Political Correctness Going Too Far?

[Scott Nelson]

Oh, I loved that song! Paul's vocals overode Linda's chants quite nicely. Let's hear it for the Scots!!!

[Errata]

HI
So are you saying he is a bigot because he said he gets nervous when flying with someone who looks Muslim?

Naah. I'm just saying that anytime someone says "I'm not a bigot, but..." they're probably a bigot.

There are sort of several problems with what he said. Firstly, he said that when he sees people on a plane in Muslim garb etc. There is no such thing. Well, there is for women, but not for men. There is certainly clerical garb, and there is regional garb, but not "Muslim" garb. So I'm terribly curious as to what hes talking about. Saudi sheik robes are pretty identifiable, but the odds of a disgustingly rich oil Prince blowing up a plane are pretty slim. So that is either an incredibly ignorant statement, or it is incredibly unspecific.

The second problem is not so much what he said, but is a bit of a credibility factor. The man was a new analyst for NPR. He is supposed to have an unbiased view of the news, and the ability to break it down in a fair and concise manner. Going on another network and declaring your fear of Muslim airline passengers, and citing the Times Square Bomber as a reliable source for the state of mind for all of Islam is not unbiased. It is not fair, and it is actually pretty dumb.

Lastly, this is not the first time the guy has run afoul of NPR. NPR is considered liberal. Fox News is clearly terribly conservative. He got into some trouble for acting one way on NPR, and another way on Fox. To the point that NPR made him drop his NPR identification when he worked for Fox. When he was on Fox, he could not say he was an analyst or reporter or employee of NPR. That's unusual, and it shows NPR has been trying to distance themselves from this guys mouth for awhile. I imagine this last bit of conservative bravado was pretty much just the last straw for NPR.

[c.d.]

I was quite surprised to see that this was the lead story on the national news last night. Apparently it has created a real fire storm and everybody and there brother is weighing in on it. NPR is taking a lot of flak over it but so far they are sticking to their guns.

c.d.

[Abby Normal]

Naah. I'm just saying that anytime someone says "I'm not a bigot, but..." they're probably a bigot.

There are sort of several problems with what he said. Firstly, he said that when he sees people on a plane in Muslim garb etc. There is no such thing. Well, there is for women, but not for men. There is certainly clerical garb, and there is regional garb, but not "Muslim" garb. So I'm terribly curious as to what hes talking about. Saudi sheik robes are pretty identifiable, but the odds of a disgustingly rich oil Prince blowing up a plane are pretty slim. So that is either an incredibly ignorant statement, or it is incredibly unspecific.

The second problem is not so much what he said, but is a bit of a credibility factor. The man was a new analyst for NPR. He is supposed to have an unbiased view of the news, and the ability to break it down in a fair and concise manner. Going on another network and declaring your fear of Muslim airline passengers, and citing the Times Square Bomber as a reliable source for the state of mind for all of Islam is not unbiased. It is not fair, and it is actually pretty dumb.

Lastly, this is not the first time the guy has run afoul of NPR. NPR is considered liberal. Fox News is clearly terribly conservative. He got into some trouble for acting one way on NPR, and another way on Fox. To the point that NPR made him drop his NPR identification when he worked for Fox. When he was on Fox, he could not say he was an analyst or reporter or employee of NPR. That's unusual, and it shows NPR has been trying to distance themselves from this guys mouth for awhile. I imagine this last bit of conservative bravado was pretty much just the last straw for NPR.

Hi Errata
Thanks for the response. Fair enough-and good point about the muslim garb.

In my view, as CD said maybe its just human nature, more than being consciously bigotted. On the other hand, it was probably not the smartest thing to say on TV and after hearing some Muslim reaction/perspectives it seems that obviously it does no good for peoples perspectives on Muslims and could actually help foster negative attitudes.

I just felt kind of sorry for Juan Williams for getting fired for this and being labeled a bigot.

[Errata]

I just felt kind of sorry for Juan Williams for getting fired for this and being labeled a bigot.

I wouldn't. He was on the O'Reilly Factor. As he has been many times. He knew exactly what he was saying, and what he was expected to say on that show. Either he meant what he said, which makes him a bigot, or he was playing to the audience which makes him a hypocrite. He still works for Fox. He just lost his NPR gig, which was easily avoidable.

[Ally]

People need to wake up and realize that freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences.

I realize that in this day and age, people can't tell the difference between a news reporter and a news commentator, but the simple fact is he was a news reporter and the contract that he willingly signed said that he would not commentate or do anything that would be perceived as opining while identifying himself as a NPR agent. And he violated that contract several times.

It has nothing to do with freedom of speech. He chose to sign a contract and he chose to violate it and he got fired because of it. Suck it up, put your big boy panties on, and deal.

[Errata]

People need to wake up and realize that freedom of speech doesn't mean freedom from consequences.

I realize that in this day and age, people can't tell the difference between a news reporter and a news commentator, but the simple fact is he was a news reporter and the contract that he willingly signed said that he would not commentate or do anything that would be perceived as opining while identifying himself as a NPR agent. And he violated that contract several times.

It has nothing to do with freedom of speech. He chose to sign a contract and he chose to violate it and he got fired because of it. Suck it up, put your big boy panties on, and deal.

Preach sister!

[johns]

You come to a fork in the road, and the signpost indicates that both roads lead to your destination... In fact both roads are the same distance, roughness and so on.

You peer up the road and see a group of people hanging around on each road.

Road A has a group of sweet looking elderly ladies, chatting, drinking tea and exchanging knitting patterns.

Road B however has a group of youths doing what some youths do... pushing each other around, texting constantly, swearing their heads off and so on...

Which road do you take?

[sdreid]

Juan got a 2 million $ contract out of the deal so I'm sure he's blotting his tears with $100 bills.

[Roy Corduroy]

Excuse me while I dip celery

N P R comes through for the holidays. Their reporter Nina Totenberg said "I was at a - forgive the expression - Christmas party."

check out the TV clip. (click)

Roy

[Abby Normal]

N P R comes through for the holidays. Their reporter Nina Totenberg said "I was at a - forgive the expression - Christmas party."

check out the TV clip. (click)

Roy

Heads are gonna roll!

[KatBradshaw]

You come to a fork in the road, and the signpost indicates that both roads lead to your destination... In fact both roads are the same distance, roughness and so on.

You peer up the road and see a group of people hanging around on each road.

Road A has a group of sweet looking elderly ladies, chatting, drinking tea and exchanging knitting patterns.

Road B however has a group of youths doing what some youths do... pushing each other around, texting constantly, swearing their heads off and so on...

Which road do you take?

Well I would take the youth because they are less likely to be walking at -3 miles an hour whittering about how rude I am if I try to get past them!
I don't know where the youths you are talking of are but as a secondary school (High School) teacher I would take the youths over the old people any day!!

[Robert]

I would take the road with the old folks - I might get a cup of tea.

[KatBradshaw]

I would take the road with the old folks - I might get a cup of tea.

I would suffer the following from the old people;

1. 'You look well' - Means 'you look fat.'

2. 'Are you courting' - Means 'No of course you are not, you're too fat'.

3. 'Do you remember Auntie Molly? She had cats' - Means 'Auntie Molly never married coz she was too fat. She had cats, like you!'.

[Robert]

I feel I have stumbled into a female quicksand here.