OCTOBER 22, 2010
I wonder who has screwed up since the last time we talked?
It was Juan Williams of NPR and Fox News Sunday, although he said these things Monday night to Bill O’Reilly. On Wednesday, he was fired from NPR because he said he felt nervous on plane with Muslims dressed in Muslim garb.
NPR said his credibility was shot with those statements. All Juan Williams said was the truth. Most Americans, like all people, have a self-preservation instinct. How can you not feel a little nervous when people dressed as Muslims get on your flight? He did not lose credibility for stating the truth. Apparently, at NPR, if you are truthful, you have no credibility. To be creditable at NPR, you must lie.
I would bet the people that decided to fire Juan Williams have the same reaction he has on a plane when someone in Muslim garb gets on board. It is not bigoted or discriminatory, it is human nature. If you do not learn from history, you are going to make the same mistakes previously made. NPR dropped the ball here. Aren’t they publically funded? Doesn’t Juan Williams enjoy the benefits of his rights under the First Amendment?
Let’s fire the fireres and keep Juan Williams. It is time to call a Muslim a Muslim.
Penthouse founder Bob Guccione died Wednesday of cancer at the age of 79. He had a good and exciting life, not one everybody understood or appreciated but good none the less. He died in Plano, Texas. He married four times and had five children. He made and lost several fortunes over the years, a trait Bob Guccione, Jr. has inherited. The senior Guccione was once estimated to be worth 40 billion dollars, but not at the time of his death.
Condoleezza Rice has written a book, ‘Extraordinary, Ordinary People: A Memoir of Family’ It is a good read. Her parents were both educators and much of the book is about that. She notes it is troubling she or anyone can tell the quality of your education by your Zip Code. That is sad but it is also true.
Celery is now bad for you. A San Antonio, Texas celery processing plant has been shut down by the authorities. It has been linked to six of ten reported illnesses since January. Four of the six have died. All of the particulars are not in and likely never will be released but at first glance it appears the regulators worked quickly on this case. I hope that is the case with four deaths.
Notable births on this date:
1811 Franz Liszt Raiding, Hungary, romantic composer/virtuoso pianist
1920 Timothy Leary Harvard prof, LSD taker – now that is a claim to fame
1942 Annette Funicello Utica NY, actress (Mickey Mouse Club)
1985 Zachary Walker Hanson Tulsa OK, drummer-Hanson, (MMMBop)
Notable deaths on this date:
1934 Charles "Pretty Boy" Floyd shot dead by FBI in Ohio
1979 Jesse Bishop murderer, dies in Nevada gas chamber
1979 Jesse Bishop murderer, dies in Nevada gas chamber
1986 Jane Dornnacker WNBC-AM NYC helicopter traffic reporter dies doing
a live traffic report as her copter crashes
a live traffic report as her copter crashes
Notable events on this date:
1746 Princeton University (NJ) received its charter
1836 Sam Houston inaugurated as 1st elected pres of Republic of Texas
1979 Deposed Shah of Iran arrives in NY for medical treatment
1979 Walt Disney World's 100-millionth guest NOT THE SHAH OF IRAN
1979 Walt Disney World's 100-millionth guest NOT THE SHAH OF IRAN
2136 -BC- Chinese make 1st record of a solar eclipse
4004 -BC- Universe created at 8:00 PM, according to the 1650
-BC- pronouncement of Anglican archbishop James Ussher
4004 -BC- Universe created at 8:00 PM, according to the 1650
-BC- pronouncement of Anglican archbishop James Ussher
BRUCE A. BRENNAN
We talked about Juan Williams in my Media Studies class today. And I knew about becuase I read your blog! - Hannah
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