October 21st, 2010
05:17 PM ET
10 years ago
NPR analyst fired over Muslim comment
(CNN) - NPR's president and CEO defended Thursday the network's decision to terminate the contract of Juan Williams after the news analyst made remarks elsewhere that she said veered from analysis into opinion, adding that it was not the first time.
"Juan Williams is a news analyst; he is not a commentator and he is not a columnist," Vivian Schiller said at an Atlanta Press Club luncheon. "We have relied on him over the years to give us perspective on the news, not to talk about his opinions."
From CNN Politics
- White House tells refugee advocates Biden likely to raise cap quickly April 17, 2021 09:07 pm
- Marjorie Taylor Greene scraps planned launch of controversial 'America First' caucus amid blowback from GOP April 17, 2021 08:25 pm
- Marjorie Taylor Greene and other Trump allies ride small-dollar wave during 1st quarter -- as PAC donations fall April 17, 2021 07:40 pm
- The 2020 election still hovers over the Supreme Court with another pending Pennsylvania case April 17, 2021 04:02 pm
- Families of Americans held in Afghanistan and Russia worry about consequences of Biden's tough foreign policy moves April 17, 2021 02:19 pm
- White House backtracks on refugees decision after criticism and says Biden will announce increased cap by May 15 April 17, 2021 02:00 pm
I was wondering how long it was going to take NPR to find an excuse to get rid of Mr. Williams. Their loss, our gain
CNN's idea of "balanced" reporting is too transparent, and laughable. On one side you have the "cotton field" story, and now we have Juan Williams being fired over his "Muslim" comment.
Is Rush Limbaugh still on the air?
CNN fired Rick Sanchez so what NPR did is ok media personal should know what to speak what not to speak
How interesting. Juan Williams one of your most highly regarded and honest reporters speaks his mind and he is fired. NPR has lost my support. Not only will I no longer provide financial contributions but will also stop listening to your broadcasts.
OK, as a person-of-color WHY would you make a comment like that? Where is his level of sentativity? Sad, but he deserved to be fired because he is making jugdement on someone based on a STEROTYPE, not on anything close to reality. Grow-up and leave the JUDGMENT to GOD and court Judges.
I cannot believe this man was fired for stating a personal belief. He was not derrogatory in anyway, he just gave a personal feeling, not, even a disparaging statement at all. This country has gotten so "political correct" it is taking away all rights of citizens in America. Sounds like communism. God help him if he says anything against the government. Look out, America!!
Are we still a free country? What difference is there between say Cuba where the press is censored and can only report what the Government allows it report and what happened to Juan Williams?
Juan Williams is one of the few honorable liberals I have ever met. It is sad that NPR has decided to let Juan go. NPR is a socialist network that should not be subsidized by tax payer dollars.
Maybe Williams was only pandering to O'Reilly, but does Williams really think a Muslim is going to were their religious garb while carrying out an attack?
The comment makes Williams sound like an idiot.
First, I am a strong conservative and I disagree with many things Juan Williams believes in (i.e. last night he was trying to justify how Rent Control would be beneficial but anyone who as EVER taken an Economics course knows that is a terrible idea). However, we have gotten SO politically correct that we cannot make what is a rational and logical comment? So he gets nervous when he sees people in Muslim dress – doesn't that identify a normal reaction and simply identifying how we need to work as a country to remove that tendency? If people with "crewcuts" killed thousands of people wouldn't we all react a little when we saw people with "crewcuts"? If people dressed in "red jackets" killed thousands of people wouldn't we all react a little when we saw people with "red jackets"?
This "Politically Correct" nonsense is going to be the death of this country. Our number one goal is to protect this country because, quite frankly, if we don't protect this country there is no where else to go to be safe. We MUST NOT fall into the belief that we should not react when we see something that matches, at least in part, those that tried to KILL US!!
Juan Williams – I wish you well and god bless you and god bless America.
Williams is too good for the NPR. He is part of the fair and balanced of Fox.
Juan is liberal democrat without a doubt, but has always tried to be fair and at least civil in speaking his take on an issue. The firing is proof of just how far NPR has shifted to the progressive mindset. Nothing fair and balanced here. Federal funds should be withheld.
Yep, should have fired long ago from NPR. His partisan viewpoints have been loud & clear for some time now and that is NOT what NPR is all about. I had expected more honesty & fairness in the reporting from a person of color.
This is just like CNN getting rid of Dobbs and Beck. Let them take their brand of garbage elsewhere ... to foriegn-owned FOX.
Good for NPR. Would be nice if others followed suit ... but sadly, I doubt it will happen anytime soon. What's being promoted now on ALL the air waves, including I might add, mainstream media, is disgusting. This talk used to be treated as the hate speech it is. But, I digress. Karl Rove might well rue the day he decided to go all rogue and throwing the Koch gang at us. That alone shows the desperation of the GOPers to win at all cost. So many backroom deals, so many to appease after the election ...
Npr was right in firing juan williams for his paranoid comments. He was also fired from the washington post for sexual harrassment.