I’ve never thought to read Roger Ebert for anything more than movie reviews, but this recently posted article on his blog really caught my attention. In it he takes an intellectual sledgehammer to Bill O’Reilly in a way that deserves attention. From the article:

Bill O’Reilly has been brought low by the same process that afflicted Jerry Springer. Once respected journalists, they sold their souls for higher ratings, and follow their siren song. Springer is honest about it: “I’m going to Hell for what I do, and I know it,” he’s likes to say. O’Reilly insists he is dealing only with the truth. When his guests disagree with him, he shouts at them, calls them liars, talks over them, and behaves like a schoolyard bully.

What really resonates with me is the concept that O’Reilly-style bullying begets more bad behavior wherever it’s witnessed or heard. Guys like this make it OK for others to subscribe to the “might is right” way of being. In the process everyone loses something – and for Americans, it seems we’ve truly lost sight of rational debate.

Read the full post HERE.