Dear Mr. O'Reilly,
I know that it's customary to denigrate France in the circles that you travel in (circles that, let's be honest here, are less than 'independent'), but would it be too much to ask for you to at least have a valid reason when you do mock the French? Watching your program last night (September 5), I couldn't help but notice that you were belittling France's proffered contribution to the relief efforts in New Orleans as being somehow inadequate. (I seem to recall an unfavorable comparison between France and a 4-H troop.) I found this curious at best, especially from a man claiming to operate a 'No Spin Zone' of some sort.
Last I checked, France had offered rescue teams (including 35 civil defense troops), tents, blankets, generators, beds, pumps, emergency kits, water treatment units, two cargo aircraft, a light transport ship, a frigate (complete with helicopter), a hurricane disaster unit and several aircraft from mainland France. Maybe I'm just behind the times, but I'm not aware of any 4-H clubs offering frigates, transport aircraft and helicopters to help in New Orleans, Mr. O'Reilly.
Moreover, France's aid offer is -at least- equivalent to most aid offers from other countries; there certainly aren't many countries offering -more- aid (except, perhaps, for Kuwait).
So, I suppose that the only rational conclusion that I can come to, Mr. O'Reilly, is that rather than consider the -facts-, you simply decided to take an unwarranted potshot at France because either you yourself are rabidly and irrationally anti-France or your viewers are rabidly and irrationally anti-France and you were pandering to them. Either way, all considerations of objectivity went right out the window, obviously.
But what I think is truly disturbing here, Mr. O'Reilly, is the attitude that led you to (falsely) attack France's aid contribution. Here we have a disaster of phenomenal proportions that has created human suffering on so great a level that even nations that are openly hostile to the U.S. have offered to help New Orleans in its time of need (Iran and Venezuela come to mind). And yet, in the face of an veritable outpouring of sympathy and much-needed resources, when a country that you have some vendetta against extends its hand in a show of mutual humanity and good will, rather than graciously accept it and thank them for laying aside their differences with your country in the name of compassion, you turn around and spit in their faces.
America should be better than that. Your blind arrogance and contempt do nothing to help our country, Mr. O'Reilly. I daresay that, with apologies to 'The Daily Show', 'The No Fact Zone' would be a better descriptor for your show, as it's shown a blatant disregard for anything that the rest of the country would call 'reality'.
Think about that in the future, Mr. O'Reilly.
Sincerely,
[Blue]