Yesterday NPR fired me for telling the truth. The truth is that I worry when I am getting on an airplane and see people dressed in garb that identifies them first and foremost as Muslims. Full Story »
Posted by Neil R. Anderson - via Fair Spin (Right), Memeorandum, AllTop, Umbreen Bhatti (t), Matthew Nadler (t), Tobie Openshaw (f)
Insightful first-person account from former NPR political analyst Juan Williams about the circumstances that led to his being fired by NPR. His observations appear factual, and he presents a well-reasoned perspective on this event, despite the personal harm he suffered from it. I found this opinion to be thoughtful and informative.
NPR's decision is likely to be debated for a long time, and I don't have all the facts on this event, but I generally find Juan Williams's position reasonable. Based on what I have read so far, it appears that he was treated unfairly by NPR.
Juan Williams tells his side of the story behind his firing by NPR for the following admission on The O'Reilly Factor: "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."
Juan Williams' defense of his statements in question on The O'Reilly Factor is effective and justified.
Merriam-Webster defines "bigot" as "a person obstinately or intolerantly devoted to his or her own opinions and prejudices; especially : one who regards or treats the members of a group (as a racial or ethnic group) with hatred and intolerance.”
By contrast, Williams' opening defense reads, "In a debate with Bill O’Reilly I revealed my fears to set up the ... More »
Juan Williams fails to mention his comment that equated Muslims with terrorists and also that he had been warned several times that he had crossed NPR's lines. His contract stated that this was not allowed.
Juan Williams provides a scathing inside look into the culture that prevails at NPR. What emerges is far worse than any of us might have imagined. Mr. Williams was fired for candidly describing his feelings, despite the fact that he carefully qualified everything he said, yet NPR's efforts to control and marginalize him have been longstanding and systematic.
I listen to NPR regularly, however their bias comes across in many ways--they are about as "fair and balanced" as FOX News. The big difference is that Juan Williams could go on NPR and air opinions that run counter to the FOX bias with no fear of receiving a call from FOX terminating his contract.
Straight from the injured party. Reminds me of the hack job Bernard Goldberg received from CBS because he exposed the one-sided reporting of the network, and for standing up to King Dan.
The first line does set the tone of the article. 'I am planning to spin this thing 180 degrees.' He was fired for saying he is a bigot on national television, on a despicable show, which he had been warned not to go on, while he was already on thin ice for repeatedly making non-neutral public comments, which is specifically forbidden by his contract with NPR as a news analyst. News analyst don't have free speech. They have a contractual obligation to remain neutral, otherwise they are not trustworthy, thus NPR is not trustworthy. A reporter has free speech, this guy is not a reporter for NPR. This whole article is a ridiculous retelling. It reminded strongly of a scared boy, sent home with an "F", weaving a tale to tell his ... More »
Good news though, he did inform me it was okay to walk up to a crowd of black people tomorrow and tell them they scare me because gangs killed thousands of people in 2001. That's not racism, its the truth!
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