Fox News host Bill O'Reilly's startling assertion that "many blacks" can't get jobs because they're "ill-educated and have tattoos on their foreheads" has ignited a firestorm – and prompted a challenge to debate black journalist Roland Martin.
GOP presidential front-runner Donald Trump, appearing on the
"O'Reilly Factor" Monday night, was answering how he'd dispel the perceptions of him as racist in the black community when O'Reilly made the remark.
The remarks begin at the 4:22-minute mark of the above video.
"If you look at President Obama, he’s been a president for almost eight years, it will be eight years, you have with black youth, with African American youth, you have a 59 percent unemployment," Trump said.
"But how are you going to get jobs for them?" O’Reilly pressed.
"Many of them are ill-educated and have tattoos on their foreheads, and I hate to generalize, but it’s true. If you look at all the educational statistics, how are you going to get jobs for people who aren’t qualified for jobs?"
The negative reaction on Twitter was swift.
And on Tuesday morning,
News One Now host and National Association of Black Journalists Award-winner Martin weighed in, challenging O'Reilly to a debate "anywhere, anytime."
A clip of the show was posted by Mediaite.
"Bill is afraid of this black man," Martin said, noting his last invitation to a debate went unanswered, adding: "Bill, anytime, any day, anywhere. We can have the debate in your studio, on the street. We can have it at Sylvia's…. At the end of the day, you want to have this conversation, let's roll."
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