I wish it were that simple. I listen to NPR and support my local station during their pledge drives. In my opinion, NPR should have refused to renew Juan Williams' contract a long time ago but was afraid of the optics of firing a black conservative. Why do I think his contract should not have been renewed a long time before this incident? Because he violated their stated policies and code of ethics (see http://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/ethics/ethics_code.html#outside ) by appearing on Fox news on numerous occasions as a pundit. This code of ethics asks NPR staffers not to appear on programs that "encourage punditry and speculation rather than fact-based analysis" and are "harmful to the reputation of NPR." I would say Juan Williams has appeared as a pundit on Fox many times and in doing so, has jeopardized NPR's fundraising efforts (keep in mind, only 10% of NPR's budget comes from the corporation for public broadcasting aka taxpayer money. The rest they have to raise from people like you and me). Remember this dustup about Michelle Obama?:
"Michelle Obama, you know, she's got this Stokely Carmichael in a designer dress thing going," said Juan Williams on Fox News. "If she starts talking, as Mary Katharine is suggesting, her instinct is to start with this blame America, you know, I'm the victim. If that stuff starts coming out, people will go bananas and she'll go from being the new Jackie O to being something of an albatross." He has many, many comments in this vein before the latest one about how afraid he is of Muslims (please keep in mind that 35% of American Muslims are African immigrants or African Americans).
I happen to believe that Fox News is more of a right wing propaganda outlet than a news organization. Having Juan Williams consistently appear on Fox News and self-identify as an NPR news analyst was problematic. I'd like to have conservative opinions that are at least grounded in some reality and not pulled from right wing talking points of the "tax cuts reduce deficits" variety. Conservatives like Andrew Bacevich and Daniel Larison make me think and refine my opinions on things (they both have excellent blogs and don't agree with liberals on much of anything). Juan Williams doesn't quite fall into that thoughtful category. I'm not sure what sort of dialogue you think should ensue from comments like the one he made above.
Just my two kobo.
Lola
From: Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com>
To: USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
Cc: Ederi@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, October 23, 2010 1:26:07 PM
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Should NPR have fired Juan Williams?
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"Michelle Obama, you know, she's got this Stokely Carmichael in a designer dress thing going," said Juan Williams on Fox News. "If she starts talking, as Mary Katharine is suggesting, her instinct is to start with this blame America, you know, I'm the victim. If that stuff starts coming out, people will go bananas and she'll go from being the new Jackie O to being something of an albatross." He has many, many comments in this vein before the latest one about how afraid he is of Muslims (please keep in mind that 35% of American Muslims are African immigrants or African Americans).
I happen to believe that Fox News is more of a right wing propaganda outlet than a news organization. Having Juan Williams consistently appear on Fox News and self-identify as an NPR news analyst was problematic. I'd like to have conservative opinions that are at least grounded in some reality and not pulled from right wing talking points of the "tax cuts reduce deficits" variety. Conservatives like Andrew Bacevich and Daniel Larison make me think and refine my opinions on things (they both have excellent blogs and don't agree with liberals on much of anything). Juan Williams doesn't quite fall into that thoughtful category. I'm not sure what sort of dialogue you think should ensue from comments like the one he made above.
Just my two kobo.
Lola
From: Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com>
To: USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
Cc: Ederi@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Sat, October 23, 2010 1:26:07 PM
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Should NPR have fired Juan Williams?
I don't think so. This is another example of liberal orthodoxy gone haywire. I think NPR should be stripped of its tax-exempt status and all her top leaders promptly fired. I would be interested in people's thoughts on this issue. White liberals are driving dialogue underground and that is reprehensible.
Read this:
- Ikhide
- Ikhide
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