NPR Fires Analyst Over Comments on Muslims

[didymus]

NY Times:

NPR Fires Analyst Over Comments on Muslims

NPR has terminated its contract with Juan Williams, one of its senior news analysts, after he made comments about Muslims on the Fox News Channel. NPR said in a statement that it gave Mr. Williams notice of his termination on Wednesday night.

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[1], 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.”

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.”
The public radio organization said it thanked him for many years of service. Mr. Williams did not immediately respond on Wednesday night to an e-mail seeking comment.

Mr. Williams’s contributions on Fox raised eyebrows at NPR in the past. In February 2009, NPR said it had asked that he stop being identified on “The O’Reilly Factor” as a “senior correspondent for NPR,” even though that title was accurate.
Alicia C. Shepard, the NPR ombudswoman, said at the time that Mr. Williams was a “lightning rod” for the public radio organization in part because he “tends to speak one way on NPR and another on Fox.”

Heavens to murgatroyd! They must have just had been antenna anything possible to nail their “standard practices”. Which mean what btw?

I really like Williams, started to listen to him on NPR.

PS – Juan Williams bio from NPR:
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1930705

 

[markomalley]

NY Times:

Heavens to murgatroyd! They must have just had been antenna anything possible to nail their “standard practices”. Which mean what btw?

I really like Williams, started to listen to him on NPR.

Remember, our tax dollars help finance NPR – directly through the CPB and indirectly through assessments made by public radio stations (who, themselves, receive significant funding from governments)

 

[Alexander_Smith]

Except… what the heck is wrong with being identified first and foremost as a Muslim? I’m Catholic before American!

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

Remember, our tax dollars help finance NPR – directly through the CPB and indirectly through assessments made by public radio stations (who, themselves, receive significant funding from governments)

Yes, and through listener donations. NPR just concluded its fund drive a bit over a week ago. They have two a year and I was glad to contribute again. I think there’s no better radio news source.

 

[markomalley]

Yes, and through listener donations. NPR just concluded its fund drive a bit over a week ago. They have two a year and I was glad to contribute again. I think there’s no better radio news source.

And if they can survive totally on donations (or advertisements or whatever other non-tax source), more power to them. As long as any tax dollars go to finance them, though, their consistent one sided agenda is tiresome.

 

[Julian0404]

NPR has been rightly criticized for becoming another “Radio Free America” programming station for Liberals. Yes, they have good programs that you will never hear on “for profit” stations, but the slant is noticeably moving toward a very liberal bias in reporting the news.

 

[Charlotte408]

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[1], 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.”

I don’t think thats fair. That he should lose his job over this comment. He’s a person, and like every person has fears, and IMHO this is a very reasonable concern to have … especially in the situation he’s talking about. It sounds like, he was very careful in this choice of wording, and didn’t say anything like ‘all muslims’ or ‘they are’ - nothing hateful or damning against them, just a revelation of his personal fear.

And he wasnt on NP whatevers clock at the time, right? He’s not an elected official, right? Why dosent he have the freedom of speech to say how he feels?

 

[TMC]

I don’t think thats fair. That he should lose his job over this comment. He’s a person, and like every person has fears, and IMHO this is a very reasonable concern to have … especially in the situation he’s talking about. It sounds like, he was very careful in this choice of wording, and didn’t say anything like ‘all muslims’ or ‘they are’ - nothing hateful or damning against them, just a revelation of his personal fear.

And he wasnt on NP whatevers clock at the time, right? He’s not an elected official, right? Why dosent he have the freedom of speech to say how he feels?

NPR has the right to demand that there newscasters refrain from expressing opinions like this publically. It undermines their credibility as newscasters. In fact, he almost certainly had something in his contract about it. I am surprised NPR even allowed him to also work as a commentator while working for them as a news guy. Traditionally, journalists were not allowed to also serve as commentators for this very reason.

As far as the content of his remarks, I find them offensive. He is suggesting that wearing religious garb, or even simply abiding by the dress code of one’s religion, marks someone as a radical, and as potentially dangerous. Religious people everywhere should object to that characterization.

 

[Alexander_Smith]

NPR has the right to demand that there newscasters refrain from expressing opinions like this publically. It undermines their credibility as newscasters. In fact, he almost certainly had something in his contract about it. I am surprised NPR even allowed him to also work as a commentator while working for them as a news guy. Traditionally, journalists were not allowed to also serve as commentators for this very reason.

As far as the content of his remarks, I find them offensive. He is suggesting that wearing religious garb, or even simply abiding by the dress code of one’s religion, marks someone as a radical, and as potentially dangerous. Religious people everywhere should object to that characterization.

I completely agree. Imagine if nuns came aboard, or a priest! They are both clearly religious, and are identified as religious before their nationality.

 

[Kadaveri]

If he’d said the US is facing a “Jewish dilemma” the condemnation would be universal.

 

[Bob_Aliano]

Yes, and through listener donations. NPR just concluded its fund drive a bit over a week ago. They have two a year and I was glad to contribute again. I think there’s no better radio news source.

How sad!

 

[NE_Catholic]

so now we can’t speak our mind? What happened to the 1st ammendment? Does NPR censor all controversial subject matter?

I find this absolutely terrible. He was not appearing on NPR.

 

[Bob_Aliano]

NPR has the right to demand that there newscasters refrain from expressing opinions like this publically. It undermines their credibility as newscasters. In fact, he almost certainly had something in his contract about it. I am surprised NPR even allowed him to also work as a commentator while working for them as a news guy. Traditionally, journalists were not allowed to also serve as commentators for this very reason.

As far as the content of his remarks, I find them offensive. He is suggesting that wearing religious garb, or even simply abiding by the dress code of one’s religion, marks someone as a radical, and as potentially dangerous. Religious people everywhere should object to that characterization.

Perhaps you could benefit from Fr. Z’s dialogue on the topic this morning.

 

[1voice]

I don’t think thats fair. That he should lose his job over this comment. He’s a person, and like every person has fears, and IMHO this is a very reasonable concern to have … especially in the situation he’s talking about. It sounds like, he was very careful in this choice of wording, and didn’t say anything like ‘all muslims’ or ‘they are’ - nothing hateful or damning against them, just a revelation of his personal fear.

And he wasnt on NP whatevers clock at the time, right? He’s not an elected official, right? Why dosent he have the freedom of speech to say how he feels?

Theres a huge difference between truth and reality. NPR is very good at hiding behind human intrest stories and soft voices. The bottom line is that NPR is a nest of liberal socialists that just showed us what they really think. Im sure they will spin it but … They proved clearly with this firing of Juan Williams that they will not put up with those that do not tow the party line.

 

[barb_finnegan]

NPR has been rightly criticized for becoming another “Radio Free America” programming station for Liberals. Yes, they have good programs that you will never hear on “for profit” stations, but the slant is noticeably moving toward a very liberal bias in reporting the news.

NPR has had a liberal bias for a very long time.

The firing of this man stinks. I am soooo sick and tired of ‘political correctness’! What, he can’t speak his mind?

Sheesh…

 

[SVP]

It doesn’t surprise me that NPR (National “People’s” Radio) would fire Williams so quickly rather than rebut his position and ask for an apology. NPR has long had a clear liberal agenda that is to promote “politically correct” speech among it’s supporters and anyone else they can ensnare.
NPR like so many other “public” organisations, claims to be open minded, yet when it comes down to the wire they are really just liberal tools for spreading progressive propaganda.

 

[qui_est_ce]

If he’d said the US is facing a “Jewish dilemma” the condemnation would be universal.

Actually, that’s not true. NPR has reported on the “Jewish dilemma.”

Juan Williams is a political commentator, not a news caster. He was fired for giving his opinion, which is what he is paid to do.

You need to stop assuming what Americans who think differently than you would do. Americans are not Devils trying to eradicate the Muslims of the world.

NPR is running a fund raiser right now. I won’t contribute.

I listen to NPR every day. This is the first I heard he was fired. Must be non news to them.

 

[qui_est_ce]

Perhaps you could benefit from Fr. Z’s dialogue on the topic this morning.

Could you provide a link?

 

[qui_est_ce]

I listen to NPR every day. This is the first I heard he was fired. Must be non news to them.

I just checked their website, it’s on there, but it was not on the Morning Edition.

Goes to show CAF is one of the best news sources in the USA!

They did have a story on Morning Edition where Harry Reid accused Sharon Angle of telling people not to vote because of an ad put out by a small Hispanic group in Virginia. They went at lengths to prove this group had Republican ties, but failed to prove Sharon Angle actually put out the ad.

I think I’ll start a thread.

 

[Elixir]

Freedom of speech only, only, only means that the federal government cannot keep you from speaking your mind. If I recall correctly NPR is nowhere mentioned in the Constitution or Bill of Rights.

They are perfectly within their rights to fire Williams if he violated his contract. Was it fair? Probably not. Does it clearly display NPR’s biased, PC agenda? Yes.