Juan Williams Loses Job At NPR For Telling The Truth

[Moon]

I say we pull the grants because they don't qualify for them. How's that.

The government should not be funding television, radio, or the 'arts.' Those who enjoy them should pay for them or encourage sponsors to do so.

The government funds broadcasting because the People, through their elected representatives, choose to fund broadcasting.

To say that the government should not fund broadcasting is to say that the People should not have the right to decide whether or not the government funds broadcasting.

If Congress decides not to continue funding, then that means the People, through their elected representatives, chose to not fund broadcasting. Can't have it both ways.

 

[Ava]

Indeed. The Ideology that claims to Celebrate Diversity punishes anyone who doesn't conform to their Thought Orthodoxy.

And someone I like very much, just might be next, if NPR gets away with firing Juan.


UPDATE: Williams isn’t the only person to deal with this. There’s also Mara Liasson (h/t YidwithLid):

Executives at National Public Radio recently asked the network’s top political correspondent, Mara Liasson, to reconsider her regular appearances on Fox News because of what they perceived as the network’s political bias, two sources familiar with the effort said.

According to a source, Liasson was summoned in early October by NPR’s executive editor for news, Dick Meyer, and the network’s supervising senior Washington editor, Ron Elving. The NPR executives said they had concerns that Fox’s programming had grown more partisan, and they asked Liasson to spend 30 days watching the network.

At a follow-up meeting last month, Liasson reported that she’d seen no significant change in Fox’s programming and planned to continue appearing on the network, the source said.

Wonder if Liasson will give up her contract now too?



Read more at the Washington Examiner: NPR has been wanting to fire Juan Williams for some time | Washington Examiner

 

[boedicca]

I hope Mara resigns from NPR in protest of how Juan was treated.

That would be a wonderful display of integrity.

 

[Foxfyre]

I am still pondering whether it is "Islamophobic" or realistic to be concerned about Muslims on airplanes given the fact that it has been ONLY Muslims blowing up or attempting to blow up airplanes in recent years.

This morning Dr. Zuhdi Jasser was on with Bill Hemmer on Fox expressing his support for Juan Williams. Dr. Jasser is a proud and devout Muslim as well as a proud and patriotic American who, if all Muslims followed his example, could defuse all uncertainty immediately. He's terrific.

As he said, if we cannot even talk about our fears without the wrath of political correctness or the militant leftists descending upon us, we will soon be a nation afraid to speak at all and the militant Islamic extremists/fundamentalists will have won. People will be afraid to expose real threats and real concerns. We simply must allow and encourage conversations about race, fears, realities vs phobias, etc.

I wasn't posting on USMB two or three years ago when the 'flying Imans" incident came up but it created quite a media storm for a short period. Here is Dr. Jasser re that incident:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el1Q8pX7CUo"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el1Q8pX7CUo[/ame]

 

[CMike]

Obviously fired NPR because he is black.

Where is the NAALCP?

 

[Ava]

I hope Mara resigns from NPR in protest of how Juan was treated.

That would be a wonderful display of integrity.

I put her in the same category with Juan and agree with this statement by Bob Ellis and taken out of context from his article:

"Juan Williams is one of those rarest of animals: the semi-reasonable liberal. Most liberals are so divorced from reality that even the most compelling of facts will not penetrate their fantasy world, making it difficult for normal people to carry on a meaningful conversation with them."

Double Standard of Taxpayer-Funded NPR

 

[Valerie]

So did NPR do the right thing?

First, as to Williams' First Amendment rights, a citizen generally only has free speech rights in regard to government action. If a private employer wants to fire someone for a something offensive they say they generally can. If the government fires someone for their speech there is a much higher standard involved. While NPR is called National "Public" Radio, the reality is that only a small amount of their funding comes from government sources. About 16% of NPR's funding comes from local, state, and federal government sources. Much of that funding comes from government grants which NPR applies for as part of a competitive process. Just like a private company which applies for a tax credit, or for a government grant, NPR does not lose the rights to hire and fire people like a normal employers simply because they receive some government funding. Conservatives are already calling for the federal government to "defund" NPR, thinking this will shut down the media operation. In reality, if Republicans succeed in defunding NPR it will hurt the organization for sure, but unlikely shut the broadcasting network down. In fact, liberals may rush to the defense of NPR with more private donations if conservatives succeed.

Simply because NPR had the right to fire Williams, it does not mean that necessarily should have fired Williams. In their statement on the firing NPR stated, "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." NPR does have a reputation among liberals as a more enlightened, tolerant network. Liberals generally also believe (while I know conservatives disagree) that NPR sticks to the facts in their broadcasting, avoiding much of the slanted coverage seen on CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. Liberals may be wrong in this belief, but the reality is that much of NPR's audience is built upon this liberal base who believes in the network's objectivity. NPR was likely correct in believing many of their viewers would be bothered by Williams' statements. In the past Fox News has refused to extend contract of some liberal voices who do not agree with their overall conservative narrative. In the same way, NPR is making the decision that Williams' comments took him too far away from their brand. Only time will tell whether NPR made the right business decision.

As to the political correctness issue, ultimately "politically correct" is a very vague term, if one believes it exists at all. If there is a standard for political correctness, what makes one statement correct and another statement incorrect? If the standard is what the majority of people find to be offensive then Williams' comments were probably not "incorrect." If the standard is what comments would be offensive to a fairly large minority (Muslims), then Williams' comments likely were "incorrect."

Did NPR do the right thing in firing Juan Williams? - National Political Buzz | Examiner.com

 

[CMike]

If it was a conservative we know that the liberals would be screaming racism.

Where is the outrage?

 

[saveliberty]

Indeed. The Ideology that claims to Celebrate Diversity punishes anyone who doesn't conform to their Thought Orthodoxy.

Let's give it a name: Obama's Diversity Corollary.

 

[WillowTree]

The government should not be funding television, radio, or the 'arts.' Those who enjoy them should pay for them or encourage sponsors to do so.

The government funds broadcasting because the People, through their elected representatives, choose to fund broadcasting.

To say that the government should not fund broadcasting is to say that the People should not have the right to decide whether or not the government funds broadcasting.

If Congress decides not to continue funding, then that means the People, through their elected representatives, chose to not fund broadcasting. Can't have it both ways.

 

[The T]

Indeed. The Ideology that claims to Celebrate Diversity punishes anyone who doesn't conform to their Thought Orthodoxy.

And someone I like very much, just might be next, if NPR gets away with firing Juan.


UPDATE: Williams isn’t the only person to deal with this. There’s also Mara Liasson (h/t YidwithLid):

Executives at National Public Radio recently asked the network’s top political correspondent, Mara Liasson, to reconsider her regular appearances on Fox News because of what they perceived as the network’s political bias, two sources familiar with the effort said.

According to a source, Liasson was summoned in early October by NPR’s executive editor for news, Dick Meyer, and the network’s supervising senior Washington editor, Ron Elving. The NPR executives said they had concerns that Fox’s programming had grown more partisan, and they asked Liasson to spend 30 days watching the network.

At a follow-up meeting last month, Liasson reported that she’d seen no significant change in Fox’s programming and planned to continue appearing on the network, the source said.

Wonder if Liasson will give up her contract now too?



Read more at the Washington Examiner: NPR has been wanting to fire Juan Williams for some time | Washington Examiner

For 'her bias'? Really? I say "Pot? Meet Kettle"...

 

[The T]

Obviously fired NPR because he is black.

Where is the NAALCP?

Where are they? They busy publishing Rascist Reports of the Tea Party...

 

[Foxfyre]

Obviously fired NPR because he is black.

Where is the NAALCP?

Where are they? They busy publishing Rascist Reports of the Tea Party...

I may have missed something, but I don't recall the NAACP EVER coming to the defense of anybody other than a leftwing professed Democrat. Like I said, according to leftist doctrine, if you're conservative you can't also be black. If you're conservative you can't be a woman. Being conservative automatically turns you into an "Uncle Tom" or an "oreo" or a "batshit crazy loonbat".

Look what NPR has already tried to do to Juan Williams other than firing him for being honest about his fears. They've insinuated--not specified mind you but insinuated--multiple offenses and problems. And strongly suggested he has mental problems.

How can some of you people defend that?

 

[Sarah G]

I really love NPR, I was on their message board for awhile but they really screwed up here. It was handled terribly wrong.

 

[Stephanie]

As soon as Republicans take control of things, FIRST ORDER OF BUSSINESS..

Repeal Obamacommiecare
DEFUND NPR.

 

[Missourian]

I hope Mara resigns from NPR in protest of how Juan was treated.

That would be a wonderful display of integrity.

I put her in the same category with Juan and agree with this statement by Bob Ellis and taken out of context from his article:

"Juan Williams is one of those rarest of animals: the semi-reasonable liberal. Most liberals are so divorced from reality that even the most compelling of facts will not penetrate their fantasy world, making it difficult for normal people to carry on a meaningful conversation with them."

Double Standard of Taxpayer-Funded NPR

That's a great point...it's one of the things I admire about Juan Williams...he has the rarest ability among tv's talking heads both liberal and conservative...
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The ability to say to his political opponents "When you put it that way I see your point" or "I can't argue with that" or simply "You were right and I was wrong".

I rarely agreed with Williams, but I considered his position arguments because I felt he truly considered the arguments in favor of positions I held...instead of dismissing them out of hand the way an ideologue would.

It is a lesson many on here from both sides of the political spectrum could learn from.

 

[Sarah G]

As soon as Republicans take control of things, FIRST ORDER OF BUSSINESS..

Repeal Obamacommiecare
DEFUND NPR.

Uhm, if that is their first order of business, they're dumber than I thought.

It may be your priority but then who listens to you?

 

[The T]

Obviously fired NPR because he is black.

Where is the NAALCP?

Where are they? They busy publishing Rascist Reports of the Tea Party...

I may have missed something, but I don't recall the NAACP EVER coming to the defense of anybody other than a leftwing professed Democrat. Like I said, according to leftist doctrine, if you're conservative you can't also be black. If you're conservative you can't be a woman. Being conservative automatically turns you into an "Uncle Tom" or an "oreo" or a "batshit crazy loonbat".

Look what NPR has already tried to do to Juan Williams other than firing him for being honest about his fears. They've insinuated--not specified mind you but insinuated--multiple offenses and problems. And strongly suggested he has mental problems.

How can some of you people defend that?

True.
Here's something I haven't seen on the boards yet...

Williams signs new contract with Fox News

Desired effect? I say good for Juan...NPR? You blew it.

 

[Stephanie]

As soon as Republicans take control of things, FIRST ORDER OF BUSSINESS..

Repeal Obamacommiecare
DEFUND NPR.

Uhm, if that is their first order of business, they're dumber than I thought.

It may be your priority but then who listens to you?

awww, my good buddy is back..
still holding a grudge, I see.

 

[Toro]

Good for FoxNews.

Shame on NPR.