Home > Blogs > Post Content
|
National Public Radio fired Fox News contributor Juan Williams on Wednesday after a Monday night appearance on Fox News' "The O'Reilly Factor" in which Williams said that it makes him nervous to fly on airplanes with devoutly-clad Muslims. Williams also commented on remarks by Times Square bomber Faisal Shahzad warning Americans that the fight is coming to the U.S. "He said the war with Muslims, America's war is just beginning, first drop of blood. I don't think there's any way to get away from these facts," Williams said. NPR issued a statement saying that it was "terminating" Williams' contract over the remarks. "Tonight we gave Juan Williams notice that we are terminating his contract as a senior news analyst for NPR News," CEO Vivian Schiller and Senior Vice President for News Ellen Weiss said in a statement. "Juan has been a valuable contributor to NPR and public radio for many years and we did not make this decision lightly or without regret. However, 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," they said. "We regret these circumstances and thank Juan Williams for his many years of service to NPR and public radio." The conversation with O'Reilly stemmed from a well-publicized argument the previous week between O'Reilly and "The View" hosts Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg, who walked off their own set when O'Reilly said, "Muslims killed us on 9/11." We all knew it was a matter of time anyway. Whenever you don't conform to their standards, you get put back out in the field. Juan got to complacent and thought he was the IT factor, and actually thought he belonged. LOL. I never liked Uncle Tom Juan but I think that firing him over the statement, he gets nervous when he sees people in full muslim garb on an airplane is only attesting to his opinion or feelings, and he should not be condemned for them. Thats his feelings and thats it. Nothing to be fired what he got, not saying that I'm not glad he's off the air.
Posted By: anita moore
Thursday, October 21st 2010 at 11:46AM
You can also
click
here to view all posts by this author...
|
 |
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.
Thursday, October 21st 2010 at 1:00PM
Richard Kigel
|
|
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..
Thursday, October 21st 2010 at 2:19PM
Christopher Cherry
|
 |
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.
Thursday, October 21st 2010 at 8:03PM
Jen Fad
|
|
|
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.
Thursday, October 21st 2010 at 8:31PM
anita moore
|
|
|
@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.
Thursday, October 21st 2010 at 8:36PM
anita moore
|
 |
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.
Friday, October 22nd 2010 at 7:24AM
Helen Lofton
|
|
|
@ 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.
Friday, October 22nd 2010 at 2:16PM
Jen Fad
|
|
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.
Friday, October 22nd 2010 at 2:22PM
Christopher Cherry
|
|
|
I think it depends on where you go, don't you?
Friday, October 22nd 2010 at 4:27PM
Jen Fad
|
|
|
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!
Friday, October 22nd 2010 at 6:24PM
anita moore
|
 |
What I want is a Rational Definition of Uncle Tom. Too many Pigeon Holes.
Friday, October 22nd 2010 at 6:40PM
Adam Fate
|
|
|
Or is it okay to pigeonhole Uncle Tom for pigeonholing Muslim.
Friday, October 22nd 2010 at 6:42PM
Adam Fate
|
|
|
@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).
Saturday, October 23rd 2010 at 4:24PM
anita moore
|
 |
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)
Thursday, April 10th 2014 at 6:47PM
ROBINSON IRMA
|
Blogs Home
|
|
|
