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Juan Williams

Started by Sophus, October 22, 2010, 07:19:07 AM

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Sophus

Is Juan Williams the left's Shirley Sherrod?

As you may have read by now he was fired from NPR for saying this on a FOX News appearance:

QuoteI'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. Now, I remember also that when the Times Square bomber was at court, I think this was just last week. 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.

By itself this seems like an honest statement, not bigotry. The video clip that is being run over and over again is of him saying only this, excluding hi response to O'Reilly's "Muslims attacked us" (in lieu of Muslim extremists):

QuoteHold on, because if you said Timothy McVeigh, the Atlanta bomber, these people who are protesting against homosexuality at military funeralsâ€"very obnoxiousâ€"you don't say first and foremost, "We got a problem with Christians." That's crazy.

Williams seems completely reasonable to me, and perhaps too honest for his own good.
‎"Christian doesn't necessarily just mean good. It just means better." - John Oliver

Recusant

Meh.  I think NPR has probably been looking for a reason to let Williams go for a while now, and he has said as much.  To tell the truth, I think that he's more comfortable at Fox anyway; he's been on their payroll since 1997, and now he'll be making a nice fat paycheck from them.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


DropLogic

I've come to a point in my life where I sincerely believe in yin-yang "life in moderation".  I think this also applies to truth and lies.  Telling the truth too often gets me in as much trouble as lying all the time.  Perhaps it's not as simple as telling the truth too much...but knowing when to not say anything at all that is the key.

Sophus

Quote from: "Recusant"Meh.  I think NPR has probably been looking for a reason to let Williams go for a while now, and he has said as much.  To tell the truth, I think that he's more comfortable at Fox anyway; he's been on their payroll since 1997, and now he'll be making a nice fat paycheck from them.
Thanks for the link, Recusant. It does seem odd that a reporter would work for both NPR and FOX News, especially given the state FOX is in now.

Sorry about your eye, by the way.

Quote from: "DropLogic"I've come to a point in my life where I sincerely believe in yin-yang "life in moderation". I think this also applies to truth and lies. Telling the truth too often gets me in as much trouble as lying all the time. Perhaps it's not as simple as telling the truth too much...but knowing when to not say anything at all that is the key.
I can see how the statement was prejudice. For starters: what does a muslim look like? But at the same time he never said his fear was rational or justified but rather went on to try to correct O'Reilly's bigotry. Although I think NPR has stated they don't like reporters giving opinions of any kind.
‎"Christian doesn't necessarily just mean good. It just means better." - John Oliver

Recusant

Quote from: "Sophus"Sorry about your eye, by the way.

Ah, don't worry about it-- a seasonal affliction, you might say. :devil:

I'm more concerned about you, man.  Do you realize that The Magic Pudding has your head on a stick?

"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Sophus

Quote from: "Recusant"
Quote from: "Sophus"Sorry about your eye, by the way.

Ah, don't worry about it-- a seasonal affliction, you might say. lol
‎"Christian doesn't necessarily just mean good. It just means better." - John Oliver

Thumpalumpacus

Quote from: "Sophus"I can see how the statement was prejudice. For starters: what does a muslim look like? But at the same time he never said his fear was rational or justified but rather went on to try to correct O'Reilly's bigotry. Although I think NPR has stated they don't like reporters giving opinions of any kind.

They don't seem to have a problem with Maura Liasson giving opinions on Britt Hume's show.

I don't know what to think of this, except I'll miss Williams's analyses, because he does normally have a keen mind.  I think he was just shooting from the lip and shot himself in the foot by forgetting the PC of his other masters while on Fox.
Illegitimi non carborundum.