Palin and Huckabee are angry at NPR.

[Townsend]

You accused Palin and Huckabee of not having their finest moment before citing Schiller's bullcrap assertion that NPR does not receive federal funding allocation (which they demanded be cut off). I showed you two reports wherein NPR does in fact receive taxpayer money and you backpedal and attack "religious conservatives". What the heck does religion have to do with this?

You asked my point, I gave it to you.

You just keep trying to change the conversation to suit your needs.

What is your point with the reports?  They prove that Palin and Huckabee aren't angry at NPR?

[guido911]

You asked my point, I gave it to you.

You just keep trying to change the conversation to suit your needs.

What is your point with the reports?  They prove that Palin and Huckabee aren't angry at NPR?

I thought you were making fun of those two for wanting to defund NPR when, according to Schiller, NPR did not receive federal money. That would explain the "not the finest moment" statement and the subsequent quote from Schiller. Now, how have I changed the subject based on that understanding?

[guido911]

It is an excellent source of information.

With stories like this I can see how it is an excellent source to you and Townsend.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120344047

[Townsend]

With stories like this I can see how it is an excellent source to you and Townsend.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=120344047

That's opinion.  Everyone's got one. 

I listen for the news, music, and stories.

[Townsend]

I thought you were making fun of those two

Making fun?  How?  They can do serious damage to something I enjoy.

If they're concerned about funding they need to look into any religious organizations voicing a political opinion while enjoying tax free status.

[guido911]

That's opinion.  Everyone's got one.  

I listen for the news, music, and stories.

And therein lies the understated point of this story. Juan Williams gave his opinion on a matter, an opinion which is shared by untold numbers in a post 9/11 world, and he gets fired. It seems only certain opinions are acceptable to NPR.

[Townsend]

according to Schiller, NPR did not receive federal money.

From original article:

Schiller;

We do apply for competitive grants from the likes of the Ford Foundation and the Knight Foundation. As a result, some money from CPB does come to us when we win grants. Depending on the year, it represents just one to three percent of our total budget."

[Townsend]

And therein lies the understate point of this story. Juan Williams gave his opinion on a matter, an opinion which is shared by untold numbers in a post 9/11 world, and he gets fired. It seems only certain opinions are acceptable to NPR.

He was on FOX saying what their audience wanted to hear.

You think he'd've gotten the $2,000,000 job if he'd told O'Reilly he's a jackass?

Instead he said what O'Reilly wants said on his show and thus was released from NPR.

[we vs us]

So why do we need to defund them?  I still don't get it.  

Because they decided to fire a pundit based on a semi-offensive comment?  I mean, we know that Guido's going to jump on it because it's an article of faith amongst conservative idealogues that NPR is a fatally biased organization.  If you're not a conservative idealogue, it's pretty obvious that it's a news organization with the softest of leftward slants.  In other words, certainly not enough to compromise it's quality of reportage, which is mostly impeccable.  

So they make a less-than-optimum HR call (about whose less-than-optimumness I would agree; William's comments weren't that bad, at least at the level of our current national discourse about Muslims); is that why we should go into search-and-destroy mode?  

Also:  a pundit who lives by his opinion must also die by his opinion.  Luckily for Juan Williams, he had a $ 2 mil rebirth.

[guido911]

From original article:

Schiller;

Again, you accused me of being wrong about something in this thread. What was I wrong about? Oh, and you could easily have resolved this apparent misunderstanding instead of saying one report I linked to didn't say "jack".  

As for your quote, where was that in your initial post on this thread? Is it because it didn't fit your narrative?

[guido911]

He was on FOX saying what their audience wanted to hear.

You think he'd've gotten the $2,000,000 job if he'd told O'Reilly he's a jackass?

Instead he said what O'Reilly wants said on his show and thus was released from NPR.

Come on, T. Get off the "Fox News" sucks kick and look at what happened. Do you really believe Williams has a bigoted bone in his body? Also, did Williams deserve to have Schiller tell the world that he should share his opinions with his psychiatrist?

[Townsend]

As for your quote, where was that in your initial post on this thread? Is it because it didn't fit your narrative?

Are you serious?  It's right there.  In the original post.

[Ed W]

As Stephen Colbert noted, "Reality has a well-known liberal bias."  I think Williams was speaking his mind and merely speaking what many of us would think in that situation.  That's fine.  He's entitled to an opinion.

But...

He also presented a public image for NPR, and although I can't speak to the truth of this, I'd imagine there's a prohibition in his contract regarding conflict of interest and maintaining NPR's 'brand'.  Doing opinion pieces on Fox very likely violated his contract.

[Townsend]

Come on, T. Get off the "Fox News" sucks kick and look at what happened. Do you really believe Williams has a bigoted bone in his body? Also, did Williams deserve to have Schiller tell the world that he should share his opinions with his psychiatrist?

They do.  It's all entertainment meant to sell air.  I'm not a fan of all the coverage Lindsey Lohan gets either.  It's why I change channels.

When did I say he was a bigot?

Is that why they're mad at NPR?  Because of Schiller's memo?

[guido911]

So why do we need to defund them?  I still don't get it.  

Because they decided to fire a pundit based on a semi-offensive comment?  I mean, we know that Guido's going to jump on it because it's an article of faith amongst conservative idealogues that NPR is a fatally biased organization.  If you're not a conservative idealogue, it's pretty obvious that it's a news organization with the softest of leftward slants.  In other words, certainly not enough to compromise it's quality of reportage, which is mostly impeccable.  

So they make a less-than-optimum HR call (about whose less-than-optimumness I would agree; William's comments weren't that bad, at least at the level of our current national discourse about Muslims); is that why we should go into search-and-destroy mode?  

Also:  a pundit who lives by his opinion must also die by his opinion.  Luckily for Juan Williams, he had a $ 2 mil rebirth.

Fair point. I do not listen to much on the radio nowadays (I-Phone junky), so I am unaffected except to the extent that my tax dollars go there.