The Juan Williams Flap   

  Posted:  Thu, Dec. 9 2010

I am really perplexed that even in context, AJR Editor Rem Rieder, in a column on ajr.org, finds fault with Juan Williams' statement on NPR [about feeling nervous when he encountered fellow airline passengers in "Muslim garb."] Williams admits to having feelings? While I don't get much of my news from any broadcast media, I find it refreshing to hear anybody admit to what he feels. In Mr. Williams' case, he seems to be apologizing for having such thoughts. When one considers his race, one can understand his distaste for harboring such thoughts, but considering all the circumstances, it is understandable that one could have such thoughts.

As for his termination from NPR, it was most certainly 1) Done improperly and 2) For reasons other than stated. Most certainly, they want to marginalize Fox News in order to lay claim to it being a conservative, thus, untrustworthy source of news.

The wrong person was fired. I don't care for Mr. Williams' views, but this was stupid, unprofessional and beyond the pale.

H. Michael Sarkisian Sacramento, California