toldailytopic: Has our society become too politically correct?

[tetelestai]

What must they do before they can fire someone, ask our permission? What about hiring?

They have never fired anyone for making liberal comments.

Nor have they ever fired anyone for attacking Christianity.

Since they are federally funded, why do they get to decide that it is ok to say negative things about Christianity but not ok to do so about Islam?

BTW, now that Williams is gone, there is not one black person on NPR

 

[Granite]

They get millions. Most of the federal money goes to the local radio stations in cities throughout the USA. However, NPR charges the small local stations a fee. This fee (which comes from the federal money to the local stations) is then passed on back to NPR.

So, the federal money "indirectly" goes to NPR

True, but the lion's share of their funding comes from sources other than tax dollars. Again, I'm not a huge fan of public radio, but it's incorrect to imply they are largely or exclusively "federally funded."

 

[serpentdove]

Has our society become too politically correct?

Yes (Jer 7:6).

"I don't like you because you're gonna get me killed." ~ Zeus Carver, Die Harder :Letsargu:

 

[WizardofOz]

They have never fired anyone for making liberal comments.

Have they ever fired someone for making "conservative comments"?

Nor have they ever fired anyone for attacking Christianity.

Since they are federally funded, why do they get to decide that it is ok to say negative things about Christianity but not ok to do so about Islam?

Can you cite an example of NPR attacking Christianity?

BTW, now that Williams is gone, there is not one black person on NPR

So, you believe in affirmative action?

I can only repeat: what must they do before they can fire someone? You didn't really answer that.

 

[bybee]

well

well

Have they ever fired someone for making "conservative comments"?



Can you cite an example of NPR attacking Christianity?



So, you believe in affirmative action?

I can only repeat: what must they do before they can fire someone? You didn't really answer that.

While, "On the clock" one must perform according to one's job description and one must obey company policies and procedures.
If there is a behavioral prohibition which extends into one's "Off duty" time there is room for interpretation as to how valid that is.
I do not believe in censuring or punishing someone for airing his/her feelings.
Gee whiz! Members of the Black Panther organization stood outside of polling places during voting with baseball bats in their hands. Anyone who took issue with that was called a racist and the government chose to do nothing about such behavior. :wazzup:

 

[WizardofOz]

While, "On the clock" one must perform according to one's job description and one must obey company policies and procedures.
If there is a behavioral prohibition which extends into one's "Off duty" time there is room for interpretation as to how valid that is.
I do not believe in censuring or punishing someone for airing his/her feelings.

If he violated company policy by making those comments (which NPR is claiming he did), then what's the problem if they terminate his contract? On the clock or off has nothing to do with it. The details of his contract do.

If they terminated his contract unjustly, then let him sue NPR for breach.

Think he will?

Gee whiz! Members of the Black Panther organization stood outside of polling places during voting with baseball bats in their hands. Anyone who took issue with that was called a racist and the government chose to do nothing about such behavior. :wazzup:

What? Got a source on that?

 

[tetelestai]

Can you cite an example of NPR attacking Christianity?

When discussing the Christian "rapture"; Andrei Codrescu of NPR said that believers in the "rapture" predict that more than 4 million people will depart in less than a fifth of a second. He went on to say that:

"The evaporation of 4 million who believe this crap would leave the world an instantly better place."

Now, what if another NPR commentator would have said somehting like: "the evaporation of 4 million Muslims who believe the 72 virgin crap would leave the world an instantly better place"

If said, the commentator would be fired within an hour after saying such a thing.

But not so when it comes to attacking Christians.

Face it, NPR is National Progressive Radio

 

[tetelestai]

So, you believe in affirmative action?

Nope, I just don't understand where Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are. You have a large company firing their only black commentator. If this was any other company, Al and Jesse would be all up in arms.

I can only repeat: what must they do before they can fire someone? You didn't really answer that.

They can't allow their other employees to attack Conservatives and Christians and do nothing, and then fire anyone who attacks Liberals or Muslims all while receiving federal tax dollars.

I'm all for FOX and MSNBC. Let both of them watch every move of the opposing politicians. If someone from MSNBC attacks Liberals, then I have no problem if they fire them. If someone from FOX attacks Christians or Conservatives then I have no problem if they fire them.

Again, the problem is my tax dollars going to support progressive liberal ideas. If NPR is going to take my tax dollars, then they don't get to have a bias like FOX and MSNBC

 

[WizardofOz]

Well.....do you believe in the rapture? Is a criticism of the rapture "attacking Christianity"?

I think the doctrine of the rapture is crap, but I certainly respect Christianity.

Not to mention....

"As soon as it aired, we realized it shouldn't have made it to air," says NPR spokesperson Kathy Scott. "We started working on an apology before we got any reaction."

and

the commentary was "not our most shining moment at National Public Radio," Matthusen said, it would be unfair of religious communities to judge the network on the basis of one mistake

But best of all.....

Matthusen said new controls are in place to prevent future difficulties. Managing Editor Bruce Drake told Current later that the network has always had active oversight processes, but staff now have increased "emphasis" on adhering to them. Drake checks the roster of commentaries daily and asks to hear any that might need his attention. Producers are expected to bring potentially hot commentaries to his notice. Drake didn't hear the Codrescu commentary prior to its airing. "In any organization, sometimes things slip through," he says.

I'd say that the Codrescu commentary may have lead to stricter policy, which may be directly related to Williams' contract being canceled.

:think:

They certainly didn't support Codrescu comments.

 

[tetelestai]

Well.....do you believe in the rapture? Is a criticism of the rapture "attacking Christianity"?

According to NPR, the commentators aren't allowed to give thier opinion. Codrescu obviously gave his opinion.

For the record, I am a Christian and do NOT believe in a "rapture". The word "rapture" is not in the Bible, and is a term used by dispensationalists only.

However, many Christians do believe in a "rapture". For Codrescu to say that if they no longer were on the planet would mean the world would be a better place is a lot more harsh than Juan Williams saying that he gets nervous boarding an airplane with Muslims.

They certainly didn't support Codrescu comments.

The certainly didn't fire him either.

 

[WizardofOz]

Nope, I just don't understand where Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson are. You have a large company firing their only black commentator. If this was any other company, Al and Jesse would be all up in arms.

Who cares? You give these two knuckleheads more consideration than they deserve.

What, do they represent black liberals? Nope, they represent themselves.

They can't allow their other employees to attack Conservatives and Christians and do nothing, and then fire anyone who attacks Liberals or Muslims all while receiving federal tax dollars.

This isn't what happened. They don't allow their other employees to attack Conservatives and Christians while doing nothing. And, they don't fire anyone who Liberals or Muslims. You're running with this and making blanket statements about an otherwise rather isolated case.

I'm all for FOX and MSNBC.

My sympathies go out to you.

Let both of them watch every move of the opposing politicians. If someone from MSNBC attacks Liberals, then I have no problem if they fire them. If someone from FOX attacks Christians or Conservatives then I have no problem if they fire them.

Again, the problem is my tax dollars going to support progressive liberal ideas. If NPR is going to take my tax dollars, then they don't get to have a bias like FOX and MSNBC

That's the whole point! They don't want their contributors making these types of comments period!

Our reporters, our hosts and our new analysts should not be injecting their own views about a controversial issue as part of their story. They should be reporting the story. - Vivian Schiller

They don't want them saying they get nervous around Muslims and they don't want them saying the rapture is crap.

It's so simple.

Not to mention, Williams has been ruffling feathers prior to this segment.

he rankled executives with outspoken remarks on Fox News, where he is a paid commentator, and in newspaper opinion pieces. In the spring of 2008, NPR shifted him from a staff correspondent position, making him instead a senior news analyst on contract. NPR has also asked Fox News not to identify him as an NPR analyst on screen, most recently after he described first lady Michelle Obama as being like the black militant Stokely Carmichael in a designer dress.

If he has been increasingly outspoken in a fashion that NPR is trying to distance themselves from his comments, why would they keep him as a representative of their company?

Sounds like it's been a long time coming.

 

[WizardofOz]

According to NPR, the commentators aren't allowed to give thier opinion. Codrescu obviously gave his opinion.

For the record, I am a Christian and do NOT believe in a "rapture". The word "rapture" is not in the Bible, and is a term used by dispensationalists only.

However, many Christians do believe in a "rapture". For Codrescu to say that if they no longer were on the planet would mean the world would be a better place is a lot more harsh than Juan Williams saying that he gets nervous boarding an airplane with Muslims.

But you think the doctrine of the rapture is crap as well. To slam someone whom you agree with on the issue is a completely partisan reaction.

The certainly didn't fire him either.

But they tightened policy. Again, I'd say that the Codrescu commentary may have lead to stricter policy, which may be directly related to Williams' contract being canceled.

For every action......

 

[The Horn]

Political correctness is not limited to left-wingers. Social conservatives and religious extremists in America have their own form of conservative political correctness. But no one ever seems to acknowledge this fact.
Both are equally wrong. The left has its form of this with the condemnation of any one who uses the wrong term for people,such as calling native Americans "Indians", calling African Americans Blacks,saying chairman instead of chairperson, stewardess instead of flight attendant, etc, objecting to football and baseball teams using Indian names, and all that nonsense.
As well as the tendency to generalize about all white people being racist, stereotyping men as oppressors of women and rapists, demonizing Christopher Colombus, the constant use of such loaded terms as "white privelege etc. Also, the disguising of anti-semitism in the form of "anti-zionism".
In short,if you're white and male,you're the devil ! This kind of political correctness fosters the pernicious belief in the collective guilt of those who happen to be white,male, and European or of European descent.
Mind you,not all liberals approve of this political correctness,including me.
But right-wing political correctness consists of such nice-sounding terms as "family values","traditional values", "personal responsibility",
"rule of law","original intent", "limited government", "smaller government", "school choice", "preserving religious freedom","standing up to the gay agenda", "preserving marriage", "decency", "pro-family","The culture of death vs the culture of life",
"the sanctity of life" and the "right to life", "fighting judicial activists", etc.
But in fact,these terms are nothing but smokescreens for intolerance, fostering theocracy, denying help for those in need in society, homophobia, blind opposition to abortion even in cases where a woman would die or her health would be ruined, allowing the government to pry into our bedrooms, making contraceptives illegal, thwarting vital scientific and medical research and experimentation, persecuting homosexuals, fostering ignorance and obscurantism, keeping many young people from ever getting a college or graduate education because of lack of financial aid, and ultimately persecuting non-christians or making them second class citizens.
If anything,this is far worse than left-wing political correctness.

 

[tetelestai]

That's the whole point! They don't want their contributors making these types of comments period!

NPR affiliate KCRW’s Sarah Spitz said the following about Rush Limbaugh:

"I never knew I had this much hate in me, but he deserves it.”

She wrote that if Limbaugh were having a heart attack, she would:

“laugh loudly like a maniac and watch his eyes bug out.”

The following is from NPR's website:

How to speak tea bag

How does NPR get to put this on its website and at the same time claim it doesn't offer opinions?

 

[tetelestai]

But you think the doctrine of the rapture is crap as well. To slam someone whom you agree with on the issue is a completely partisan reaction..

You keep missing the point.

I think Catholic's go off the deep end with their Mary worship, but my tax dollars shouldn't go to a public radio station that makes fun of them for doing it, and fire someone who disagrees with Islam.

If NPR didn't get a dime of my tax dollars, me or no one else would care one bit what NPR does.

The funny thing is that if the federal funding were cut off, NPR would be out of business in a heartbeat. Remember Air America?

 

[WizardofOz]

NPR affiliate KCRW’s Sarah Spitz said the following about Rush Limbaugh:

"I never knew I had this much hate in me, but he deserves it.”

She wrote that if Limbaugh were having a heart attack, she would:

“laugh loudly like a maniac and watch his eyes bug out.”

Well, what's the background on this? She's on an NPR affiliate for one thing. NPR doesn't have the power to fire her, only KCRW does. Second, she sent this in what was intended to be a private email. She apologized for her words as well.

I made poorly considered remarks about Rush Limbaugh to what I believed was a private email discussion group from my personal email account. As a publicist, I realize more than anyone that is no excuse for irresponsible behavior. I apologize to anyone I may have offended and I regret these comments greatly; they do not reflect the values by which I conduct my life.

The following is from NPR's website:

How does NPR get to put this on its website and at the same time claim it doesn't offer opinions?

If you really wanted to know the answer to that question you could have done some independent research.

The animation was done by Mark Fiore. Yes it was on NPR's website. However,

there are problems with the Tea Bag animation. Chief among them is it doesn't fit with NPR values, one of which is a belief in civility and civil discourse. Fiore is talented, but this cartoon is just a mean-spirited attack on people who think differently than he does and doesn't broaden the debate. It engages in the same kind of name-calling the cartoon supposedly mocks. And why is NPR running a cartoon from just one perspective? "Where is the opinion piece making fun of President Obama?" asked Susan Begat, from Sarasota, FL. "NPR won't run it. That video shows the deck is stacked against the Tea Party." Not quite. On Dec. 31, Fiore took after Obama on npr.org. And NPR has covered the Tea Party movement as an important political story. Last fall, for example, All Things Considered host Robert Siegel spent 5 days with Tea Party activists in Dallas and portrayed them in a thoughtful, 12 1/2-minute story on Dec. 9. ATC also has an on-going series profiling up and coming Republican leaders.

They've run similar animations poking fun at Obama. I think you're making mountains out of molehills, especially seeing as how they have disavowed the cartoon since featuring it.

At least NPR is willing to admit they make mistakes.

One more thing:

NPR does not receive direct funding from the federal government. Less than 2 percent of its annual budget comes from competitive grants from federally funded institutions. The rest of NPR's budget comes from corporate sponsorship, foundation grants, investments and dues and programming fees paid by 901 independent public radio stations.

So much for that. They win competitive grants. There is no direct funding.

You're wrong on that.

 

[WizardofOz]

You keep missing the point.

I think Catholic's go off the deep end with their Mary worship, but my tax dollars shouldn't go to a public radio station that makes fun of them for doing it, and fire someone who disagrees with Islam.

If NPR didn't get a dime of my tax dollars, me or no one else would care one bit what NPR does.

The funny thing is that if the federal funding were cut off, NPR would be out of business in a heartbeat. Remember Air America?

I've debunked this in my previous post.

NPR does not receive direct funding from the federal government. Less than 2 percent of its annual budget comes from competitive grants from federally funded institutions. The rest of NPR's budget comes from corporate sponsorship, foundation grants, investments and dues and programming fees paid by 901 independent public radio stations.

I guess you can stop caring now. Unless you oppose competitive grants being available.

 

[bybee]

Well

Well

If he violated company policy by making those comments (which NPR is claiming he did), then what's the problem if they terminate his contract? On the clock or off has nothing to do with it. The details of his contract do.

If they terminated his contract unjustly, then let him sue NPR for breach.

Think he will?



What? Got a source on that?

The polling place incident was on the news. It was several months ago. I'll try to pinpoint the date.
I think there are entirely too many lawsuits! I'd agree, if a contract is breached, action is likely to occur.
We make mountains out of molehills.

 

[Granite]

You keep missing the point.

I think Catholic's go off the deep end with their Mary worship, but my tax dollars shouldn't go to a public radio station that makes fun of them for doing it, and fire someone who disagrees with Islam.

If NPR didn't get a dime of my tax dollars, me or no one else would care one bit what NPR does.

The funny thing is that if the federal funding were cut off, NPR would be out of business in a heartbeat. Remember Air America?

Dead wrong. They get their money from various charities, institutions, trusts, grants, and from listeners. You have an axe to grind for no reason whatsoever.

 

[Alate_One]

Here's a thoughtful article from NPR's Ombudsman analyzing and explaining the firing.