Culture Warrior

by Bill O'Reilly

Bill O’Reilly is the very embodiment of the idea of a Culture Warrior—and in this book, he lives up to the title brilliantly, with all the brashness and forthrightness at his command. He sees that America is in the midst of a fierce culture war between those who embrace traditional values and those who want to change America into a “secular-progressive” country. This is a conflict that differs in many ways from the usual liberal/conservative divide, but it is no less heated, and the stakes are even higher.

In Culture Warrior, Bill O’Reilly defines this war and analyzes the competing philosophies of the traditionalist and secular-progressive camps. He examines why the nation’s motto “E Pluribus Unum” (“From Many, One”) might change to “What About Me?”; dissects the forces driving the secular-progressive agenda in the media and behind the scenes, including George Soros, George Lakoff, and the ACLU; and dives into matters of race, education, and the war on terror. He also shows how the culture war has played out in such high-profile instances as The Passion of the Christ, Fahrenheit 9/11, the abuse epidemic (child and otherwise), and the embattled place of religion in public life—with special emphasis on the war against Christmas. Whatever controversies are roiling the nation, he fearlessly confronts them—and no one will be in the dark about which side he’s on.

Culture Warrior showcases Bill O’Reilly at his most eloquent and impassioned. He is an unrelenting fighter for the soul of America, and in this book, he fights the good fight for the traditional values that have served this country so well for so long.

Genres: Politics, Nonfiction, History, Cultural, Social Commentary, Audiobook, Society

219 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2006

About the author

Bill O'Reilly's success in broadcasting and publishing is unmatched. The iconic anchor of The O'Reilly Factor led the program to the status of the highest rated cable news broadcast in the nation for sixteen consecutive years. His website BillOReilly.com is followed by millions all over the world.

In addition, he has authored an astonishing 12 number one ranked non-fiction books including the historical "Killing" series. Mr. O'Reilly currently has 17 million books in print.

Bill O'Reilly has been a broadcaster for 42 years. He has been awarded three Emmys and a number of other journalism accolades. He was a national correspondent for CBS News and ABC News as well as a reporter-anchor for WCBS-TV in New York City, among other high-profile jobs.

Mr. O'Reilly received two other Emmy nominations for the movies "Killing Kennedy" and "Killing Jesus."

He holds a history degree from Marist College, a master’s degree in Broadcast Journalism from Boston University, and another master’s degree from Harvard's John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Bill O'Reilly lives on Long Island where he was raised. His philanthropic enterprises have raised tens of millions for people in need and wounded American veterans.

http://us.macmillan.com/author/billor...

Reviews

[Allison · Rating 1 out of 5]

In order to know what the enemy is thinking (and the hatred he is spewing), I struggled through this atrocity. Admittedly, it is an easy read (so long as you have an outlet for the rage you'll surely develop when reading this bullshit) and there were one or two points i didn't entirely disagree with ... other than that i wanted to dive through the pages and the host of The Factor and all of his supporters. I returned the book to the person who recommended it to me with 7 pages of comments. Should you read it, i suggest this approach. it can never hurt to have bullet points ready when conversing with the ignorant right. and being able to discuss the hateful and not particularly accurate words of one of their heros? priceless.

[MG · Rating 2 out of 5]

I met Bill O'Reilly in Iraq in 2007.

O'Reilly graciously donated hundreds of copies of his book to Soldiers in Iraq, and even took the time to sit down and sign many, many copies.

Having recieved one of the aforementioned copies of the book from the man himself, I felt obligated to read it.

O'Reilly has a gift. It's not the ability to write a great book, but it's the ability to write about himself and being humble, yet flaunting it (almost bragging in front of your face.

The book itself is well written, but most of the the things in it are the same old O'Reilly arguments and preaching, albiet with some new "spin" (ironically). If you have read any of O'Reilly's books, you have already read this one.

[Jon Iffland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Culture warrior is a book aimed at traditionalist thought and the fight against the "secular progressive movement," which is a cause aimed at changing America from a free-market capitalist society into a mostly socialized socitey. The book begins with a fictional "State of the Union Address from year 2020 and president Gloria Hernandez" in which she outlines America's new position in the world as secular humanism where a mostly Socialized Government takes control of America and is the birth of the "Human Race." Although this utopian society sounds all well and fine, O'reilly spends the next fourteen chapters outlining who the players of this movement are and what their process are. He points out the Culture War that is going on between traditionalist thought and secular progressivism. I decided to read the audiobook when I realized that O'reilly would be the narrator. Absolutely a good idea as he added inflection and used sarcams the way it is meant to be heard and not read. All in all it was a great book and I reccomend it to many of the people who think that your local news station is giving you the truth and unbiased information. Just look at the current election. . .you cannot deny that Barack Obama hasn't dominated the newscasts regardless of the day's activities. Chances are, your local news station or local newspaper have undoubtedly so decided FOR YOU who the next president will be.

[Lisa Fornero · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bill O'Reilly does an articulate job of opening up our eyes to the real villains of the United States. They are corrupt, wealthy, conniving and viscious. I reccomend this book to anyone: conservative or liberal, democrat or republican and ask that you go in with an open mind and think through what he is saying.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

people have a lot of hatred toward this guy.. but reading this book allows you to look past his tv persona and focus on his mission which is solid.

[Alec · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is going to be a struggle to finish. O'Reilly loves straw men and ad hominem attacks, and it makes for a tedious, annoying read.

However, I think it's important to understand who I'm arguing against, and O'Reilly is the voice for thousands, if not millions, of Americans, and no matter how wrong I might think he is, he's still culturally and politically relevant.

[Marc]

It's very difficult to know where to begin a review on a book that is so bad. I'll start at the end because it says so much about this author. In the Acknowledgements his opening statement is, "Unlike many high-profile people, I write my books myself." Acknowledgements are where the author typically puts on a humility hat, however briefly, and thanks others. Not O'Reilly. He uses it to bash unnamed others and self-aggrandize even more.

The reality is that this book ends as it starts, with self-congratulations and one-sided character assassination arguments. The opening section is titled CENTCOM, like O'Reilly's personalized war of words is on the level of the real CENTCOM. In fact it is mostly just whining. In it he states that he will keep the waste-of-time smearing of his detractors to a minimum. For starters, he fails at this. His book would have no content without the various straw men and phantom enemies he slams throughout the book. He should have found a good critical editor and let them help him write his book, instead of writing it himself. He quotes support for his ideas from Peter Jennings, in a conversation that cannot be corroborated now that Jennings is dead. How convenient. This amounts to slandering an honourable man who cannot mount a defense.

Part 1 The Conflict, is a total fabrication; a deliberate racist straw man (or woman in this case); bully pulpit. What follows is predictable nonsense; I use the word nonsense because repeatedly O'Reilly cannot tell the difference between facts and opinion.

Finally, I note that he does what folks steeped in the lazu-thinking world of faith and belief. Repeatedly, he uses the words, "I believe" or "believe me" and "trust me" in statements that he later portrays as facts. It is the stock and trade of pundits that don't really want to engage in discussion but rather wish to bowl over opposition with bluster.

O'Reilly is not a culture warrior. At best, he is just shill for the corporate puppet-masters. At worst he a traitor to his nation because he counsels mistrust and disrespect of the Judicial Branch, one of the three pillars of American government. This because he doesn't like or understand some of the courts decisions.

[Julianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't normally read much non-fiction, but this one has certainly claimed my attention! Well worth the time I spent on it.

First let me say that I did the audio-book version, and I highly recommend you do the same. It is read by Bill O'Reilly himself! If you are a fan of Bill O'Reilly or Glenn Beck or even Rush Limbaugh, or if you have ever watched Fox News, this is a must-read. If Glenn and Rush scare you, this is still a must-read. If you consider yourself a conservative, you should get this book and arm yourself with facts and figures to remind you why you believe the way you do. And why you feel the way you feel.

This book dates back to 2006. Thus, I'm not sure the name Barack Obama even turns up on these pages. Remember, in 2006, nobody outside of Chicago had heard of Obama and his plan to "change" the America we know and love into one we fear and cannot understand. I only regret that I didn't read the O'Reilly book three years sooner!

This is a very worthwhile read that will wake you up to your responsibility to defend the Constitution and stand up for America. "God Bless The USA!"

[Troll · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is all I read in this book from beginning to end: "Rabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabblerabble." Trololololololololololololol.

[Jay Rain · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating - 7.4

Too much same-old, same-old to get excited as the recycled material is crusty & stale; The 'culture warrior' concept is just another attempt at spinning right-wing ideology & bashing left-wing liberalism

Only reinforces my thoughts on government (power vs opposition) & although O'Reilly tries to be sincere, he still guttersnipes (as he likes to call it); Still he is passionate in the issues & is at least trying

Interesting Thoughts
George Washington had more than 300 slaves - Jefferson was also a slave owner

20% of journalists do not believe in God

George Lakoff & George Soros - big supporters and financiers of the Progressive-Secular movement

Rather lost his job on the CBS Morning News due to the Bush/National guard fiasco - was not made up but key documents could not authenticated (Mapes was fired, Rather demoted

Walter Cronkite knew about JFK’s indiscretions

All the late night talk show hosts are liberal

MSNBC is a ratings disaster

FBC has 80MM viewers and hammers CNN

Most of the right-wing cash is directed at elective politics (Arkansas Project dug up dirt on Clinton and fed it to the media)

Christmas controversy was won by the conservatives (government vote was 401 to 22) - retailers started referring to it as Christmas again

Al Franken has a streak of dishonesty

Europe (in particular France) is SP

SP strategy is to separate children from their parents which has been practiced in all totalitarian governments - only the next generation can change a culture

Los Angeles supported a poll that was asking 7-10 year olds about having sex

Most college teachers are SP

Vermont judge sentenced a child rapist to three years in jail; An Ohio judge only sentenced probation - Reformative Justice

Poor kids that attend private school through school vouchers get better grades

89% of Blacks voted Democrat in 2004 yet 74% do not support SP and only 17% are in favor of legalizing gay marriage

Michael Moore is a sideshow and no longer a factor in the culture war

15% of Americans are Liberal, 35% Conservative and everyone else is apolitical

Liberalism is that there is no right or wrong - everything is relative

Principles to live by:
o Keep your promises
o Focus on other people, not yourself
o See the world the way it is, not the way you want it to be
o Make fact-based judgments
o Defend the weak and vulnerable

[Ben Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was very interested in this particular book. Not only because I am an avid supporter of Bill O'Reilly and his show, "The O'Reilly Factor." But also because I knew it dealt more with social issues going on in the world. Being a gay person, who is a fiscal conservative, social moderate, I was looking forward to reading about Bill's perspective on certain social issues. Abortion, Legalizing drugs, same-sex marriage, immigration, etc. Although I am pro-life, undecided on the legalization of drugs, FOR same-sex marriage (given), and for LEGAL-immigration, I am always interested in the views of social conservatives in hearing why they believe what they believe, even if we disagree on same-sex rights. Bill breaks his opinions down and also gives his reason for believing what he does. I rather enjoyed this book. He makes it quite clear that just because someone is pro-life, it does not make them a "woman hater." Just because someone is for legal immigration, does not make them a racist. And just because someone was raised to believe marriage is between one man and one woman, does not make them anti-gay, or a "bigot," as the left will have you believe. Bravo to Bill O'Reilly on this book. I'm glad I finally had a chance to read it.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I figured that since I consider myself such a hardcore Democrat that I would give this book a read, to 'hear the other side of things'. Bill O'Reilly doesn't speak in Democrat versus Republican, but rather Secular Progressive versus Traditionalist - which in many ways are the same as the party designations. O'Reilly did make several good points that made me think, and that I would even go so far to say that I agreed with. There were other times that I wanted to set him straight -particularly on the issue of School Vouchers for low-income children. If you could stand the heat, I would definitely say to give this book a chance to see 'how the other half lives'.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an astute iterpetation of "what's going on here" in America. This was written in 2006. I shudder to think that I didn't start waking up to the socialist-progressive agenda until mid-2007 and O'Reilly claims to have been aware of it for a decade. Another nail in my coffin condemning me for sleeping on the job (of defending the constitution). I recommend this short and snappy read to anyone who just woke up. Come join me in the Culture War to defend traditional values.

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

During my awakening to the political world of ideology I learned of the split in our country between "Traditionalists" and "Secular-Progressives". The latter's mission being to get rid of our Judeo-Christian values. It was an important eye opening book for that deepened my awareness of the Culture War in America and the deeper spiritual war between the Culture of Life and the Culture of Death.

[Carol Jones-Campbell · Rating 4 out of 5]

With three straight #1 best sellers and more than four million copies of his books in print, the most powerful traditional force in the American media now takes off his gloves in the ongoing struggle for America's heart and soul. Bill O'Reilly is the very embodiment of the idea of the Culture Warrior--and in this book he lives up to the title brilliantly, with all the brashness and forthrightness at his command. He sees that America is in the midst of a fierce culture war between those who want to change America into a "Secular progressive" country. This is a conflict that differs in many ways from the usual liberal/conservative divide, but it is no less heated, and the stakes are even higher. In Culture Warrior, Bill O'Reilly defines this war and analyzes the competing philosophies of the traditionalist and secular-progressive camps. He examines why the nations motto "E Pluribus Unum" might change.

A very interesting book, and one that definitely gives me a lot to think about. I'm a person who is very grateful and appreciative of what this country has given me the opportunity to do. I believe the country was founded on good, solid principles. I don't want to see the principles our founding fathers fought for disappear, and thus, if what Mr. O'Reilly says is true, I have cause to worry!


Culture Warrior is a book by Fox News Channel political commentator Bill O'Reilly, published in the fall of 2006. O'Reilly asserts that the United States is in the midst of a "culture war" between "traditionalists" and "secular-progressives". O'Reilly appeared on The Colbert Report to promote the book and revealed he is in the Grand Canyon in the picture on the cover.

O'Reilly declares war against "the committed forces of the secular-progressive movement that want to dramatically change America, molding it in the image of Western Europe". The term secular progressive, often abbreviated as "S-P", is used extensively throughout the book. O'Reilly's S-Ps are virtual socialists who are hostile to Christianity and traditional American values. Funded by a few far-left billionaires, he asserts that the S-Ps are implementing change in the United States by dominating major newspapers and network television, through the work of such organizations as the American Civil Liberties Union, and by "judicial fiat".

Traditionalists
O'Reilly defines a Traditionalist as someone who believes that the United States is, more often than not, a noble country that has made some mistakes. For O'Reilly, Traditionalists believe in the family unit and place emphasis on spirituality, selflessness, and charitable causes. He states that Traditionalists are not restricted to any one political ideology. While O'Reilly cites examples of Democrats who are also Traditionalists, including President John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King Jr. and Senator Joseph Lieberman, he writes that the Democratic Party is increasingly being taken over by the S-P Movement. Likewise, O'Reilly states that some far-right groups are not Traditionalists, such as some militia groups and the Ku Klux Klan.

The Secular Progressive Movement
According to O'Reilly, the "Secular Progressive Movement" is a minority left wing group of Americans whose non-traditional ideals have become a talking point in recent years for conservative commentators. O'Reilly states that the movement is led by media billionaire George Soros, who provides large amounts of money to liberal and secular-progressive organizations such as moveon.org. O'Reilly has identified the groups and organizations that apply to this label, including Hollywood liberals, Al Franken, UC Berkeley Professor George Lakoff and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), who have been called a threat to traditional American society.

Also, O'Reilly goes on to identify the various members of the "secular-progressive army". Specifically, he contends that the ACLU and similar legal organizations form the "shock troops," who have "blitzed the legal system" in an attempt to "secure secular policies without having to go to the ballot box." According to O'Reilly, these troops are aided and abetted by "mainstream media enablers," who provide "aid and comfort to the frontline troops and are invaluable in getting their message out to an even wider audience."

Accusations of fascism against the ACLU
O'Reilly has called the American Civil Liberties Union a "fascist organization," believing they seek to impose a secular-progressive world view on America by "gaming the legal system." As an example, he cites the gay-marriage ruling of the Supreme Court of Massachusetts (Goodridge v. Department of Public Health) :

The ACLU, on the front lines, is extremely aggressive and well funded, as I have stated [referring to George Soros]. That means they are serious people. On my programs, I have called this crew a "fascist organization" because they seek to impose their world view on America — not by the popular vote, which is the way it is supposed to be done in a democracy, but by "gaming" the legal system. Because they know that they will never, ever achieve their goals on Election Day, their strategy is to rely on activist left-wing judges to bring about secular changes in our laws. The most notorious example of this strategy is the gay-marriage ruling in Massachusetts. The ACLU helpfully pointed out to the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth that the state constitution had an apparent loophole: that is, the document failed to define marriage specifically as between one man and one woman. Presto! With the stroke of a pen, the liberal court wiped out more than three hundred years of legal traditional marriage going back to the founding of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. The ACLU was in ecstasy. To this culture warrior, gay marriage is not a vital issue. I don't believe the republic will collapse if Larry marries Brendan. However, it is clear that most Americans want heterosexual marriage to maintain its special place in American society. And as long as gays are not penalized in the civil arena, I think the folks should make the call at the ballot box. Traditional marriage is widely seen as a social stabilizer, and I believe that is true. But if you are trying to secularize American society, gay marriage is a good place to start — thus the ACLU's fervor on this issue.[page needed]

O'Reilly generally asserts that "secular progressives" are misguided individuals who share general political beliefs, such as little or no acknowledgment of God or other higher powers in public; the practice of wealth redistribution or the taking money from the affluent and giving to the less fortunate; opening national borders to create a "unified world"; legalization of drugs; and belief in provision of "prosperity" and entitlements by the government to the populace.

Critical reaction
Culture Warrior received a mixed critical reception. Gossip columnist Liz Smith praised O'Reilly's writing as "diamond bright, ready to pounce, and never at a loss for words".[2]

Others were more critical, however; Publishers Weekly called it "more resentful and self-pitying than feisty."[3] Elbert Ventura of progressive watchdog group Media Matters for America, a group that has a long history of being critical of O'Reilly, accused O'Reilly of making baseless claims, writing "It seems O'Reilly feels he is entitled to his own facts as well."

And to a certain degree, I appreciate what he's trying to do and what he's fighing for! I may not always agree with his methods or his temper, but I appreciate what he's fighting for!
Excellent book!

[Craven · Rating 1 out of 5]

I started reading this book on company time when it I found it sitting around at werk. KRS-One once said,“knowledge rules supreme,” and taking such advice I figured it wouldn't hurt to read something by this porknob (hell, probably not even fashionably, y'all know what I'm about). Sure, he's told us what he really thinks, but how does he stand-up in print; when he can't tower his football ass over people and tell them to shut up. Besides, my mom has been getting 100% behind Fox News ever since they said “God”, so it's probably a good idea to bone up. She was never a patriot before Fox News had it's Post-9/11 rise, however, her Evangelical Christianity and America are now totally linked together. I've grown tired of explaining to her that I'm not pro-terrorist just because I don't like Neo-Liberals our foreign policy or God. So honestly, it's probably a better idea for me to have read this book than not to.

I devoted most of my time to reading this only while I was struggling with slaphappy insomia, so it took me about a year to read it. It did serve the purpose of putting me to sleep. If anything, that says something about O”Reilly's skill at transferring his blowhard, reactionary tactics to print and about him as about him as a writer. It also makes this review kind of hard to write because I can't recall all I read. No...I didn't take notes. Anyway, just going from memory, O'Reilly, is really good at finding shit to get him onto your side and to divide the Right from the Left and the Middle. For instance, he's able to find find cases of the “War On Christmas” (still one of the world's funniest catch-phrases) that I have to agree with him on. His examples are hard to argue with, such as a case in the private sector where someone wasn't allowed to put Christmas lights on their house or something like that. Or cases about the ACLU defending child molesters as mentally-ill and letting them go free as victims rather than to be convicted. If this is true fuck the ACLU, ya know. I'm not cool with them taking on dirtbags on the principle of civil liberties either. So yeah, he's kind of tricky.

He throws everyone who isn't a right-wing douchebag under the umbrella term Secular-Progressive saying they are working to undermine the Judeo-Christian Tradionalist values of this country. This is bullshit, because he's making up a word here. One to use as a catch-all term for people who are against his Conservative agenda. At least, his people like to be called Conservatives and we call them their own term (of course, I did call them douchebags earlier, which I acknowledge if it comes down to splitting hairs). I'm a radical actually am trying to undermine the values of America (a word, I try not to recognize, because I don't believe in borders) and I resent being thrown into a box with garden variety liberals and, apparently, child molester apologists and every one else that I don't really feel that I have much common ground with politically or socially.

A lot of this book is actually more about O'Reilly's megalomania than politics at all. There are so many pages devoted to him just bragging about how how he's such a bad-ass journalist that he gets attacked by the New York Times and Warren Beatty and how he's such a Rambo of “Cultural Warrior” and how much everybody is afraid of him. He's just a 6' 4” blowhard bully who's so pent-up he has to sexually harass his secretary over the phone. Or was it an intern? I guess I should get my facts straight before I end up another example of Secular-Progressive spin-doctoring.
Now I'm faced with a problem, I have this book and I don't want to give it away, because I don't want to spread his message any further, but I also don't want believe in throwing books away. Liberal, er...Secular Progressive problems.

[Node · Rating 1 out of 5]

Empty book with nothing insightful

The problem with O'Reilly is he comes off as a moderate / "no-labels" guy when he comes to his political view. As a conservative, I know what the avoidance of political label and the creation of a new one, "traditionalism" in this case means. It amounts to rejecting what is true in the world, postmodernism, and having no backbone in defining what you actually believe.

O'Reilly's book is just a disappointing rant. He goes in circles contradicting himself sometimes in a span of a few paragraphs. An intellegent reader would not gain anything from it except a few personal stories and his strange obsession with George Lakoff. I find this book lacking in humility, and a major annoyance was that it read too much like O'Reilly was building himself up to show how much of a good guy he is.

While I do find secular progressivism damaging to the values of the United States, this book is an intellectually weak offense against it that relies more on emotion than reason.

My biggest disagreement with O'Reilly throughtout arises from his lack of understanding of human nature and his belief in postmodernism where he criticizes conservatives as if they are as bad as liberal. He states it blatantly in page 198 when he says:
"Things change quickly in America; for that reason, no one ideology or belief system can be correct in every matter."
I say that American conservatism, which includes individualism and Constitutionalism, is correct always. Deviations and hackanayed liberal policies that arise from so called good intentions lead to disasterous results.

To conservative lovers of reason: avoid this book.

[Ronald Wise · Rating 1 out of 5]

For me an enlightening foray into "enemy" territory which helped me to see how "those people" think. O'Reilly attempts to fit America's political issues into a "cultural war" between the Traditionalists and the Secular-Progressives (or SPs). As a Traditionalist leader, he, of course, is right and anyone who disagrees with him is in league with the SP conspiracy to destroy America and America's God-given right to dominate the world. Amusingly, he justifies the rightness of his beliefs by citing survey poll numbers and how long his books are on the best-seller list. But I suspect that is a side-effect of being in the news business, as he also ends many of his chapters with a teaser for the next, as though if he didn't lure you into the next, the reader might change the channel. As I read through this one, I began to suspect that the whole "culture war" model arose as a "good book" idea, and a way to promote his television show on the Fox Network. This one was on the best seller list for a while and thereby came to my reading list.

[Peggy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a rather quick but insightful read into Secular Progressives and Traditionalist-O'Reilly gets down to how progressives operate, who are some of its biggest founders and a bit of history of the movement, he talks about how he is a culture warrior and gives the reader the tools to combat secular progressivism in a civilized way. Can't wait to read his other books. Learned a lot about some guy name Laikoff who hails out of Berkley, CA. I might have to read his book-in fact, O'reilly says all traditionalist should read it. Oh, many on the left have slammed O'Reilly about gay rights and marriage-in his book he is okay with a gay couple raising orphaned children-he is Catholic but this is something he has parted ways with his faith. That was an eye opener-got it straight from his mouth-and he claims he has a big one! The book is laced with human, but insightful anecdotes. Can't wait to pick up more of his best sellers via NLS Talking Book program.

[Stephen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jesus Christ, this nutjob is like Larry Glick without the sound effects. (Pardon the 1970s radio reference, but someone out there must get it). He's a discredited joke. He is not an original thinker on any level. His only contribution to the world will be...will be...holy shit, he really won't make a worthwhile contribution to the world! And he's getting about $10,000,000 per year for THIS shit! Something is really wrong with this picture.

[Di · Rating 4 out of 5]

Probably rolling your eyes right now. But I found this book a "freakeconomics" type perspective about the political agendas of both right and left. I liked O'Reilly's direct and informative style. Great insight on the ACLU and their origins. Very educational even if you don't agree with all he has to say

[Jake Losh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bill O'Reilly shows his hand in this book. He explains his political leanings and agenda and fingers a few people that he sees as being responsible for the state of America today and the rise of secularism. The book sheds insight on the man and his motivations for his popular television show. Even if you don't buy what he's selling, you would benefit from knowing how he feels.

[Mickey · Rating 1 out of 5]

My "friend" Chad gave me this for christmas in the hopes of drawing me into a political debate. He got a smack upside the head, but I had to promise to at least read the damned thing before getting rid of it. As you may have guessed, I don't care for the author and others of his ilk.

[Keasmea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I never finished it. I guess you're either into politics or you're not...and I realized that I'm not. I need "Politics for Dummies" or something. I agree a lot with Bill's take on things...but I just didn't want to spend my leisure time on politics mumble jumble.

[Larissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

a conservative view on crazy americans

[Robert · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pop-conservatism; I don't hate it, but it didn't add anything to my understanding. Very easy reading as it doesn't really require any reflection. I was somewhat surprised at various liberal positions that Bill O'Reilly holds, and occasionally there were amusing contradictions. I think he's honest, but I also think he's a true believer who indulges in the pretension that he is exceptionally rational. This is a good representation of a certain paranoia (not necessarily completely unfounded) among traditionally minded people, and perhaps conservatives more generally (with exceptions, as always), that their culture is being targeted for a cleansing by certain political forces in the United States.

He does piece together many examples of the excesses of his particular bogeyman (secular-progressives, which he usually refers to as S-P), but this is not the sort of work where he feels a responsibility to actually prove the conspiracy he believes in. Anecdotes are enough to establish a pattern, and, to be fair, that's really all that's needed. This is more of a "feel-good" book for a conservative, though there is a secondary theme about living with dignity and honor. This latter theme was probably intended, by O'Reilly, as his major theme, but he doesn't conjure the talent here to save this book from a certain pop-conservative gobbledigook.

I like O'Reilly more after reading it, but he hasn't moved me an inch.

He quotes most from George Lackoff, but unfortunately only considers the shorter pop-liberal version (Don't Think of an Elephant) of his more serious work (Moral Politics). At least once O'Reilly misquotes Lackoff, and misleads the reader. I give him the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to his own ideological blind spots.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

I understand why many people don't like Bill O'Reilly. On his TV show, he can be obnoxious, with a tendency to talk over his guests. He is much more palatable in print form, I think, though this book in particular suffers from his spending too much time talking about himself. The idea for the book is an important one--a detailed explanation of the forces working today to control American culture as we know it. And the forces he's talking about aren't Democrats and Republicans. Unfortunately, Bill uses himself pretty much exclusively as an example of a Culture Warrior fighting the good fight, and one gets tired of hearing him pat himself on the back all the time--whether or not he deserves it. His sense of humor is also very cheesy, and most of his little jokes will make you groan out loud. Still, the book does contain a lot of good information to think about, and I would recommend it to people who can look past its flaws.

[Chris Munson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow...Bill does tend to get on a roll in this one. In general, O'Reilly does a great job of running through a VERY large number of attacks from Secular Progressives on the traditional values of the United States. From attacks on Christmas to the belief that the rights of criminals are more important than the rights of their victims (or justice in general), Bill goes off on a very articulate (and sometimes frightening) rant. A very well written book that goes into great detail about some important issues that are either hurting the country or could hurt the country. Bill does provide some basic guidance on how we can fight some of the idiocy that has manifested itself in the last several decades (and particularly in the last couple of years)...but I still feel like this booked lacked (hence the 4 stars instead of 5) some realistic solutions in terms of how to rid ourselves of some of this foolishness. Overall, a great overview about how our way of life is under attack.

[Kevin Hanks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book, and one that definately gives me a lot to think about. I'm a person who is very grateful and appreciative of what this country has given me the opportunity to do. I believe the country was founded on good, solid principles. I don't want to see the principles our founding fathers fought for disappear, and thus, if what Mr. O'Reilly says is true, I have cause to worry!

I see Bill O'Reilly attacked and villanized so much that it's interesting, and very informative to get his point of view and his side to the argument. I love his writing style, and I believe he writes the same way that he speaks (which, in my mind, lends honesty to his words). And to a certain degree, I appreciate what he's trying to do and what he's fighing for! I may not always agree with his methods or his temper, but I appreciate what he's fighting for!

Excellent book!

[Sophie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Culture Warrior has become one of my most favorite books. I found it incredibly interesting - in content and in philosophy. The case Mr. O'Reilly makes in how the country is moving in an excessively secular progressive direction with all the facts and stories was very perplexing, if not convincing. I was very intrigued with his message to stand up for what you believe in, but to only do so with facts, respect, dignity, logic and reason. The closing phrase of the novel is "Fight the Good Fight". As a young, female, Christian, Conservative in a very secular, progressive, entitled, self-righteous world, this has encouraged me to do just that: keep fighting the good fight, no matter what. This novel was excellent, and I would tell everyone to read it... Those who want to read it don't need to, and those who need to read it won't want to.