WHOOPS: Muslim lawyer says NPR right to fire “conservative” Juan Williams

“Human rights lawyer” Arsalan Iftikhar has an opinion piece on CNN’s website today, arguing that NPR was right to terminate Juan Williams’ contract with the network because of his comments earlier this week on Fox News’ O’Reilly Factor.

You can read the rant here, but the knucklehead doesn’t even get out of the first paragraph sentence without sticking his foot in his virtual mouth.

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Imagine for a moment that there was a prominent American conservative journalist who ignorantly disparaged an entire minority group on national television, got fired for it by the nation's largest public radio media organization and then still managed to pull down a $2 million payday with the television network where he made the remarks.

Man, it must be nice to be Juan Williams.

A quick recap: Williams, a National Public Radio "news analyst," appeared on Fox News Channel's "The O'Reilly Factor" on Monday to talk about Bill O'Reilly's recent remarks about Muslims on ABC's "The View;" the latter' shows co-hosts, Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg, had walked off the television set in protest.

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Juan Williams is a prominent American conservative journalist?  Good Lord, what does that make Bill O’Reilly—Attila the Hun?  Aside from the fact that journalists should profess neither a liberal nor conservative bent and simply provide objective news coverage, you would think that such a prominent lawyer like Arsalan Iftikhar could at least properly identify which side of the political spectrum Williams lands on.  Could Mr. Iftikhar have jumped to the conclusion that since Williams is a frequent contributor to Fox News that he must be a conservative?

But what about Alan Colmes?  Geraldo Rivera?  Shepard Smith?  Bob Beckel? Each of these have either had their own shows on the network or are significant and frequent contributors, panel guests, etc.  Are they conservative too, Mr. Iftikhar?

Iftikhar also makes the same mistake that the brain trust at NPR did.  They completely miss the context of Williams statement regarding feelings of anxiety at seeing Muslim-garbed men on an airplane.  He was using that statement to argue that, regardless of how we might feel personally, we should not allow personal feelings or individual prejudices to lead us to trample on the constitutional rights of Muslims, or any other group, for that matter. It was not a bigoted statement.  At all.

Iftikhar says he also supported CNN’s dismissal of Rick Sanchez, and UPI’s forced retirement of Helen Thomas for their callous statements regarding Judaism.  Well, would he also support the dismissal of Cokie Roberts, who wrote the following about Glenn Beck:

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Actually, Beck is worse than a clown. He's more like a terrorist who believes he has discovered the One True Faith, and condemns everyone else as a heretic. And that makes him something else as well -- a traitor to the American values he professes so loudly to defend.

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What about NPR Legal Correspondent, Nina Totenberg, who wished for Jesse Helms—or his grandchildren—would get AIDS from a Blood Transfusion.  NPR should fire them as well, shouldn’t they, Mr. Iftikhar?

NPR exec issues memo to correspondents, provides “guidance” on responding to Williams firing

On Megyn Kelly’s show, America Live, Fox News is reporting that they have obtained a copy of a memorandum from National Public Radio CEO Vivian Schiller giving NPR employees and correspondence “guidance” on responding to media inquiries regarding the network’s controversial firing of long-time correspondent Juan Williams.

No further details were given during the 1:00 pm “News Alert,” other than the fact that the memorandum was issued from Schiller’s handheld wireless device. There’s no link yet on Fox’s website, nor are any other news outlets reporting.

Kelly says America Live will have additional coverage of the story later in the show.

Updates as they become available, but I’m laying 13 to 5 odds that the memo consisted of this sentence, or something similar:

“Dear colleagues, if asked to comment on NPR’s termination of Mr. Williams’ contract, please just STFU.  --Viv.”

Update: Here’s the email sent to NPR stations from Schiller:

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Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2010 12:05 PM Subject: Juan Williams

Dear AREPS,

Thank you for all of your varying feedback on the Juan Williams situation. Let me offer some further clarification about why we terminated his contract early.

First, a critical distinction has been lost in this debate. NPR News analysts have a distinctive role and set of responsibilities. This is a very different role than that of a commentator or columnist. News analysts may not take personal public positions on controversial issues; doing so undermines their credibility as analysts, and that’s what’s happened in this situation. As you all well know, we offer views of all kinds on your air every day, but those views are expressed by those we interview – not our reporters and analysts.

Second, this isn’t the first time we have had serious concerns about some of Juan’s public comments. Despite many conversations and warnings over the years, Juan has continued to violate this principal.

Third, these specific comments (and others made in the past), are inconsistent with NPR’s ethics code, which applies to all journalists (including contracted analysts):

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

More fundamentally, “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.”

Unfortunately, Juan’s comments on Fox violated our standards as well as our values and offended many in doing so.

We’re profoundly sorry that this happened during fundraising week. Juan’s comments were made Monday night and we did not feel it would be responsible to delay this action.

This was a tough decision and we appreciate your support.

Thanks,

Vivian

Vivian Schiller
President & CEO, NPR

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During fundraising week? 

I think you know what to do…

Other bloggers have noted some of NPR’s correspondents, analysts, personalities, whatever using outright slurs against conservatives.  All of those are still on the air, apparently.  I’m sure those bloggers will rehash the slights and I’ll link here as updates are available.

What strikes me in watching some of the coverage on the cable networks (Fox in particular) and in scanning blogs, facebook and twitter, NPR had no idea what kind of hornets nest they were sticking their shaft in.

Around the Blogosphere: The Right Reaction to Juan Williams’ firing

Hot Air: Rather than explore the topic, NPR decided to can him instead in order to maintain their “editorial standards and practices,” but more to the point, their editorial and ideological purity.  That’s exactly what Williams meant when he warned about political correctness, and unwittingly turned himself into an object lesson in it.

Strata-Sphere: Scott Brown will tell you two issues propelled him into office: Obamacare and this administrations blind eye to terrorism. Watch this story ripple in ways no one expects to happen.

Jawa Report: OK, I see. NPR's policy seems to be if you don't have your nose up Steve Inskeep's ass and agree with his obvious anti-war, America sucks narrative you're out. Truth be damned.

Hugh Hewitt: NPR's decision to fire Juan Williams is such an outrageous assault on the idea of the free expression of ideas, thoughts and, yes, fears, that it could well impact the election. Williams is a widely-respected liberal, a serious combatant in the battle of ideas, and the decision of the lefty NPR elite to silence him will anger millions of America who will see in the action the worst sort of political correctness…

Michelle Malkin:  As I’ve said many times before: Political correctness is the handmaiden of terror. Condolences to Juan Williams, whom I’ve debated –vigorously, but always with respect and cordiality — many times over the years.  Hope this accelerates his journey on the ideological learning curve. And I hope he doesn’t back down.

Erick Erickson, Red State: The man’s body of work makes clear he is no bigot. But we sure can’t offend muslims can we? This is disgusting. But then the official state run media cannot have anyone expressing anything that might reflect what actual Americans think regarding Islamofascists because there is officially no such thing according to the Obama Administration.

Melissa Clouthier, Liberty Pundits: What is wrong with liberals? Michelle goes on to document how they’re behind Juan’s firing. I find it inexplicable. But then, they’ve had it in for Juan because he deigns to commentate on Fox which just grinds their gears. He’s like a lib in a short skirt, he had it coming. P.S. Clearly, NPR is not a neutral organization. They need to be defunded. Now.

Dan Riehl: What Juan Williams did is very similar to why the Left hates Sarah Palin, other conservative women and conservative homosexuals. He played against the progressive stereotype of himself, revealing a balanced and too candid humanity within. For a moment, in essence, he became too real.

PATHETIC: NPR fires Juan Williams for rational comments about Muslims

How pathetic can the legacy media get?  Juan Williams is a thoughtful, highly educated and well connected liberal media pundit.  He makes absolutely no pretense of objectivity whatsoever.  He’s liberal, he supports Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress and he’s all for the progressive movement.

But don’t you dare take those credentials, appear on the most watched cable news program in the country, and agree with the host that islamic terrorists are a legitimate threat to the country.  And don’t you dare compound your transgressions by agreeing that because islamic terrorists are indeed Muslims, an airplane passenger dressed in Muslim garb might make Americans nervous:

Via Strata-Sphere:

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The move came after Mr. Williams, who is also a Fox News political analyst, appeared on the “The O’Reilly Factor” on Monday. On the show, the host, Bill O’Reilly, asked him to respond to the notion that the United States was facing a “Muslim dilemma.” Mr. O’Reilly said, “The cold truth is that in the world today jihad, aided and abetted by some Muslim nations, is the biggest threat on the planet.”

Mr. Williams said he concurred with Mr. O’Reilly.

He continued: “I mean, look, Bill, I’m not a bigot. 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.”

Mr. Williams also made reference to the Pakistani immigrant who pleaded guilty this month to trying to plant a car bomb in Times Square. “He said the war with Muslims, America’s war is just beginning, first drop of blood. I don’t think there’s any way to get away from these facts,” Mr. Williams said.

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Taking the threat seriously is not a crime, nor should it be a firing offense.  I have many, many philosophical and ideological differences with Mr. Williams.  But as Fox’s Shannon Bream tweets, he’s a decent man.

There have been no less than five attempts—some successful—undertaken by Muslim extremists in the last few years.  Williams did nothing more than acknowledging the threat.

If I were Roger Ailes, I’d find a one-hour slot somewhere on the weekend, either on Fox News or Fox Business, and put Williams on it.  Not only would it allow Williams the journalistic freedom he deserves to express his considered thoughts on this and other subjects, it would be another hammer blow on the stake that Fox is driving through the hearts of its competition.

UPDATE: Here’s the full segment.