How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Rob Long ·
Oct 21, 2010 at 6:27pm
Over at the excellent Reason blog, Michael C. Moynihan points to a double standard.
Here's NPR's legal correspondent, Nina Totenberg, in 1995, wishing that Senator Jesse Helms -- or his grandchildren -- get AIDS, as "retributive justice":
Just to clarify: she wasn't fired for that. But Juan Williams, who was an NPR correspondent until a few days ago, was fired for saying this:
For saying what every single American has thought, at one time or another. For speaking a truth.
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May '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Our tax dollars at work.
May '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
As if I needed another reason to like Juan Williams! It's NPR's loss. He is a decent and thoughtful man. He's also honest, which I can't say as much for Nina Totenberg. That woman is a master of manipulating information. So, when is Juan going to be on the podcast?
Sep '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
If Jesse Helms was a Muslim, NPR might have fired her.
Anyway, If NPR thinks Juan Williams is an extremist or a bigot, what must they think of the rest us Americans?
Jul '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Look at her body language.
She's saying - to what she knows is an appreciative group - "I'm going to say this with a laugh and a little stumble so I've got wiggle room. But look at my eyes, look at the set of my jaw. You know I mean it."
What a loathesome human being.
Oct '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
The most amazing aspect of this story is the unanimous support from conservative rock stars (Rush, Hannity, Beck, Malkin, etc…), and the political movers and shakers (Gingrich, Palin, DeMint). I thought we were the intolerant ones who hate their ideological opponents? How can these right wingers be supporting a liberal such as Juan Williams? Because when we see injustice, we do not remain silent. Journalism died with Tim Russert.
Edited on Oct 21, 2010 at 7:10pmMay '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Almost as obnoxious this week was the reporting by the NYTimes of the $1.8 mill. gift by the "Open Society Foundations" to support state government reporting with nary a mention that the group was founded and funded by George Soros, as if that were not germane to the story or, more likely, something the editors of the Times felt was not important for us to know.
Jul '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Well, Juan had it coming.
Others of us, accustomed to expressing ourselves in a thoughtful, temperate manner so as to avoid ever giving offense, would never have made such a rookie error.
Whatta moron.
Edited on Oct 21, 2010 at 7:09pmJul '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Ken Sweeney: The most amazing aspect of this story is the unanimous support from conservative rock stars (Rush, Hannity, Beck, Malkin, etc…), and the political movers and shakers (Gingrich, Palin, DeMint). I thought we were the intolerant ones who hate their ideological opponents? How can these right wingers be supporting a liberal such as Juan Williams? Because when we see injustice, we do not remain silent. Journalism died with Tim Russert. · Oct 21 at 7:00pm
Edited on Oct 21 at 07:10 pm
Ken, I hate be disagreeable, but Tim Russert was no journalist. He was a lawyer, who worked as Chief of Staff for Daniel Patrick Moynihan and later became Counsel to Governor Mario Cuomo.
Like others after him - Chris Matthews and George Stephanopolous among them - he was recruited by broadcast media as a reliable partisan commentator.
May '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Another important point: CAIR is in no position to bully anyone, but NPR is obviously among the groups not willing to calling them on it. From The Washington Times in 2007:
"According to tax documents obtained by The Times, the number of reported members spiraled down from more than 29,000 in 2000 to less than 1,700 in 2006, a loss of membership that caused the Muslim rights group's annual income from dues to drop from $732,765 in 2000, when yearly dues cost $25, to $58,750 last year, when the group charged $35.
The organization instead is relying on about two dozen individual donors a year to contribute the majority of the money for CAIR's budget, which reached nearly $3 million last year."
Anyone know the current number of dues-paying members in CAIR? Any reason to believe the group is something other than a front for the interests of a few wealthy donors?
Jul '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Here's a question: why does Fox News continue to dignify CAIR by giving them air time?
I suspect it's that they feel they need to continue the format of two parties on contending sides with a moderator in the middle. And, unable to find any actual moderate Muslims, they turn a blind eye to who CAIR really is.
Fox really does a disservice to the nation by continuing to give CAIR prominence.
May '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Kenneth: Well, Juan had it coming.
Others of us, accustomed to expressing ourselves in a thoughtful, temperate manner so as to avoid ever giving offense, would never have made such a rookie error.
Whatta moron. · Oct 21 at 7:08pm
Edited on Oct 21 at 07:09 pm
Now I double love ya! I sit at thy feet and learn, oh Master of tact and thoughtful temperance.
Ohhhhhh, I just can't stop the flow of tearful laughter at that one. My stomach and cheeks hurt.
Jul '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Kenneth
Here's a question: why does Fox News continue to dignify CAIR by giving them air time?
I suspect it's that they feel they need to continue the format of two parties on contending sides with a moderator in the middle. And, unable to find any actual moderate Muslims, they turn a blind eye to who CAIR really is.
· Oct 21 at 8:19pm
I think you're mostly right Kenneth. Yet, Claire's found a slew of moderates. Admittedly, she's trying really hard, or that's my impression anyway. That said, how likely is it that FOX is unable to find moderates, rather than just being too lazy to find moderates?
It seems to me that it would be useful for FOX to have Mona Eltahawy types on panels with Islamist CAIR mouthpieces one night, and on panels with, say, a Cliff May, the next night.
I suspect that any of the folks Claire has put forward would find more common ground the second night. If not, well, that's fine too. Because then it's easy to marginalize CAIR. Oh them, they're nuttier than that Eltahawy.
Then the thug apologists are shut out.
Sep '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
NPR (and PBS) are funded by the tax payers in part under the aegis that the government needs to ensure non-partisan equal access to all points of view. Living up to that standard has been lacking since their inception. The time to end government funding of NPR and PBS has been due for quite a while but this incident brings the issue to forefront. They've been carrying water for progressives long enough. Let George Sorros and others pay for it, not me.
May '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Conservatives have fought and lost this battle before. Rather then try and defund it directly, I'd like to see Congress change their funding to a voluntary check off on the income tax, similar to the one for Presidential election funds. Let those who want to support NPR do so, and leave the rest of us out of it.
Sep '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Gee, if that is our attitude, that we can't even defund something like public broadcasting, then this election is a total waste of our time and the republic is doomed. Much bigger ticket items that are near and dear to a much larger percentage are going to have be defunded as well. Either we fund things or we don't. If there is a demand for All Things Considered and Ken Burns documentaries let the market pay for it. As for a check box solution, that is a slippery slope no conservatives should be advocating. Where does that end? Defense spending? Government funds the things it should fund and does not fund anything else.
Sep '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
Funny, when a white police officer caused a ruckus with a black professor, there was a big garden ceremony with Joe Biden and Barack Obama. When a white run organization boots out the only black journalist working for NPR, the President and Michelle are working on Take #564 of a cavecam video to "get out the vote".
May '10
Re: How to Get Fired -- and Not Get Fired -- from National Public Radio
As for a check box solution, that is a slippery slope no conservatives should be advocating. Where does that end? Defense spending? Government funds the things it should fund and does not fund anything else.
I LOVE the idea of a check box for ALL DISCRETIONARY spending! Imagine if you could have a personal "earmark" of 50% of your taxes to Defense, and stiff NPR, welfare and Foreign Aid! I think the Pentagon would be rolling in cash and NPR and State would be out with begging cups. Personally I'd like to see a little creative thinking and strategy by conservatives rather then another frontal assault on Leviathans trenches.