NPR fires Juan Williams for speaking his mind

[fletcher21]

I was just talking to a friend today about bias and their effects. It isn't WRONG to have a bias, as long as you don't use segregation, is it? If someone says they dislike Muslims, but they don't persecute or hinder their lifestyle, what's wrong with that? Every single one of us is born with God given bias to many things. It's normal. I am not an NPR guy at all, but one of my smart friends listens to it for hours a day. He was telling me about the backlash that NPR is getting from fans. I have been catching up on this "old" story today, so I know I am a few days late with it. What do you guys think? I know we have some smart people on here who seem to be into this. I don't think he deserved to lose his job for speaking his mind. It's not like he got off a plane and made a huge scene about how we need to get rid of Muslims. The guy spoke his mind and was fired. Seems like this world is getting WAY too PC now days. Muslims seem to be the one race that really is feared and coddled. No one feels bad at all about making Catholic jokes about how Priests are pedophiles, but if you even mention something about Muslims you are liable to be killed?

[XXXIV]

Fletch. Didnt you get the memo? There are new Nazis in town. Nazis for us in the 21st century.

If you dare say anything these worthless and gutless ******( edit: my gf doesnt me using the c*** word and she read this) dont like you will go bye bye.

[pk500]

For f*ck's sake, it's NPR: What did you expect?

NPR is a politically correct puppet that relies on taxpayer dollars, so it must be nice to everyone, especially those whose votes funnel it the most money.

I enjoy listening to NPR from time to time. It covers topics that get little to no attention from other media, and the lack of volume is refreshing. But any publicly funded media entity is going to toe the line of political correctness so hard that all 10 of its toenails will be blackened.

[XXXIV]

NPR is a politically correct puppet that relies on taxpayer dollars, so it must be nice to everyone, especially those whose votes funnel it the most money.

Wow! Really! Tax payer dollars now support censorship.....thats awesome!

Every one bend their ass over! Shitler is back!!!!!!!!!

[Teal]

FWIW, I have alot of respect for Juan Williams, even though his politics and mine are different. He's honest, articulate, and gracious. Pretty much the antithesis of NPR. NPR doesn't deserve him...and Fox is lucky to have him.

[Rodster]

[greggsand]

In before the lock! I agree with PK, NPR does more good than bad. He shouldn't have been fired, but he'll fine. BTW, this isn't censorship. He can say whatever he likes, just not there.

[XXXIV]

Before that NPR sponsered lock. This is the exact quote that .....

JUAN WILLIAMS: When I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb, and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.

Its censorship in a HUGE way. Especailly considering we fund those nazi pigs.

[greggsand]

Huh? How is he being "censored"? I saw him speaking his mind on numerous outlets all week.

[XXXIV]

Huh? How is he being "censored"? I saw him speaking his mind on numerous outlets all week.

Wow?! Really?????

The guy was fired for saying this ....

JUAN WILLIAMS: When I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb, and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.

On PUBLIC radio...which the tax payers fund.

Amazing ...

[greggsand]

Huh? How is he being "censored"? I saw him speaking his mind on numerous outlets all week.

Wow?! Really?????

The guy was fired for saying this ....

JUAN WILLIAMS: When I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb, and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.

On PUBLIC radio...which the tax payers fund.

Amazing ...

Oh, I agree it's lame and NPR is hearing about it, but a guy getting fired over something he said isn't true censorship. It's a business descision. If it's an illegal business descision, he can file suit (but he won't). He'll go find another employee that will let him say the same thing that got him fired.

[XXXIV]

Huh? How is he being "censored"? I saw him speaking his mind on numerous outlets all week.

Wow?! Really?????

The guy was fired for saying this ....

JUAN WILLIAMS: When I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb, and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.

On PUBLIC radio...which the tax payers fund.

Amazing ...

Oh, I agree it's lame and NPR is hearing about it, but a guy getting fired over something he said isn't true censorship. It's a business descision. If it's an illegal business descision, he can file suit (but he won't). He'll go find another employee that will let him say the same thing that got him fired.

Okay but its PUBLIC radio. What business are they in exactly?

[wabash97]

I don't understand the obsession with sodomy amongst the "no PC!" set, but a swastika? That's just dumb. Painfully, painfully so, and irrelevant in a discussion about the meaningless world of political talk show punditry.

And NPR has been looking for a reason to fire Juan Williams since he started shilling for Fox News. It has nothing to do with your capacity to exercise free speech.

[XXXIV]

And NPR has been looking for a reason to fire Juan Williams since he started shilling for Fox News. It has nothing to do with your capacity to exercise free speech.

I agree about the swastika. My bad....but ...hey...Ive been looking for a reason to use one ever since I saw the neo-fascism sweeping the media.

[Feanor]

Two whole posts before a Nazi comparison was made. No wonder political threads were banned here.

[XXXIV]

Two whole posts before a Nazi comparison was made. No wonder political threads were banned here.

After a guy was fired from PUBLIC radio for saying this.....

JUAN WILLIAMS: When I get on a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb, and I think, you know, they're identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous.

I cant imagine why fascism would be brought up...but you know what...I give up....

[Teal]

Didn't take long for Feanor to peek his head in here, did it?

Calm down, dude...it isn't a political post, unless you turn it into one.

[wabash97]

I like that you've said this isn't a political post. It certainly doesn't have to be, and I don't think Nazi comparisons are within the realm of any reasonable political discussion.

I don't really care what Juan Williams says, but I do care that public conversation on these issues remains above the level of absolute simplicity and raw emotion. So I wonder if there is something good about firing Williams, specifically because he offered an observation with no nuance or perspective, which could easily be interpreted as some kind of soft bigotry. Had he even gone on (and please, correct me if he did) to explain that he is troubled by the implications of these feelings, perhaps discussing his own shortcomings, or the shortcomings of emotional reactions in lieu of evidence, etc., might it have been a more worthy discussion?

I'm not saying NPR is arguing this ... I really think they just wanted to can his ass and would have done it if he said "I don't like the way Muslims play negative football" (total speculation on my part, by the way). But if NPR had argued it, is it more valid? I think it is. But I also heard a review of Katy Perry's "California Girls" on NPR that gushed about its charms -- so I don't want to be misconstrued as holding them up as some bastion of credibility.

[XXXIV]

I like that you've said this isn't a political post. It certainly doesn't have to be, and I don't think Nazi comparisons are within the realm of any reasonable political discussion.

One last post before the lock.

I have just reread the thread and while I do believe in much of what I wrote, I do see error in the way. I do sincerely apologize to anyone that the swastika may have offended. That was NOT cool at all.

[wabash97]

for the public record: I wasn't offended in the least, just wanted to respond to the whole thing getting a little heavy. Whatever NPR's reasons, I don't think they had any idea how it would blow up in their face. But really, in the end, I think I was trying to say "don't panic." Juan Williams ain't nothin' to worry about.

Ok. Bed time. The beer has won.

[XXXIV]

Ok. Bed time. The beer has won.

Beer is the keyword here too. Too much too soon.

[JRod]

For f*ck's sake, it's NPR: What did you expect?

NPR is a politically correct puppet that relies on taxpayer dollars, so it must be nice to everyone, especially those whose votes funnel it the most money.

I enjoy listening to NPR from time to time. It covers topics that get little to no attention from other media, and the lack of volume is refreshing. But any publicly funded media entity is going to toe the line of political correctness so hard that all 10 of its toenails will be blackened.

Paul,

How many of my tax dollars go to NPR?
NPR receives no direct funding from the federal government. Less than two percent of the budget is derived from competitive grants from federally funded organizations such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Science Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/ombudsman/2008 ... ons_1.html

Just so there's context there.

[pk500]

Less than two percent of the budget is derived from competitive grants from federally funded organizations such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Science Foundation, and National Endowment for the Arts.

And who funds those Federally funded organizations? The tooth fairy?

[RobVarak]

And who funds those Federally funded organizations? The tooth fairy?

Nope...China.

[JRod]

CNN fires Rick Sanchez for speaking his mind. (on a radio show and not even on CNN). I searched for the dsp post expressing outrage on that. Was there one?


No Paul, it still comes from the Feds but it's not garunteed money.

We all know where everybody stands politically and therefore can surmise where they are going to fall on a fox/NPR spectrum. So what exaxtly is going to be accomplished here by arguing the actions of this. Juan Williams got fired not executed. And he probably got a better deal with more hype on FOX. NPR got rid of a guy they wanted to fire for a long time, who probably added little viewship value to NPR. Does anyone here think that there's a great crossover between Fox viewers and NPR listeners? Seems to me, Juan gets a better contract at Fox. Fox gets fuel for it's war against the so-called liberal media. And NPR gets rid of it's headache. That's not fascism that's free market capitalism.