Because Juan Williams has been fired for sharing his honest reaction.
NPR fires Juan Williams over comments about Muslims flying
Ed Morrissey
HotAir.com
10/21/2010
Juan Williams warned that political correctness leads to a paralysis that keeps people from addressing reality — and then ended up a victim of just that kind of political correctness in the very next breath. NPR terminated his contract, even though just moments later Williams and Mary Katharine Ham speak about how important it is for commentators to distinguish between moderate and extremist Muslims. Too late, because Williams made the unpardonable sin of admitting that people boarding flights in “Muslim garb” makes him nervous:
The move came after Mr. Williams, who is also a Fox News political analyst, appeared on the “The O’Reilly Factor” on Monday. On the show, the host, Bill O’Reilly, asked him to respond to the notion that the United States was facing a “Muslim dilemma.” Mr. O’Reilly said, “The cold truth is that in the world today jihad, aided and abetted by some Muslim nations, is the biggest threat on the planet.”
Mr. Williams said he concurred with Mr. O’Reilly.
He continued: “I mean, look, Bill, I’m not a bigot. 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.”
Mr. Williams also made reference to the Pakistani immigrant who pleaded guilty this month to trying to plant a car bomb in Times Square. “He said the war with Muslims, America’s war is just beginning, first drop of blood. I don’t think there’s any way to get away from these facts,” Mr. Williams said.
NPR said in its statement that the remarks “were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR.”
Does watching an entire segment and hearing remarks in context also conflict with NPR’s editorial standards and practices? The Right Scoop has the entire six-minute-plus segment, and do what NPR failed to do — watch the whole thing…
The article continues at HotAir.com
The comments section at HotAir has the usual lively, worthwhile discussion and some excellent links shared by readers.
On 19 October Rasmussen Reports released this survey: Most Americans Say U.S. Is Too Politically Correct. Wonder what that could mean for the Soros-owned National Propaganda Radio?
Update: Blazing Cat Fur writes, Black Man Lynched By CAIR & Liberals
Williams is an odd guy in that sometimes he on the right side of issues an other times he’ll say the dumbest thing you’ve ever heard. He’s pretty clearly liberal but not an insane one, which is more than you can say for most liberals…
…Guess who stirred up the pot to get Williams fired?
Think Progress and the Huffington Post.
That’s right. Government-funded NPR has apparently caved into left-wing attack dogs on the Internet.
Also in the lynch mob: CAIR, of course.
And here’s excitable Andrew Sullivan giving Williams his “Malkin Award” nomination. Yeah, kiss of death.
As I’ve said many times before: Political correctness is the handmaiden of terror.
Condolences to Juan Williams, whom I’ve debated –vigorously, but always with respect and cordiality — many times over the years.
Hope this accelerates his journey on the ideological learning curve. And I hope he doesn’t back down…
…Williams is now free of the need to preserve his relationship with NPR. I’m pretty interested to hear what he’ll say now that he’s shaken of the chains of PC-radio. Talk to us, Juan!
Professor Jacobson at Legal Insurrection writes:
…Not suprisingly, the mainstream media is coming to NPR’s defense. The Washington Post, in a supposed news story, calls Williams’ remarks “anti-Muslim,” linking to an edited video posted by Think Progress (which also is at war with FoxNews) which cut off Williams’ comments, to delete where Williams pointed out “it’s not a war against Muslims.”
The hypocrisy of NPR is enormous, but more important, counterproductive. Unlike Helen Thomas’ comments about Jews in Israel, Williams did not tell Muslims to get out of the U.S. Williams did the exact opposite of Thomas; Williams acknowledged the reality of negative stereotypes — which we all have to varying degrees — as a means of informing his own view.
A more mature NPR would use this as a discussion point, not a firing offense. But then again, NPR is not mature, it is a highly politicized organization with an agenda, masquerading as a neutral voice for the public.
Many of those defending NPR’s decision note that Williams was not sufficiently progressive for NPR, and had it coming to him:
In my view, Williams has lacked credibility for years. He’s a conservative who pretends to be progressive on some issues. NPR has known this and struggled with it for a long time, yet they kept him on, demoting him from journalist to “analyst” (i.e. pundit.) Good for NPR for finally getting rid of him. Better late than never.
This firing was about politics, and taking down a prominent black FoxNews commentator who did not fit the progressive model…
Red State: NPR Fires Juan Williams For Telling the Truth
Will Fox contributor Mara Liasson be next?
Update 2: Rush Limbaugh sees the connection between Soros’s funding and Juan Williams’s firing.
Update 3: NPR, according to Williams, fired him without discussion and over the telephone. Via TheRightScoop:
Wow, he didn’t even get a chance to defend himself. It was decided at the top levels of NPR before they even contacted him, and nothing he could say would change their mind.
Based on the comments I’ve read this morning on their website piece about this, NPR’s listeners are very unhappy with this decision and I would imagine learning about this won’t help.
CAJ note: OK, so does all this information suggest that FNC’s viewers are more tolerant than NPR and the Progressive Left?
Heh! You betchya!
An email from Fox News Channel just arrived:
Juan Williams Speaks Out!
It’s a ‘Factor’ exclusive, as Williams responds to being booted off NPR. And then–is he the first victim of George Soros’s new war on Fox News? Karl Rove weighs in. The O’Reilly Factor, tonight at 8 pm ET.
Update 4: Remember NPR’s infamous and intolerant “Learn to Speak Tea Bag”? Jim Hoft at GatewayPundit does. And he has the video. Also, according to Hoft, NPR’s ‘Contact Us’ page cannot keep up with today’s volume of emails.
