As I wrote in my book "Culture Warrior," there is a battle in America between traditional people who believe in individual responsibility and secular-progressive folks who are largely against making judgments about personal behavior. This fight has been going on since the early '70s, when traditions in America broke down during the Vietnam conflict.
As you may know, the American media is largely secular-progressive. That is why when a conservative Republican does something wrong, he or she is vilified almost beyond belief. But when a liberal Democrat makes a mistake, excuses are often made. The media resents judgments about things like drug use, out of wedlock babies, and abortion.
And in Western Europe, things are even worse. Almost any kind of personal behavior is accepted.
But now society is paying a huge price for the move away from personal responsibility. Recently, we've had a woman give birth to eight babies, a 13-year-old boy reportedly fathering a child, and now a horrendous mutilation in Connecticut caused by a 70-year-old woman who kept a pet chimpanzee. And not only that, Connecticut authorities let her keep the animal.
On Monday, Sandra Herold called 911 because her chimp was mauling her 55-year-old friend:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SANDRA HEROLD: Send the police.
911 OPERATOR: What's the problem there?
HEROLD: The chimp killed my friend.
911 OPERATOR: What's wrong with your friend?
HEROLD: He's killing my friend!
911 OPERATOR: Who's killing your friend?
HEROLD: My chimp! My chimpanzee!
911 OPERATOR: Oh, your chimpanzee is killing your friend?
HEROLD: Yes! He ripped her apart! Hurry up! Hurry up please! He ripped her face off!
911 OPERATOR: He ripped her face off?
HEROLD: He's trying to attack me! Please, please hurry!
911 OPERATOR: Okay, I need you to calm down a little bit. They're on the way. Can you put yourself away? I don't want the monkey attacking you.
HEROLD: I can't! Please hurry up! Listen to me!
911 OPERATOR: All right, they're on the way, ma'am.
HEROLD: They've got to shoot him, please! Please, hurry, hurry!
(END VIDEO CLIP)
That's painful to listen to. And by the time authorities got to the scene and shot the chimpanzee dead, Charla Nash had lost both of her hands and her face was badly damaged.
The irresponsible behavior of Sandra Herold caused a catastrophe. The irresponsible behavior of the octuplet mom, Nadya Suleman, has put 14 children in jeopardy. And I could give you hundreds of other cases where human beings have been killed, maimed or badly damaged because people simply will not regulate their behavior.
In the case of the octuplet mother and Ms. Herold, there may well be mental problems:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
HEROLD: I used to buy everything for him, everything. I mean, he was filet mignon, lobster tails.
JEFF ROSSEN, WNBC REPORTER: He ate well.
HEROLD: Lindt Chocolate.
ROSSEN: He liked taking rides in cars?
HEROLD: Yes, he did.
ROSSEN: He was able to open doors by himself.
HEROLD: He could drive. He took off with the car a couple of times.
ROSSEN: Onto the regular street?
HEROLD: Yeah.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
So this elderly woman allowed a chimp to drive her car, she says. Unbelievable.
It is long past time for irresponsible behavior to be called out by every American, and that includes the pinheads in the far-left media. Babies and children are dying. People are being hurt every single day. Enough is enough.
And that's "The Memo."
Pinheads & Patriots
I was at the Laker game Tuesday night, and at halftime they have a spectator try to sink a basket from center court.
Twenty-three-year-old Robert Ward, a student at USC, got his chance — and scored! It was the first time a fan actually hit the shot in the three years since the Lakers put in the promotion.
For his efforts, Robert was awarded $165,000 bucks. So I am making him a patriot. It was great to see the kid win.
On the pinhead front, foolish rapper Snoop Dogg and foolish dilettante Paris Hilton teamed up for a foolish display:
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
SNOOP DOGG, RAPPER: I want to freestyle with you.
PARIS HILTON, HOTEL HEIRESS: All right.
DOGG: You start it off. I'm going to get the end.
HILTON: Yo, what's up? My name's P. Hizzle. I'm chilling in the clizzle with my homeboy Snoop Dizzle. He's sexy. He's fine. He is the man of our time. I love him. I love him with love. I'm serving drinks, and I'm a thug !
(END VIDEO CLIP)
Did I mention the word "foolish"? Pinheads doesn't even come close.
— 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
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