Comments on: Juan Williams Fired

By: Spiderman

Spiderman — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 17:55:17 +0000

Juan Williams comments weren’t over the brink. It might be inconsistent with NPR standards, but not by normal standards. He has a right to feel threatened or worried and express his opinion, we all do, after all, we’re Americans, and those are our civil rights.

It has nothing to do with racial civil rights, and everything to do with liberal political correctness. Those walls were broken down when the Islamic jihad started against us, because rational Americans realized to be silent would mean our demise.

Juan Sanchez was fired because he went way beyond expressing his opinion, he went on a crazy man egotistical rant for 10 minutes, and left CNN no choice but to fire him. Helen Thomas statements showed obvious bigotry and deserved what she got.

I’m not particularly fond of Juan Williams, he’s too liberal for me in a few regards. But I do respect his opinion nonetheless and most definitely his right to speak.

These are all public figures. It’s up to their employers that employ them for particular functions and up to the court of public opinion that persuades people on whether or not they’ll be retained or if discharged, employed somewhere else. Free speech doesn’t negate any consequences. The other two went way overboard, but Williams, yeah, he didn’t deserve what he got and it’s great Fox welcomed him aboard, I think it entirely makes up for it. I view it as well deserved success story really.

By: TC

TC — Mon, 25 Oct 2010 15:20:26 +0000

Yes, NPR’s firing of Juan Williams as heavy-handed p.c. and they should be ahamed.

BUT he was an at-will employee. If at some point they had a calm discussion and told him “Working for both Fox and us just isn’t going to work” that would have been fair.

And while he did not deserve to be fired for his remarks he does not come off well.
If he had said “I get nervous . . . but that is a prejudice we need to overcome” — that’s the Juan Williams I know.

By: John Richardson

John Richardson — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 17:38:47 +0000

Btw, how many people feel instinctual fear when a cop pulls them over? Just about everyone? How many of us want to abolish all police forces because we have that fear? Just about nobody? How about that. If you’re from the north, how about if a Southern sheriff pulls you over down in, say, Georgia? People get skitzy when they are in the presence of those who they feel just might have zero empathy for THEM. It’s a human reaction. Not the noblest for sure and one we need to keep in check until we stop feeling and start KNOWING who/what we are dealing with. But firing someone for admitting to it as a preamble to just this sort of cautionary tale? Disgraceful. Heads should roll at the top of NPR.

By: John Richardson

John Richardson — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 17:32:30 +0000

To William Bradley: What you attribute to Juan Williams is precisely what he did NOT say. Quite the opposite. You would know that if you had the integrity to investigate the entire quote. If anything, his preamble “fear” comment was a way to disarm O’Reilly’s fear mongering by ACKNOWLEDGING the paranoia terrorism instills (to the eternal shame of terrorists, btw), but he went on to make clear that policy should NOT be based on fear, but rational assessment. NPR and shills like you have acquitted yourselves horrendously throughout this incident. And I myself have in fact donated to NPR and will do so never again.

By: William Bradley

William Bradley — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 04:55:57 +0000

Juan was not fired for the comment itself but for blatantly agreeing with Bill O’reilly’s obviously racist comments. He blames ALL Muslims for 911. He no longer wants to be careful. O’reilly is just a cauldron of hate and so are most of you here blogging. Juan Williams may have simply gotten caught up in the hate-fest, but frankly, all of you stink of pure anti-Muslim racism and it’s not helpful. Everything should be done to de-fund the Korpratist Fox News which does nothing but lie and propagandize. I’m not so much upset that Juan said what he did, but that he took a job with this evil propagandist news organization. Juan is now just a black plastic lawn jockey in the yard of the Massa Fox.

By: Wayne

Wayne — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 15:52:03 +0000

Slanted editorial policy has no place in organizations taking public funding. Moreover, limiting Juan Williams honest discussion seems contrary to the principle of free speech. We were so incensed, we offered free voice petitions to NPR on our website at directedmessages.com. Speaking up is what Mr. Williams is doing and what we’re trying to help with.

By: Mark S

Mark S — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 11:43:30 +0000

I have listened to NPR for years, both when I was a young conservative and now that I am an older more liberal voter. I have always found them to give voice to both sides of an issue without a bias. I guess if they don’t have a conservative bias they are left wing in many conservative minds. NPR had expressed displeasure with Mr. Williams commentaries over other issues prior to his firing. An employer has the right to fire someone for almost any reason. This is much to do about nothing, but even if NPR made a mistake in this instance, I don’t think this negates years of excellent reporting on many issues. It is not like NPR is souly focused on politics (like Fox). If he had been fired for expousing a liberal view the right would be praising them for their fair and balanced actions.

By: LN

LN — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 00:38:00 +0000

One of the reasons I love Juan Williams is because of his liberal views and the respect he shows for those who have different views.

We get to hear the other side.

Vivian Schiller is more proof that liberals are now the “thought police”. We should all be very scared when expressing one’s feelings can get one fired.

By: Karl Hansen

Karl Hansen — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 22:14:18 +0000

Juan Williams has been treated wrongly by NPR and by Vivian Schiller CEO / President of NPR.

One Solution is for Ms. Vivian Schiller to resign or the NPR board to fire her for poor judgement, mis-management and voliation of NPR Ethics Policy.

Fire Vivan Schiller and re-hire Juan Williams.

My support for NPR and my local WVXU station will stop until the NPR board has addressed this poor judgement and lack of leadership issue.

This type of behavior is not what NPR stands for. If it does stand for this and the NPR member stations stand for this behavior then my values and moeny can not support either any longer.

Fire Vivian Schiller and re-hire Juan Williams

Stop your support for NPR and your local NPR radio station.

By: pentamom

pentamom — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 20:33:32 +0000

Eric, I think you are right about conservatives making up a significant portion of NPR listeners, and that NPR is shooting itself in the foot by alienating us. I don’t hold out much hope for them getting the message, though. An organization that is capable of doing what they did to Juan Williams and giving the explanations they’ve given for it is probably beyond cure.