While our ratings have been very high this month, some viewers have written to me complaining we're over-covering the Christmas controversies. They say the subject really isn't that important. Well, they're wrong.
In 1870, Congress passed legislation making Christmas a federal holiday, and President Grant signed it into law. Now this wasn't just a symbolic gesture. At that time, the USA was still divided in the aftermath of the Civil War. People didn't really like each other very much. So President Grant realized that Christmas was one of the few things that Americans had in common, that just about everybody back then respected the holidays. So Grant used Christmas as a unifier for America.
Today, we're once again a divided country. You can see it everywhere. Traditional things like marriage and standard education are under assault by secular progressives. They want a new America, an inclusive America, a country that makes few judgments about behavior and celebrates secular rather than religious philosophy.
Now these people have the media on their side. They also have a lot of money to promote their causes and candidates, and they can be extremely vicious. If you want to check that out, read my book "Culture Warrior." But I think it's apparent to everyone that the secular progressive forces have made huge gains in America over the past 10 years.
But the SPs remain frustrated because religious Americans still far outnumber them, and the religious Americans are standing in the way of a truly secular country. Thus religion itself has to be diminished. And what is the biggest religious display? Well, Christmas, of course. That's why you're seeing all the nonsense.
The good news is that traditional Americans are still winning most of the fights, but that could quickly change if Barack Obama appoints far-left Supreme Court justices. But for now, SPs like Governor Christine Gregoire in Washington state are getting hammered. And we on "The Factor" are doing very well by keeping Gregoire and her cronies in check.
In fact, 2008 was our best year ever, and we are up against some very bad people. Thanks to you, we destroy them every night.
So we have a lot to be thankful for this season. You continue to be a very loyal audience, and we continue to win most of our battles on your behalf. We'd love to see America become more unified, but I don't think that's going to happen any time soon. There's a struggle going on to redefine America. And in 2009, that struggle will become even more intense.
And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
The late-night guys are having a field day with the shoe throwing deal. Here's Jay Leno.
Click here to watch "Pinheads & Patriots."
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAY LENO, HOST, "THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JAY LENO": The interesting thing was the journalist who threw the shoe was immediately arrested and then offered his own show on MSNBC.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Because that remark is both witty and accurate, Mr. Leno is a patriot.
On the pinhead front, William Ayers just will not go away. A far-left charity in Chicago auctioned off a dinner, can you imagine, with Ayers and his wife, convicted terrorist Bernardine Dohrn. Dinner at their home brought in $450. We don't know if a bomb squad will sweep the house before these people eat, but they are, no doubt, pinheads.
— You can catch Bill O'Reilly's "Talking Points Memo" and "Pinheads & Patriots" weeknights at 8 and 11 p.m. ET on the FOX News Channel and any time on foxnews.com/oreilly. Send your comments to: oreilly@foxnews.com
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox