but he does have a good handle on what the intent was of the framers of the Constitution.

Evidently, the Reagan Administration though highly of him as well.

I'd rather buy Colts from you than talk politics anyway.

[JustDreadful]

Much as it pains me, I have to agree with WA: I'll never know what Levin is an expert on, because I can't stand to listen to him.