Well, unless you go on FOX News and agree with Bill O'Reilly about the danger of radical Islamists in the US.
Juan Williams, political commentator on FOX and senior news analyst for NPR made no secret of his politically left leanings. As you know, liberals and progressives like to portray themselves as tolerant and open-minded. They also like to portray conservatives or anyone holding conservative views, as mean-spirited bigots. Those EVIL conservatives who love to repress free speech.
But while FOX respected Juan's contrary, sometimes controversial views, NPR fired Williams for admitting that when he gets on a plane, seeing passengers dressed in Muslim garb makes him nervous.
What started all this was when O'Reilly had been a guest on The View and caused a controversy by stating that, "Muslims killed us on 9-11." Duh--it certainly wasn't Martians. But Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg stalked off in such a way that I suspect they were just waiting for O'Reilly to say something remotely controversial so they could stomp off indignantly in protest. For his part, O'Reilly is milking the controversy for all it's worth on his nightly show The O'Reilly Factor.
Williams told O'Reilly, "You know the kind of books I've written about the civil rights movement in this country. But when I get on the plane, I got to tell you, if I see people who are in Muslim garb and I think, you know, they are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims, I get worried. I get nervous."
Williams also mentioned the attempted bombing in Times Square. Faisal Shahzad, Pakistani immigrant who became a naturalized citizen, recently pled guilty to the bombing attempt and was give a life sentence. At his sentencing, Shahzad told the court, "Brace yourselves, because the war with Muslims has just begun. Consider me the first droplet of the blood that will follow."
"I don't think there's any way to get away from these facts," Williams said.
In a prepared statement, NPR said Williams' remarks, "were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a [liberal] news analyst with NPR." (insert mine)
However, they'll be no shortage of journalists at NPR. The New York Times reported this week that Open Society Foundations, a George Soros funded organization, has given NPR a $1.8 million grant to hire at least 100 political reporters. (As long, of course, as they tow the liberal line.)
Come to the light, Mr. Williams. Your liberal friends only like you when you stick to repeating the party line. The minute you strayed, they didn't just throw you under the bus...they threw you to the BACK of the bus.
And it's WAY past time to pull NPR's public funding plug!
