ThinkProgress has some video of O’Reilly and Beck mouthing off about use of the word “articulate” in reference to educated black folk.

O’REILLY: Now you got to feel sorry for us white folks here, because I’m telling you now I’m afraid to say anything. You know, you’re an articulate guy, doctor, but I’m never going to say that. You’re a smart guy. Is that bad if I say you’re a smart guy? … Yes, absolutely, instead of black and white Americans coming together, white Americans are terrified. They’re terrified. Now we can’t even say you’re articulate? We can’t even give you guys compliments because they may be taken as condescension?

BECK: You know, Shelby, I don’t know if anybody else in the audience — oh, this is just going to be a blog nightmare over the next few days. But let me just be honest and play my cards face up on the table.

I was thinking about this just last week. I don’t have a lot of African-American friends, and I think part of it is because I’m afraid that I would be in an open conversation, and I would say something that somebody would take wrong, and then it would be a nightmare. Am I alone in feeling that?

So now there’s a new cover for not having black friends? It’s that “there’s nothing we have in common.” Apparently O’Reilly and Beck are just appalled at the thought of hurting my widdle feelings. It’s almost like a Masterpiece Theatre British drama.

Glenn and Bill, it’s tragic that mere words are keeping us apart. P.C. dictates be damned — call me clean, bright, articulate — whatever you like.

Seriously, how is this OK? Imagine how ridiculous this would sound if you substituted another ethnic group — Jewish or Irish or Italian? God forbid such shy and retiring gentlemen say something awkward to a friend — surely they couldn’t just discuss it together? Instead of hearing our point of view, there’s just more self-defense — I wonder how often either has referred to a black conservative as “articulate” in conversation…

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