WATCH: Bill O'Reilly admits that the threat of Muslim terrorism in America should limit Second Amendment

Yes, Islamophobia is driving his call for gun control -- but anyone who wants fewer guns on streets is an ally

Published June 15, 2016 1:55PM (EDT)

Bill O'Reilly (Credit: Fox News)
Bill O'Reilly (Credit: Fox News)

On The O'Reilly Factor Tuesday evening, host Bill O'Reilly continued the strange spectacle of Fox News personalities suggesting that bans on certain types of weapons might not presage the end of the American experiment.

In his "Talking Points Memo" segment, O'Reilly railed against President Barack Obama for not declaring open war against "radical Islamic organizations" -- a category he is as careful as Donald Trump is not to define -- but then took an odd turn, saying that "the right-wing [bears] responsibility too."

"There is too much gun crime in the USA and high-powered weaponry is too easy to get. We all have the right to bear arms, but we don't have the right to buy and maintain mortars. No bazookas, no Sherman tanks, no hand grenades," he said.

"Congress should debate what kind of weapons should be available for public sale and the states should decide what kind of carry laws are good for their people," O'Reilly added. "Also, gun dealers should be required to report the sale of certain heavy weapons to the FBI."

All was well and sensible -- until it came to why he was finally willing to make these concessions. "It would make it a lot tougher for the Omar Mateens of the world to kill," he said. At which point, he went "back to ISIS..."

Watch the entire segment below via Fox News.


By Scott Eric Kaufman

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Bill O'reilly Gun Control Islamophobia Orlando Massacre The O'reilly Factor Video