Man, Muslums are scary.

Agreed, I’m amazed at how bold the bigots have gotten, there so far there isn’t much of a price to pay. Sure Williams can get fired from NPR, but signed a $2 million contract with Fox by the end of the day. Not much of a consequence.

You can’t bash Jews, it’s getting harder to bash blacks, Latinos and Muslims are still fair game to bigots I guess.

A simple google search of NPR shows all kinds of anti-Jew(pro-Israel ones)/christian/catholic comments being made by liberal bigots without anyone being fired.

Williams should have a field day in court suing NPR for discrimination.

He'll get big bucks now. I'm sure NPR will want to settle out of court. "You can't bash Jews"? Someone should tell that old fool, Jimmie Carter-he hasn't gotten the message yet.

He broke his contract, he won't be able to sue.

I guess the mental health community is still fair game to bash on NPR without losing your job.

NPR CEO Apologizes For 'Psychiatrist' Remark

Update at 3:30 p.m. ET. NPR CEO Vivian Schiller just released this statement:

"I spoke hastily and I apologize to Juan and others for my thoughtless remark."

That follows, as you'll see below, her comment earlier today that now-former NPR news analyst Juan Williams should have kept his feelings about Muslims between himself and "his psychiatrist or his publicist."

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2010/10/21/130728202/npr-ceo-williams-views-of-muslims-should-stay-between-himself-and-his-psychiatrist&sc=tw&cc=share

No, he didn't break his contract-and he's got a nice payday coming.

I blame Rupert Murdoch's war against objective journalism. It has divided this country along religious, policy, and racial lines like nothing since the Civil Rights era.

The tactics Murdoch has been using to garnish support for a conservative agenda are things conservatives of prior generations would have never done, out of common decency. They create this false impression that if you're not with them you support a progressive/liberal mindset. It's straight up schoolyard bully tactics. And they have duped so many people into believing what their talking heads say because of it.

This country is moving backwards fast in this aspect. The thought process of the typical GOP rank and file doesn't even mesh with the conservatives at the top who uses rational arguments for their opinions. The sad part is that so many of them don't even believe in equal treatment of people based on race and religion, they just keep quiet about it because they know it is not PC to discuss it. The "good old days" to them evokes Protestant Christian white suburbs 1960s America.

Ramblingman, once again you are just spouting off. Suing for discrimination? Are you serious? It's called employment at will, and is a fundamental belief of capitalistic systems. NPR can fire him for any reason unless its for a reason that puts him into a protected class (like religion/gender/race). Last time all non-extremists checked, being a racist does not make you a member of a protected class. Racists don't deserve jobs in modern America, give those jobs to people who actually believe in what our Constitution means, that all people are equal in the eyes of the law.

Williams had already been warned...

http://www.npr.org/about/aboutnpr/ethics/ethics_code.html

10. In appearing on TV or other media including electronic Web-based forums, NPR journalists should not express views they would not air in their role as an NPR journalist. They should not participate in shows electronic forums, or blogs that encourage punditry and speculation rather than fact-based analysis.

Sensor - That argument went out the window along time ago.

They can't chose to fire a black conservative and keep a white liberal who does the same thing. Williams should have an easy time proving discrimination based on what is tolerated on NPR on a daily basis.

You can't pick and chose how you enforce your employee handbook.

You mean keep several White liberals, don't you? NPR is a blatantly racist organization, and it's up to NPR to prove otherwise.

Well, I see that there are a lot of strong opinions regarding Juan Williams firing but my larger question is being ignored.

When did rational and responsible attitudes towards Muslim Americans promoted by the Bush administration and Congressional Republicans in the years following September 11th get replaced with ignorant xenophobia and why is this acceptable in a country where we supposedly value freedom and equality.

Of all that I read about this so far the thing that hits me the most is nobody knows if he is liberal or conservative. It all depends on who you are talking to and what point they want to make. Interesting.

"They can't chose to fire a black conservative and keep a white liberal who does the same thing."

I hate to burst your bubble,but Juan Williams is not a conservative.He has been a lefty as long as I can remember.

"I blame Rupert Murdoch's war against objective journalism. It has divided this country along religious, policy, and racial lines like nothing since the Civil Rights era."

Isn't George Soros doing the same thing for the left leaning media?I heard that he just gave NPR a gift of 1.8 Million.Do you think that their reporting and who they employ will be influenced by him?He is now the puppet master of NPR.Why doesn't that bother you or is it okay as long as NPR spews its left leaning propaganda against the right?

Wow, way to stay on topic. Should I start a new thread?

As "a lefty" we make no claim to Williams.

Hank - as for why are people suddenly people so scared of Muslims? It sells votes and drives ratings. A large group of people out there are driven by their emotions, and fear is a powerful emotion. When the Republicans controlled the Presidency, both legislators, there was no need for the overt fear.

All they had to do was say “911” and it drove their base to the polls and got them to forget everything else. Fast forward to 2006 and Democrats take the legislators, suddenly illegal immigration is an issue and the Minuteman Militia is formed and illegal immigrants are all they talk about.

Currently, the Republicans don’t control anything so all they have is fear and more fear.

And votes and votes, followed by more votes, don't forget to add that.

"Be scared of these people. They all want to kill you."

Maybe I missed something when Juan Williams spoke.I did not hear him say that these people want to kill all of us.All he stated was that he felt uncomfortable if he were on a plane and there were muslims on board that were dressed in their traditional garments.How many of you out there have had that same feeling since the skyjacking incidents started years ago?With some of the comments I have read on here,I get the impression that Jaun Williams is being denied his freedom of speech.I guess he is not allowed to say how he feels unless it fits the agenda of the left.Even the lefties on the view think his firing was wrong.

"As "a lefty" we make no claim to Williams."

It is not like you have a choice.Juan Williams is what he wants to be.If he chooses to be a liberal there is nothing you can do to change that other than to throw him under the bus when he has not walked in lock step with NPR.I always thought the libs were all about free speech.After this episode it looks like I was wrong.

Buckeye that comment was in reference to the general message coming from the right. This again was not intended as a Juan Williams thread. You people are hopeless.

Correct Wulf, Nixon's southern strategy of locking up white votes is alive and well. It’s all conservatives have left, they no ideas for governing but they win votes by screaming –
Gays will destroy your marriage

Black Panther are going to keep you from voting

Illegal immigrants are going to steal your job

Muslims are going to kill you

"Obamacare" has death panels

Like I said, conservatives are driven by emotion and fear is a powerful emotion.

Buckeye, Buckeye, Buckeye... Don't you listen or know what the 1st Amendment really says? I'm having O'Donnell flashbacks over here.

It says CONGRESS shall not... not private non-profits. They can employ whoever they want, and fire those they employ for any reason consistent with that employee's civil rights.

Freedom of speech in the workplace? Haha... what a laughable concept. Go tell your boss you think you could do his job a lot better, see what he thinks of your free speech.

Yes, he was fired for stepping out of line with NPR's "agenda". So what? They have a business to run and they can run it as they choose.

There are plenty of areas where liberals would like greater speech restrictions, namely commercial speech (advertising) and hate speech (swastikas, intimidation based on race).

NPR is not the voice of liberal America. They are way too centrist to adequately represent a true liberal agenda. But it is as close as we get to objective reporting these days. Remember that any for-profit news organization is by nature, non-objective.

"There are plenty of areas where liberals would like greater speech restrictions, namely...intimidation based on race."

Are you sure? Obama and his justice department conveniently dismissed the black panther voter intimidation case in Philly. As long as it doesn't happen to a liberal, liberals do not care about your civil rights.

The Tea Party types of people on ToledoTalk are amusing in their inconsistencies.

If Juan Williams didn't want to agree to NPR's terms and code of ethics, he shouldn't have signed his contract. He broke the rules and the punishment was fitting.

The stupidity of his comment has nothing to do with it.

Ramblingman, you should zip it. If you don't even know if someone is a liberal or a conservative how is anybody supposed to take your babble seriously?

If you are really going to make this thread all about whether or not it was right for NPR to fire Juan, first think about this.

It Doesn't Matter. He Wanted to be Fired.

Fox News wanted more Juan and to stick it to NPR as part of their us vs. them narrative but he's under contract with the low, low paying NPR. So Juan goes on O'Reily in the middle of NPR's fall pledge drive and makes some incendiary comments unfit for dry uptight NPR host. NPR, wishing to avoid embarrassment in the middle of their pledge week, cuts him loose and he immediately announces a 2 million dollar deal at FOX News. Do you really think they negotiated a 2 million dollar contract in one afternoon?

This is rather scary:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-20019996-504083.html

It's not any more scary than anything in the Christian bible. Fortunately, though, the US has enough clear-minded folks to reject that fairytale.

This would never make anyone scared of Muslims...

http://www.freep.com/article/20101023/NEWS05/101023038/1319/Al-Qaida-video-urges-attacks-by-local-Muslims

dhr when the Lutheran Church plots out bombing runs you can continue your dibble hatefest.

First, I'd suggest reading some newspapers. Second, I'd suggest some history books.

Aren't you the one spewing bigoted nonsense? I despise all religions equally!

NPR! gee I missed it.

Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar! Allahu Akbar!" - (The last words from the cockpit of Flight 93)...

Islam - 16,270 deadly incidents of violence that have determined to have been committed "out of religious duty" since 9/11/01. It is 100% unfathomable that Christianity would not be scrutinized for 1/100th of that amount.

To be clear - There have been 8 deaths associated with the Anti Abortion zealots in the United States since Roe vs Wade. 8! Nidal Malik Hasan, a Muslim killed 13 people in the name of Islam at Ft Hood in ten minutes.

I do not go to CNN to tell me who I should trust, who I should fear and how I should feel.

Shh Danne thinking for yourself is not allowed. Making judgments based on facts, no matter how pretty it may not be is not allowed. Sacrificing all your believes and standards upon the alter of political correctness is all that the left allows. Most of them are to weak to stand for anything so they expect the rest of us to stand for nothing. Peace through submission is Obama message.

When the so called moderate muslims stand up as a group (not one or two industrials) and call for a global withdraw from the jihad and stop the call for the destruction and forced genocide of the Jewish people, then maybe we can let our guard down.

The Liberal mindset is liken to the people who put a no guns sign on their door in hopes others will follow their example but then are a aghast that they are robbed at gunpoint in the middle of the night. Peace only works when ALL parties wish for it.

Well put Danneskjold.I couldn't agree more.That being said,you might want to be careful of being honest and stating your feelings.You just might be branded a fear monger or worse yet a racist by the lefties on this site.

In typing my note above I initially wrote "I am not a racist but..."

Before posting I erased that sentence. I realize more and more that just by uttering the words 'I am not a racist" I have sanctioned the methods used by entities to further their cause. By immediately defending myself I "consent" to the necessity.

This is how insane the group hysteria about race has become - we are being programed to look away from facts. We are being punished for speaking truths.

First, I'd suggest reading some newspapers. Second, I'd suggest some history books.

Please heed your own advice.

That "fairy tale", as you so inelegantly put it, was at the core of most of the Founding Father's philosophy. Read the Declaration of Independence (Jefferson) and/or the Federalist Papers (Madison, Hamilton, Jay)--the most compelling combination of philosophy regarding the rights and responsibilities of man ever put to paper. And thoroughly steeped in both secular philosophy (Hobbes, Locke, etc.) and Christian philosophical morality.

Wait-wait...I can hear you already: "But Thomas Jefferson owned slaves! Hmmph, some morality!'". That is true. He also did not advocate women getting involved in political affairs.

But on a higher plane, perhaps his redemption is in the everlasting words he wrote that "all men are created equal"--a phrase that despite it not being in an official government document (it ain't in the Constitution, it's in the Declaration of Independence which was essentially a letter to the King of England) has come to codify the core beliefs of all Americans. It rallied abolitionists prior to the Civil War and motivated the President (Lincoln) during the Civil War. Those words served to fight the injustice of Jim Crow laws through the 40's, 50's, and '60s, and still resonate today. Although Jefferson did not live by this ideal during his lifetime, his words profoundly shape us now...and the rights he spoke of he claimed were "endowed by [our] Creator".

Jefferson was not a "lockstep" Church member in the slightest--he suggested to question the existence of God many times. He was highly interested in biblical philosophy, theology, and morality...and those pursuits show in his writing and legacy. Are you willing to give up the ideal because the origins of the ideal were not conceived "perfectly" and were conceived by referring to Christian ideals?

His "clear-thinking" did not denigrate the beliefs of others as you have, nor did he "hate" religion as you profess to do. He gleaned the best of the religious world--the philosophies and morality--and incorporated those with the best secular philosophers of his day to produce work of stunning righteousness and clarity that affects all individuals who read it to this day. Hamilton, Jay, and Madison did similar work in the Federalist Papers that shaped our Constitution.

"Hating" religion is just not smart, nor will it give you insight for the future (you know, since 90+% of people in this country consider themselves religious).

Another example of free speech in action in the work place.

Union fires Dad for wearing a sweater with a photo and name of the Navy battleship his son is on.

http://blogs.ktla.com/news_custom_eric/2010/10/man-fired-for-wearing-bush-sweatshirt-at-obama-rally.html

Did you read the entire article? Doesn't sound like he is fired to me. But I bet he figures he can make more money suing then by taking his job back.

Rambly; do you think he is a conservative or liberal? :()

Yes, I can read.

"He refused. They told him he was fired from the job."

oldhometown -

What's your point, aside from stating that 90+% of the country are simple-minded?

The rest of your "elegant" post was pretty irrelevant to the thread, my comments, and anything happening in 2010.

Historically speaking, if I were a Muslim, I'd hate Christians, too. For that matter, if I were from the Middle East, I'd probably hate the US.

But as I've said before, Christians affect my daily life in a negative way much more than any Muslims do. Toledo isn't free of Muslims. Are you afraid of being here?

The point is you are not very bright in connecting that this country is founded on religious and secular philosophy in a way you cannot comprehend.

You call other people bigoted when your all-religion intolerance (_I despise all religions equally!_) is on full display? Am I afraid to be here? Um, no--I'm tolerant of all religions who practice their faith non-violently.

Aren't you afraid of being here, considering all the dangerous religious people?

Maybe re-read what I wrote and try to formulate something approaching intelligence when responding.

dhr your bullshit about religion is just that, bullshit. The "I hate all religions" when you do nothing but bash Christianity. I did a priest somewhere diddle your pie hole? You just hate anything that resembles "white people" you just hide it well.

The holy God of Science is NEVER wrong.

"Christians affect my daily life in a negative way much more than any Muslims do", so when a shopping mall blows up or a car bomb goes off at 1 govt. center explodes and people you love die, line up and tell me if Lutherans or Muslims where behind it?

Grow a sac and stop being so thinned skinned. Please tell me what these EVIL Christians do to you on a daily basis that shatters your fragile ego.

The problem about categorizing by race/religion/nationality is that you are flat out making assumptions about everyone of that category. What one really needs to do is narrow the focus down to avoid making statements you don't mean, like Muslim terrorist, militant Christian fundamentalist, racist redneck.

Races/religions/nationalities cannot by definition commit acts of terror or the like unless their is a formal structure that asserts that authority for the group (the pope for example, on behalf of Catholics).

It reminds me of some very relevant quotes from rational thinkers in the entertainment industry.

"Jesse Jackson is not the Emperor of Black People!" - South Park
"Nationalism teaches you to hate people you've never met." - Doug Stanhope

To line up one type of group against another has historically at best led to separate but equal and at worst led to genocide.

I am not an American, I am an individual who lives in America. The fact that I was born here does not make me in any way any different from someone born on the other side of the planet. How big does your ego have to be to think your way of doing things based on your own life is the best way out there to do it? To classify by group is ignorant and denies you or someone else their own individuality, and puts you on the side of countless unnecessary deaths in the history of mankind.

I am so proud to say to say that the views expressed by Danneskjold and DBW don't have anything to do with how I look at or live my life, even though I live in the same city and country as them, might be the same race/nationality as them, or whatever common ground we share. I can speak for myself, and am aware that I cannot speak for others.

Great, oldhometown, your point was that this country was founded on a fairytale. Time to correct it. Anyone posting what you just did wouldn't recognize an intelligent comment, unfortunately.

If dbw666 is a Christian, I now hate Christians even more for one of them typing such inane comments on a public forum. Cry about that one.

Great, oldhometown, your point was that this country was founded on a fairytale. Time to correct it.

You're going to correct how the country was founded? Good luck with that, Don Quixote...

Anyone posting what you just did wouldn't recognize an intelligent comment, unfortunately.

Anyone posting what you just did wouldn't recognize repulsive bigotry if it was shown to you by a special education instructor with a picture book designed for a 3 year old.

I misspoke. Time to correct the problems the founders created. Abortions, stem cell research, and gay sex for all!

Do all comments fly right over your head or just the ones that you think you can twist into something resembling a point?

Are you religious? If so, that may explain your lapse here!

I should also take this moment to clarify that my hatred of religion extends to all of my religious family members, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Seriously.

I should also take this moment to clarify that my hatred of religion extends to all of my religious family members, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances. Seriously.

You must be a lot of fun at the non-religious, winter-themed, solstace celebrating, gift-exchange gatherings every December.

No lapses here. Hate on, my friend.

Will be interesting to see what the SCOTUS rules on the current Westboro Baptist Church case that is before it and how that will effect certain people on here who display hatred for religion and its followers.

Will religious and anti-religious bigots continue to be protected under the First Amendment or will their speech be classified as hate speech?

Ramblingman,

I am guessing the Court will side with Westboro.

The actual issue is whether the protest by Westboro caused emotional distress to the parents of one of the soldiers. Whether what they were doing is "hate speech" is not a concern. Hate speech laws were pretty much gutted by the RAV v. St. Paul case in 1992.

In this case it is a civil matter; the 1st Amendment concerns come in when a court awards a judgment for the emotional distress. Judgments like it can restrict speech because people won't take the risk of protesting if they can be sued.

Apparently, the designated protesting area was about a thousand feet from the funeral and consisted of 7 or 8 people.

Second prediction: If the court sides with the parents, they are going to recommend reduction of the damages severely. The first court awarded them $5 million.

Come Thursday, the bigots will still have protected speech, either way.

Still waiting for dhr to tell me how those evil Christians destroy or threaten his quality of life.

See the so called "smart people" like you scream about tolerance but the first time they hear something they don't like it's "oh you stupid people" & "I can't believe you fall for that". I'm sure you wish all religion would just "go away" so you could stop hearing stuff that hurts your feelings. Hitler & Mao sa Tung both hated religion and used force and violence to clean the land of it. Do you authorize rounding up people who worship so you can feel better too?

I can find several post of you supporting the Ground Zero Mosque, but if you hated all religions wouldn't you damn their opening?

Lots of tolerance dhr, everyone can see through your screen of BS.

You should go back and read my comments about the mosque.

I don't tolerate people who openly and blatantly stifle forward progress. Muslims in the US have not changed a single thing about my life. Christians, however, prevent me from forcing all women in my life into having regular abortions, doing some basement stem cell research in my spare time, and attending a gay wedding every weekend. Not to mention, the traffic from that mega church down the street on Sundays is maddening!

I don't "authorize" anything like that, but I certainly write my representatives encouraging that very thing weekly!

Is this a forum where we have a lot of Christians who feel persecuted?

I just did a search for my comments on the mosque.

I'd like dbw666 to back up his post now.

Has dbw666 decided he couldn't back up his post, or what?

Yep DHR lots of your babble but still can't tell me how those EVIL Christians destroy your life. Poor whittle DHR's feeling get hurt when people say something he doesn't like. You use "Christians" as your target for all that is wrong in the world, last time I checked Jesus doesn't abide in the Senate or White House. For almost the last 7 years Washington has been controlled by Democrats, who for the majority are not Christan, so who is your next scary bad guy DHR?

It's takes guts to live a free society where often times you have to tolerate things that rub you the wrong way. The difference between you and I is that I don't turn myself into a victim and blame people who choose to worship or choose not to. I don't tout my "intellect" or "perceived moral excellence" when you post winners such as "most Americans are imbeciles", does it make you feel better to insult 90% of the world?

You post this line of hyperbole "Life is hard but I'm not going to make any excuses to make myself feel any better" & then post an excuse on why you are a victim "I am much more negatively affected by Christians on a daily basis than any other religion". See I don't pin my fears on ethnic/social groups, I call a spade a spade and a bullshitter a DHR. Talking out of both sides of you mouth is something they must teach at Pelosi U right? Let me guess you where for the war before you where against it?

I don't have a problem with you "hating religion" but I find all the people who claim to preach tolerance or equal hate seem to be pure BS! Just say you hate Christianity (you have that right) but just don't hide behind you wall of BS about hating all equally because you do not.

You have some serious reading comprehension problems and take some quantum leaps in argument.

Of course, you're a Christian, so you're stupid. All is easily explained.