In his Talking Points Memo on Thursday, Bill O’Reilly called out civil rights leaders, including Al Sharpton, for not focusing on the core problems within the black community. Tonight on The Factor, guest host Laura Ingraham engaged in a spirited debate over the responsibility of black leaders.

Political and race commentator Jasmyne Cannick shot back at O’Reilly’s comments. “White people don’t get to tell us who are civil rights leaders are or who to look up to.”

She said there are other civil rights leaders who are addressing the issues that O’Reilly cited, including unemployment and education. Cannick added, “All of a sudden it’s like white people care about black America.”

Georgetown University Professor Chris Metzler responded, “Seriously? That’s your argument? That’s ridiculous. This is not about whether white people are telling us what to do. The fact is that in the African American black community, there are some substantial problems that need to be addressed. […] This has nothing to do with white people taking the mantle and telling us what to do.”

Ingraham jumped in, saying that if white folks don’t speak out about issues then they’re seen as not caring.

Metzler criticized Cannick for looking at the problems strictly through the racial lens. “This has nothing to do with white people ruling over us. That is a ridiculous, nonsensical argument.”

O’Reilly said in his Talking Points Memo that the lyrics in hip-hop can cause impressionable young black people to imitate that lifestyle. Cannick noted that the majority of those who listen to Lil Wayne are white. “So maybe we need to change the conversation to ask white America to stop supporting Lil Wayne.”