Not just Falwell....
O'Reilly's on a lying nutter's roll, it seems:
"O'Reilly's claim about Michigan town's opposition to Christmas colors is "flat-out not true"
Summary: Saginaw, Michigan, responded to Bill O'Reilly's false claim that "the township [Saginaw] opposes red and green clothing on anyone." O'Reilly offered this falsehood on The Radio Factor as part of a list of practices constituting what he characterized as an anti-Christmas "hysteria."
As the weblog Crooks and Liars has noted, Saginaw, Michigan, has responded to Fox News host Bill O'Reilly's false claim that "the township [Saginaw] opposes red and green clothing on anyone." O'Reilly offered this falsehood on the December 9 broadcast of his nationally syndicated radio show, The Radio Factor, as part of a list of practices constituting what he characterized as anti-Christmas "hysteria." According to a report on the website of WNEM-TV 5, a Saginaw TV station, "O'Reilly's comments are flat-out not true. [Township supervisor Tim] Braun goes on to say the township hall has red and green Christmas lights adorning the building at night."
While reading his list, O'Reilly also falsely asserted that the Plano, Texas, Independent School District prohibited students from wearing red and green clothing.
From the December 9 broadcast of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:
O'REILLY: In Saginaw, Michigan, the township opposes red and green clothing on anyone. [Laughing] In Saginaw Township, they basically said, anybody, we don't want you to wear red or green. I would dress up head to toe in red to green if I were in Saginaw, Michigan.
—S.G."
http://mediamatters.org/items/200512130007
"to make a tax-deductible gift in 2005!
O'Reilly falsely claimed a Texas school district banned red and green clothing, called move "fascism"
Summary: On both The Radio Factor and The O'Reilly Factor, host Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed a Texas school district "told students they couldn't wear red and green because they were Christmas colors." The school district has since released an official statement refuting O'Reilly's false contention.
On December 9, Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed on both Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor and the nationally syndicated The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly that the Plano Independent School District (Texas) "told students they couldn't wear red and green because they were Christmas colors." He labeled the alleged ban "fascism." On December 12, the school district released an official statement by Superintendent of Schools Dr. Doug Otto refuting O'Reilly's contention:
"The school district does not restrict students or staff from wearing certain color clothes during holiday times or any other school days," noted Dr. Otto, who said that the school district's attorney has requested that Mr. O'Reilly retract the statement.
Last year, four families filed suit against the Plano Independent School District for allegedly prohibiting the distribution of religious materials at holiday parties and on school grounds. Among the allegations was the claim that the district excluded the use of red-and-green colored napkins at the annual school holiday party. The complaint made no mention of restrictions on red and green clothing, though the plaintiffs did allege that the school district banned red pompoms. According to the Associated Press, a day after the suit was filed, a federal judge ordered the school district "to let students distribute 'religious viewpoint gifts' at a party the following day." By then, though, the AP reported, "the district said the order was unnecessary because officials already had decided to allow students to distribute all materials -- religious or otherwise -- at the party."
According to an April 21 Dallas Morning News report, the plaintiffs rejected a settlement offer from the school district in April. The Liberty Legal Institute, which represents the families, said that the lawsuit is ongoing.
From the December 9 edition of Fox News' The O'Reilly Factor:
O'REILLY: In Plano, Texas, just north of Dallas, the school told students they couldn't wear red and green because they were Christmas colors. That's flat-out fascism. If I were a student in Plano, I'd be a walking Christmas tree after that order. Have a little thing on my head.
From the December 9 broadcast of Westwood One's nationally syndicated The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:
O'REILLY: Plano, Texas, north of Dallas. Students were told they could not wear red and green because they were Christmas colors. Let me repeat that. Plano, Texas. Students can't wear clothing that have red or green colors because they were too close to Christmas colors. Can you believe this? This is fascism. In addition, it'd be grossly disrespectful......"
continued
http://mediamatters.org/items/200512130006
but wait, there's more:
"O'Reilly falsely claimed that "spiritual" Christmas stamps are no longer being offered
Summary: On The Radio Factor, host Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) no longer offers Christmas postage stamps with a "spiritual" theme. In fact, the USPS continues to offer the commemorative "Madonna and Child" stamp.
Bill O'Reilly falsely claimed that the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) no longer offers Christmas postage stamps with a "spiritual" theme. On the December 9 edition of his nationally syndicated radio program, a caller asserted that "I was politely told by all the postal workers that I spoke with at the various post offices that the only stamp they offered was 'Holiday Cookies.' " O'Reilly replied, "I think it's the first time in my lifetime that the United States Postal Service has not had a spiritual stamp for people like you who would like them," adding that the purported lack of a spiritual stamp was "insulting you and your beliefs ... because your spiritual stamp is in context to the celebration of Christmas."
In fact, in addition to the "Holiday Cookies" stamps the caller cited, the USPS continues to offer the commemorative "Madonna and Child" stamp. The self-adhesive 37-cent "Madonna and Child" is available through the USPS website in individual books of 20, or in larger packs containing five books each. A December 2 article in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about "the Internet and public conversation awash with horror that no new religiously themed stamp was printed for the 2005 season" quoted Diana Svoboda, a spokeswoman for the USPS' Pittsburgh district, stating that reports of the Postal Service planning to discontinue religiously themed Christmas stamps were "absolutely not true." The Post-Gazette article went on to report that although a new design is typically chosen for the "Madonna and Child" every year, this year USPS opted not to print a new design, due to an overstock of 37-cent "Madonna and Child" stamps left over from the previous Christmas season. USPS is increasing the price of first-class stamps to 39 cents on January 8, and "[t]he Postal Service ... didn't want a fresh crop of outdated stamps sitting in the drawers for next year," the Post-Gazette reported.
From the December 9 broadcast of Westwood One's The Radio Factor with Bill O'Reilly:
CALLER: I'm calling about -- I like to send Christmas cards. And every year I try and send cards with United States Post Office Christmas stamps on them that say Christmas or something with the infant and child, Mary, something that says something about Christ.
O'REILLY: Right.
CALLER: And this year, I was very surprised when I was politely told by all the postal workers that I spoke with at the various post offices that the only stamp they offered was "Holiday Cookies" saying nothing on it.
O'REILLY: I know this is, I think, the first time ever, right, [caller]?
CALLER: It's the first time I remember, Mr. O'Reilly.
O'REILLY: Yeah. I think it's the first time in my lifetime that the United States Postal Service has not had a spiritual stamp for people like you who would like them. And, again, disrespectful. Flat-out disrespectful, insulting you and your beliefs, [caller], because your spiritual stamp is in context to the celebration of Christmas. And we gotta stop that, and we will......."
More
http://mediamatters.org/items/200512130005
