Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
Juan Williams, speaking yesterday on Fox News Sunday, offers a refreshing, non-partisan perspective on the Arizona shooting (via The Daily Caller):
Reflecting on the media's narrative of the shooting, Williams said,
I think it’s important to say this, as someone left of center, that you can’t just blame this on some kind of right-wing rhetoric. I mean, clearly, I think this kid was unstable....I would hope that people aren't so base as to make this into a political debate at this moment.
I've always found Williams to be a thoughtful and reasonable pundit--he's not a hack like so many of them out there, and his words above affirm this.
Williams also added:
I do have worries about Arizona, I think the sheriff down there said it yesterday when he said that there’s too much of this kind of anti-immigrant fervor going on in Arizona. Some people call it the new Birmingham because of the intolerance that’s demonstrated in much of the state… I think the people in Arizona have to stop for a second and think about exactly why they are so angry and why this incident happened in Arizona.
This is a bit provocative: is Arizona the new Birmingham?
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Re: Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
The way I see it, descriptors like "anti-government, anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant group" don't immediately bring to mind "right wing." They bring to mind "radical." That said, the "anti-immigrant" moniker has increasingly come to be associated with the right, which is a shame, but that's a topic for another today.
For today, I think we should be cautious about putting words in Juan's mouth. I think Juan very specifically did not call the group "right-wing" because he doesn't want people to think that that's what he thinks constitutes a right-wing group. My impression is that he thinks that that's a radical group, which is different.
Edited on January 10, 2011 at 5:41pmJun '10
Re: Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
That's because you are an intelligent and reasonable person. I would suggest you listen to the video again and you'll see that I'm not putting words into Williams' mouth.
Williams: "Now there are connections between him and this group...uh, American Renaissance, I believe they are called and they are strongly anti-immigrant, and anti-Semitic, and anti-government, so I think there is a temptation to say that this the result of a "right-wing" attack.
Jun '10
Re: Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
I agree that Juan Williams is one of the more sane, civil and refreshing voices of those who are left-of-center. When he was fired from NPR, I was rather vocal that he had been singled out and punished unfairly by that network. If I were to guess, I would say that I probably agree with about 30 to 40% of what Williams says.
But when he says something unfounded or ludicrous, I'm going to call him on it. It's unfortunate that none of the other panelists (especially Brit Hume and Bill Kristol) picked up on this quick smear and interjected. Maybe they cringed a bit off camera and we just didn't see it.
Edited on January 10, 2011 at 6:00pmDec '10
Re: Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
Emily Esfahani Smith, Ed.
He's saying that Loughner was probably not motivated by right-wing rhetoric, but probably was motivated by something larger going on in AZ. · Jan 10 at 7:20am
Juan is irresponsibly speculating about the motivation for mass murder. What's the point? Why is he doing that? To say something about how the "political climate" in AZ "might" have had something to do with it?
Does speculating about the motivations of someone so mentally ill and unhinged he commits mass murder serve any useful practical purpose WRT the behavior of ordinary people? Does it lead to some enlightening fact about the "political climate" in AZ that needs to change?
It sounds to me like Juan is just being more nuanced than his liberal buddies in trying to pin this in part on "something going on in AZ" that needs to change.
Oct '10
Re: Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
Brian Watt
The dots are connected, are they not? Loughner is possibly connected to "American Renaissance" - a group characterized as an anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, anti-government "right-wing" group - ergo Loughner is "right-wing" anti-Semite, anti-immigrant, anti-govenment extremist.
Connecting the dots is SO much fun, isn't it? One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.
Connection 1: Loughner was into dreaming, right? And what prominent politician wrote a book called "Dreams From My Father?" QED!
Connection 2: Loughner's high school was a member of the "Small Schools Workshop" network, which was created by noted American terrorist Bill Ayers, and is run by a former Communist activist. Ayers was no friend of civil discourse, and he would have racked up a higher kill score than Timothy McVeigh if Ayers had hired competent help. It's a small journey from "kill American soldiers" to "kill American legislators"
C'mon, people, it's as plain as the nose on your face!
(no disrespect intended toward differently-olfactoried Americans)
Jun '10
Re: Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
Calvin Dodge
Brian Watt
The dots are connected, are they not? Loughner is possibly connected to "American Renaissance" - a group characterized as an anti-Semitic, anti-immigrant, anti-government "right-wing" group - ergo Loughner is "right-wing" anti-Semite, anti-immigrant, anti-govenment extremist.
Connecting the dots is SO much fun, isn't it? One gets such wholesale returns of conjecture out of such a trifling investment of fact.
C'mon, people, it's as plain as the nose on your face!
(no disrespect intended toward differently-olfactoried Americans) · Jan 10 at 12:33pm
Well, given that I'm responding to Williams' specific comments, you seem to be unfortunately jumping to an assumption that I'm fabricating these associations out of thin air. Suggest you listen very carefully to the associations that Williams' himself joins together using his own words. And look back on postings #13, #19, #22 and #23. I have been restricting my comments to what it is Williams actually said not some bizarre, misinterpretation of what he may or may not have said. If you choose to ignore Williams own words that seem to me as "plain as the nose on your face" that is your prerogative.
Jun '10
Re: Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
Mr. Dodge - Do not confuse my comments as somehow endorsing what it is that Williams is saying. In fact, it's fairly obvious that I'm taking issue with it. It's unfortunate that any commentator at this stage is characterizing Loughner as belonging in any ideological camp. Given his incoherent rants he appears to be all over the board.
Oct '10
Re: Juan Williams: We Can't Blame AZ Shooting on "Right-Wing Rhetoric"
What? for implementing SB 1070? The murder of Bob Krentz and lack of border security was what finally got that law passed.
Arizona is the kidnapping capital in the USA, and it ranks second to Mexico city, Mexico in the world's kidnapping capital.
Edited on January 11, 2011 at 2:04pm