Juan Williams is a “liberal.” FoxNews says so. So does the N.Y. Times media correspondent. That’s why on a Fox show, Juan Williams ‘fessed up that when he sees Muslims in traditional garb it gives him the willies:
On the “O’Reilly Factor” broadcast…after Mr. O’Reilly conveyed to viewers that there was a “Muslim dilemma” in the United States, he asked Mr. Williams to explain, “Where am I going wrong?”
Mr. Williams answered, “I hate to say this to you because I don’t want to get your ego going. But I think you’re right.”
Subsequently, during the segment he said:
I’m not a bigot…but when I get on a plane and see people who are in Muslim garb and I think they’re identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried, I get nervous.
Yup, apparently anyone who doesn’t dress in chinos or a Brooks Brother suit is as good as a terrorist in Juan’s World.
Thomas Jefferson respected Muslims enough to add a copy of the Koran to the Library of Congress collection, yet Juan Williams thinks anyone who dresses in a Muslim “uniform” is a bad seed. What IS “Muslim garb” anyway? Is it something prescribed by the Koran? This guy is off his nut. Does he even realize that the 1.5 billion Muslims in the world wear dress that is as varied as that worn by any other large religious group spread around the world. What he really meant is that the turbans and robes worn by some Muslims visiting or living in this country give him the willies since these are apparently the same outfits worn by Al Qaeda. That’s about the level of Juan Williams’ sophistication; at least as packaged for Bill O’Reilly’s air.
NPR rightfully canned his ass. In this day and age, how can you employ someone as a journalist who admits that seeing Muslims scares him? We do have a few Muslims who actually live in this country and are even citizens.
But the real howler is Williams’ totally self-serving response to his firing. As I read it I half expected him to accuse NPR of a “high tech lynching:”
Mr. Williams said in an essay published Thursday on FoxNews.com that he was fired “for telling the truth.”
He continued in the essay: “Now that I no longer work for NPR let me give you my opinion. This is an outrageous violation of journalistic standards and ethics by management that has no use for a diversity of opinion, ideas or a diversity of staff (I was the only black male on the air). This is evidence of one-party rule and one-sided thinking at NPR that leads to enforced ideology, speech and writing. It leads to people, especially journalists, being sent to the gulag for raising the wrong questions and displaying independence of thought.”
In the world of “liberal” Juan Williams, harboring racists notions about your fellow citizens and articulating them on the airwaves is what passes for “independent thought.” Ever head of Islamophobia, Juan? And might it be possible that Williams is being so handsomely remunerated because he reinforces the racism of his white bosses and does so in the guise of dark skin, thus making their own prejudices kosher. For his independent thought he’s been rewarded with a $2 million contract by Fox uber-boss, Roger Ailes.
A few other thoughts, which is worse–to have no Black male voice on NPR air or to have a racist Black male voice? And I’ve got news for Williams, there are lots of other suitable Black male radio journalists NPR can hire or promote from within who are not Islamophobes. Finally, and this again is to Juan: how many Muslims does NPR employ in as senior a role as him? Could it be at least part of the reason for this may be that there are other editors and executives both at NPR and in the general media community who share, at least to some extent, Juan’s phobias?
Related articles
- Juan Williams Fired From NPR for Comments About Muslims on Fox (crooksandliars.com)
Richard, in my opinion Mr. Williams deserved what he got.
what do you think about this horror show ?
http://www.breitbart.tv/college-professor-calls-for-israels-destruction/
Andrew Breitbart is a total liar & fraud & if you believe a single thing that man says you’re in for a fall, my friend. Look up his record online before you trust him. And whoever sent you that link also should know that they’ve promoted the views of a total political charlatan.
So you are trying to say, that because Andrew Breitbart is a liar and a fraud, i didn’t hear with my own ears what that professor was saying ? i know i am an Israeli, but my English is good enough.
did you even look at the video ?
my point is, don’t you think that the Lincoln University should fire this professor, out of the same reasons that led to the firing of Mr. Williams ?
the vid may or may not be accurate
andrew has a habit of using creative editing before posting vids
and there is a difference between academia and other types of employment
if the professor has tenure, he basically can say or do anything…its called academic freedom
not the same case when one is employed by a media entity, where viewer and listenership are what counts
When “Uncle Joe” uses the term “creative” you know Andy’s the bad seed fr. Hell. Try deliberately fraudulent editing in place of ‘creative.’ I wouldn’t trust Andy or anything he touches as far as I could throw him.
So here it is from Ynet news
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3973777,00.html
US: Lincoln prof. calls for Israel’s destruction
History Professor Kaukab Siddique insists statement calling on Muslims to ‘stand united to defeat, to destroy, to dismantle Israel – if possible by peaceful means,’ was blown out of proportion. ‘I am against Israel, not against Jews,” he says.
and the video from youtube
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3_5VohZ1Yw&feature=player_embedded
what do you think now, should he be fired ?
You can’t fire a professor in either the U.S. or Israel for saying things that you or even most people find reprehensible. He’s tenured, so he can’t be fired, period. The same thing holds for idiot right wing professors like Steven Plaut who support the views of the Israeli settler far right. If he’s got tenure you can’t get rid of him.
So, sure go ahead & demand he be fired & score lots of points. Call in to Bill O’Reilly & get his audience going on this too. You’ll be among friends there among the radical anti-Black far right. But it won’t do you a bit of good.
Instead of firing the professor, I’d rather fire Bibi Netanyahu for allowing a situation like that of the professor & his bile at the rally to happen due to a refusal to negotiate a peace agreement. Let’s fire the real guy who stands in the way of peace.
No, nor will I. And I’m telling you that anything that Andrew Breitbart touches turns to shit as soon as he does. So if you want to roll around in a pig sty w. him you go right ahead.
i think you need to find the biggest hat around, and enjoy your meal.
Stop speaking in riddles. I have no idea what you’re talking about.
npr had every right to fire williams
i would just like to know if the same people who came out to support helen thomas, will come out to support mr williams
Glenn Greenwald does:
http://www.salon.com/news/opinion/glenn_greenwald/2010/10/21/williams/index.html
As he notes, it’s rather the same people who cheered on Helen Thomas’ and others’ firing who now come out in support of Williams.
NPR has long been unbearable on Israel /Palestine, indistinguishable from the corporate media. They never recovered from that Corrupt flack that Bush put in Charge whose name escapes me. The Internet, blogs like this one, and alternative media are the only source for reality. I Will confess that I’m surprised ar William’s demise, but pleasantly so.
They ought to fire Linda Gradstein, who is little more than an Israeli hack.
I used to do volunteer newsroom work for KPFA Pacifica in Berkeley with Mara Liason, who now has the same NPR-FoxNews type gig as Williams had. She may be next if she’s not careful.
the npr termination was great for williams’ pocketbook…fox just gave him a 2 mil contract
Yeah, that’s great if you measure moral value by the size of yr wallet. If you don’t, then I guess Williams is a moral cretin & racist yahoo. Perfect for Fox. Their Uncle Tom, resident Nigrah lib’rul.
I just wanted to register my distaste for your reference to Juan Williams as Fox’s “Uncle Tom, resident Nigrah lib’rul”.
I am an avid reader of your blog and very much respect your admonitions against the use of snark by other commenters.
Here, however, you seem to be making exactly the sort of snarky remark that I thought was frowned upon here.
Of course, it is your blog and you make the rules; I just wanted to respectfully register my disappointment with the “Nigrah lib’rul” comment.
Hey, it’s right up Fox’s alley. Remember the “Obama baby mama” remark?
Do you mean to tell me that FoxNews isn’t exploiting (with Williams avid cooperation) his role as its resident Negro liberal? It’s what it looks like to me. I call ’em as I see ’em. That’s the way I see this one.
By definition of the word, Juan is no racist. Prejudiced perhaps, ignorant and lacking in morale fiber clearly-
Racism is the tool of those in positions of power who to use that power and ownership of institutions to disenfranchise those of another race. Racists use institutionalized societal organizations and laws to negatively impact society by disenfranchising those of a different race.
For example, the use of the grandfather clause, prevented generations of southern blacks from voting. This clause was incorporated into voting information, affected the power structure by controlling the politiacal situation and using that to further Jim Cr ow laws and roll back the reconstruction. THose people are racists and used racism to keep de facto slavery alive untiol 1964. That sir is racism.
Juan is a tool of that racists consciousness, he does not have access to the power to disenfrachise anyone again, he could not protect his own NPR job and had to sell himself to FOX to remain a viable “journalist” with a national p rofile.
The oppressor is effected as much and maybe more than the oppressed. The Oppressed have God with them-the Adversary is the oppressors only friend and hell their certain fate.
Juan has no power to use intstitutions to block participation in that society, by certain races. He did not have power to negatively impact institutions on his own behalf, witness he was terminated by NPR.
He is a confused socio-pathetic tool of the oppressor. FOX and those who own it are the oppressor, Juan is a fool and a tool of the oppressor. Again, he could not even save his own gig-Okay?
He’s a tool.
“Wretched of the Earth” BY fANON is clear on the definition of racism. I urge you to read it and other materials before resorting to the use of a bastardization of the racial epithet “Nigger” as a adjective.
It is a vulgar cowards’, the word belongs to who ever fails to be an effective wordsmith -You can do better, think harder and read a lot more—then you will be be more even more effective .
This is nonsense. Juan Williams is a major media personality & now earns $2 million/ yr from Rupert Murdoch’s trough. He’s part of the power elite. He’s no disenfranchised, marginalized black man. Sorry, I don’t buy yr line.
And stop being condescending & telling me what I need to read. I don’t appreciate it.
Have you considered anger management or perhpas less caffeine??
Two million may seem like a lot …to you-but hardly worth the cost of his soul, or any soul.
As for what you are not buying—I stated MY opinion neither me or nor my opinion are for sale, further Juan is neither a major personality nor member of the power elite.
And if you think he represents power and personality —this blog is beneath me and you sir are out of your league.
Injustice and racism always anger me.
And I think the blog is indeed out of yr league.
I find it rank hypocracy that the same people on the right who called for Helen Thomas’ firing are condemning Juan Williams’
Ibrahim Hooper was grilled mercilessly by a shrill “anchor” of Fox News, who insisted she tell him if he was “happy” that Williams got fired. So much for professionalism in journalism that not only did Williams himself show himself to hold a very low standard, but that so many of his peers are just as stupid.
Williams deserved what he got. Encouraging people to be afraid of Muslims by legitimizing their fear results in – more fear. And possible violence.
Isn’t the purpose of journalism, after all, supposed to be to inform and to enlighten?
[comment deleted for comment rules violation]
You do? “Informed and enlightened” by the likes of, shall we say, Daniel Pipes or Robert Spencer, Pamela Gellar, Glenn Beck and….Juan Williams? Among others?
Congratulations on your “enlightenment.” By the way, most human beings are not “afraid of Muslims.”
I’m a Muslim; are you afraid of me?
Seems the truth is rather unwelcome here. Sorry to disturb you so much.
@ Richard and Uncle Joe
here is a link to the despicable speech by the professor, without the filters of Mr. Andrew Breitbart.
in his speech the professor calls for Dismantling Israel in peaceful means if possible, he’s very generous he offered to give us Israelis enough food and water to travel back to the lands we came from.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3_5VohZ1Yw&feature=player_embedded#!
The guy may be an ass, but I’m afraid you only have yrselves to blame. If you’d compromised & accepted 67 borders, shared Jerusalem & other parameters that would resolve the conflict, there would be a peace agreement & idiots like this guy & the radical settlers would be howling at the moon to an audience of true believers, instead of speaking before thousands of people at a DC rally.
If you were smart this would light a fire under you to get a peace agreement yesterday. But instead, you’ll rail against the bad, bad Leroy Browns of the Palestinian community. It’s easier & more convenient & allows you to grandstand rather than rolling up yr sleeves & putting real principles for peace on the line.
[comment deleted for comment rule violations]
Here we go again, the same old BS about the Hamas Charter, which not even Hamas pays attention to. Come up with some new hasbara, please; the old stuff just ain’t working.
Sorry to have to inform you, but the truth works very well. Might not work for you, though.