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Post by omaha on Oct 21, 2010 10:20:34 GMT -5
Williams is guilty of nothing but thoughtcrime. The UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights says "Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion". Apparently that's everyone except NPR employees. The UN UDHR also states: "Everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers." Again, apparently everyone except for NPR employees. Sorry, I have trouble accepting that from someone who builds binders. When I get on a plane and see someone pull out a three-ringer, I point him out to the stewardess and ask if he's been checked for box cutters. Or worse, non-glare page protectors. One of the truly under-reported stories from 9/11 is that of the "20th Hijacker", also known as the "Binder jacker". Abdul Shazz-Abim Mohammad boarded Southwest Airlines flight #534 in Wichita, bound for Denver, at 7:23 am. At 7:45, when the flight was nearing full altitude and the beverage cart was blocking the aisle, Shazz-Abim Mohammad stood up, opened his 3" Locking D-ring binder and threatened to severely pinch the thumbs of the flight crew unless they immediately let him into the cockpit. The bewildered flight crew continued to serve coffee and stale danish while Shazz-Abim Mohammad grew increasingly frustrated. Eventually he saw his moment of opportunity when Flight Attendant Leslie Johnson walked past. Acting quickly, Shazz-Abim Mohammad grabbed his binder and gave Johnson a severe pinch on her backside. Johnson grabbed the binder, turned around and said "All right, mister. We've had enough out of you. Now you sit down and shut up or I'll give you a pinch you won't forget!" At that point, having lost his weapon binder, Shazz-Abim Mohammad realized his plot was foiled. The plane landed without further incident. True story. Just ask any binder guy.
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Post by millring on Oct 21, 2010 10:24:17 GMT -5
Yes, John, you're right, I'm wrong. NPR is a socialist machine and the only fair unbiased news organization is Fox. Mea culpa. I'm really trying to learn, but it's hard because I'm so deluded and brainwashed. Where in the HELL did you get the idea that that is ANYWHERE NEAR what I am saying?
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Post by Russell Letson on Oct 21, 2010 10:26:13 GMT -5
Williams confessed to having an irrational fear of "people who are in Muslim garb and . . . are identifying themselves first and foremost as Muslims" when he's on a plane. He didn't say, "I didn't feel this way before 9/11" or "We've all been encouraged to see anything Muslim-like as scary" or append "and I realize I'm being kinda crazy" or offer any other framing comment. And he said this on a program whose political and cultural slant he understands. (I'm not reading his mind here, just assuming he's not comatose.) He has been a journalist all his working life (right at the top of the food chain, too), been on analysis-and-comment shows for more than 20 years, and at Fox for 13. He knows exactly how the game is played, so I'm wondering whether this might have been a dramatic way of making a job transition.
This guy is too smart not to know that, for example, there is no single "Muslim garb," and that dressing according to one's own cultural norms does not carry inevitable political signals. Maybe he let his guard down, or maybe he was playing to O'Reilly's audience and thought he could get away with it.
As for his status at NPR, the network has described it as "independent contractor," not "employee," and anyone who has worked freelance understands that distinction.
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Post by Fingerplucked on Oct 21, 2010 10:26:46 GMT -5
Jeff, you had me at "Binder Jacker."
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Post by Chesapeake on Oct 21, 2010 10:28:03 GMT -5
Time out. Reporters report. Analyzers analyze. Non-biased analysis is an oxymoron. (Some would say, so is non-biased reporting, but that's another story.)
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Post by Doug on Oct 21, 2010 10:30:12 GMT -5
KKK?
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Post by j on Oct 21, 2010 10:32:54 GMT -5
(snark on)
Russell, you forget that for the majority of Americans all Muslims are terrorist (as well as culturally inferior). The color of the rag doesn't change the raghead.
(/snark off)
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Post by Russell Letson on Oct 21, 2010 10:37:39 GMT -5
"Inevitable," Doug. There is a semiotics of dress, but it's multidimensional. Sometimes it says, "I belong to a scary organization," and sometimes just "I look fabulous."
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Post by epaul on Oct 21, 2010 10:46:01 GMT -5
Russell beat me to the punch. I wouldn't say Juan "crafted" his comment, but his comment was made within the context of his current and future berry patch. He hasn't been doing much at NPR for the last couple years. I'm sure that FOX is a much bigger contributor to his billfold. A better gig with much more upside. Bill and the FOX crew are his new buddies.
In that light, what did he say? He said, "Hey, new work buddy, Bill, who I want to be on good employment terms with, you did nothing wrong, why, I'll let you in on something, sometimes I feel the same."
Again, not saying the comment was "crafted". Just saying he wasn't on his guard against a sneaky interviewer, he was in his new berry patch with his FOX cohort. And there are a lot of berries to be plucked in the FOX berry patch.
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Post by epaul on Oct 21, 2010 11:02:05 GMT -5
And in that light, all we are doing here is helping get the good buzz going for FOX News latest stable addition. His character is being written up as we speak. Cast out from the liberal establishment for saying what the liberal elite does not want to be said, here is Super Juan, with the real insight only FOX can offer.
It's a lot like pro wrestling.
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Post by epaul on Oct 21, 2010 11:03:26 GMT -5
Standard disclaimer: I'm just guessing. I've had all of five minutes to come up with this.
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Post by j on Oct 21, 2010 11:03:49 GMT -5
Only more poisonous.
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Post by omaha on Oct 21, 2010 11:14:44 GMT -5
I'm reminded of when that famous anti-black bigot, Jesse Jackson, said "There is nothing more painful to me at this stage in my life than to walk down the street and hear footsteps and start thinking about robbery. Then look around and see somebody white and feel relieved."
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Post by Supertramp78 on Oct 21, 2010 11:26:20 GMT -5
Jeff, I refer you to the brilliant bit Chris Rock did on the same topic. You have to be part of the clan to point out the problems within the clan.
Regardless of all that, what is Williams is right? I've spent some time in a country where there really is a daily threat of terrorist attacks and I promise you that racial profiling plays a part in security. If you really give a flip about security, you probably should pay more attention to someone who is dressed like the last guy who walked over and exploded. If it hurts that guy's feelings, tough. I don't wear A&M t-shirts in Austin.
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Post by Fingerplucked on Oct 21, 2010 11:26:56 GMT -5
Jeff: He said that? He should be fired too. Not for that - I just don't like him.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2010 12:16:29 GMT -5
Well, when Williams gets his own show on Fox, I hope he can find a job for Rick Sanchez. There's a really cool theme they could exploit: Spend the first half of the show disclaiming any "bigotry" on their own part, then cut to commercial. When the show resumes, they can then document the perceived dangers of a different ethnic or other group. I'm thinking they could call it "Williams and Sanchez- Experiencing Fear, So You Don't have to". I'd like it if they really did a thorough investigation into clowns. They always seemed kind of creepy to me. I'm sure one of these intrepid journalists could point out that John Gacy was a performing clown. Many americans would be anxious to learn that when they go to a circus, they are taking their life in their hands.
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Post by Chesapeake on Oct 21, 2010 12:29:43 GMT -5
And in that light, all we are doing here is helping get the good buzz going for FOX News latest stable addition. His character is being written up as we speak. Cast out from the liberal establishment for saying what the liberal elite does not want to be said, here is Super Juan, with the real insight only FOX can offer. It's a lot like pro wrestling. Uh-oh. Busted. It is all a part of a gigantic right-wing conspiracy. I did my part by posting this. (I registered Democrat when I turned 18 as a sleeper cell.)
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Post by epaul on Oct 21, 2010 12:52:40 GMT -5
Oh, I was thinking Jeff started this thread. Sorry.
(the above is just a little Soundhole humor. In truth, in my five minutes of thinking about this, I sure wasn't taking aim at any messenger. It just occurred to me that all the buzz about Juan and his firing will likely provide a ratings boost for his next FOX appearance. If I had cable, I would be tuning in myself.
I consider this to be an excellent forum topic. Perhaps not up to the standards of my "Go Giants" thread (note the clever alliteration), but a darn good thread nevertheless.
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Post by billhammond on Oct 21, 2010 13:04:40 GMT -5
I consider this to be an excellent forum topic. Perhaps not up to the standards of my "Go Giants" thread (note the clever alliteration), but a darn good thread nevertheless. It's only an alliteration if you mispronounce one of the words, like "Jo, Giants" or "Go, Gyants"
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Post by millring on Oct 21, 2010 13:08:51 GMT -5
I consider this to be an excellent forum topic. Perhaps not up to the standards of my "Go Giants" thread (note the clever alliteration), but a darn good thread nevertheless. It's only an alliteration if you mispronounce one of the words, like "Jo, Giants" or "Go, Gyants" He was referring to the repetition of the "T"s... "Perhaps no t up to the s tandards of my "Go Gian ts" thread"
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