The Firing of Juan Williams from National Public Radio (NPR) and the continuing fallout is the Subject of this Big B File.
On Monday’s O’Reilly Factor with Bill O’Reilly on Fox News Channel, Fox News contributor Juan Williams said the following (courtesy of Fox News):
“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 a plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they’re identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous….He said the war with Muslims, America’s war is just beginning, first drop of blood. I don’t think there’s any way to get away from these facts”
Juan Williams on the O’Reilly Factor (10/18/2010)
Click here for the Video of the entire Conversation that aired on Monday night’s Factor. After his appearance on Monday’s O’Reilly Factor with Bill O’Reilly, Juan Williams Contract was terminated without a fair hearing nor Juan being able to argue his case. In the firing, NPR said the following Thursday:
“On Wednesday night we gave Juan Williams notice that we are terminating his contract as a Senior News Analyst for NPR News.
Juan has been a valuable contributor to NPR and public radio for many years and we did not make this decision lightly or without regret. However, his remarks on The O’Reilly Factor this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR.
We regret these circumstances and thank Juan Williams for his many years of service to NPR and public radio.”– Anna Christopher, NPR
Juan Williams went even further in a column he wrote on foxnews.com Thursday:
“Two days later, Ellen Weiss, my boss at NPR called to say I had crossed the line, essentially accusing me of bigotry. She took the admission of my visceral fear of people dressed in Muslim garb at the airport as evidence that I am a bigot. She said there are people who wear Muslim garb to work at NPR and they are offended by my comments. She never suggested that I had discriminated against anyone. Instead she continued to ask me what did I mean and I told her I said what I meant. Then she said she did not sense remorse from me. I said I made an honest statement. She informed me that I had violated NPR’s values for editorial commentary and she was terminating my contract as a news analyst.
I pointed out that I had not made my comments on NPR. She asked if I would have said the same thing on NPR. I said yes, because in keeping with my values I will tell people the truth about feelings and opinions.
I asked why she would fire me without speaking to me face to face and she said there was nothing I could say to change her mind, the decision had been confirmed above her, and there was no point to meeting in person. To say the least this is a chilling assault on free speech. The critical importance of honest journalism and a free-flowing, respectful national conversation needs to be had in our country. But it is being buried as collateral damage in a war whose battles include political correctness and ideological orthodoxy.
I say an ideological battle because my comments on “The O’Reilly Factor” are being distorted by the self-righteous ideological, left-wing leadership at NPR. They are taking bits and pieces of what I said to go after me for daring to have a conversation with leading conservative thinkers. They loathe the fact that I appear on Fox News. They don’t notice that I am challenging Bill O’Reilly and trading ideas with Sean Hannity. In their hubris they think by talking with O’Reilly or Hannity I am lending them legitimacy. Believe me, Bill O’Reilly (and Sean, too) is a major force in American culture and politics whether or not I appear on his show.
Years ago NPR tried to stop me from going on “The Factor.” When I refused they insisted that I not identify myself as an NPR journalist. I asked them if they thought people did not know where I appeared on the air as a daily talk show host, national correspondent and news analyst. They refused to budge.
– Juan Williams on Fox News.com (10/21/2010)
You can watch the reactions of both Juan Williams and Bill O’Reilly here and here. Roger Ailes, chairman and chief executive officer of Fox News, announced that Juan has signed a new 3 year contract and is now a full-time analyst for Fox News and said about Juan, “Juan has been a staunch defender of liberal viewpoints since his tenure began at Fox News in 1997. He’s an honest man whose freedom of speech is protected by Fox News on a daily basis.”
The Big B Files was very angered and yet, not at all surprised that NPR Fired Williams. This is because it has been widely believed and proven over the years that NPR has a Far Left Viewpoint and approach to news as long as it has been in existence. You can click here and here to see for yourself (courtesy of Newsbusters and Fox News Channel).
NPR has pole-vaulted over the line in the termination of Juan Williams and is in essence saying to the taxpayers (including myself) that if you do not hold views and beliefs like ours, we will do everything possible to silence you. There is a huge and growing backlash against NPR over Juan Williams’ firing and calls for congressional investigations from people on both Conservatives and Liberals as well. The Big B files is joining the call to cut of taxpayer funding of NPR immediately and permanently along with calling for a congressional investigation of not only the firing of Juan Williams, but into the following as well:
- Why opposing points of view are not allowed when Very Liberal views are expressed all day long in editorials and news coverage.
- Why there no conservative commentators allowed on air nor programs that cater towards Conservatives, which make up the large majority of Americans. (applies to PBS as well).
- Why people of faith i.e. Christians are not only shunned, but openly attacked and demonized in their reporting and commentary on a regular basis.
Unfortunately, the likelihood of a Congressional investigation is slim to none as long as the Democrats have control of both houses of Congress and that is a tragic and utterly disgusting thing indeed.
And that’s the Big B Files. Click on the comments link below and tell me what you think…. I’m Bryan Hewing.
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UPDATE
Here are a few videos that you should watch in relation to the above Big B File (Courtesy of the Fox News Channel):
- A Disgraceful Decision by NPR
- (Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly) Talking Points: 10/21
- http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/index.html#/v/4382209/a-disgraceful-decision-by-npr/?playlist_id=86923
- Juan Williams Speaks Out About NPR Firing
- Fired National Public Radio analyst breaks down events following Muslim comments on ‘The O’Reilly Factor’
- http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/index.html#/v/4382210/juan-williams-speaks-out-about-npr-firing/?playlist_id=86923
- Does Freedom of Speech Exist in Liberal Precincts?
- Laura Ingraham on out-of-control political correctness
- http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/index.html#/v/4382211/does-freedom-of-speech-exist-in-liberal-precincts/?playlist_id=86923