Freedom Of Speech Gets Kicked In The Head

Hello again.  It's been a while.  But you KNEW I'd have to come back to talk about this NPR fiasco, didn't you?!

Please, please tell me you have been paying attention to the world around you and you are aware of the fact that NPR fired Juan Williams this week.  Just in case, here's a quick explanation:  Juan Williams, a liberal news analyst for NPR and also a contributor on Fox News, was abruptly let go from his decade-long employment with NPR this week allegedly because of comments he made on Bill O'Reilly's show regarding Muslims.  I say "allegedly" because NPR has tolerated much worse statements than Juan's from the likes of Cokie Roberts and Nina Totenburg and they still have jobs.  Oh, but they only insulted conservatives and Christians so it's all good.

I feel like I need to insert right here this disclaimer:  I do not like Juan Williams.  He is very far-left in his political ideology and when I watch him I usually wind up yelling at my TV.  I don't know that I have ever agreed with Juan on anything.  However, I grudgingly respect his willingness to come on Fox News and have a reasonable debate unlike so many on the far-left.  (Joy Behar and Whoopi Goldberg come to mind.)  Just sayin'.

Ok, back to the summary of the situation.  Juan and Bill were discussing the Behar/Goldberg walk-out on the set of The View when Bill said that "Muslim's killed us on 9/11" and that political correctness is running amok these days when Juan decided to use himself as an example.  I'm paraphrasing but he said something like, "I'm very involved in the civil rights movement so obviously I am no bigot.  But even I get a little nervous when I get on a plane and there's someone in full-on Muslim garb."  Ok.  Big deal.  He didn't say that people in Muslim garb shouldn't be allowed to fly.  He didn't say that all Muslims that wear the traditional garb are dangerous or evil.  He was simply honest about his personal feelings and about what I suspect many Americans have also thought on many occasions. 

Well, you would think that he had called for stripping all Muslims of their citizenship and shipping them all back to the Middle East.  NPR promptly fired him, BY PHONE.  Yep, wouldn't even let him come in and discuss it in person.  In a completely unrelated story, last week far-left progressive billionaire George Soros donated $1.8 million dollars to NPR.  Also, in a completely unrelated story, George Soros donated $1 million dollars to Media Matters to "fight against Fox News." But I digress. 

Is it just me or does "freedom of speech" not mean what it used to?  I thought it used to mean that the answer to speech you didn't like was MORE speech.  Apparently now it means if you don't agree with me and I'm in power you should sit down and shut up.  Like I said, I almost never agree with Juan but don't you think it's a good idea to have a dialogue?  Wouldn't you think the lefties would WANT Juan to reach out to the Fox audience in hopes of persuading them to some of his views?  Maybe that would be too reasonable.  I guess I'm just too darn reasonable...Juan, I'll stand with you and I champion your right to free speech.  You keep on talking and I'll keep on yelling at my TV! 

I wonder how Juan feels about so many conservatives standing up for his right to free speech?

I'll leave you with some words from George Washington:  "If freedom of speech is taken away then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.

Baa, baa, America.