Juan Williams Fired from NPR

This sudden rush by some to end NPR's Federal funding is hilarious. Can't be bothered with doing research before spitting out a soundbyte.

 

I watch and donate to it and PBS. This seems like an odd place to ask that question, as I'd think it'd skew higher toward the audience for the journalism they produce, not lower.

This is neither here nor there, really, but it's inaccurate to suggest people don't listen to NPR.

 

Well said. He gave his opinion, one which a lot of people agree with, and he got canned for it.

Disgraceful.

 

As did Helen Thomas. And Rick Sanchez. And Octavia Nasr.

Also disgraceful?

 

Apples, oranges and pineapples.
talking about muslims has become the "third rail" of discourse. Touch it and you die.
williams learned. More people will.

 

Please. Disparaging comments about ANY religion will get a news broadcaster in trouble. Rich Sanchez didn't talk about Muslims. Pope Benedict the Whatever is provable-in-court guilty of conspiring to cover up child molestation in about 50 countries. Say that very thing on the air, and you'll be unemployed before the commercial break.

 

And if he had said something hateful about Jews, not a single person would be defending him.

 

Az - you seem to keep asking this question and not getting any response. What is the point you are trying to make?

 

Isn't there a difference between the "analysis" business and the "opinion" business, however nuanced it is? It seems that way in NPR's eyes, as the statement following his termination said that he was paid to give fact-based analysis vs. straight opinion. Sure, it's nuanced, but there is a difference.

Anyway, I don't know why people are so worked up about this. The decision to fire Williams was NPR's and NPR's alone. It's a private entity -- the public funding nonsense would be hilarious if it wasn't so wrong -- and it is allowed to make its own employment decisions. Would I have fired Williams? Nope, I don't think I would have. But, as I said before, if he knew he was on thin ice when it came to his Fox appearances, he's an idiot for saying something that he knew would be this inflammatory.

And, once again, if you're on TV or the radio, the phrase "I'm not a bigot, but..." should be an immediate alarm in your head that you shouldn't say whatever it is you're thinking.

 

A decent number of folks literally die from talking about it, but that's not a problem. Head in the sand, head in the sand ...

 

Let's be clear about a couple of things. What Juan said is not analogous to what Helen Thomas said. In fact, it's much closer to the Shirley Sherrod situation than it is to what happened with Helen.

Helen espoused clear anti-Semitic opinions and offered a solution: send the Jews home to Germany & Poland.

Now, if Juan had suggested that we send all Muslims home to Saudi Arabia and Jordan, then he would deserve to have been fired.

But Juan warned against any discrimination of Muslims. He didn't call for them to be banned from flying or to undergo extra screening at the airport.

Juan was talking about a reaction he feels. But he did not advocate discrimination.

Just as Shirley's initial reaction was to not help that white farmer, Juan was talking about a reaction.

But, in the end, neither Juan nor Shirley practiced or encouraged discrimination.

That's very, very different from what Helen called for.

It's also no different that how President Obama described his own grandmother, or how the Rev. Jackson described his own feelings.

I don't think Juan is proud of or happy about the feelings he has. I think he finds it unfortunate and wishes it weren't so.

 

You're being purposely obtuse and ignorant, and you're smart enough to know you're full of it. But if you're gonna carry this water, at least have the guts to say what you mean about the people who have a "darker agenda."