The Firing of Juan Williams From NPR

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Originally Posted by Pico and ME

I will have to do some re-thinking. He does try to reverse his stance after his initial statement, but honestly, because of the talking-over and half sentences, what he does say afterwards doesn't have the same impact.

Obviously, a Muslim to fear is the one who is a religious fanatic, who espouses hate of infidels, and is dressing like an American. Mr commentator - how do you tell the difference between a threat and a common citizen? You don't.

First impressions - even in a job interview - is akin to racism and other forms of hate. Racism is judging people based upon a first impression. So Juan's soundbyte implies emotional hate; judgments based upon first impression. Implies.

Should Williams have been fired? I cannot even begin to have an opinion. A shortage of hard facts even after six pages here is deafening.

From what I have seen, Juan Williams is paid to be a punching bag. When he tries to make a point, then one of the extremists cuts in and talks over him. Why does he even stay? His job was not to commentate. His job was to be a wind dummy for other commentators.

Now, before anyone can discuss this firing, first, one must understand why he was fired. The always required reasons why. First, standards required of NPR commentators are vastly different from those at Fox. When he works at Fox, must he still confirm to the higher standards at NPR? Or must he conform to the Fox 'incite hate' attitudes so often promoted in Fox? Without a definitive answer, then no one can have a useful opinion.

Second, Juan Williams was fired for a list of previous reasons. His comment on Fox was only the latest. And apparently he could not justify them in a phone conversation with his NPR boss. What are those many reasons? Again, without hard fact, then no one can have a responsible opinion. All we have is hearsay and speculation.

Listed are two facts that must be known before anyone can have a responsible opinion on whether he should have been fired. Only relevant facts are that so many have emotional conclusions or speculation. State as an opinion rather than as possibilities.

I was always troubled why Juan Williams let himself be a punching bag in a new organization whose purpose is defined by a lie about being fair and balanced. But that still does not provide a hard fact. Required is an historical pattern cited by NPR for their actions. Still waiting for hard facts. Still see none. Meanwhile Williams was working for two organizations with vastly different conduct standards and job descriptions.