National Public Radio has canned long-time commentator Juan Williams for remarks he made to Bill O’Reilly on Fox News Monday. O’Reilly, a provocateur of the right who only matters if you let him, has been blaming Muslims en masse for the 9/11 attacks. He asked Williams about what O’Reilly called a “Muslim dilemma,” and that “the cold truth is that in the world today jihad, aided and abetted by some Muslim nations, is the biggest threat on the planet.”
Williams said he agreed. “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.” He also said blaming Muslims for “extremists” makes as much sense as blaming Christians for Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh.
That’s the extent of Williams’ comments cited by NPR in its story saying his contract has been terminated. “His remarks on The O’Reilly Factor this past Monday were inconsistent with our editorial standards and practices, and undermined his credibility as a news analyst with NPR,” a statement issued late Wednesday by the broadcaster said.
And you thought 1984 was 26 years ago.
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