The original comment/debate is here:
http://www.mediaite.com/online/npr-fires-juan-williams-over-remarks-made-about-muslims-on-oreilly-factor/
It was an incredibly stupid debate as much debate is on cable news, but the
remarkable thing was I could barely unpack Juan's view. You do think at the
beginning he was arguing it as an unconscious reaction, but then he goes out
to rationalize it (they're "identifying themselves first and foremost as
Muslims, I get worried"). I blame O'Reilly here since he interrupts him
during what could have been the clarifying moment ("people who want to
somehow remind us ... it's not a war against Islam."), but which began
poorly phrased and intoned (I don't think he intended to sound incredulous
when he got to that point, but he did to my ear.) and never gets to finish
what his thoughts were. Then when the debate gets back to Bill on The View
and he and Mary Katharine Ham get back into the "We're in a war against
Islam/Radical Islam; why won't they assimilate?" then Juan pushes back
against it.
Now, I don't find Juan to be a very insightful or clever analyst today, but
I don't think what he said (or tried to) merited dismssal from NPR. Or at
least he could have been given the opportunity to clarify what he meant.
Still, we get to hear from the usual suspects who misinterpret this as a
First Amendment issue, and politicians grandstanding on it. NPR is not a arm
of the government and it gets a small amount of federal funding. His firing
is not an infringement of the First Amendment, much like Dr. Laura's firing
wasn't one. (Listening Sarah Palin?) Still, Fox News played this controversy
brilliantly. They get to look bold and fearless and no beholden to
"political correctness" at the low, low cost of $2 million.
--
TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People!
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