It is amazing when she said that if behave when you go on other networks it is ok. Who does she think she is talking to? This is still America and if you don’t like the way some muslims dress then NPR should be pulled from the airways and the funding with it

• Link
• Report this comment

I love it, the most liberal media outlet carrying out the most obvious act of censorship ever…and by the way, Juan was right!

• Link
• Report this comment

I believe NPR was wrong in firing Juan. Since when are we not allowed to say anything about the Muslims that is negative without getting into trouble. Remember, freedom of religion AND speech. I could say something negative about Christians without getting into trouble. I’m not sure about the Jewish religion. I’m sure they wouldn’t like it, but don’t believe they would try to kill me.

• Link
• Report this comment

She came across arrogant and slightly defensive. She fits the bill of a Liberal Elitest, so no one should be surprised with her answers.

• Link
• Report this comment

they were looking for an excuse. his comments are not offensive and NPR will only be a niche station as long as they only promote one thought process.

• Link
• Report this comment

Another case of freedom of the speech only if you are saying what we want you to say. Juan Williams was the least biased voice of NPR. The NPR has lost whatever credibility they had with me. They man says what his feelings, as an individual, are in a circumstance is fired for it. I think it would be safe to say that 90% of the flying public share his feelings to a certain degree. Have we become so politically correct in the media that we cannot express of unease in certain circumstances. Even though I am white, can I not be uncomfortable if I see people in KKK regalia, or does that not violate their correct thinking policies.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m not a big Juan Williams fan but this is PC run amok. Jeffv got it right- censorship from the most liberal media outlet, who is so proud of its tolerance.

The new Congress should pull NPR’s public funding- in today’s saturated media world, there is no reason for tax dollars to keep this outlet alive. If listeners want NPR, they can fund it. If it is not viable, shut it down.

• Link
• Report this comment

I will NEVER listen to NPR again… Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, he was honest with his feelings. NPR is showing their true colors, LEFT SOCIALIST face. It’s a sad day for journalism that the one guy who has actually had a good relationship with both the left & right.
Welcome to the free press Juan.

• Link
• Report this comment

Wow, just WOW! This is going to be good. My support is behind JUAN for saying what most Americans have to keep to themselves. I hope political correctness takes a good bashlash from this.

• Link
• Report this comment

“my advice to everyone?.say exactly what you think..and don”t apologize for it.”

yeah marc!

• Link
• Report this comment

It is disapointing that NPR has taken this position and it flies in the face of what NPR is supposed to stand for, open honest sharing of opinion and appears as long as one shares the opinion of NPR executives they are fine and when the do not they are out. Sad indeed!!

• Link
• Report this comment

I was a mesmber of MPR for 20-25 years. I left about ten years ago, because of the anti-Bush talk. Their interviewers, even when attempting to ask a question, showed sarcasm in the tone of the voice. Last year, I returned to MPR. Their tones where more accceptable, but it is still clear they have an agenda. Now the Juan williams thing. Their bias always shows, but today they have taken it to a new level. And right in the middle of pledge week, when they are claiming to be the only objective game in town.

• Link
• Report this comment

Reading some of these comments I wonder if most of these people even read the article.

” NPR gets no allocation from CPB. Zero. We are a private 501(c)3. We’ve had journalists call up and ask what department of the government we report to. That’s laughable. Have you listened to our shows? We do apply for competitive grants from the likes of the Ford Foundation and the Knight Foundation. As a result, some money from CPB does come to us when we win grants. Depending on the year, it represents just one to three percent of our total budget.”

People are just here to espouse their preconceived notions.

• Link
• Report this comment

Sorry to see Juan go – he was a good unbiased news analyst. I guessed he failed to live up to the federally funded liberal NPR propagandist mindset. NPR does not deserve federal funding when they disagree with what the majority of Americans believe and therefore fire the messenger. Juan’s comments on Muslims was accurate. I will never listen to NPR again since you are biased towards liberalism. Ms. Schiller needs to get a life.

• Link
• Report this comment

What is your annual budget? A: $160 million a year from station fees and dues, corporate underwriting, philanthropic contributions from individuals and corporation and earned income and earnings from our endowment.

Q: How healthy are you? A: We had some issues the last couple of years and went into deficits. But we’ve regrouped and we’re back on track.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Take note of the information Schiller has so graciously given us and react accordingly. Power of the majority should speak loud and clear. My quess is things won’t look so “healthy” for NPR in the future.

• Link
• Report this comment

I, for one, will conitnue to listen to NPR for one simple reason. They expect me to pay them for it in the form of membership dues. As long as they continue to blast their program electrons into my living space without my permission I will listen to or ignore their product at my leisure. By the way, I rarely listen to their news. It reaks of leftist elitism.

• Link
• Report this comment

Wikipedia says this about NPR’s funding:

“Public funding accounts for 16% of the average member station’s revenue, with 10% of this coming in the form of grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a federally funded organization.[14][15][16] Some more of that money originates from local and state governments and government-funded universities subsidizing member stations’ fees and dues to NPR.”

So, MIZ Schiller shouldn’t be concerned about the loss of government funding since she says she gets none. I believe NPR does receive government funding though the funding may make a circuitous route to get there.

There’s a reason I call it “National Communist Radio.”

At least liberals are self-identifying.

• Link
• Report this comment

I was listening to NPR some of the time but if a person cannot express a concern of something that makes them worry then we all need to be afraid. How will we ever know how someone stands on things if we cannot show concern,there was nothing wrong with this remark. Look up what the Germans are saying…

• Link
• Report this comment

I don’t always agree with Juan Williams, but I find him to be sincere and truthful. I guess those two characteristics are not acceptable at NPR. Cut their funding; let them live off the Soro’s money.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR shame on you! Juan Williams comment showed no anti-Muslim bias. I happen to agree with his comments. I hope the Muslim organization that prompted this outrageous firing becomes very generous with you during your pledge drives. Vivian Schiller is the one who should be looking for a new job! I think she just sank NPR.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ask that scrunt of a CEO about that Teabagging video they produced — and defended. No one was fired because of that, and the video was truly offensive. Calling regular, everyday Americans seeking redress from their Government (you know, one of those inconvenient Constitutional rights) a slang sexual term shows how shallow and lame that scrunt’s arguments are. If she had any class, she’d resign, but I won’t hold my breath.

Time for the next Congress, under some sane and fiscally responsible Republicans, to pull all funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Every last dime. Time for PBS and NPR to sink or swim on their own as they are so obviously partisan lacks of the lefty persuasion. This country should never have a publicly-funded ‘national’ news source in the first place. Another idiotic idea from Lyndon Johnson, right alongside The Great Society.

http://gatewaypundit.firstthings.com/2010/10/npr-teabag-videos-are-defended-but-blaming-9-11-on-muslims-will-get-you-fired/

• Link
• Report this comment

Sorry Juan, George Soros gave us $1.8 million on Monday and said you had to go.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/18/business/media/18npr.html?_r=1

• Link
• Report this comment

Juan Williams was fired from NPR for his opinion on Muslims and his perceptions of people who committ terroism. Ever since the American People elected President Obama there seems to be a rise in other terroist groups which are claiming to be Christians such as the home grown terroist group known as the “tea party” who uses the same weapons of choice as the “taliban” which are hatred, fear and rage/mob mentality. I wonder if Juan Williams had been fired if he said the same thing about the home grown terroist known as the “tea party”? Whenever I see these “tea party” extremist, mostly white people (klan, skin heads, etc.), I feel uneasy and watch them very closely. We have a double standard regarding who we label as terroist. The American People are sick and tired of ALL terroist groups whether they are Muslims, Christians or Jews.

• Link
• Report this comment

What is truly sad is how Ms. Schiller and the NPR executives totally missed Juan Williams point! If they had listened to his entire comments they would have seen a totally different picture. Williams point was that all of us have to push past that initial fear or nervousness that we feel when we see a Muslim on a plane and realize that not all Muslims want to kill us!!! He was trying to chastise O’ Reilly for painting too broad of a picture of Muslims on his View appearance. We have no hope of any honest dialogue in this country because crazies on the left and right jump on clips of what someone says instead of reading and understanding the total context. NPR had been looking for a reason to release Williams for awhile after he dared criticize the First Lady and this gave them cover. The funny thing is how NPR types love to make fun of Faux News and don’t even realize what true bias looks like!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

Juan Williams’ comments were inappropriate. They feed the hysteria about Muslims stoked by Fox News. I would not want any one in my family to wear a veil- but if some prefer to that is their RIGHT. Remember this is the USA. When has a head scarf been a weapon?

The constitution of the USA, with its amendments, is a document that we should respect- especially now that Europe also seems to be on an anti-Muslim, anti-Roma binge. Let us not make the Muslims the new Jews of the world. I

Fox News is adept at bringing on minorities such as Juan Williams, Michele Malkin, Dinesh Desouza and others, who appear to align themselves with extremists. Do they have a yearning to have been born in a paler skin? Leading your life as a “wannabe” must be painful, sad and shameful.

NPR was RIGHT.

• Link
• Report this comment

“A section 501(c)(3) organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, such as the creator or the creator’s family, shareholders of the organization, other designated individuals, or persons controlled directly or indirectly by such private interests. No part of the net earnings of a section 501(c)(3) organization may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. A private shareholder or individual is a person having a personal and private interest in the activities of the organization.” – IRS Website

http://www.irs.gov/charities/charitable/article/0,,id=123297,00.html

Cui bono? – This is the question we must ask ourselves…

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR should hire Mel Gibson to do political commentary

• Link
• Report this comment

Great interview Rodney! Beautiful.

“He’s an NPR analyst” oh I didn’t realize that an NPR Analyst was not allowed to have opinions. My bad. Of course this wasn’t his first strike, but his other strikes were him, yet again, having an opinion on a topic and, oh I don’t know him trying to analyze the news. See that’s what I thought an analyst would do, but again I was wrong.

• Link
• Report this comment

Amazing…Muslims murdered Americans…on 9/11….They want world domination….They have since the 8th centuary…NPR….is do “Liberal Left”….they were forced to do something….Vivian Shriller…is a very weak spined…Ceo….She should be fired for being a really Politically…..correct…Freedom of speech….Bitch

• Link
• Report this comment

I love classical music…but NPR has received its last dime from me….and I will restrict my classical music consumption to my own recording collection. I am not a huge Juan Williams fan, but the man spoke an honest opinion that most Americans can identify with….It is a scandal that NPR receives even a nickel from tax payers much less business and personal contributors. Enough of NPR….time to move on.

• Link
• Report this comment

Don’t you dare boycott the companies that contribute to NPR. I am building more gulags.

• Link
• Report this comment

Wow, right wingers upset about NPR, what a shocker! I know that you all are addicted to AM talk radio and fox “news.” And it must really upset you to think there could be consequences for your favorite opinionators expressing the same bigoted views that you share.
I mean, this is your team and these are your views (as dictated to you by the thought police who are merely agents of billionaires like the Koch Brothers, Scaife, et. al.).
At least there’s one news organization who is unwilling to abide the Right Wing’s rules of media conduct!
Thank God and the millions of contributors for NPR!!! I am now making a nice donation!

• Link
• Report this comment

@ Empty Vessel

What an awesome moniker! Fits you perfectly!

• Link
• Report this comment

Juan Williams doesn’t have “a right” to the NPR airwaves anymore than any other contractor does. He can have all the opinions on Fox or any other outlet he wants and voice them.

No one’s stopping him, he’s free to speak. But NPR has a right, and that’s the right to end his employment contract if they find his actions damaging to their brand. Same thing goes for where I work. I am free to voice my opinion anywhere, any time, and on any subject matter of my choosing. Some of those actions, including the voicing of my opinion, could be damaging to my employer’s brand. Erego, they would be within their rights to protect their brand.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Thank God and the millions of contributors for NPR!!! I am now making a nice donation!”

Thank God ? … really Empty Vessel, that’s a bit hypocritical of you isn’t it?
Remember Air America?

• Link
• Report this comment

Take her at her word and bar all Tax money to NPR. Let them compete in the Free market.

• Link
• Report this comment

That’s a class individual. NPR is in good hands. Fund drive going on right now for affiliate WABE-FM–show some love.

• Link
• Report this comment

Juan Williams comments if not taken out of context were close minded and just continue the cycle of ignorance that seems to be reigning supreme here in America. As amply demonstrated on this blog by the people who came here to simply write comments instead of reading articles.

Has anyone read any of Juan Williams materials? I have. He was unimpressive as a thinker and commentator on his observations, but that is besides the point. I listen to NPR I respect their programming because it is diverse and wide ranging and fairly objective compared to other news outlets.

If you don’t like it and you donate to NPR don’t pull your funding speak your mind. Being a contributor allows you to voice your opinion. Pulling your money just gives you some fiats.

• Link
• Report this comment

@ AppealtoReason and EmptyVessel. People like you are the reason why an honest discussion about sensitive issues is impossible in this country. Here’s hoping that you and your kind and the lunatics on the right do not win the day.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR will never get a penny from me ever again. They pick and choose which reporters to punish, and allow their liberal voices to say anything they want. I plan on writing my “liberal” congressmen to cut their 1-3% funding, or whatever it is.

• Link
• Report this comment

The same people on here hollering about free speech don’t seem to like it when NPR practices free enterprise. Why is that?

• Link
• Report this comment

Memo: to all NPR associates-
You must agree with my thinking and politics otherwise pack-up get out.
Signed –
Your fearless leader,
Vivian

• Link
• Report this comment

That’s what happens when you express yourself; so much for freedom of speech and expression! Too bad NPR is doing this at the same time they are trying to raise money. I guess they don’t need our contributions, just our tax dollars!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

A huge leadership gaffe. I predict Vivian Schiller will be OUT before too long.

• Link
• Report this comment

Drew…are you serious? National Public Radio will not allow an opinion espoused by Juan Williams if it doesn’t reflect their own opinion. Is it really unreasonable(and I’m not talking about political correctness) for someone to worry just a little every time they see a Muslim on their flight? Is it? Are we so afraid to offend people that we can’t just say it out loud? Will Joy Behar stomp off in a huff? Can’t NPR see a valid opening for a fair discussion on this subject?

• Link
• Report this comment

The definition for liberals regarding free speech is, “you are free to speak on any issues endorsing our agenda and philosophy without wavering and we are free to fire you if you don’t abide to everything we are we espouse seen and unseen.”

Sounds like there is a little Hitler in every liberal institution.

• Link
• Report this comment

Lets just start with those who gave $500,000 or more in 2009:

Angie’s List, General Motors, Lumber Liquidators, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Novo Nordisk, Progressive Insurance, Prudential Financial, State Farm Insurance, Cargill, Citibank, Constant Contact, Constellation Energy Group, Focus Features, iShares, Lending Tree, Lenovo, Lionsgate Entertainment Corp, NetApp, Pajamagram Compamny, Saturn, Sit4Less.com, Subaru of America, T. Rowe Price, UPS, Vanguard Group.

Demand that companies cease immediately their support for NPR or face boycotts by the American citizenry.

• Link
• Report this comment

I remember a NPR correspondent wishing aids on Jesse Helms or one of his grandchildren….wasn’t that over the line? Juan Williams voices an opinion and because CAIR is offended, he gets fired. Was this over the line? Yep.

NPR should have all federal funding withdrawn. If the views they support are only liberal, then the people of this country are not being treated equally. They are neglecting to include a majority of the people who pay for their media outlet to exist. Free speech does come with responsibility.

• Link
• Report this comment

A lot of the right wingers on this blog and others are feigning outrage about Juan Williams being fired using the first amendmant right to free speech and other such arguments. Rather Mr. Williams should be fired is not for me to say but the righteous indignation that the good ole folks on the right is showing is palpable and indeed laughable. You people are some of the biggest hypocrites on the face of the earth. Fox news (and I use the term news lightly as I possibly can) even had the nerve to say that NPR only wants to hear one side; the liberal side. Do I really need to comment on that.

Further more, I agree Juan had a right to say what he said but imagine, if he said he get nervous whenever he sees a white boy driving a ryder truck and parks it on the side of the street. Or, how bout I get nervous when catholic priest hanging around school children. I could go on and on; the point is you all would be ready to throw Juan under a bus then. Anytime someone says anything about Muslims it seems to be fair game. I repeat myself; you right wingers are nothing but HYPOCRITES!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] Ho at the Atlanta-Journal Constitution was the first reporter to interview NPR CEO Vivian Schiller on Juan Williams’ firing. She [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

Actually, let me correct something I said that “I disagree with what Juan said” but there really wasn’t anything to disagree with. He stated his personal feelings… nothing to agree or disagree with. What people can’t confess or admit to fears or feelings?

Silly.

• Link
• Report this comment

Pull all taxpayer funding of NPR now! Even if it’s not all that much, they are misusing those funds and promoting the liberal agenda by refusing to stay neutral and objective on all things political.

• Link
• Report this comment

People keep saying that Juan was just stating what “most Americans” feel. I’m sorry, but where is the scientific data to show that “most” (which I would assume to mean at least 51% of the population) feel what Juan Williams described? I’ll be waiting here for some valid data, laughing at all the fear-mongering and insipid rants on this blog that will no doubt provide minutes of entertainment.

• Link
• Report this comment

The only problem NPR had with Juan Williams was he told the truth about his feelings and NPR does not want the TRUTH but THEIR TRUTH. If everyone would tell the truth about the their fear of flying when they see an obvious Muslim person on their flight their fear mirrors Juan’s. 9/11 changed everything and if there if momentarily feeling of fear it is understandable. However, NPR, does not want this truth to be told. This is truly political correctness run amok.

• Link
• Report this comment

Juan Williams said, and says, what nearly every American thinks and believes about Muslim extremists. Like him, we all do not care for the extremists in ANY culture or religion.
Most of all WE WILL ALL FIGHT TO THE DEATH TO KEEP OUR FREEDOM OF SPEECH whether we are right, wrong, or even stupid in what we say. Forever I shall say what I think and believe…and Juan should sue NPR for this atrocious action.
Right now it’s against Muslims. Wait until this rears its ugly head to include Christians, Jews, Buddhists, and Catholics, to name a few.
NPR should be ashamed of Vivian and Vivian should be ashamed of herself.

• Link
• Report this comment

@ Drew Williams: nail on the head!

• Link
• Report this comment

freespeech,how long have you been speaking for “every American?

• Link
• Report this comment

@ Drew Williams, haven’t you learned that “almost all/ever American” hates Muslims? It’s unarguable fact, right up there with 1+1 = 2.

• Link
• Report this comment

I speak for every American WHO AGREES that free speech is our right and no one has the right to tell anyone they are right or wrong when it is OPINION stated, Drew. You stated yours, I state mine.

• Link
• Report this comment

Is the opinion only valid if it is shared by 51% of the population? No, the ability for a news analyst to express their feelings should be allowed even if those feelings are shared by only 5% of the population.

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s not about whether Juan Williams is entitled to his opinion; of course, he is. It’s about the context of voicing his opinion, and other opinions in the past. It’s about his relationship as an analyst with NPR. It’s about acting like a professional.

That said, if you disagree with NPR’s firing, that is fine. However, to echo the words of a complete jacka$$ like Huckabee and call for the withdrawal of federal funds from NPR is absurd. To suggest based on this firing, that NPR has gone far left is equally absurd. NPR may appear left to the likes of Hannity, Limbaugh and Beck followers, but to the rest of us, there is nothing liberal about NPR. It’s an excellent, thorough, compelling news source. Unlike Fox, and to a lesser extent, CNN, it’s not littered with moronic, vapid agenda-pushing blowhards who drop sound bytes.

NPR is without question the single best news source this country has.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Posterchild-you are wrong about ““almost all/ever American” hates Muslims?” Not all of us hate them. I do not hate them. I believe that Juan had/has the right to say what he believes just as you do, just as Drew does, just as we all do. I don’t care who funds what, we all have the right to our opinions and your opinion that all Americans hate Muslims gives me the right to say that you are wrong.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR finally showed their true colors. Even though I disagree with Mr. Williams on most issues I believe he was exhibiting the feelings most Americans have when boarding a plane and seeing passengers in full Muslim dress. I feel you are using this to get rid of Mr. Williams because of his association with FOX NEWS. I have written my representatives asking them to without all of my contributions to this Liberal organization. My tax dollars are being wasted enough without contributing to this corrupt organization.

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] CEO Vivian Schiller told the Atlanta Journal Constitution that Williams’ comments were the last straw for [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

@Posterchild-duly noted. Forgive me if I misread your post.

• Link
• Report this comment

I have listened to NPR in the past and even contributed however never again will I listen or contribute. Biased, Left Wing, No Credibility and Unbelievable. Vivian Schiller,”You are a JackAss”
Good Bye NPR have a nice time in HELL.

• Link
• Report this comment

I tried to get a discussion of fear of Muslims started yesterday on another blog. Almost no one wanted to talk about it.

Is that the kind of country we live in now? Are we too afraid to express an opinion that may not be politically correct…that may be seen as bigoted? Never mind 9/11…what about the USS Cole? What about the shoe bomber? What about the guy who tried to blow up his underwear? Do we not have some reason to feel fear…discomfort?

Why can’t we talk about it?

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR is a left wing extremist organization that should loose all federal funding. Firing Juan Williams for stating an honest fear helps prove just that. I heard a couple of days ago that George Soros is contributing billions of dollars to hire more news people. Gee, I wonder what side of the political spectrum they will be on? I don’t want any of my tax dollars going toward these progressives.

• Link
• Report this comment

The line between news and personal opinion Shiller claims to uphold is pure Barbara Streisand (with underlined BS). NPR is expert at taking the most leftist opinions, cloaking them in bad science and protraying the resulting propaganda as news. If Juan attended Obama rallies in his non-NPR time or campaigned for gay rights, he would have been fine. He irritated NPR’s liberal PC management – it’s as simple as that.

• Link
• Report this comment

@ Jeff, you are my kind of people.

• Link
• Report this comment

I see Jim’s got it all worked out …. in his head.

• Link
• Report this comment

@

Jeff

October 21st, 2010
3:08 pm

I think you are absolutely right.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Politically correct” is the most horrible thing in this country in my opinion. It kills ideas therefore kills the freedom. Back in my country, China, there, what politically correct means is “don’t critic the government”. Mr. Xiaobo Liu, 2010 Nobel Peace Prize winner, is put in jail for 11 years because he is politically “incorrect”—pursuing free speech. However, there are some Chinese who have lived in the States for years still defend Chinese government on jailing Liu, saying that he is a criminal—intentionally overthrow the government. These people are comfortably talking about their opinions without worry of being put in jail because they are in USA. I don’t feel comfortable about this at all. I don’t feel comfortable to hear Muslims want to build their masque near the ground zero too. They are practicing their constitutional rights, doing whatever they want but don’t allow people to say anything they don’t like. Will there be a day that they stone someone into death in New York City? What would NPR say if it happened? Do we have right to tell them what we feel?

• Link
• Report this comment

Daniel Schorr – may he rest in peace.

Did she not EVER listen to him? He said many vitriolic things about both President Bushes.

Despite her comments – this is ALL about Fox News.

• Link
• Report this comment

All of this freedom of speech talk is hilarious. Freedom speech is not even in play here. Of course, Williams has a right to speak his mind. Likewise, Schiller has a right to fire him. At my work I have the freedom to tell my boss to “Go F*** himself”, but he also has the freedom to fire me for it.

• Link
• Report this comment

“However, we expect our journalists, whether they are news analysts or reporters to behave like journalists.”

HA-HA-HA-HA….

• Link
• Report this comment

This has nothing to do with Freedom of Speech. Freedom of Speech does not mean Freedom from All Consequences due to Speech. It just means the government cannot punish you for your speech or regulate your speech. If a private organization (like NPR or Fox News) does not like your speech, they are free to fire you, free to not do business with you. That is not a violation of the First Amendment in any way. NPR has every right to cancel Juan Williams’ contract for whatever reason. It just so happens that it makes them look like partisan, politically-correct buffoons, but NPR (and every other organization and citizen of this country) has the freedom to do make itself look foolish.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ever wonder what our soldiers in harms way would think if they heard this NPR BS repeated on Armed Services Raido??

• Link
• Report this comment

@freedom* CEOs will do what CEOs do — protect the brand. Are we seeing an example of not living by one’s own book? I see it every day from those as interested in the bottom-line as they are heady ideals.

• Link
• Report this comment

Can’t wait to see NPR’s spin on all these comments.

• Link
• Report this comment

I spend hours upon hours upon hours in my car each week, assaulted with 24/7 right wing propaganda. The familiar whipping boy is alway the LIBERAL MEDIA, but here in Georgia, there is no such thing. If NPR is the answer to FOX, Hallelujah! In Georgia, our news is unmitigated conservative talking points. No wonder there are so few true liberals here; the brainwashing is extensive and complete.

• Link
• Report this comment

I think it’s worth noting that simply because NPR journalists do not pander to the right, that they are completely liberal. Just yesterday, Steve Inski (I think) laid into Jack Conway for his attack ad on Rand Paul.

US conservatism runs more to the right than anyplace else in the world. And consequently, what many of you consider liberal, the rest of the world considers the middle or even still conservative.

• Link
• Report this comment

Kudos You Distort/ We Deride

• Link
• Report this comment

Drew Williams and Posterchild are the same poster

• Link
• Report this comment

Posterchild and Drew Williams are the same poster

• Link
• Report this comment

JTesla

I’ve scoured the AM and FM dials. All conservative, all the time. Care to offer any Atlanta, Georgia alternatives to the right wing propaganda that opens the mornings and closes the evenings? Didn’t think so; there aren’t any.

I don’t suffer fools.

• Link
• Report this comment

@ Scientific Data. No, we’re not. But if it’s any consolation, you are an idiot.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR seems to be headed in the same direcion as Air America.

• Link
• Report this comment

freespeechrules,

2 things.

1 – this issue has absolutely nothing to do with free speech
2 – you say, “My opinion on that is if women stayed home and raised their children AS IT WAS MEANT TO BE then the country would be far better off and the next ”

According to whom or what, are women meant to stay home and raise their children. I am not a woman and find that comment offensive, not to mention unbelievably judgmental.

• Link
• Report this comment

Kevin- I dont presume to know but I do know that there isnt time for political correctness debate when folks with towels on their heads are trying to kill them. Trust me, I get it when u argue “freedom of speech”, however, a “mission” has a clear objective and I worry that we havent sent a clear message to the front lines when all this BS goes on back home.

• Link
• Report this comment

Termination for speaking your mind? There’s an app for that!

• Link
• Report this comment

@Joe. But the Supreme Court has clearly stated, just this year, that money is a form of speech. So by taking away their status and funding, you advocate the squelching of free speech. Now that’s irony.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Posterchild. Don’t feed the trolly- especially the dullards.

• Link
• Report this comment

It is astounding that there are at least two people who have similar ideas (and even crazier that those ideas are blatantly ignorant), but it does happen!

• Link
• Report this comment

I commend NPR for upholding journalistic excellence by firing someone who compromised his contract. Thought it seems like NPR was defending Muslims, it’s far from it. They were defending press integrity. I will be donating to NPR from now on. NPR you have found yourself a new donor.

Everyone who disagrees with NPR are driven by anti-Muslim mentality and cannot see beyond the most obvious layer. If NPR’s funding is cut or if NPR somehow discontinues to exist, it will be a great blow to American freedom and Constitution.

I’m not a Liberal or a Conservative. I am not registered with any political party.

• Link
• Report this comment

Seems like most are missing the point: Juan Williams says he draws conclusions based purely on appearance. Since he doesn’t work for TSA or in Airline Security, then he has no cause to act this way—he can certainly think it all he wants but cannot let it influence his actions. Why? Because, like it or not, he is an NPR journalist and any journalist must avoid the appearance of bias as listeners/viewers cannot help but wonder whether what they report is tainted. Terminating him makes perfect sense.

• Link
• Report this comment

Drew Williams: your argument against removing their funding as it is free speech is silly. First, read the interview, they would not be impacted to the point of the removal of funds negatively impacting their speech. Second, check the national deficit. Thanks Bush, Obama, Congress, and everyone else, appreciate that little gem of debt.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am with juan williams. Whenever i get on a plane and look over and see a muslim seated, i think, how best to get to this person quickly and kill them to protect my life and other innocent passengers in the event of a problem…

• Link
• Report this comment

@Paddy
Missed your last comment, sorry. I agree with you on that. Fully.

• Link
• Report this comment

freespeechrules: “Juan’s free speech rights” The first amendments free speech rights prevent the government from infringing on those rights. I may not like how NPR cooks the books regarding their funding, but they are not the government.

So what free speech rights are you talking about?

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] NPR: Williams responded: “Look, Bill, I’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.” | Related: George Soros’ Millions Buying ‘Political Reporters’ For NPR | CAIR Asks NPR to Address Analyst’s Remarks on Muslims | NPR Statement On The Termination Of Juan Williams’ Contract | Atlanta Journal-Constitution: First interview with NPR CEO Vivian Schiller on Juan Williams firing [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

Freespeechrules,

It’s not at all about free speech. No one is suggesting that Juan Williams should not be able to speak his mind. But, it’s idiotic to think that speaking your mind, at times, does not have consequences. Like I mentioned in a prior post….All of this freedom of speech talk is hilarious. Freedom speech is not even in play here. Of course, Williams has a right to speak his mind. Likewise, Schiller has a right to fire him. At my work I have the freedom to tell my boss to “Go F*** himself”, but he also has the freedom to fire me for it.

I would say that your claim that “everything went to hell in a handbasket” when women were allowed to pursue lives not entirely consumed by raising children is incredibly weak and thoroughly unprovable.

• Link
• Report this comment

Talk radio has done a pretty good job of insulating itself from criticism two ways. First, by conjuring up the imagined “left-wing-bias-of-the-lamestream-media,” they can present themselves as not a vile, crazed outlet of people who habitually vilify others to make their cases, but as a legitimate vanguard to a nefarious, calculated plot.

Secondly, by purposely blurring the lines between news and opinion, any half-truth, cunard or outright falsehood reported can be veiled as “opinion” rather than “news,” shielding themselves with claims to free speech protections, rather than getting sued on a daily basis. For this, the Internet has been a gold mine.

It’s a fine line and they’ve built an industry by walking it, supported by people who seek echoing reassurances rather than insights that might actually counter their beliefs. The fact they’re destroying the very idea that news can and should be objective? Doesn’t seem to bother them a tich.

• Link
• Report this comment

I should expand “talk radio” to “rightwing media.”

• Link
• Report this comment

Hey boots,

The muslims on 9/11 wore suits and not muslim garb. Newsflash, most muslims are no better or worse than most other religious folks. Plenty has been done by the christian right that is morally repugnant too.

• Link
• Report this comment

LOL “Look at the world in the “then and now”. It has been proven.”

Actually, things are going great “now”, much better than “then”. People are living longer, they are living more productive lives. Life has never been better, and all indications that it will continue to improve. I would have to be alive “then” with all the death, separate but equal, arranged marriages… blech. Yep, now is better… proven.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR did the wrong thing by firing Juan. His opinion on his time is just that. The firing sends the wrong message to journalists and others who embrace the First Amendment.

• Link
• Report this comment

freespeechrules,

Do you realize that many things, aside from women experience the workplace, have taken place over this vague period of time you describe? How can you specify “women going to work” as the sole casual factor in creating the current “bad” world. That’s patently absurd. I would say that people of religious faith have far more to do with mucking things up than working moms.

• Link
• Report this comment

@ freespeechrules: With me or at me?

• Link
• Report this comment

@JTesla
Now is NOT because women walked out of the home and their jobs as mothers. It is because we all have more common sense in what we eat, what we do, better doctors, etc. Women did not make this country great on their own, but they are the main reason our younger generations are muttering anti-social nuts. They need mom at home, not in an office and them being raised by a nanny.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Drew
with you

• Link
• Report this comment

I have listened to NPR for 25 years. My impression is that they do have a slight liberal bias (Daniel Shorr doing the op-ed pieces?), but they are signiicantly less biased than other major outlets like “fair and balanced” (HAHAHA) Fox News or the NY Times, which has run op-ed pieces posing as news on its front page for years. They are, in my opinion, the single best souce for news since everyone else is selling opinion these days.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Kevin
Isn’t it strange that when our country was built on religious beliefs we had a better country, but you seem to think that motherless children (meaning those rarely home to hug and love them) are better off now? Hmmmm
Whatever…you are wrong, in my opinion, but that’s what this is about……opinions.

• Link
• Report this comment

The media has done a pretty good job of insulating itself from criticism two ways. First, by proving left-wing-bias-of-the-lamestream-media, they present themselves as not a vile, crazed outlet of people who habitually vilify others to make their cases, but as a legitimate vanguard to a nefarious, calculated plot.

Secondly, by purposely blurring the lines between news and opinion, any half-truth, cunard or outright falsehood reported can be veiled as “opinion” rather than “news,” shielding themselves with claims to free speech protections, rather than getting sued on a daily basis. For this, the Internet invented by Al Gore (D) has been a gold mine.

It’s a fine line and they’ve built an industry by walking it, supported by people who seek echoing reassurances rather than insights that might actually counter their beliefs. The fact they’re destroying the very idea that news can and should be objective? Doesn’t seem to bother them a tich.

• Link
• Report this comment

if the government were able to fund or de-fund NPR based on who they hire or fire, then that would be exactly what many of you claim to be against – govt control. NPR is primarily member-funded and the govt is simply expressing its interest in a not-for-profit media outlet by providing the funding that they do. if they had a say in the operations of NPR, then it would effectively be state media. think about what you’re saying people.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’d like to see what would happen if FOX News hired a reporter who trashed Republican presidents and Congressmen, questioned the war efforts, or decried trickle down economics, on a frequent basis.

On the other hand, their bias is so blatant, they would never hire anyone who wouldn’t spout the Republican talking points, so that would never happen.

The hypocrisy of the right is sickening.

• Link
• Report this comment

@ New America….you still think you have rights? LOL

• Link
• Report this comment

@Is this the New America ?

You have a valid point.
We have gone off track of what this is truly about.

• Link
• Report this comment

Who the heck does this woman think she is kidding. Every single person in the media inflicts their own opinion in every story. Juan is a fabulous news reporter and his viewpoints are enlightening. He has a gift for defusing a potentially volatile argument and giving a sensitive left winged opinion. As I become more and more right because of the joke that is politics these days, I count on Juan to keep my own rhetoric in check. He is an absolute asset to any organization he joins. NPR and their CEO should be ashamed of themselves, and personally FOX better hire him pronto. I wouldn’t mind seeing him right after Greta…. Bravo Juan for speaking your mind and not cowering to PC…. More of us should do exactly that. By the way, there is a reason why most nations are banning the Burka in Public. Whatever happened to women’s rights in this country? It’s all an amazing embarassment.

• Link
• Report this comment

@JTesla: My point wasn’t to be taken totally seriously, as I am fully, completely, and 100%-ly AGAINST money standing as a form of speech, free or otherwise. The Citizens United ruling is, on the other hand, a darling of the conservative movement. It’s the hypocrisy I’m noting, no matter how large or small the actual dollar amount.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Kevin
You are right that I should have said ” It was built on freedom of religion”.
The rest of your statement is muck to me.
I am not judging on purpose. I am stating my opinions and if they seem judgemental or cruel, so be it. I am not politically correct all the time and don’t wish to be.
I stand with my opinions, which I have stated as opinions. You keep yours and I’ll keep mine.
It takes more faith to be an atheist than it takes to have a religion. That much is true.
Again, let us get back to topic now. This is out of hand now. Juan and the NPR are the topic. I stand by what I said in all posts, but did not mean to bring this about face to something off topic.
My apologies to those who are staying on topic.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Editor In Chief: When you can provide me with the transcripts from NPR where George Bush was routinely called a facist, a bigot, a murderer or a tyrant, as Obama and Bill Clinton are and were in the rightwing media, then your pre-pubescent I-know-you-are-what-am-I game might make its mark. Until then, your freedom of speech is just so much blubbering. Have a nice life.

• Link
• Report this comment

Dear You Distort/We Deride,

Are you on George Soros’s payroll.

I’ll bet your one of those “Enterprise Journalists/Bloggers” that just got hired at NPR thanks to his $1.8 million dollar bribe..

We see you Georgie Boy… MoveOn, Center For American Progress, Tides and the other ilk are now in the sunlight. Americans are demanding to see the donor lists.

IRS.gov website defines these organizations as:

To be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, an organization must be organized and operated exclusively for exempt purposes set forth in section 501(c)(3), and none of its earnings may inure to any private shareholder or individual. In addition, it may not be an action organization, i.e., it may not attempt to influence legislation as a substantial part of its activities and it may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates.

Organizations described in section 501(c)(3) are commonly referred to as charitable organizations. Organizations described in section 501(c)(3), other than testing for public safety organizations, are eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions in accordance with Code section 170.

The organization must not be organized or operated for the benefit of private interests, and no part of a section 501(c)(3) organization’s net earnings may inure to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual. If the organization engages in an excess benefit transaction with a person having substantial influence over the organization, an excise tax may be imposed on the person and any organization managers agreeing to the transaction.

Section 501(c)(3) organizations are restricted in how much political and legislative (lobbying) activities they may conduct. For a detailed discussion, see Political and Lobbying Activities. For more information about lobbying activities by charities, see the article Lobbying Issues; for more information about political activities of charities, see the FY-2002 CPE topic Election Year Issues.

MediaMatters.com website:
Media Matters for America is a Web-based, not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) progressive research and information center dedicated to comprehensively monitoring, analyzing, and correcting conservative misinformation in the U.S. media.

The Center For American Progress website:
October 3, 2002 as the American Majority Institute [501(c)(3)] with companion lobbying group, the American Majority Fund [501(c)(4)].
Re-named: October 24, 2003 as the Center for American Progress [501(c)(3)] with companion lobbying group Center for American Progress Action Fund [501(c)(4)].
Exempt since: 2003

MoveOn according to Wikipedia:
MoveOn comprises two legal entities, each organized under a different section of U.S. tax and election laws. MoveOn.org Civic Action is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit corporation,[4][5] [6][7] and was formerly known as MoveOn.org. MoveOn Civic Action focuses on education and advocacy on national issues. MoveOn.org Political Action is a federal political action committee, and was formerly known as MoveOn PAC. It contributes to the campaigns of selected candidates across the country. MoveOn calls the legal structure of MoveOn Civic Action that of “a California nonprofit public benefit corporation” and MoveOn.org Political Action that of “a California nonprofit mutual benefit corporation,” and refers to both corporations collectively as “MoveOn”[8].

• Link
• Report this comment

We clearly disagree. “t takes more faith to be an atheist than it takes to have a religion. That much is true.” That sounds like something a preacher would say–senseless.

• Link
• Report this comment

Not My Real Name

I could care less about George Soros, the Democrat Party, the Republican Party, the Tea Party, or any of the other political nonsense that this side or that side seem to rely upon in order to validate their beliefs.

I believe in truth, honesty, and fair play. None of the above groups share my core beliefs. Hiding behind a nameless name and casting aspersions may make you feel exalted, but to me, you are merely one of the mindless flock who has allowed his brain to be hijacked by the brainwashing element of our society.

• Link
• Report this comment

Kevin, I do have to nit-pick on one statement:

“Isn’t it strange how religious beliefs have lead to more violence than all other beliefs combined”

You mean except for the belief that someone or some group needs more power? Religion may be the excuse, but power is the reason for the violence. Sorry, but the idea that religious beliefs have led to more wars or more violence gets thrown around as a truism, but it’s not really true. Without religion all that violence, and all the wars, they still would have occurred.

• Link
• Report this comment

Adrienne King,

You realize that in the same breath you advocate banning burkas and women’s rights. So, you are for women’t rights so long as the clothing choice of the women represents a religion you disagree with. Well reasoned.

• Link
• Report this comment

Those that argue that 2% is all the government gives NPR – good, that’s 2% more that Soros has to give them! Schiller made a disparaging remark about Williams that he “[...] should have kept his feeling about Muslims between himself and “his psychiatrist or his publicist,” so accordingly she will be sued, and she should lose her job if the litmus test was created in the Williams’ case.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/10/21/130728202/npr-ceo-williams-views-of-muslims-should-stay-between-himself-and-his-psychiatrist

• Link
• Report this comment

@JTesla:

The right wingers are hypocrites on this issue because it reflects precisely the Helen Thomas firing a few months back, and Fox News was one of the main proponents of her being fired. She was fired. Conservatives celebrated it.

Both Helen Thomas and Juan Williams made offensive statements. Both got fired for it. Conservatives only support one of those firings, and condemns the other. That is called hypocrisy.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Casting aspersions” — What planet do you come from?

You can read right? You have a computer and the internet don’t you? There’s this thing called a search engine. Read or go warm up some milk and put on your jammies. It’s almost bedtime.

• Link
• Report this comment

You Distort/We Deride: Look, Fox news is one network. If ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, HLN and MSNBC, and yes NPR, cannot adequately counter what you say Fox is putting forth, then that’s your issue, not Fox’. While I agree that Fox does have a bias, so do all of the others, and there are many more of them out they, you are certainly adequately represented.

• Link
• Report this comment

@JTesla
You’re correct: “JTesla

October 21st, 2010
4:32 pm
Kevin, I do have to nit-pick on one statement:

“Isn’t it strange how religious beliefs have lead to more violence than all other beliefs combined”

You mean except for the belief that someone or some group needs more power? Religion may be the excuse, but power is the reason for the violence. Sorry, but the idea that religious beliefs have led to more wars or more violence gets thrown around as a truism, but it’s not really true. Without religion all that violence, and all the wars, they still would have occurred.”

@Kevin
I would have to have more faith in coming from an accident of nature than that I was created on purpose. I, nor you, are mutated amoebas nor monkeys. If you believe so, you have more faith than any preacher I know. It’s plain silliness.

• Link
• Report this comment

Vivian Schiller ” Williams’ Views Should Stay Between Himself And ‘His Psychiatrist’”, that was 100% worse than anything Juan Williams said, she basically insinuated that he had a psychiatric problem, it borders on defamation. It is defamation. Yet, as a Jew, she was able to back peddle. This goes back to what Rick Sanchez, the Jews own the media and their uncle or whoever is willing to forgive them when they say something even as out of line as this.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR is a Joke. A bunch of Liberal Losers. I think Muslims in garb on a airplane would scare satan himself.

• Link
• Report this comment

The Fox News channel is a political organization and not a news channel. If you go on these stations and make dumb comments you should be held responsible. It’s not a Liberal conspiracy, Rick Sanchez was fired from CNN for making the same dumb racial comments. I will be happy when O’Reilly, Beck, and the rest of these dummies are gone for preaching hate and intolerance. You Conservatives are so quick to jump on these blog sites and say such racist and disrespectful comments about minorities. Why don’t you try that freedom of speech on the street and get your a**es kicked. A bunch for B*%ches.

• Link
• Report this comment

@NJK
Thank you for that information. Many do not know it. Muslims nor Christians are our only enemies.
@Is this the New America ?
lmao with you….good one

• Link
• Report this comment

@Kevin
You’re a bit backward, aren’t you? Science is proving those things now. Or, maybe you watch a different station than most and forget that scientific shows are on that are trying to prove/disprove these things? Public Television has shown many shows/documentaries that these things are either true or cannot be disproven by science,therfore remain a mystery and can be true. And, yes, I believe it fully.

Now, again, I ask that you get off this topic and back onto Juan, Fox News, NPR, Vivian, and stop fighting the Bible with me. Neither of us will “win” and we’re taking up valuable space for great comments on this issue.

• Link
• Report this comment

Time for Juan to play the race card, unfortunately he has too much class for the drones at NPR. NPR CEO Vivian needs to see HER psychiatrist abour her denial issues. NPR is now nothing but old white women, was she jealous that his mustache is better than hers?

• Link
• Report this comment

@Drew Williams

I remember those things. Proof would be great about NPR saying anything close to it.
Yet, Vivian was still wrong, in my opinion.
How many here have forgotten that Obama is half white and not full African? Why is he going by African-American? He’s either American or he isn’t, despite his color, creed, nationality….etc.

• Link
• Report this comment

Ms Schiller is full of BS. I used to watch Fox News Sunday, as well as Special Report with Brit Hume. Mara Liasson has appeared on those shows many times and repeatedly expressed opinions. A journalists is defined as one who collects and disseminates information. Ms Schiller states that NPR expects their news analysts or reporters to behave like journalists. Going on TV and expressing opinions is not behaving like a journalist. Yet she doesn’t see Mara Liasson as violating this expectation of acting like a journalist. Both Maria and Juan are liberal and have expressed liberal opinions on many occasions with no repercussions from NPR. It is only when an opinion is voiced that doesn’t tow the liberal line does Ms Schiller see a violation of the contract. I don’t care if NPR fires a reporter for not towing the liberal line if they take no public money, but my research shows that they do, despite Ms. Schiller’s representation. NPR gets approximate 16% of its funding from the CPB. I have no problem with Fox firing someone for being too liberal as the difference between Fox and NPR is that Fox takes no public money. Let NPR live on private funds then the can hire and fire their journalists for any reason they choose (within legal bounds). Personally, I think it’s time to stop government funding of any radio or TV (except efforts like VOA or RFA that target foreign oppressed peoples). We have too much broadcasting now so government funding of such efforts is a waste of tax dollars.

• Link
• Report this comment

So let me get this straight…O’Reilly (Fox News) can openly protest the building of a mosque at Ground Zero but Williams (NPR contractor) gets fired for commenting that he is “uncomfortable with Muslims dressed in traditional garb on airplanes”. How ironic! Years ago I almost got off a plane because I saw a row of nuns praying before take off. The thoughts that entered my mind. So to Mr. Williams, I understand, nothing personal.

Things that make me uncomfortable… men in trench coats out of season, males between 15-40, standing in line at a bank, Park Atlanta, pit bulls on the loose, CVS, my water bill, religious and political zealots, someone videotaping me and it going viral…you get my drift? We live on a media diet of things that make us shudder but now we can’t even express that it make us “uncomfortable”…give me a break!

• Link
• Report this comment

With NPR, you won’t find the proof because it’s simply not modeled on the “anything-goes-morning-zoo” format of right-wing talk.

• Link
• Report this comment

Kevin, sorry but I don’t believe that you are as objective in terms of history as you would like to think. When it comes to this topic I don’t believe that I am biased for one religion (Christianity as perhaps is presumed). For instance Islam has, when compared to Christianity, been historically far more tolerant of both Christianity and Judaism, not a typical opinion, but one I’ve argued based on history. Using that same objectivity, I then turn to the Crusades and realize that they weren’t driven by religion, but by a quest for power. A quest of power by a man in Rome, and boredom from men in Europe, which meant bad things for the predominantly Christian and Jewish towns they laid siege to. Religion was the excuse, in modern times the wars are still there, but the excuse is not used as often. Sure, power isn’t a belief system, but then you are simply narrowly construing your argument to fit your non-objective ends.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Mom Dukes
You’ve said it best and like it is. That should end the debate right here, but it won’t.
@Juan Johnson
Civility is still alive, it just isn’t rearing it’s head much today. Political Correctness has harmed it.

• Link
• Report this comment

@JTesla
Again you have said a great thing that is so true that I will actually stop remarks to Kevin altogether.
JT is ruled by his head, not his heart or anger or taking sides on anything. We should learn from that.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Drew Williams October 21st, 2010 4:55 pm – Absolute garbage. Racism is racism and bigotry is bigotry, no matter the source. Bigotry in the black community is having a huge impact on the improvement of race relations. The black community has hid behind your excuse for too long to excuse bigotry that is poisoning the black community. This bigotry is a major roadblock to the improvement of race relations in this country. Bigotry is not acceptable in mainstream white America anymore so get the beam out of your own eye before you attempt to remove the speck from mine.

• Link
• Report this comment

Nice spin from Vivian. She makes a false distinction between a staffer and a contractor. If anything, a contractor should have even more freedom to express opinions, so her logic is faulty. This firing is un-American.
I say we take her up on her bloviation about funding and rip the tax funds out from underneath what has become an embarrassment to the American people.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Allen Rofer
You said what many have said, but in a more distinct and compact way.

• Link
• Report this comment

BTW Drew Williams, you want to talk about who’s in power. The last time I checked, the President of the United States is black. “We’re don’t have power” doesn’t wash anymore.

• Link
• Report this comment

So one of the ionstances you use in terminating him was his comment about M. Obama. God fordid. How about outing the pres. and his wife for the hateful thing they have both done and said about the USA many time. They are both not worthy of the honor oof being the pres and first lady. if they had the USA so much move them the hell back to where they came from.

• Link
• Report this comment

Yes — now compare that fact to the total percentage of blacks in positions of power compared to that of the black American. You don’t exactly have to be a statistician to note the imbalance.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Drew Williams. Let’s talk about today, not yesterday. I don’t see blacks hanging in trees, and when such reprehensible acts are committed today, people are prosecuted, like the James Byrd case. I can name instances of black on white hate crimes for every case you can name me that has occurred in the 21st Century.

• Link
• Report this comment

Where was the outrage when Nina Totenberg said, “retributive justice” in the world the (admittedly loathsome) Jesse Helms would “get AIDS from a transfusion, or one of his grandchildren will get it.” I understand she is still NPR’s legal affairs. The statement by Juan Williams is far, FAR less offensive that her statement. Juan was correct in his statement and justified in saying it!

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m betting it’s getting fairly even now at around 13%. As for that, I work for a county that has a higher percentage of black employees than is the percentage of the county’s black demographic makeup.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR must appear as far left liberal leaning to those who need to tune into Bill O’Reilly to be told what is right and what is wrong because they can not form opinions for themselves.

Anyone who has listened to NPR for any time knows that they make the extra effort to be fair and impartial by having at length discussions with those of opposing viewpoints.

For the same reason I stopped listening to CBS news for its liberal leanings in the 80’s, I quickly stopped tuning into Fox in the 90’s for its far right propaganda. I’m a Republican who has watched his party get hijacked by the Christian Coalition.

I don’t think JW should have been terminated for his comments on FOX but I’ll continue to listen to NPR because they take the extra effort to be fair and go deeper into the story than any other organization.

• Link
• Report this comment

Last thing I’ll say is, if we can’t get over yesterday, tomorrow will never improve. To my black friends, teach your kids to hate if you want. I don’t want want to live in a world of hate and I will not teach hate to my kids.

• Link
• Report this comment

freespeechrules,

In leaving this blog, I thought I would leave you a quote from Ludwig Wittgenstein (20th century analytic philosopher)—something I think we can both appreciate (for once ). This is not verbatim, but you’ll get the jist.

2 people sitting down to discuss religion vs. science is like 2 people sitting down to play a game of chess. However, 1 person uses the rules of checkers and the other person uses the rules of backgammon–and you can’t play chess that way. The rules of language and language games does not allow for meaningful discourse here.

Best to you.

• Link
• Report this comment

The time for discussion is over. Let’s vote. If the majority of American taxpayers want any of their tax dollars going to the CPB, PBS, or NPR so be it. But if the majority doesn’t support tax subsidies for public broadcasting then end them. We do, after all, live in a democracy.

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

It all didn’t come out for some reason, Kevin, but thank you for the analogy and I’ll keep it in mind. Yes, something we can both appreciate.
Have a great evening.

• Link
• Report this comment

Kevin, you have know idea of my own educational background. Let’s just say I’m as qualified as you are. However, your degree in philosophy might explain your desire to debate and make sweeping statements in justication of atheism. If you want to compare the evils of atheism with Christianity, go ahead, but you will have a problem. Let me put it this way. Let’s say three people highjack and crash three planes, killing a lot of people. One calls himself a christian, one calls himself a muslim and one an atheist. Christians would react by condemning the act because it goes directly against the teachings of our leader and God, and this is consistent with how Christians have reacted with similar events (meaning the person was not a true follower of Christ). Muslims would be divided – some would celebrate (if done against infidels), some would be quiet, and a minority would speak out against it. The act may or may not be consistent with the teachings of the Qur’an. The atheist crowd could not say much since, as a belief system, it doesn’t really have any “teachings” or moral code. For an atheist, at the end of the day, the three people, and the people on the plane were just pieces of furniture in the universe who were unlucky or uncivil enough to be there, but they are gone now, and there is no judgement against the highjackers except a bad PR problem for their families.

• Link
• Report this comment

Everyone knowa you can’t tell the truth about muslims, you must not be truthful you may hurt the terrorists ego.,

• Link
• Report this comment

Juan is welcome to join us. We don’t throw each other under the bus.

Speak without fear, assemble and make your voice heard.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR Firing of Williams Epitomizes Liberal Hypocrisy
NPR’s firing of Juan Williams for simply stating his opinion (one that is shared by most Americans and others around the world) epitomizes the smug, arrogant hypocrisy of the liberal left. As usual, for NPR, tolerance is a one way street. As usual, for NPR, freedom of speech is a one-way street. NPR is a disgrace. Juan told the truth. Like many Americans and others around the world, Juan gets nervous when Muslims dressed in Muslim garb get on an airplane. The NPR phonies call that thinking inconsistent with their “editorial policies”? Was Nina Totenberg’s statement that Jesse Helms should get AIDS representative of their “editorial policies”? IF MORE MODERATE AND PEACELOVING MUSLIMS WOULD SPEAK UP ABOUT THE GROSS, DISGUSTING DEMONIC ACTS THAT THEIR INSANE, FANATIC BROTHERS AND SISTERS COMMIT IN THE NAME OF THEIR GOD–e.g., beheading Danny Pearl on video and posting it on the Internet — instead of applauding when a great American like Juan Williams gets fired for expressing a simple, UNDERSTANDABLE, HEALTHY fear — Americans would certainly be more accepting of Muslims in general. But no! With the exception of a few American patriots like Brigitte Gabriel (God love her), most peace loving Muslims keep quiet. And that my friends breeds fear! Of course we’re afraid! Who wouldn’t be? Because we don’t know what Muslims think unless they tell us, we’re going to conclude that, if given the chance, they would join the fanatics. Because evil prospers when good men do nothing.

• Link
• Report this comment

I shall always speak without fear, honestly (as my knowledge lets me about an issue), and my voice is heard. I am not Tea Party, either, I am just an Independent Me.

• Link
• Report this comment

And to Tea Party Revolutionist’
You throw everyone under the bus who doesn’t agree with you!!!! Do you really think anyone believed what you said. I’ll bet you are one of those ‘don’t let the government mess with my Medicare’ folks. I have one word for you…..hyprocite.

• Link
• Report this comment

@Pat Carrol: Who said Juan spoke the truth? He gave an opinion, not “the truth.” And what makes you the arbiter of truth anyway?

• Link
• Report this comment

And in Pat Carroll’s world, peace-loving Muslims have an obligation to march on television, and be real, real loud about their patriotism while wearing American flag pins on their burkas. If not, and they choose to quietly go about their lives, they can and should expect us to suspect them of terrorism! Remember when all those Christians marched after Tim McVeigh blew up the Murrah building in OKC? Yeah, me neither.

• Link
• Report this comment

If you can point out racism in anything I’VE said, please do so. Until then, go play your games elsewhere.

• Link
• Report this comment

freespeechrules: save some for me, and thank you.

Drew Williams: “Remember when all those Christians marched after Tim McVeigh blew up the Murrah building in OKC?”

Why would they, McVeigh was agnostic. For the record, I don’t remember any agnostic people marching after that event either.

• Link
• Report this comment

Are you kidding me? NPR has had many commentators who downgraded G. Bush. Juan Williams was the best, most honest, straight forward person NPR EVER had. They are the most left leaning group other than MSNBC on the airwaves. I hope all you people who agree with this action are gonna make up for the loss revenue. Because my donations are stopping immedatiately.

• Link
• Report this comment

Drew: there were no “marches” against McVeigh, but it does not mean that Christians did not speak out against him. Of course they did, and you can easily find examples. Further, McVeigh did not blow up the federal building in the name of Christianity – he did it in the name of over-throwing the gov’t. It was political. I’m not sure the guy even considered himself a Christian, and he certainly did not behave according the teachings of Christ. I think everyone lumps him in with Christians because he is an American.

• Link
• Report this comment

‘Tween Barack is ready to elevate Juan to the sainthood. The man got fired, not crucified. So take him down from the cross, democracy remains intact.

• Link
• Report this comment

This is between Vivian Schiller and her psychiatrist.

• Link
• Report this comment

Kevin – I did not say athiest cannot have moral values or beliefs. Don’t build up a straw man. All I said was that there is no core teachings of atheism that dictate a moral life. For an atheist, it might be good for society’s sake for us all to behave and not blow up planes, and it conforms to a set of agreed-to societal laws, but it not wrong in its very essance, it is just bothersome. And, yes, an atheist does see individuals as temporary beings, brought about by chance, and answerable to no one after they die. Hence, my furniture statement. I’m not going to ramble on, but this is the whole “absolutes cannot exist without a God” philosophical argument. We disagree, and I suggest we spare everyone else the continued intellectual dribble we both can spout.

• Link
• Report this comment

The garbage spewed by Juan on FOX was the same fuel that ignited the Holocaust, you morons.

Had the Jews expressed such pre-school thought about Christians following Tim McVeigh’s bomb,
the uneducated raging right would have crapped a brick.

There is no greater threat to this country today than the health of the ignorant redneck white trash movement.

Who needs al qaeda when you have the GOP?

• Link
• Report this comment

I don’t believe a word, this is just more BS from the Socialist takeover of America and George Soros using his money to shut down honest American free speech. We will hold her and her money backers accountable. They need to stop right now!

• Link
• Report this comment

@Drew Williams: McVeigh also stated that “Science is my religion” in addition to claiming that he was agnostic (his words) and he stated that he would “‘improvise, adapt and overcome’ if it turned out there was an afterlife” Not a lot of faith shown in that last bit.

I would debate more, but in reality I agree with what you are saying regarding Muslims. They were, as a whole, shocked and outraged at 9/11. People in the US ignore that because it’s hard to demonize someone who is compassionate.

• Link
• Report this comment

Jtesla – i was not witness to much shock and outrage. The Palestinians would already be living in peace if they had followed Gandhi’s example. INstead, since at least the 72 Olympics, they have systematically committed violence upon the jewish people. A society can not award another competing society with that type of behavior. One bad apple ruins the bunch, so how many bad spuds in a human community contaminate the community?

• Link
• Report this comment

Good night, all. I’m off to eat dinner and watch some Fox News.

• Link
• Report this comment

LOL Paddy O, really Palestinian society? Those darn Palestinian’s, they’d be living in peace as poor refugees for this past half century if they’d followed Gandhi, instead of living this past half century simply as poor refugees. Crazy Palestinians, but hey let’s pin everything this small group has done on all Muslims. Oh yeah baby!

Of course “one bad apple ruins the bunch”, yeah you don’t want to go there either. I’ve shot down the McVeigh was a Christian angle, but enterprising commentators could easily pick someone else to be the Christian or the American (McVeigh) bad apple. Well why not let NPR be the bad apple, ban all radio. There, problem solved.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR CEO Vivian Schiller should immediately be fired for her Juan Williams “psychiatrist” remark… She obviously thinks that ALL black people are mentally troubled and have regular visits with psychiatrists

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] What’s more, in a move of incredible classlessness, NPR CEO Vivian Schiller gave an interview to Atlanta Journal Constitution in which she rubbed salt in the wound.  First she split hairs about “Juan” (she refuses to [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

Also, Ms. Schiller says, “Juan is not an employee of NPR. He’s an independent contractor. He’s not NPR staff.”

Wouldn’t that be all the more reason NOT to fire him for something he said on another network, on another show? He wasn’t appearing as a representative of NPR.

• Link
• Report this comment

Its always ok to ridicule Christians by the left so lets organize and show what the power of Christians can do when we boycott any company or organization that sponsors the anti-Christian retoric. I am not a big fan of Juan but he got screwed over big time for speaking the truth. I bet you that miz Schiller would be nervous if she sat next to some muslums who were praying on the plane. When have you seen any muslums condem the 911 attack? Wake up America you are in a holy war before it is too late

• Link
• Report this comment

Speech on NPR is monitored speech, not free speech. I am friends with and related to some very liberal people and they, as a group, want to express themselves freely but if I interject with my opinions most of them look at me as though I just flew in from Mars and, gasping and sputtering, try to relieve me of my wrong thoughts by explaining my error. Yes, I do listen to their thoughts and opinions and do not demean or belittle them, but they same courtesy is not extended to me. A common trait among liberals and progressives and now we know is a common trait by the folks in charge at NPR.

• Link
• Report this comment

Watch this, and then ask why NPR hasn’t fired Nina Totenberg.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7msrF1V4NeY

• Link
• Report this comment

I’ll never forget the day after the Republican voter revolution of 1994, our local NPR station saying today’s headline–Feinstein wins in California and Kennedy wins in Mass. Oh yes, that was a clear, unbiased summary of that election.
Now that the Republicans are again ready to take over the House, how far does your head have to be up your nether regions to hand them an issue like this on a silver platter. Brilliant!

• Link
• Report this comment

Well, what SHOWS is all the years she spent running operations for THE NEW YORK TIMES…and she pulls this elitist snobbery about independence of journalism and how they have to be objective…like Maureen Down and Frank Rich???

What a sorry piece of trash. Clearly her FIRST husband got the message early enough to dump her for the guy from CNN she married, but wouldn’t even take HIS last name. If there are any people needing psychiatry or therapy, it would be her TWO POOR KIDS.

Watch NPR financials TANK.

• Link
• Report this comment

So Juan Williams can’t have opinions, but Nina Totenberg can? Good puff piece to help Ms. Schiller do damage control. Juan was an analyst for NPR, which arguably requires some opinion, Nina is a reporter which (at least in theory) should be more fact based. Nina regularly spouts opinion about many topics including that she regrets the diversity of the democratic party and would change it if she could, why is she still employed at NPR?

• Link
• Report this comment

the NPR pledge drive going on now asks for donations based on the trust they have earned over the last 40 years… well i have listened to NPR for most of those years, but no longer. they clearly want to stifle any voice with whom they do not agree while accepting government funding. firing Juan Williams eradicated any residual trust they may have had.

• Link
• Report this comment

Fred,

It’s “muslims”, not “muslums”. It’s “rhetoric”, not “retoric”. I do not know many muslims, but I know a few (and work directly with one) and all of them condemn the 911 attacks. If you’d watch something other than Fux news, you’d see that most muslims, like most Christians, are not extremists. The “holy war” exists precisely because people like you are the pig-headed, white, Christian version of the very people you claim to hate.

• Link
• Report this comment

Juan’s contract was annihilated because he no longer represented an analyst, but an opinionated pundit–which NPR, if you have ever listened, does not support or broadcast.

• Link
• Report this comment

If it hasn’t been said, then let me say it now.
Rodney Ho is the man.
Great job, you got the story.

• Link
• Report this comment

Mara – Pogrom has beginning. Watch out your ass.

• Link
• Report this comment

Schiller is nothing more than a schill. Piss poor reasons for terminating Juan Williams. Even worse, her comments on why. Give her the boot. I will never give another penny in support.

• Link
• Report this comment

Anybody who says the word “censorship” is a freaking moron. He can say anything he wants. They just aren’t going to pay him anymore. Freedom of speech has nothing to do with a paid platform for such speech.

• Link
• Report this comment

npr should be defunded first thing tomorrow morning. Don’t use my tax dollars to support one point of view. See these mind numbed robots
http://www2.journalnow.com/news/2010/oct/20/wssu-e-mail-called-illegal-ar-467783/

• Link
• Report this comment

The point you leftists fail to understand, is that Nina Totenberg had absolutely disgusting comments about Jesse Helms. That’s okay of course, because leftists preach free speech all day long, as long as it’s something they agree with. Thus why Totenberg got away with her hateful vile remarks.

• Link
• Report this comment

I’ll continue listening to WABE, but I’ll never give them any money.

• Link
• Report this comment

It seems like at least 90%+ of the 400 cmments here are opposed to the NPR action. Thank God for good reasoning-. Perhaps this will be a tipping point for what NPR really is.

• Link
• Report this comment

Williams was just reading from a script provided by Fox News.

• Link
• Report this comment

The BIGOTS at NPR bows to terrorist group CAIR!!! Who cares about Juan? Why don’t you comies discuss the HealthCare ram-rod? Or the Stimulus theft of America? Why not talk about how every Dem in Congress gave America the shaft? Oh, that’s because NPR hates America…

NPR – the cesspool of te world….and a nice liberal (and tere are so few) gets the axe because George Soros is paying them t can him… Like every cowardly liberal – make up a lie to cover your pathetic a$$es….

• Link
• Report this comment

MDA,

Yeah, making sure every human being has healthcare coverage is awful. The stimulus started under Bush, and by the way, is clearly working. While unemployment is still suffering, nearly all economic analysts conclude we are officially out of the recession. The stock market has recovered and businesses are beginning to thrive again. Also, it’s worth noting, Bush spent more money than Clinton and Carter combined. He inherited a surplus and ran up the biggest deficit in US history. Blaming the current administration for the current economic situation is like blaming a firefighter for starting the fire; it’s ludicrous and ignores the fact that our previous president was the most irresponsible president in history–extending tax cuts to the richest 3% of the country and starting a completely unnecessary and expensive was in Iraq. And, it’s worth mentioning, he lied to do so. Sure, it’s not as bad as lying about a bj (give me a break).

• Link
• Report this comment

AppealToReason…You are Retarded. I mean no disrespect. What I mean is that you are Retarded in a clinical sense.

Please, please…go see a doctor.

Obvious

• Link
• Report this comment

Just like the Liberal Elitists Network (LEN) or NPR to claim their eternal support for free speech, as long as they get to approve it first. Juan was the most unbiased commentators on LEN and now will be the left voice on Fox. I am glad this happened before most people wrote that annual check, and the tax payers should no longer be forced to support a network who managerial leadership is so obviously on extreme left of most of those tax payers.

• Link
• Report this comment

Juan’s point touched the nerve in most americans that are honest with themselves. NPR is either out of touch with most of us, OR they desire to control and manipulate us to be so politically correct that we no longer know exactly what we think about anything! (unless of course, we listen 24/7 to NPR). No more money going that way from me, my family or anyone else I spoke to about this today!

• Link
• Report this comment

I attempt to listen to all sides. And believe me, it’s not always easy. Juan Williams is the only self confessed liberal that I can actually listen to without my brain feeling as if it were going to explode. HE doesn’t yell, cuss, accuse, smear, etc those he disagrees with, he’s a real gentleman. Now, Vivian Schiller, she’s one piece of fruit cake.

• Link
• Report this comment

Oh, by the way Kevin, your another piece of fruit cake. Keep this up and yawl might just make an entire FRUIT CAKE. HA

• Link
• Report this comment

spiv,

Nice comment! Way to make it entirely void of anything substantial whatsoever!

• Link
• Report this comment

Question #! – whatever happened to freedom of speech. It seems in this country that to be “politically correct” you can’t have a personal opinion on anything. Don’t criticize the blacks, or the jews, or the muslims, don’t criticize anybody. So everyone plays the game and goes home and does the criticizing behind closed doors. Muslims crashed into our two world trade center towers and killed thousands. Article after article is being written about the every increasing threat of muslims in the world, especially in places like London, Paris and other large cities. They take over the neighborhoods and try to control society, from praying at airports to having their restaurants dominate where they live. To ignore these warnings is simply ludicrous. One day we will wake up and captive of these people, who hate us and have no respect for human life. I also abhor the way Jean was fired, by telephone. How cowardice. She seems to be the standard CEO functioning today, full of cowardice, excuses, and spewing the typical corporate “answers” rehearsed to answer each situation. By the way, I also send the CEO of NPR an email and told her how cowardice I thought she was.

• Link
• Report this comment

why are your views being funded by all tax payer dollars!!!!!!!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

your, you’re, same thing right?

• Link
• Report this comment

Look at all the biased analysts who work for NPR keeps them, but they fire Williams for speaking his mind.
This is troubling, and makes me angry.
The govt. should stop giving any taxpayer money to NPR, and CEO Schiller needs to be fired!

• Link
• Report this comment

its time to cut funding for this nonsense…

• Link
• Report this comment

It’s time to take every NPR and PBS station and put the band position up for sale. These are public airwaves right? We are hurting aren’t we? NPR and PBS were started up with Government funds and the actually airwaves they broadcast on are we the people’s. Sell them !!! If FOX is the highest bidder so be it. If someone wants to buy NPR and roll tapes of bowling tournaments so be it. I want my money back and I want entertainment too. Have a sale off on live TV. Then Fire the SOB’s at PBS and NPR on the air. Nothing better than us saving money and being entertained at the same time !!!!

• Link
• Report this comment

and another thing. Am I to understand that Juan was the only Black person on the air? And these racist clowns get government funding? Time to open and Equal Opportunity Investigation into each NPR station. Jail them for being bigoted racist morons. Are you supporting NPR? You must be a racist.

• Link
• Report this comment

Viavian, I really get scared of muslims when I take an airplane, now that you know it: you are fired and my donation to NPR, too.

• Link
• Report this comment

“If you are afraid of Muslims on an airplane…please get help and see a psychiatrist” – Vivian Schiller

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR now has no black analysis..
And they have the nerve to call the TEA PARTY racist!
Did I miss something?

• Link
• Report this comment

I made a substantial donation to WABE last year, but in light of Mrs. Schiller’s recent actions that was clearly a mistake. Who should I contact regarding a refund?

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR – so open-minded that their brains fell out…

• Link
• Report this comment

Do the math ,,,, 98.68% of the comments on here are pro Jaun Williams an anti NPR and anti 9/11 style religions……….. 1.32% pro NPR and pro 9/11 style religion lovers………..THATS AN INDICATION OF HOW AMERICA FEELS……………………………… NPR= a bunch of people professing themselves to be wise, but are actually blind, blundering idiots and dont realize that almost 99% of the public thinks so…..well……. 98.68% ………………now that is funny..

• Link
• Report this comment

Vivian Schiller, how can she say what she did with a straight face. I have not always agreed with Jaun Williams, but in this instance I agree entirely that when Arab speaking folks are in-line for an airplane, I too give them a second look. Come-on, 100% of the nuts that crashed airplanes into buildings, the Pentagon and Pennsylvania fields were Muslim extremists. WE are involved in two conflicts right now…..with Muslim extremists. Muslim extremists have been involved in the Time Square bombing, attack at Ft Hood and any number of attacks around the world. You bet your a$$ I am giving Arab speaking or dressed folks a second look!!! Good On Ya Juan!

• Link
• Report this comment

She should be fired immediately. She is a bigot and a propagandist. How does NPR get a half a billion in public money and have such an obvious partisan bias? CUT OFF ALL FUNDING THAT MAKES IT’S WAY TO NPR.

• Link
• Report this comment

How much of that tax money distributed to the affiliated stations makes its way back to NPR in the form of fees and charges?

• Link
• Report this comment

Rodney- Do you know what this really about? We’ve all been screwed over at work, been fired, let go, been treated unfairly, undeserving a-holes promoted ahead of us, and we don’t get to go on national TV and bitch about it. We are all living out our frustrations with people like Vivian Schiller through Williams. “Stick it to the man” Juan!
Couple of questions:
Will Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, or the NAACP start crying racism?
Does Vivian Schiller get to keep her job after expressing her “opinion” after she stated “that’s between him and his psychiatrist?” oh, she did apologize……..the open and blatant hypocrisy is just too GD funny.

• Link
• Report this comment

Cause I Care. Your percentages really speaks to me.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR CEO Vivian Schiller should resign.

Vivian Schiller has demonstrated that she is not fit to be head of NPR.

• Link
• Report this comment

anyone know how to get this worthless pos fired?

• Link
• Report this comment

I must say so my self I took a flight to New York and while waiting to board the plane I was looking around hoping no Muslims got on the plane. On my return flight out of New York I was so up tight I saw everyone that sat in my view saying there prayers and looking all around. It is a feeling out of this world on a plane now and to see a Muslim in there Muslim clothing on a flight with you yes that is a lot to deal with. It is the TRUTH no one can change that.

• Link
• Report this comment

My god there are a lot of idiots on this forum. Oh, forgot, its Atlanta!

• Link
• Report this comment

Hope NPR is shocked back to reality when no money comes in. Schiller should be axed for this boondockel. This also shows how much power Islam representation groups have in this country.

• Link
• Report this comment

Based on her “strong ethical standards” claim I can only assume that Vivian the clueless liberal is in complete agreement with NPR Producer Sarah Spitz’s publicly stated desire for Rush Limbaugh to die a painful death from a heart attack. According to the WSJ, Vivian the clueless liberal took her directions from CAIR in firing Williams.

• Link
• Report this comment

Schiller the shill! What a crock!
I may not always agree with Juan but he pretty much tells it straight. I also am afraid of Muslim dress on airplanes, Muslims blocking streets in Paris without permission and flying into the towers.
PC is out of control when one cannot express their opinion without getting fired. No more funding from me.

• Link
• Report this comment

She is typical liberal…..free speech only if you agree with the left. NPR hates everything our country stands for…..

• Link
• Report this comment

Vivian Schiller needs to be fired yesterday. Also Juan Willians needs to sue her.
All tax payer funding Local, State,Federal needs to stop Today.

George Soros and his origations needs to be looked into Its off he writes a check that benifits NPR Juan Williams contract is Axed.

I have stopped listiner support of my local NPR station. I am encourage everyone to contact CPB & NPR corporate contributors and let them know intention to boycott their product and services.

I will only suppot public funding of CPB, NPR & public radio if it returns to music and the arts it needs to get out the news & eduication business.

And i will say again George Soros needs to be invesigated this reeks of him.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR are racist pigs. They targeted the only black male reporter they had for firing for years.
I am sure that his firng had nothing to do with Soros donating million a few days ago. There is even documentation that Soros wants Liasson out next for his next”donation”. Soros- waht a racist pig. How can liberals be so racist and not be called out?

• Link
• Report this comment

To maintain its credibility, NPR now needs to fire Vivian Schiller and rehire Juan Williams. NPR now imports news and increasingly hour long features from the British Broadcasting Corp. and it’s beginning to sound like the BBC, not an American news network, which means no minorities on its broadcasting management or broadcast staff. If I were an African American, I would demand that Schiller and her NPR ilk be fired for discrimination under the guise of journalism. The people in charge of the NPR have a very very snobbish attitude toward Americans. It’s not just a sense of elitism, noblesse oblige. It’s the arrogance of affluent East Coast bureaucratic financial-academic snobs, patronizing, whites whose workplaces have long become usufructs for affluent white women and men. The way the anglophiles are going at NPR, it won’t be long before the morning news will begin with the Te Deum, and Hail to the Queen.

• Link
• Report this comment

I have one minor problem with Juan Williams’ statement about people in “Muslim clothes”. The hijackers did NOT wear “Muslim” clothes. If the information that was available is to be believed, the hijackers were told to wear Western clothes to blend with the passengers.

• Link
• Report this comment

The writings on the wall…..NPR is a piece of crap and should be dumped….let them try to survive off their nauseating begging and bumper sticker philosophy. Good riddence

• Link
• Report this comment

So, Nina Totenberg can say that if there were “retributive justice” Jesse Helms’ grandchildren would get AIDS. She not only keeps her job, she’s the darling of the station. Nice.

• Link
• Report this comment

What it boils down to is this: like millions of Americans working today, Juan Williams was an “independent contractor” at NPR, his employment at NPR was “at will,” and he could be terminated (and was) without cause and without recourse.

This is what you got when corporations and the “right to work” lobbyists convinced the public that unions were evil. Make no mistake, we may have a democratic form of government, but when corporations like NPR and the rest can run roughshod over their employees and violate basic principles of human decency, we don’t truly live in a democracy.

• Link
• Report this comment

Wow, do people who post on this site work for anyone or even for themselves? When you are out in publics representing a business as Juan Williams PBS did, you are a spokes person for that business. When I was in the military, I was America to everyone I dealt with overseas. This is permanently ingrained into the body a core of a soldier. If every time Juan Williams appeared on FOX he represented himself as a journalist, not as PBS, he could say whatever he wanted. But when your name is in the front of a business, I don’t care what business, you better present yourself in the light that makes that business better. If not, you don’t belong out there with that title after your name.

In reality I could care less about Juan, he seemed to be on Fox more than I heard him on NPR, so maybe he belongs there and he can now present himself as Juan Williams, FOX news.

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] the GOP is screaming to defund NPR. Why is this a straw man? Because, as the CEO of NPR makes clear in this interview, the federal government doesn’t give NPR all that much [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

I’m done with NPR.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am so upset with NPR and mostly Ms.Vivian Schiller. Ms. Schiller should be fired or step down as Pres. and CEO. She has done more damage that any other person could do. By censoring Juan Williams.
I do not agree with Him on many topics. I do enjoy hearing his expressed opinion. I would never want to shup him up because I disagree with him. I respect Juan Williams and what he says. Interesting enough I do agree with him and see nothing wrong with his feelings on this topic.
SHAME ON YOU VIVIAN SCHILLER YOU MUST QUIT.
I DO ENJOY MANY PROGRAMS ON NPR. BUT I WILL STOP LISTONING FOR NOW IN PROTEST. You Ms. Schiller must step down, you are the one who is bigited.

• Link
• Report this comment

“Hey America,

Not all Muslims are terrorists. Most of the comments here and elsewhere (including those by Juan Williams) seem to imply that.”

Juan Williams didn’t say that or imply that. Someone lied to you. Juan Williams conveyed an irrational personal anxiety probably brought on by 9-11, just as Jesse Jackson once conveyed an irrational personal anxiety brought about the over representation of minorities in crime statistics.

“There is nothing more painful to me at this stage of my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about Robbery — then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved.”

Now you can split hairs and say Jesse Jackson isn’t a news analyst, but you can’t paint Juan Williams as evil any more than you can paint Jesse Jackson’s statement as evil. Both statements are an acknowledgement of an effect, not a stand to discriminate against people. Both statements are an innocuous personal anxieties, admittance of conditioned associations.

Before this week, I’d have bet my last dollar there was nothing anyone could say to get me to vote for David Vitter. I think he’s an absolute hypocrite. But as an independent, I have seen the worst of both parties, from race baiting to political correctness run a muck. I’ve been banned from both right and left wing boards for simply stating the truth and backing it with sources. Politics is a vile business that disdains truth. But of both side, I have found the left more devious. They pretend to be tolerant but are actually draconian. Tolerance is a ruse to cloak any type of serpent, and no one had better say they see a serpent. As hypocrites go, I will choose Vitter. At least he isn’t screwing me.

• Link
• Report this comment

Did she just misspeak when she said, “We have a contract with him for analyst OPINIONS to provide news analysis.”

Either she is admitting that he is paid to provide opinions, or she mis spoke, as she did libeling him with her comment about “his psychiatrist.”
It’s ok for her to mis speak, but not Williams?
Face it, this is classic liberal intolerant fascism.

• Link
• Report this comment

I am dismayed on how poorly NPR treated Juan Williams. This was pure censorship. If anyone should have been fired it should have been Vivian Schiller. Her arrogance has hurt NPR´s credibility and that of all its affiliates. No federal funds should go to a media organization that lacks objectivity.

• Link
• Report this comment

damn Juan now knows what a white guy feels like

• Link
• Report this comment

I guess the best thing to do is remain liberal, shut up, and play dead

• Link
• Report this comment

To TONY, who said, “God, I miss Daniel Schorr.” Schorr was one of the most obnoxious liars in the world of his style of journalism. Mouthing off and getting fired was his forte, and he got worse and worse as he aged. Of course, his style meshed neatly with NPR’s left-wing style so they hired him. Typical left-wingers leaning on each other. I hope to never hear his voice again.

Tony, why not get some relief and do the rest of us a favor. Just pack it up and join him.

• Link
• Report this comment

[...] NPR CEO Vivian Schiller explains how Juan Williams has been in trouble with NPR before: Q: So did Juan really get fired over just those Muslim comments? [He said he was uncomfortable with Muslims dressed in traditional garb on airplanes during a Fox News telecast yesterday.] [...]

• Link
• Report this comment

@Stuart Berman
Williams is wrong. His right to free speech is intact, he simply has no Constitutional right to be employed by NPR.

I can only hope that if i ever get fired, I have a national soapbox with which to get back at my old boss.

• Link
• Report this comment

DIDN’T BILL SAY ON THE VIEW THAT MUSLIM’S CAUSED 911? YOU ANSWERED YOUR OWN QUESTION

• Link
• Report this comment

This is clearly an act of bias and censorship. I will never contribute to NPR again myself, and will do my best to advocate boycott of the companies – main NPR contributors.

• Link
• Report this comment

It amazes me that so many people don’t understand the First Amendment, or the terms of their own employment. . You DO NOT HAVE Freedom of Speech when it comes to your job. Your employer has the right to base your continued service on both your behavior at work and at home. That’s just the way it is. All these people crying about Williams’ First Amendment rights having been violated must have gone to the same schools as that O’Donnell woman who’s running for something or other in Delaware.
Now perhaps if there were more unions we’d have rights like this but as it is, not so much.

• Link
• Report this comment

I think its sad we have so much fear in the United States. I think people’s opinions are influenced by media more than they are by their real experiences. I also don’t understand how grown adults don’t understand the difference between being a pundit and a journalist. NPR felt his commentary as a pundit undermined his integrity as a journalist and decided to terminate his contract. At the end of the day, when I listen to the news, I want the tools of journalism to remove as much bias as possible. I want facts to be presented as facts. There is no doubt that Juan Williams has a biased opinion regarding Muslims. This limits the topics Williams could act as a news analyst without his bias coming into question. This also wasn’t the first time NPR took issue with his comments as a pundit. I like Juan Williams and think he is a thoughtful and intelligent person. That doesn’t change the fact that working as a pundit was going to lead to his bias being exposed and lead to conflicts with his ability to act as a journalist.

• Link
• Report this comment

NPR=National Public Radio. From the emails, I surmise that the nation and the public are NOT in favor of Vivian Schiller firing Juan Williams for a comment on a competing news outlet. Can a person fire someone for saying something obvious and true which has nothing to do with their business? Vivian Schiller is a bigot. She is completely against people who state the opinion that they are nervous about flying with a Muslim on board. Would she have wanted to be on these doomed airliners, or next to the shoe bomber or the underwear bomber? I remember I was searched THREE times from the security gate to the entrance to the plane. Why? I had a beard! The U.S. govternment is worried about Muslims. There are U.S. Marshalls on the planes. There are anti liquids rules, anti nail scissors rules, shoe checks and now body scanners. If just getting on a plane doesn’t make you nervous, the metal detectors, the heightened police presence, the body scans, pat downs, hand luggage check should. So Juan Williams states the obvious and gets fired. Viviian Schiller if you are such a contrarian to free speech go to Iran, they will love you. Don’t forget your abaya.

• Link
• Report this comment

Again, people have to be reminded that freedom of speech does not mean freedom from consequences. Basically it means the state can’t throw you in jail. But a private company does have the right, for better or worse, to sensor or terminate people for their speech. I’d think conservatives would be happy to see a company exercising it’s rights without government intervention. Guess I was wrong. @BRian: Also, I listen to NPR every day and I’d love to know where all these “anti-catholic” stories are they have on. Could you go to NPR.org and point them out over the past week? I mean since they’re daily it should be easy to find 7 “anti-catholic” stories. I really get sick and tired of people who don’t listen to NPR (or other things for that matter) passing judgment without either getting all the facts or only getting them from other sources. You’d be surprised what you will discover when you go to the source of the information (like the president of the company, the bill, the court document, etc) instead of letting pundits with motivated self interest tell you what to think. I mean SERIOUSLY, people who are writing “Pull their gov’t funding” didn’t even READ the whole story. Because if you did, you’d know that it’s only 1-3% of all their revenue and pulling, while it might sting briefly, is not going to do whatever it is you think it will do. Did you even also bother to read that Mara Liasson is also on Fox and NPR?? Did you? Did you? I don’t agree with the firing but after getting all the facts I understand why they did it and it doesn’t affect my opinion of them one bit. Any more than ditching Combs of Hannity and Combs doesn’t affect Fox News watchers.

• Link
• Report this comment

well said bv

• Link
• Report this comment