The Firing of Juan Williams From NPR

[Flint]

I often wonder whether what I'm observing people do is pretend to feel a certain way because they are "supposed to" ... and furthermore: do they realize that they are doing this, or is it embedded deep enough to escape their own self-perception? This thought often occurs to me when the "obviously right" thing doesn't feel obvious to me. The worst part of this is that it feels like a horrific dystopian sci-fi novel--but it is real, and it is really happening. A chorus of all-agreeing voices hammer down every inconsistency. This doesn't feel like enlightenment, it feels like intellectual tyranny.

[Lamplighter]

Do Catholics, Jews, or Amish in their customary attire make Juan nervous too ?
Probably not.

There's a bit of irony there...
People (used to) say that sort of thing about being on a bus with black men,
but of course Juan is not bigoted like those people.

In my opinion, these sort of events are part of the way society changes for the better.
When people see there are negative consequences of bigotry,
they tend to think twice about belittling the minority.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by Lamplighter

In my opinion, these sort of events are part of the way society changes for the better.
When people see there are negative consequences of bigotry,
they tend to think twice about belittling the minority.

One possible devil's advocate position could be that feelings like "worried" and "nervous" are involuntary reactions. The crime isn't having a reaction or feeling, it is admitting it out loud. This squashes honest conversation, which, it could be argued, can't possibly foster a meaningful dialogue. It just pushes the things we don't want to think about further under the surface, under the radar, where they can fester unchecked and unexamined.

[xoxoxoBruce]

Originally Posted by Flint

One possible devil's advocate position could be that feelings like "worried" and "nervous" are involuntary reactions. The crime isn't having a reaction or feeling, it is admitting it out loud. This squashes honest conversation, which, it could be argued, can't possibly foster a meaningful dialogue. It just pushes the things we don't want to think about further under the surface, under the radar, where they can fester unchecked and unexamined.

Word.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by xoxoxoBruce

Word.

Or he could just have been being honest...

But let's not give him the benefit of the doubt...

I mean he was the only black commentator on all of NPR.

Maybe they don't like black people.

[Shawnee123]

Originally Posted by Flint

One possible devil's advocate position could be that feelings like "worried" and "nervous" are involuntary reactions. The crime isn't having a reaction or feeling, it is admitting it out loud. This squashes honest conversation, which, it could be argued, can't possibly foster a meaningful dialogue. It just pushes the things we don't want to think about further under the surface, under the radar, where they can fester unchecked and unexamined.

Meaningful dialogue is good, but don't...as we grow, learn about such things? Isn't meaningful dialogue dependent on having the dialogue with those who differ from us (i.e. not pointing and screaming and running away.) Reinforcing fear due to race or religion or appearance is not, in my humblest of opinions, a step toward enlightenment. We can say "I'm allowed to express my disdain of ferners heartily and loudly" but I don't see how that's fostering anything helpful. Yes, you're allowed. However, we live in a society...we have to live together. I wonder how he would feel if it were still acceptable to not allow black people in the same swimming pool as the whites, or to someone who verbalizes fear of those black people in the pool?

I'm afraid of spiders, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Unfortunately, it's not a fear I've been able to overcome because I've not had a meaningful dialogue with a spider. I've never sat down with a spider and discussed its hopes and dreams, where it came from, where it hopes to go.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by TheMercenary

he was often a voice of reason on a majority conservative news program.

So you admit that conservative news programs are unreasonable.

Feelings cannot be helped - they are irrational. Acting on those feelings can be. Juan did not suggest that people in full muslim garb should not be allowed on planes, as a bigot would. I admit that seeing two men kissing or having sex makes me uncomfortable, but I don't think it should be illegal.

[Flint]

Originally Posted by Shawnee123

Isn't meaningful dialogue dependent on having the dialogue with those who differ from us (i.e. not pointing and screaming and running away.)

So then you agree it is counterproductive to point, scream, and run away from Juan Williams? Oh, wait, no that's not right. He's the one we're "supposed to" be upset with. Sorry, I got confused because I don't have my political correctness handbook with me. It gets pretty complicated when you have to carry around a list of what your opinions are "supposed to" be.

[Griff]

There is a not small difference between choosing to follow a religion and being born with dark skin. I no longer practice Catholicism because of the ugliness, the misogyny, the homophobia etc... If you choose to put yourself out in the world as a follower of some insane desert prophet don't blame the world for watching you closely. Juan is an idiot for giving Fox cover and NPR should be embarrassed for their inability to hire a decent right wing journalist.

Speaking of religious nuts.

[Lamplighter]

that's a fun article to read... the folks in Texas will appreciate this part:

Carbon regulation, cap and trade, it’s all just a money-control avenue, Ms. Khuri added. Some people say I’m extreme, but they said the John Birch Society was extreme, too.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Griff

Juan is an idiot for giving Fox cover and NPR should be embarrassed for their inability to hire a decent right wing journalist.

How can you realistically call Juan Williams "right wing"?

[Griff]

When he says nutty stuff like: Michelle Obama, you know, she's got this Stokely Carmichael in a designer dress thing going. If she starts talking, as Mary Katharine is suggesting, her instinct is to start with this blame America, you know, I'm the victim. If that stuff starts coming out, people will go bananas and she'll go from being the new Jackie O to being something of an albatross.

The key words are blame America a phrase limited in use to right wingers who imagine that understanding hate equals supporting it.

[Happy Monkey]

There aren't many good ways to end the sentence "I'm not a bigot, but...", but his could have been much worse. This seems to be more of a final straw issue than a big thing in itself. They'd been modifying his title and their editorial rules to accomodate his FOX appearnces for a while; it's probably best that he finally move over to FOX full time.

[TheMercenary]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

There aren't many good ways to end the sentence "I'm not a bigot, but...", but his could have been much worse. This seems to be more of a final straw issue than a big thing in itself. They'd been modifying his title and their editorial rules to accomodate his FOX appearnces for a while; it's probably best that he finally move over to FOX full time.

The guy should not have the ability to express his personal feelings, many feelings that possibly numerous other people have, without being demonized and fired for those feelings after years of loyal service to an organization?

This is nothing more than another case of Political Correctness gone wild. NPR fails in a big way. I, along with countless others, have written them and publicly displayed my anger with this issue on their website. I challenge you to go to NPR.org and look at their report and after about 20 pages of comments find me positive and supportive comments about this issue. This is nothing short of character assassination of someone who had an affiliation with Fox News, they have been looking for a way to terminate him for a long time and that is evident. Nina Totenberg made comments about a religious figure, saying he should be careful because he might just get HIV and die and God will get him, or something to that effect and no one fired her. Can you say double standard? This just exposes the the hypocrisy and attempt of manipulation of the media message of the left and IMHO it is backfiring in a big way on this issue.

[Griff]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

This seems to be more of a final straw issue than a big thing in itself. They'd been modifying his title and their editorial rules to accomodate his FOX appearnces for a while; it's probably best that he finally move over to FOX full time.

The bottom line was he could have chosen between a news network and an entertainment network in the end he becomes an entertainer. NPR is lefty and does have a diversity problem but they are still a legit news outlet.