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ACT NOW: Demand that Bill O’Reilly & FOX News Apologize for Comparing Gay People to al Qaeda
  1. Signatures
    7,378 out of 7,500
    Petitioning
    1. Executive Vice President of Programming, FOX News Channel (+ 3 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Executive Vice President of Programming, FOX News Channel (William Shine)
      • Executive Producer, The O'Reilly Factor (Amy Sohnen)
      • Senior Executive Producer of Programming, FOX News Channel (David Clark)
      • Corporate Communications Executive Vice President, FOX News Channel (Brian Lewis)
  2. Created By
    GLAAD
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

On the June 2 edition of FOX News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor," host Bill O'Reilly made highly offensive comments while discussing a gay themed McDonald's advertisement currently airing in France.  
 
After playing the ad for his viewers O'Reilly asked Jane Skinner to weigh in on the content. Skinner pointed out that the ad campaign is "part of an overreaching campaign called ‘come as you are,' which you saw at the end there. So they show people in different walks of life." O'Reilly then asked, "Do they have an al Qaeda ad, you know, come as you are? You know?"
 
Instead evaluating the commercial in a fair manner, O'Reilly used the occasion to defame the LGBT community, suggesting that McDonald's might begin marketing to terrorists simply because the company produced a gay friendly television commercial. His lighthearted tone in the segment was equally disturbing.
 
Cable opinion programs like "The O'Reilly Factor" have a responsibility to cover issues with a level of respect and civility. Bill O'Reilly failed to live up to that standard in making these defamatory remarks. FOX News Channel is equally accountable for allowing O'Reilly a platform for this insulting irresponsible commentary.
 
TAKE ACTION NOW!
 
Please contact FOX News Channel and voice your serious concerns about Bill O'Reilly comparing the gay community to al Qaeda. Urge O'Reilly and FOX News to apologize and tell the network to stop allowing its airwaves to be used for defamatory attacks.
 
Contacts:
 
Amy Sohnen    
Executive Producer, The O'Reilly Factor
FOX News Channel
(212) 301-3197    
sohnen@foxnews.com

William Shine    
Programming Executive Vice President   
FOX News Channel  
(212) 301-3289
bill.shine@foxnews.com

David Clark        
Programming Senior Executive Producer  
FOX News Channel              
(212) 301-5352    
david.clark@foxnews.com
            
Brian Lewis
Corporate Communications Executive Vice President   
FOX News Channel
(212) 301-3331    
lewis@foxnews.com

Send an email below or see www.glaad.org/calltoaction/oreilly/june10 for more information.

Recent Signatures

Bill O'Reilly's Comments Likening Gay People to al Qaeda are Offensive and Unacceptable

Dear FOX News:

I am joining GLAAD’s action against Bill O’Reilly’s comments that likened gay and lesbian people to the international terrorist organization, al Qaeda.

O’Reilly’s outrageous assertion that the McDonald’s Corporation would market to terrorists because the company produced a gay-affirming television commercial is both offensive and unacceptable.

Political commentators like O’Reilly have a responsibility to cover issues with a level of respect and civility. Bill O’Reilly failed to live up to that standard.

Moreover, the FOX News network is equally accountable in this matter because it continues to provide a platform for O’Reilly’s anti-gay rhetoric.

I demand that FOX News and Bill O’Reilly apologize for this irresponsible and defamatory attack on the LGBT community and I call on FOX News to finally put a stop to homophobia on its airwaves.

In concern,

[Your name]

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