Fox News-NPR Fires Juan Williams. Tell Me It Aint So!

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Hey Anita:

Actually, professional journalists are held to higher standards. They are supposed to maintain a posture of objectivity.

OPinion journalists are different--folks like O'Reilly, Hannity, Beck and that crew--they are not journalists. They are "personalities" and "commentators". They are expected to give their opinions. But obviously, NPR felt they employed Mr. Williams as journalist, not as a commentator. So when he crossed the line, he had to go.

Never forget you are Black because when you do , others will remind you,lol... Becareful of the toes you step on today, they maybe connect to the behind you have to kiss tomorrow..

I think he deserved to be fired because that's like saying Black people are drug dealers and gang members just because they are Black! He should be ashamed of himself for making such an inflammatory statement and he needs to apologize to the Muslim community.

OMG, you guys are too much. OK the man is a moran, but doesn't he deserve his opinion. Im a NYorker and am sorry to say not when I was younger but as I got older I would at times get nervous walking down the street if I saw a crowd of lets say teenagers. I kinda stood up tall and alert. I think its just human nature and the things going on in the world that makes people feel that way, and Im no scardy cat, but driving through certain parts of lets say brooklyn or the bronx, i would lock my doors, and thats my people who I love with a passion. He doesn't owe anyone an apology, but he does need to take the conversation further. We all have ingrained prejudices and thats a fact. OhOh, I better put my breast plate of armour on for the rebuttals I'm about to get. Be easy you guys.

@brother Richard, He didn't cross the line. Listen to the whole conversation and the context in which it was answered and the topic of the conversation and don't forget to take into account to whom he was talking too. He also did a follow up. I am not defending this man, who I think is a callous, Uncle Tom. I'm defending his right to feel the way he does without being condemned for it. NPR just has a stricter policy governing their station and what can be said, but other reporters have made biased statement and not been fired for making said statements. Any other station, this would just be a subject for conversation and discussions.

We know that many Blacks would not even have the position that he had unless they were considered "special". He may have been fired, but just think, there's gonna be some extra screening going on at the airports.

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@ Sister Anita,
[ He doesn't owe anyone an apology, but he does need to take the conversation...]

Of course I will agree to disagree with you on this one and apparently his bosses at National Public News thought otherwise. Williams' ignorance is bliss and just because a person is on a plane wearing a turban doesn't mean they are Muslims. Sikh Indians also wear turbans so what he said was crazy and inflammatory as well as showed his ignorance because Sikhism is a totally different religion altogether but the men wear turbans. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism

As Americans, we really do need to travel the world a little more and understand that there is more to life than what's under their noses in America.

I wouldn't recommend leaving outside the US right now , its just not a good time to do so.. US Law doesn't apply in other countries.

I think it depends on where you go, don't you?

You're right sista Jen, but it doesn't take from the fact of his feelings when he sees a person of that nature. We will never get a conversation going in this country if we're not allowed to voice our feelings without being in threat of loosing our jobs. Did anyone hear what NPR's excuse was for firing the man. Anyway I don't think he much cared, look at the nice 2 million contract he got with FOX. That's where he belongs anyway.
Yes sista Jen, it is ignorance, which we are all responsible for being at one time or another in our life, myself included. I wore the same garb for a few years in my stint as a muslim, but in light of 911 and whats going on now, I would have to say, I too would be a little nervous on a plane. The extremist weren't even dressed in muslim, but american garb, but that doesn't allow the fears of people and stereotypical mindsets. Its a learning process and you have to first be open to learning. What can I say!

What I want is a Rational Definition of Uncle Tom. Too many Pigeon Holes.

Or is it okay to pigeonhole Uncle Tom for pigeonholing Muslim.

@Brotha Adam my definition of a Uncle Tom is a term for a black person who behaves in a subservient manner to white people and I could expound on this but I think I'll leave it at that. I don't think he pigeonholed anything. He stated a fact of ignorant prejudice. We should all take in what he said, and discuss it for what it is. (A true feeling in society today).

I gather none of us were watching Bill O'Reilly when he was talking about why his own mothere was afraid of Black males?!?...and, since I saw Bill O saying his mother if she saw more than one Black male she was afraid of being robbed or raped therefore "I" gather Juan Willimas felt he could do as Bill O does and it backed fired...and it could by because of all people's programs he would say something like this on it was on bill O's which could have an adverse affect on even now a lot ot cable carriers are refusing to carry the FOX networks...

and, this is why at least "I" believe it is much bigger than Juan Williams.Or it is about as many people's business; are trying to get away from having any attachments to this networks at all and by any means necessary! (smile)