NPR fires Juan Williams.

[MobBoss]

So show a study that indicates the liberal bias you believe is so obvious.

Dude, my original comment was fairly tongue in cheek and certainly not meant to illicit requests for 'studies on librul bias', etc. etc. etc.

I am more than simply satisfied to blow literal holes in the one provided by Form.

Now since you dodged the question, I will ask again.

Do you really think tracking 4 of NPRs 11 news/talk program gives an accurate measure of liberal bias 'hard numbers' or not?

Since you dodged the question so blatently, I am guessing your answer is 'no'. Which is good because I think thats a fairly sensible answer all things considered.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Is commondreams.org your factcheck.org?

It certainly isn't the evil purveyor of utter "ultra-left-wing" nonsense you and most other reactionaries apparently think it is, merely because it happens to disagree with your own personal views.

Once again, have you ever found any fact they have ever posted which was false?

I am more than simply satisfied to blow literal holes in the one provided by Form.

Your perception of reality is certainly interesting, if nothing else.

 

[Berzerker]

Have to admit, this is surprising coming from Juan Williams. IIRC, Osama bin Laden's own instructions to terrorist sleeper cells is to not appear Muslim and try to blend in with secular Americans so as to avoid this sort of suspicion, so why are people afraid of the obvious Muslims like this? Also, what sort of backlash can NPR anticipate? Might they fire anyone else over this?

thats what most of us would think...if we spent a few seconds to think before talking. But our brains evolved to identify threats and anything "obvious" will draw our attention first. A stupid comment, and illogical, but a firing offense? Hardly... They should get some backlash for this, but so should Juan... These people are paid for their opinions? Where do I sign up?

 

[JollyRoger]

If you are paid for your commentary and you say something stupid and illogoical, then I think it is a potential firing offense - for incompetence at your job, if nothing else.

 

[Berzerker]

If you are paid for your commentary and you say something stupid and illogoical, then I think it is a potential firing offense - for incompetence at your job, if nothing else.

nobody would have the job with that standard, it'd be easier runnin for Prez

 

[Formaldehyde]

If you are paid for your commentary and you say something stupid and illogoical, then I think it is a potential firing offense - for incompetence at your job, if nothing else.

Especially if you do it repeatedly on Fox News. That NPR no longer wanted him to even mention his affiliation with them when he appeared as a regular talking head on that network speaks volumes.

 

[JollyRoger]

nobody would have the job with that standard, it'd be easier runnin for Prez

Well, the people generally crying about his firing (not you, necessarily) are generally the same people who advocate the right to fire for just about any reason or no reason at all. Anyway, the free market decided he was employable elsewhere, so now Fox has another liberal working for them, I guess.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Yeah. Another "liberal" who apparently agrees with O'Reilly as often as not, especially on topics of bigotry. It's all about being "fair and balanced".

 

[Patroklos]

The irony of NPR's gross overreaction to absolutely nothing is they simply prove Juan's point in spades:

"political correctness can lead to some kind of paralysis where you don't address reality."

Way to go NPR.

 

[JollyRoger]

Keeping on an incompetent buffoon in the name of political correctness towards a misguided sense of "free speech = keep your job" entitlement would have been demonstarted paralysis though.

 

[Berzerker]

Well, the people generally crying about his firing (not you, necessarily) are generally the same people who advocate the right to fire for just about any reason or no reason at all. Anyway, the free market decided he was employable elsewhere, so now Fox has another liberal working for them, I guess.

Having the "right" to fire (and hire) does not mean "we the people" cant show our disgust thru various non-violent means... I just dont think I have the moral authority to use violence should you hire and fire in what I deem to be an unfairly discriminatory manner...

 

[JollyRoger]

Having the "right" to fire (and hire) does not mean "we the people" cant show our disgust thru various non-violent means... I just dont think I have the moral authority to use violence should you hire and fire in what I deem to be an unfairly discriminatory manner...

Is that a sopbox or a haystack you are standing on, because I have not said you can't express your opinion and I certainly haven't said anything about violence in response to mismanagement of a workforce.

 

[Berzerker]

Is that a sopbox or a haystack you are standing on, because I have not said you can't express your opinion and I certainly haven't said anything about violence in response to mismanagement of a workforce.

But you want laws - violence, or the threat thereof - to make people hire and fire based on what you deem unfair. Isn't that why Rand Paul is taking heat? And when you say or imply "we" - libertarians - dont care about hiring practices, you are ignoring our argument - consumers' regulation of the free market - for non-violence in favor of your argument in favor of violence.

 

[JollyRoger]

Again, soapbox or haystack? Laws = violence? If you commit unfair labor practices, you probably won't even go to jail, just have to suffer the "violence" of a civil lawsuit (and even then, with the deck stacked in your favor).

 

[DinoDoc]

It's a stupid (and a little bigoted) thing to say, but by itself, it shouldn't be enough to lose your job.

Oh I think Nina Totenberg has shown you can say whatever you wish so long as it isn't on Fox based on her past statements.

 

[Berzerker]

Again, soapbox or haystack? Laws = violence? If you commit unfair labor practices, you probably won't even go to jail, just have to suffer the "violence" of a civil lawsuit (and even then, with the deck stacked in your favor).

What happens if you violate a law and dont pay a fine? Violence. How much depends on your willingness and ability to resist, and death is waiting if you resist too much.

ed: ie the full faith and credit of the USA = the ability of politicians to extract money from us without revolt

re ed: the author of the last ed has been canned

 

[amadeus]

The first lady is Stokely Carmichael in a dress?

I was thinking more H. Rap Brown, but that's just my opinion.

 

[Arwon]

Several possibly unrelated or contradictory thoughts.

1. I'm gonna guess NPR hated having its reputation sullied by having this guy repeatedly appear on Fox's opinion shows. Goes against the image they cultivate of sober in depth reportage - especially the aggressively stupid blather that passes for commentary on these types of opinion shows. Equally I betcha Helen Thomas pissed off some people and then made the mistake of handing them something to get revenge on her with.

2. If we're gonna sack people for sayin stuff when their job is to say stuff, I suppose it's good that it's become more equal-opportunity by being extended to anti-Muslim comments as well as heretical opinions about Israel?

3. Then again, maybe it's good to have more "saying stupid things" sackings, in order encourage higher ethical standards, less bigotry and less douchebaggery in the shallow, addled, mile-a-minute news commentary landscape.

 

[MobBoss]

It certainly isn't the evil purveyor of utter "ultra-left-wing" nonsense you and most other reactionaries apparently think it is, merely because it happens to disagree with your own personal views.

Its writing contributors have such conservatives listed as Michael Moore, Cindy Sheehan, Jesse Jackson, and Ralph Nader to name just a few.

Not ultra-left wing?

/whatever.

Once again, have you ever found any fact they have ever posted which was false?

Looking a just a few of the names I just mentioned, I dont see how they could avoid it...

What happens if you violate a law and dont pay a fine? Violence.

And here I was simply thinking 'bench warrant'. I guess our courts are doing it wrong.

How much depends on your willingness and ability to resist, and death is waiting if you resist too much.

Uhm. Why resist at all. Why not just pay your dang ticket and call it good? Even those typically brought in on a bench warrant still get a chance to just pay the dang fine and walk...

 

[classical_hero]

The left is showing it's true colours.