Juan Williams Fired from NPR - Political Correctness or Good Reason?

[Jack Springer]

NPR in a somewhat odd fashion terminated Juan Williams yesterday because of comments he made on Bill O'Reilly's show on Fox News.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=130712737&ps=cprs

According to the attached article -

Williams' presence on the largely conservative and often contentious prime-time talk shows of Fox News has long been a sore point with NPR News executives.

Williams said that he felt "worried" and got "nervous" when he was about to board a plane and saw people who were in Muslim garb boarding the same plane. He finished his remarks warning against blaming all Muslims as "extremists".

Does this sound like a reasonable excuse to fire someone?

It sounds like political correctness gone crazy to me.

I know that many of you will go "crazy" with the mention of Fox News -- but please try to stay focused. LOL

 

[Lostlover]

Paraphrasing Cynthia Tucker, "Juan Williams still has his freedom of speech, he just isn't going to be paid for it."

LOL. Close thread.

 

[MercuryJones]

I think it was an overreaction.

I also think claims that his free speech is denied are ridiculous. In fact, I know it.

I also think FOX was its usual right-wing-opportunist self in its response.

 

[grantt]

Political Correctness gone amuck and George Sorros buying his version of America. NPR needs to lose it's federal funding once and for all.

This is a big story, and you can count on it, that this will not go away tomorrow or next week.

 

[justapixel]

Political Correctness gone amuck and George Sorros buying his version of America. NPR needs to lose it's federal funding once and for all.

This is a big story, and you can count on it, that this will not go away tomorrow or next week.

It is just liberals shutting down all voices that disagree with them.

 

[MoltenRock III]

It's not like he ever worked full-time for NPR, he's a 1099 contractor. It's no different than you firing a guy that cuts your lawn because the wind changed direction. It matters not, and he isn't owed anything. He's not a W2 wage earner from NPR.

Even without NPR Juan still works a lot for Fox News Channel (more than he ever worked for NPR), writes for nearly a dozen newspapers including The Washington Post, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal, plus works occasionally for Time magazine as well as Atlantic Monthly. Not to mention the book he's working on.

 

[opinterph]

…

It sounds like political correctness gone crazy to me.

I know that many of you will go "crazy" with the mention of Fox News -- but please try to stay focused. LOL

My familiarity with Juan Williams is primarily through his participation in the panel discussion on Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace. Mr. Williams seems to function as the token “liberal” voice, but his performance in that role often leaves much to be desired. Through his interaction with others on the panel, I think he consistently makes the liberal viewpoint look kooky. I have often wished FNS would find someone more informed and articulate to fill that role on the show.

 

[grantt]

It is just liberals shutting down all voices that disagree with them.

True. Progressives preach free speech yet only if it agrees with them.

 

[Centexfarmer]

<>

Does this sound like a reasonable excuse to fire someone?

It sounds like political correctness gone crazy to me.<>

From your source link:

Late Wednesday night, NPR issued a statement praising Williams as a valuable contributor but saying it had given him notice that it is severing his contract. "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," the statement read.

Sounds like a good reason to terminate his contract to me.

If an individual Journalist like Juan Williams, who is under contract with NPR and therefore hired to uphold the editorial standards and practices of National Public Radio, decides to appear on a *cough* Network that has substandard editorial standards (if any), and practices editorial opinion while trying to pass those opinions off as "fair and balanced" and or as "journalism," and if Juan Williams wants to undermine his credibility by appearing/shilling for that *cough* Network, he can now do so on his own.

I know that many of you will go "crazy" with the mention of Fox News -- but please try to stay focused. LOL

Yay for me!

I was able to answer your question and still dog Fox *cough* News!

ZING!

 

[MercuryJones]

Sounds like a good reason to terminate his contract to me.

Although I think it was an overreaction, your reasoning is sound and can't be rationally denied.

 

[CowboyBob]

He was fired from NPR, but got a raise from Fox for speaking like that.

Proof Fox promotes racism.

http://nationalnewsbreak.com/fox-ne...d-big-raise-juan-williams-fired-news/01239737

The GOP channel owned by an Australian that the Republicans worship.

 

[justapixel]

He was fired from NPR, but got a raise from Fox for speaking like that.

Proof Fox promotes racism.

http://nationalnewsbreak.com/fox-ne...d-big-raise-juan-williams-fired-news/01239737

The GOP channel owned by an Australian that the Republicans worship.

NPR fires a black man. Fox hires him.

CowBoyBobby call FOX action racism.

How twisted is that logic?? I would expect the Democratic party to fire you as an operative.

Pick up your last check and go to the unemployment office.

You are no longer a Democratic operative.

(I dont know that for a fact. He probably still is a Democratic operative. At this point, they will take anyone).

 

[justapixel]

You don't know ANYTHING for a fact, pixie. You parrot the talking points of whackjobs, and that's about it.

You get PAID by the Democratic party and that's about it.

Keep posting and you get a bigger paycheck.

 

[CowboyBob]

You get PAID by the Democratic party and that's about it.

Keep posting and you get a bigger paycheck.

The Republican party better ask for their money back from you because you are doing some serious damage to them. The Democrats should be paying you instead.

 

[Centexfarmer]

NPR fires a black man. Fox hires him.

CowBoyBobby call FOX action racism.

How twisted is that logic??

First off his screen name is CowboyBob.

The only way that Fox News might pass for not being a "racists" would be to a Muslim so long as said Muslim said anything that promoted their own propoganda.

We're still waiting for that, but considering the media whores who are will to line up at the Fox News trough, it shouldn't be too much longer.

I would expect the Democratic party to fire you as an operative.

The Democratic Party would have first had to have given him a job, and good luck finding one from the Republicans unless you're shilling for "Talk Radio" or some "Conservative Think tank."

Pick up your last check and go to the unemployment office.

Haven't you heard? The Republicans blocked the extension of those benefits by adding amendments to some "spending bill" that they didn't like.

You are no longer a Democratic operative.

News Flash! He never was.

(I dont know that for a fact. He probably still is a Democratic operative. At this point, they will take anyone).

Oooh! How Karl Rove of you!

 

[CowboyBob]

First off his screen name is CowboyBob.

Pixie's really on a roll tonight. Can't remember when I've had to much fun with that paid Republican Operative.

ON TOPIC:

Juan Williams will now be spreading lies on Fake News. That racist Republican Channel.

 

[palemale]

I never catch Juan Williams on NPR. Living in NYC, I just don't spend enough time in the car. In any event, if NPR fired him for what he said on FOX, I don't agree with their decision. Indeed, if he had done other things that displeased NPR mgmt, what he said on FOX was not a reason to fire him, either (i.e. not a "last straw" justifying his discharge). They should simply have had an editorial disagreeing with his statements. Saying someone makes you nervous because of their appearance, but arguing that bigotry against that group must be avoided, is just being honest.

 

[justapixel]

I highlighted the only correct portion of your reply.

You need a hug, Pixie. Must be depressing for you to have everyone proving you wrong. How damaging to your self-esteem! Thanks for the entertaining evening.

I see you are still employed as a Democratic operative and you got a new employee on board here. Are you his manager?

Congratulations.

 

[chrisrobin]

DOUBLE STANDARD ALERT!

When it was brought to the attention of pre-Fox Glenn Beck that Junior Congressman Keith Ellison (D. Minnesota) had taken the oath of office on the Koran, Mr. Beck stated, "very frankly, I'm afraid of that man."

The last time I checked, Glenn Beck was still on the air spewing more fear and loathing.

 

[MercuryJones]

It sounds like political correctness gone crazy to me.

Jack, are you of the opinion that employers should not, or do not, have the right to fire employees (or terminate contracts) with people they feel reflect poorly on them?