May 31, 2016
Roland Martin Calls Out Bill O’Reilly For His Black Lives Matter Attack
NewsOne Now Host and Managing Editor Roland Martin spoke out against Fox News Host Bill O’Reilly’s recent remarks about Black Lives Matter being the reason crime has increased in major cities. Martin said that although O’Reilly has a highly rated news show as his platform, he refuses to cover objectively what the Black Lives Matter movement is doing to help correct America’s corrupt criminal justice system.
“Black Lives Matter has forced a level of accountability in America dealing with police that we have never seen,†said Martin. “Bill O’Reilly won’t call the cops out for not doing their job, but he will call out Black Lives Matter: the group holding cops accountable for not doing their job,†added Martin. “This is a perfect example of constantly wanting to shift the conversation from the real cause and that is to blame those who are fighting the system.â€
#BlackLivesMatter was created in 2012 after George Zimmerman was acquitted for killing an unarmed 17-year old Trayvon Martin who was posthumously placed on trial for his own murder. According to the group’s website, “Rooted in the experiences of black people in this country who actively resist our de-humanization, #BlackLivesMatter is a call to action and a response to the virulent anti-black racism that permeates our society. Black Lives Matter is a unique contribution that goes beyond extrajudicial killings of black people by police and vigilantes.â€
Zimmerman recently auctioned the gun he used to kill Martin, raking in $250,000 through an online site and asserting the proceeds would be used to fight the Black Lives Matter movement. He sold the gun to a mother who purchased it as a birthday present for her son.
#AllLivesMatter is a cousin to the knee-jerk reaction people like Riley use to “stop making everything about race,” when someone points out clear, salient racial elements of an issue like police brutality. Other prominent people, such as Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, have shut down this rhetoric. Earlier this year he sent a stern internal memo to his staff when it was discovered some employees were crossing out the “Black†in “Black Lives Matter†and replacing it with “All.â€
News One Now is hosted by Martin and is the only daily news show program targeting black viewers airing daily Monday-Friday, 7-8 ET on TV One. The show sifts through the headlines of the day to spotlight matters that greatly impact the African American community. In addition to television, News One Now reaches audiences 24/7 with exclusive program content and extended editorial on the NewsOne mobile app.
To watch Martin call out Bill O’Reilly on his biased coverage of BLM, please click HERE.