NPR commentator Juan Williams was fired by the media organization late Wednesday for comments that he made on Fox News. Williams’ comments came during a discussion with Bill O’Reilly on Monday’s “O’Reilly Factor.” They were discussing O’Reilly’s appearance of The View the previous week where O’Reilly’s statement that “Muslims killed us on 9/11″ caused Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg to walk off the set in anger. O’Reilly had asked Williams his opinion on the situation.
Williams replied: “I mean, 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.” Williams did go on to say that he was not talking about all Muslims when he criticized some and that America was not at war with Islam and compared blaming all Muslims for the actions of extremists to blaming all Christians for the actions of Timothy McVeigh.
NPR released a statement that it had informed Williams of its decision on Wednesday night, and that his remarks were “inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR.”
You can find out more about Juan Williams background here.
You can watch the video of Juan Williams original statements here.
You can watch the video of NPR CEO Vivian Schiller and her statements regarding William’s firing here.
Juan Williams also appeared on GMA this morning to respond to his firing and you can watch that video below.
What are your thoughts on this situation?
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Comments
32 Responses to Should NPR have fired Juan Williams?
NPR has gone from leaning left to becoming a complete leftist organization. Last week the Leftist George Soros gave NPR $1.5 million to hire 100 new investigative “jouranlists” to monitor newscasts. In other words, let’s find reasons to get rid of anybody that does not toe the liberal line. He already has funded groups that are targeting advertisers of the Glenn Beck and Hannity programs. Don’t think for a moment that this donation to NPR did not come with strings attached. The next to go will be Mara Liasson, another NPR employee that appears on FOX.
Of course he should not have been fired. But he, and we, are better off with him away from NPR. I hardly agree with his positions, as he is a liberal, but I respect him and the way he analyzes his positions. To call him a bigot is typical of the left when they want to discredit someone.
We need to defund NPR immediately and let them stand or fall on their own.
I have always appreciated Juan Williams for the respectful way he expresses his opinions and for keeping my own opinions somewhat balanced. Although I believe I am probably fiscally conservative,there are a lot of issues that I can be more left than right on and Juan has always kept me thinking and questioning.
I really feel for him. You can tell he has really been quite hurt. Does NPR have the right to fire him? It appears they do. Did he deserve this? No!
I also had and still do have respect for Juan Williams. So close to the election, this has added another nail in some of the elections.
I don’t feel that you can buy an election this time around. There are many times people feel uncomfortable in big crowds today. He really is no different than many Americans.
Glad he was hired right away, looks like the egg is on the face of NPR.
I thought I was the only one who had a pundit crush on Williams!
I have long respected Williams – not only for his views, which generally match mine more than any other commentator on Fox, but also the level-headed way he expressed them. In the age of the screaming soundbite – Williams was an exception. Thoughtful, serious and civil. I wish we could clone him!
I have listened to and will probably continue to listen to NPR, but I believe they need to do some deep thinking about their purpose.
I have been looking for liberals to condemn what happened to Williams, but so far all I heard is complaints that the same thing has happened in the past to liberal commentators (not really relevant) and that NRP had a legal right to fire Williams (who is disputing this point anyway).
This is a stupid mistake for NPR. It makes them look boneheaded. No one in his right mind would think Juan Williams is prejudiced against anyone. I can’t believe they fired him!
He’ll get picked up by someone else because he is, as Anya and others pointed out, great at what he does. (He NEVER screams.)
It was announced today that Fox signed him last night. 2 million dollar contract. So yes…he did get picked up.
Many on the Left have condemned the firing: Whoopi, Ed Rendel the governor of Pennsylvania, and Bob Beckel. Surprisingly(or maybe not)nothing from the ACLU or the NAACP (Juan leaves NPR now without any Black on-air performers) or the regulars Al and Jesse. It seems they only get their backs up when the Right is involved.
Jeff, I’d like to see a few more people in the establishment Left speak out.
And, sorry, but I don’t want to be on the same side as Whoopi on any issue!
Anya,
You are so right. But my point was, if Whoopi is on the side against NPR, they must have done something unbelievably stupid!
We should pull Government funding. There is know need for it. We give about 5% of their budget. So it will be easy for them if the Government funding is pulled. They have become more and more left over the years. Let them be a news organization just like MSNBC or Fox and then report what they want in anyway they want. They might be the next Air America
I forgot to add this..ktla.com/news_custom_eric/2010/10/man-fired-for-wearing-bush-sweatshirt-at-obama-rally
Liberal California and even more Liberal Teamsters Union fires a worker for wearing a Bush sweatshirt….The elder Bush and the sweatshirt was for the USS Bush. This mans Son is serving on this ship. Something is terribly wrong with America.
Stu, Wow, just wow. I am interested in the other side of the story because I know there is always two sides but if this is true, Holy Cow! What is going on here?
I mean, I understand not having your employees showing any disrespect for the President when he comes to speak but this did not appear to be that. It appeared more about this employee showing respect and being proud of his son. Could he have worn something else? Yes. But are we carrying this all too far. There was a big picture of the ship that his son was serving on -on the sweatshirt.
Just a proud DAD.
The Union said …they will investigate…..And if it is true he will get his day pay ! What a bunch of asses.
Funny,
The guy is fired on the spot for wearing a USS Bush sweatshirt without even a discussion, but the Muslim woman cannot be fired from Disneyland for wearing her hijab and now it is a “discrimination” and civil rights case! I feel like everything has gone crazy. Am I the only one asking: “What is wrong with this picture?” Re: the firing of Juan Williams from NPR this is absolutely a censorship issue. Something this Administration seems to be very good at. Just wait until they implement the Fairness Doctrine or should I say the Censorship Doctrine!
Thanks Stu for bring your post here about the Father being a proud Father. What is happening to our country. Really it scares me what people in power are doing to our children and grandchildren in the future.
Often being “PC” is taken way too far. This is a perfect example.
“What is wrong with this picture?”
No, Holly- you are not!
There is no way the man getting fired by his union is an example of censorship from this administration, unless I am missing something. It does sound like another boneheaded decision, though.
We need a bigger middle ground. Why is everyone in charge so extreme?
I think we should pull government funding of PBS and NPR too. I have another issue with these taxpayer-funded organizations. People get mighty rich working for PBS, a nonprofit organization. I love Sesame Street, don’t get me wrong, but if Sesame Street can sell Tickle Me Elmo to the masses for $60/doll and people are fighting over them, do we really have to subsidize the program? Can’t they raise enough money through merchandizing to pour back into PBS?
PS- I retain the right to change my mind about this. After they pull funding, if I lose access to Car Talk, You Bet Your Garden, or Masterpiece Theater, I’m jumping to the other side! (How’s that for squishy values?)
18.There is no way the man getting fired by his union is an example of censorship from this administration, unless I am missing something. It does sound like another boneheaded decision, though.
Absolutely censorship, and a very bonehead thing to do.
Yes censorship, but what does the administration have to do with it? You’re talking about Obama, right?
Every administraion sets a tone in the Country. This administaion is heavily supported by Unions and the Entertainment Industry. This is not direct censorship but indirect. The atmosphere allows it to happen.
It is the philosophy of the Unions to only support Democratic Politicians and even use Union money to do so. Any employee who opposes this thinking is ostracized. Just ask anyone in the LA Unified Teachers Union.
We went to a dinner in DC last night that has 2 guest speakers – planned far in advance of the Juan Willians debacle…1 from CBS & 1 from, you guessed it, NPR. Topic was ‘How does the print media keep up w. the 24 hr. t.v./blog cycles.
Yes, the ‘man’ from NPR had a statement when it came to Q & A. ‘Juan was arrogant from the beginning of his employment’. He did not honor the strict code of reporting ‘their news’. When he signed on w. FOX as a panelist, he was warned that NPR was not to be used as his ID. While the timing of his firing was inopportune, he made the gravest of mistakes…to NEVER single out ‘ethnic groups’ w. a personal opinion. Those at NPR KNOW to stay away from the NYC fight in re. to the mosque etc. (His 1st warning came when he criticized The First Lady…?) Lastly, CEO Shiller had long been bombarded w. meltdown complaints – that Juan was inept & too unconvential. ‘Tho’ she handled it poorly, her decision was not a hasty one’. (He vehemently denied Soros or CAIR played any part in Juan’s firing.)
That pretty much says it all. I might add that MOST of the 34 or so people there are avid NPR listeners, & in general, have a very low opinion of Juan vs. an off the charts admiration for Nina Totenberg. He did admit to NPR being a left of center news operation…in perception only! Unfortunately he used ‘fair & balanced’! ;0)
Not everywhere, Stu. I work in a “purple” county in PA. We have lots of conservative union memebers who routinely disagree with union leadership (NEA.) It is often criticized and often supported. No one is ostracized.
Ann…I am very jaded living in a state that is very liberal. I am glad to hear your perspective. Although I do think it leans more the way I think it does. I’ll take three obvious state’s…NY, LA,and NJ. The membership is also taxed {Dues}and they are not represented.
HB,
Thanks for that information. Interesting to say the least.
I agree that it leans liberal in the big liberal states. You should have seen the teacher’s union when I worked in the conservative “T” of PA. Not your ordinary NEA members, lol. That’s red state territory- the “bitter clingers” as Obama called them. They ignored the union leadership politically. No democrats were ever elected to anything ever.
No religion in public school? Um, let’s just say it was “equitable.” If you had a religion-it was celebrated. No one objected to my little Christmas tree, but it stayed up until the Eastern Orthodox kids celebrated, and did not come down a day before. I was hired to teach the 12-year-old non-readers how to pass the hunting test, lol. The first day of hunting season was a holiday. 90% of my class was still absent on the second day of hunting season, and none came back until they got their deer.
Ann……how refreshing !!!!!!
Ann, now your school would have been one welcomed & a popular one in our neck 0′ the woods! (We could use some deer hunters as well…right now! The stags are on Viagra!)
As an update: The Union did not fire the Proud ‘GHWBush’ Dad. His boss apologized, & he has his job. Isn’t it amazing what the free press can do when such a story goes viral? Unfortunately there are many more stories like his. Afterall, there are only 9 more days of this most nasty of mid-term elections left! PHEW!
So the question is…why wasn’t the Boss fired ??
I didn’t see how they could fire him. Glad his boss apologized to him. Would like to know what motivated him to fire him in the first place.
George Bush !!
NPR and MSNBC are hypocrites. I get mad about NPR, because my tax dollars are funding them. Everyone trashes FOX, but how are these left wing zealots any different?