NPR veteran fired
 

NPR terminated the contract of Juan Williams on Wednesday after comments the veteran journalist and news analyst made about Muslims on Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor."

Fox News host Bill O'Reilly stirred up controversy last week on "The View" after making the blanket statement that "Muslims killed us on 9/11," a comment that led to co-hosts Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg walking off the set.

On Monday, O'Reilly asked Williams if there is a "Muslim dilemma" in the United States. The NPR analyst and longtime Fox News contributor agreed with O'Reilly that such a thing exists, and added that "political correctness can lead to some kind of paralysis where you don't address reality."

"I mean, look, Bill, I'm not a bigot," Williams continued. "You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."


Some commentators and a leading Muslim civil rights organization took issue with Williams' comments.

The Atlantic's Andrew Sullivan wrote Wednesday morning that Williams' statement about fearing Muslims on planes is an example of bigotry. "What if someone said that they saw a black man walking down the street in classic thug get-up," Sullivan wrote. "Would a white person be a bigot [if] he assumed he was going to mug him?'

The Council for American-Islamic Relations sent out a press release Wednesday afternoon calling on NPR to address the matter. Nihad Awad, the organization's national executive director, called the comments "irresponsible and inflammatory" and said they "should not pass without action by NPR."

They certainly didn't. NPR took action Wednesday night and put out a statement regarding the severing of Williams' contract: "His remarks on 'The O'Reilly Factor' this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot...remarks-on-fox

Of course he's a bigot. Replace "Muslims" with "Blacks".

most muslims are black

What happened is ironic, considering the political correctness problem he was addressing.

its a talk show then they put you on a chain. maybe he will start his own show.

Juan: "*illustrates problem with political correctness* *makes politically incorrect statement*"
Bill: "You should come work for us now that you're going to get fired."

Um... it's the people who look like terrorists who are wearing regular street clothes whom you have to worry about. Fired for being an idiot!

He is black.

Its interesting that we live somewhere that the moment you speak your mind and if it offends a minority in some way. You get punished. There goes our freedom of speech.

Juan already was a regular on Fox Sunday's, I am sure he won't have to go long without a gig.

That guy said stupid shit all the time anyway.

So who cares?

But another reality is he was saying exactly what a lot of Americans are doing.
There would be no reason to refer to Obama as "Husein Obama" if it weren't for
fear of muslims.



.

well he's being paid to stay inside certain areas. he went outside of whatever is in his contract.

hmm, well the guy is black btw, so bigotry? i think prehaps not.
i am surprised that NPR have taken this stand.
fact is that Islam undermines many privilidges granted by the US consitution.
i think this is exactly what Juan eluded to in this interview.

this is not a religious or party political view btw
in many european countries socialist parties oppose Islam as the beliefs conflicts with many years of success with equal rights between sexes and freedom of speech.

I'm torn on this issue. I dont think he should have been fired based solely on his comment, no matter how stupid it is. (the clothes you wear do NOT put your religion "first and foremost" as he claimed. Were the 19 hijackers "in muslim garb"? case closed)

On the other hand, I dont blame him because he's been exposed to the massive right wing propoganda war against Muslims. So you have to have some pity for the poor fool. He feared the monster under the bed like he was told he should. Thats always the mistake.. the fear itself.

Yep, he's a victim of believing the political spin put out by the pro-war posse
in the run up to Iraq.

PS : He's still stupid though. :1orglaugh

i tell you what im going on standby if i see this

http://img.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/200...11_468x310.jpg

makes me think boom! :uhoh

Let's face it - the guy had no business being on Fox and NPR. Chose a side, buddy, and get on with it. He chose last week. Good riddance!

I'm confused about your first-line. Are you saying that since he is black he cannot be a bigot?

Why does he have "no business being on Fox and NPR" as you put it? And the comments he made where 2 days ago not last week.

Muslims should shave, take a bath, and become good wholesome Christians like all good Americans.

He knew better.

lol, yeah that's where he lost me too! :1orglaugh

Let me make sure I follow some of the opinions of people cheering in this thread. The guy is fired from NPR for saying what most Americans think when they get on a plane, and see someone in "Muslim garb".

Fucking madness.
:disgust

maybe juan doesn't know he's black

:1orglaugh

the man speaks the truth and gets fired for it.

It's a politically incorrect statement, but not racist.



racism
1. a belief that human races have distinctive characteristics that determine their respective cultures, usually involving the idea that one?s race is superior and has the right to control others.


Saying that someone fears a person of another faith dressed in their religious garb isn't racist, nor is it a unfounded fear.


Do most people black or white or any color cross the street when they see a gang of loud young black men walking towards them... yes.

Do people try to avoid driving behind old people.. yes

these are all founded in logical prejudices that have statistics to back it up, but because of political correctness we can't discuss it. this was the point.

His other point was that you can bash any other religion especially forms of Christianity the major religion of the US all day and no one in the media or legal system says anything, but you fart in the way of a muslim, you are fucked by the political correctness police.


Watch this video, christian friend of mine sent it:
http://downloads.cbn.com/cbnnewsplay....swf?aid=11991

Well if some white guy come on and said "When I see black people I get nervous" Juan Williams would be first in line calling for that guy's head.

that's the thing he didnt mention race. it was religion

Juan Williams= UNCLE TOM

Uh, oh!

NOT FoxNews!

Whatever shall we do?

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/...html?tag=stack

NEW YORK, Oct. 21, 2010
Juan Williams: I Meant What I Said on O'Reilly
Axed NPR Journalist Suggests Firing for Anti-Muslim Comments Was Hasty and Unfair

Fired NPR news analyst Juan Williams said Thursday that he stands by the controversial comments about Muslims he made on a Fox News program and suggested that his dismissal was rushed and unfair.

"I'm not a bigot," Williams said. Then he talked about getting nervous on a plane when he sees people in Muslim dress. Fair game for one of his employers, Fox News Channel, but a firable offense for the other, NPR.

Muslim groups were outraged, saying that Williams' remarks Monday on Fox's "The O'Reilly Factor" endorsed the idea that all Muslims should be viewed with suspicion. But conservatives and even some liberals said NPR went too far in firing him for being honest about his feelings in an interview where he also said it is important to distinguish moderate Muslims from extremists.

The opinions Williams expressed on Fox News over the years had already strained his relationship with NPR to the point that the public radio network asked him to stop using the NPR name when he appeared on Bill O'Reilly's show. NPR CEO Vivian Schiller said Thursday that Williams had veered from journalistic ethics several times before Monday's comments.

Controversial opinions should not come from NPR reporters or news analysts, Schiller said, adding that Williams was not a commentator or columnist for NPR.

Schiller said whatever feelings Williams has about Muslims should be between him and "his psychiatrist or his publicist - take your pick." In a post later on NPR's website, she apologized for making the "thoughtless" psychiatrist remark.

In a memo to her staff and affiliate stations, Schiller said the comments violated NPR's code of ethics, which says journalists should not participate in media "that encourage punditry and speculation rather than fact-based analysis."

Fox News, meanwhile, announced it had re-signed Williams to a multiyear deal at a reported $2 million that will give him an expanded role with the network - and that Williams will host O'Reilly's show on Friday. Chairman Roger Ailes described Williams as "a staunch defender of liberal viewpoints" and "an honest man whose freedom of speech is protected by Fox News on a daily basis."

Williams stood by his remarks Thursday. He told Fox News his statement was not bigoted, as he said NPR news executive Ellen Weiss implied Wednesday when she fired him by phone.

"I said, 'You mean I don't even get the chance to come in and we do this eyeball-to-eyeball, person-to-person, have a conversation? I've been there more than 10 years," Williams said. He said Weiss responded that "there's nothing you can say that would change my mind."

now i can't wait to watch fox news sunday! juan is going to go off!