Juan Williams Fired from NPR

[wmw999 2,584]

Notice I said white males. Those numbers are different.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[wmw999 2,584]

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All speech has to be taken in context. If I walked up to you on the street and said, "Hey, asshole," you'd probably be pretty pissed. If you call your best friend on the phone and he answers with, "Hey, asshole," you'd probably write it off as friendly banter.

Great example.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[idrankwhat 0]

Totally expected. The rabid right seems to think that fear mongering and abrasive opinion is "news", so when NPR fails to deliver I can see how they would want to cut their funding.

IMO, I think NPR overreacted a bit. They should have just made a public statement distancing NPR's policies with opinions expressed by their reporters in other media. I like Juan's contributions to NPR and I even appreciate his niche as one of the very few voices of reason at FOX. I hope they don't ruin him. On the upside, he's apparently guest hosting "The Factor" so at least one episode may not completely suck.

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Sen. Jim Demint is now sponsoring a bill to pull all public funding for NPR. Hopefully it will include their parent company, the corporation for public broadcasting, as well.

[wmw999 2,584]

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IMO, I think NPR overreacted a bit. They should have just made a public statement distancing NPR's policies with opinions expressed by their reporters in other media. I like Juan's contributions to NPR and I even appreciate his niche as one of the very few voices of reason at FOX.

Well, I don't watch enough TV to appreciate him on Fox, but I agree with the rest.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[idrankwhat 0]

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Some folks need their feelings hurt!

Chuck

That's not what news is for. Factually reporting about something someone did rarely offends people, unless it's overly descriptive wrt some subjects. Using a news outlet as a means of hurting those who "need their feelings hurt" is a misuse of that media.

[idrankwhat 0]

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Well, I don't watch enough TV to appreciate him on Fox, but I agree with the rest.

Wendy P.

I don't watch FOX either but I tune in to talk radio on occasion to hear the noise machine's talking points. Occasionally Hannity has Williams on as the lefty punching bag for another guest. Williams holds his own well and he's one of the few people that Hannity shows a modicum of respect.

[loumeinhart 0]

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Notice I said white males. Those numbers are different.

Ok then. Do you have a problem if there are more white males in positions of power?

[Andy9o8 2]

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IMO, I think NPR overreacted a bit. They should have just made a public statement distancing NPR's policies with opinions expressed by their reporters in other media. I like Juan's contributions to NPR and I even appreciate his niche as one of the very few voices of reason at FOX.

Well, I don't watch enough TV to appreciate him on Fox, but I agree with the rest.

Well, it occurs to me that NPR might have had in mind the case where Rick Sanchez was recently fired from CNN for making comments about (among other things) Jews. (ETA: and also the recent Helen Thomas firing over her comments about how Jews should "get the hell out of Palestine.") NPR might have felt that Williams' comments about Muslims were more or less in a similar broad category, and that if they gave Williams less of a sanction than Sanchez or Thomas got, they'd have been applying a double standard. (Sort of an "Animal Farm" in reverse: all of the bigotries in the barnyard are equal, but anti-Muslim bigotry is a little bit less equal.)

[wmw999 2,584]

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Ok then. Do you have a problem if there are more white males in positions of power?

If there is a disproportionate number of white males in power, I'm saying it's hard to consider them an underdog class as a whole.

Wendy P.

There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown)

[loumeinhart 0]

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Hannity

Sucks that represents the right radio. I can't listen to much of rush/hannity/beck. Try tuning into michael medved. He's right but only takes opposing viewpoint phone calls. It's great radio debate

[normiss 892]

I think our speech is viewed in different lights as well.
Off work, I'm on my own.
AT work, I am limited to what I can say, especially as a representative of the company I work for.
People are often let go due to violating corporate rules of speech. Content in e-mail more specifically.

I see no difference in this case.

[loumeinhart 0]

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You most certainly are allowed to.

good point I guess.

[idrankwhat 0]

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Hannity

Sucks that represents the right radio. I can't listen to much of rush/hannity/beck. Try tuning into michael medved. He's right but only takes opposing viewpoint phone calls. It's great radio debate

If he lets the callers finish a sentence then I might give him a try. I'm all for actual debate. I hate it when the host asks a question, interrupts two seconds into the reply and launches on a rant in response to an answer that was never given.
But hey, it sells and that's what's important these days.

[rushmc 23]

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Some folks need their feelings hurt!

Chuck

That's not what news is for. Factually reporting about something someone did rarely offends people, unless it's overly descriptive wrt some subjects. Using a news outlet as a means of hurting those who "need their feelings hurt" is a misuse of that media.

So you are saying O'Riely is a news outlet?

"America will never be destroyed from the outside,
if we falter and lose our freedoms,
it will be because we destroyed ourselves."
Abraham Lincoln

[rhaig 0]

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Some folks need their feelings hurt!

Chuck

That's not what news is for. Factually reporting about something someone did rarely offends people, unless it's overly descriptive wrt some subjects. Using a news outlet as a means of hurting those who "need their feelings hurt" is a misuse of that media.

and he wasn't on a news program at the time.

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Rob

[skipbelt 0]

we REALLY need to define terms here to refine debate . like what each individual means by bigot !

[rhaig 0]

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we REALLY need to define terms here to refine debate . like what each individual means by bigot !

Fox defined their news hours at one point. it stopped when their evening talk shows started. so if the station doesn't consider it a news program, why should anyone else?

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Rob

[lawrocket 3]

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So are you saying that words shouldn't have consequences? How about if someone says something that offends you? How about if it's something that offends your wife or daughter?

The problem is that what is acceptable and unacceptable is defined by group. What is acceptable to say about Christians is unacceptable to say about Jews or Muslims.

"Christians blow up abortion clinics." Applause.
"Redneck Christian bible thumpers are racists!" Applause.
"Christans are people who ignore science." Fuckin A!
"Muslims make me nervous." HOW DARE YOU!

Political correctness is based on politics. It's not about what is said or written or about the idea that is conveyed. It is ALL about WHO says it about WHOM. People can call Christians crazy. People cannot call Muslims crazy.
People can call white people bigots. People cannot call black people racists.
"Black people" is offensive if said by white people. "Whitey" is acceptable if said buy black people.

PC is not about any uniformity. Replace "Muslim" with "white men" and Williams would be fine (because it's okay for a person of color to be afraid of whites.). Williams would not have lost his NPR gig with that comment.

PC is not about the idea conveyed - a certain group of people makes him nervous. It would be applauded by the same people had he commented about a different group.

My wife is hotter than your wife.

[masterrig 1]

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You are allowed to. There are consequences. You can also pick your teeth openly, spit on the sidewalk in front of someone, belch out loud, smack someone on the ass.

These are behaviors that require context for most people. So is calling someone a nigger.

Can't stand it that someone has a right that you don't? Well, did it ever occur to you that you have "rights" (or privileges) others might not?

Wendy P.

I agree with you. People need to be held accountable for their words and actions. People should use some discretionand not just flagrantly do or say things. I think, this whole thing boils down to respect for your fellow man and treating others the way we want to be treated. Calling someone a derogatory name just because one has some ammendment to back him up, could, like you said, find his teeth rolling down the street like Chiclets.


Chuck

[masterrig 1]

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Some folks need their feelings hurt!

Chuck

That's not what news is for. Factually reporting about something someone did rarely offends people, unless it's overly descriptive wrt some subjects. Using a news outlet as a means of hurting those who "need their feelings hurt" is a misuse of that media.

I'm not saying to mis-use the press or any media to purposely hurt someone. You twisted that pretty good! Re-read what I said.


Chuck

[happythoughts 0]

During the drive home, NPR stated that the federal funding was 1% of their immediate budget. Plus there is the natl endow for the arts funds. The big problem is the small stations that broadcast NPR. They would have to cancel. The Fed govt gets your money and then returns it as funding for roads and schools... if you mind. That is their control. NPR echoes whatever admin policy is.

[Rstanley0312 1]

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So are you saying that words shouldn't have consequences? How about if someone says something that offends you? How about if it's something that offends your wife or daughter?

The problem is that what is acceptable and unacceptable is defined by group. What is acceptable to say about Christians is unacceptable to say about Jews or Muslims.

"Christians blow up abortion clinics." Applause.
"Redneck Christian bible thumpers are racists!" Applause.
"Christans are people who ignore science." Fuckin A!
"Muslims make me nervous." HOW DARE YOU!

Political correctness is based on politics. It's not about what is said or written or about the idea that is conveyed. It is ALL about WHO says it about WHOM. People can call Christians crazy. People cannot call Muslims crazy.
People can call white people bigots. People cannot call black people racists.
"Black people" is offensive if said by white people. "Whitey" is acceptable if said buy black people.

PC is not about any uniformity. Replace "Muslim" with "white men" and Williams would be fine (because it's okay for a person of color to be afraid of whites.). Williams would not have lost his NPR gig with that comment.

PC is not about the idea conveyed - a certain group of people makes him nervous. It would be applauded by the same people had he commented about a different group.

Well said and to add ... nothing Williams said was wrong. In fact he spent most of the time explaining that it is a problem that even for a second he feels that way and told Billy boy that he needs to define the difference between Muslim and Muslim extremists. He should not have been fired and it is good to see even the left media outlets and channels saying that NPR made a bad call.

As a side note this just fires up the middle ground people more against the left IMHO and many polls show that.

Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
Muff Brother #4382 Dudeist Skydiver #000
www.fundraiseadventure.com

[Rstanley0312 1]

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During the drive home, NPR stated that the federal funding was 1% of their immediate budget. Plus there is the natl endow for the arts funds. The big problem is the small stations that broadcast NPR. They would have to cancel. The Fed govt gets your money and then returns it as funding for roads and schools... if you mind. That is their control. NPR echoes whatever admin policy is.

They should not receive any..... media should never get any govt. funding.

Life is all about ass....either you're kicking it, kissing it, working it off, or trying to get a piece of it.
Muff Brother #4382 Dudeist Skydiver #000
www.fundraiseadventure.com

[skipbelt 0]

because of separation of media and state !

[headoverheels 334]

I don't think Williams should have been fired over this. He is now saying that they had already looking for an excuse to fire him for a while -- seems like they could have found a better one. Or maybe he just pandered/manipulated/etc so that he could move into a more lucrative Fox contract.