By Bill O'Reilly
One of the wealthiest women in the world, Miss Winfrey recently traveled to Switzerland to attend the wedding of singer Tina Turner. While in Zurich, Miss Winfrey says she was humiliated by a shop clerk who refused to show her an expensive purse.
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WINFREY: She refused to get it. She refused to get it and she started to show me these other little bags. And I said; "One more time," I tried to say, "but I really do just really want to see that one." And she said "Oh, I don't... I don't want to hurt your feelings." And I said "Ok. Thank you so much. You are probably right. I can't afford it." And I walked out of the store.
Now why did she do that?
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O'REILLY: Because she's a moron, that's why. I believe every American has been insulted in a restaurant or a store at some time and when that happens, you do what Miss Winfrey did. You walk out. And later you can call up and complain to the owner of the property. But Oprah was heavily implying that the disrespect shown her was racist. The clerk involved denies that.
Miss Winfrey also said this about her current status.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
WINFREY: Sometimes I'm in a board room or I'm in situations where I am the only woman, I'm the only African-American person within you know 100-mile radius. And I can see in the energy of the people there, they're -- they don't sense that I should be holding one of those seats. I can sense that.
EXTRA: You do?
WINFREY: Yes of course I can sense it but I can never tell. Is it racism, is it sexism?
(END VIDEO CLIP)
O'REILLY: Now Miss Winfrey has gotten a lot of heat for her criticism and her statements but "Talking Points" believes her critics are misguided. That was Oprah's experience and she has perfect right to express her feeling about it.
The truth is there are racists. There are people who don't like women holding power. There are all kinds of loons running around and everybody knows it.
But here is the most important part of the story. Oprah Winfrey and everybody else should ignore those troglodytes unless the situation is serious. A foolish insult is not. The truth is, you're not going to change the minds of the ignorant and it's not worth the effort in any case. Also to internalize this kind of stuff is destructive to a human being.
As we've been reporting, there is a huge grievance industry in America that pedals victimization all day long. What good does that do?
Oprah Winfrey is perhaps the best example of a talented person who made it on her own in America. She is now one of the most powerful human beings on the planet. Her color certainly did not hold her back from achieving that.
So, if some idiot shop clerk insults Miss Winfrey, that's wrong but no big deal. Oprah can get on a private jet and fly anywhere she wants to buy anything she wants. She has made it in America because she worked hard and used the talent God granted her.
Summing up, the victimhood card is useless to Oprah and to everybody else. There is racism in the world. It's not going away. And if you can change it, try. But most of the time, ignore it. Don't let it dampen your life.
And that's "The Memo."
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