Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => Politics => Topic started by: vaskidmark on October 21, 2010, 08:05:22 AM
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http://bigjournalism.com/wthuston/2010/10/18/george-soros-millions-buying-political-reporters-for-npr/
One might look at this plan and imagine that it isn’t such a bad idea. If states have lost reporters ready to hold local politicians accountable why is it so bad for $1.8 million to be spent to fill that gap? But in the NYT piece one can see why this donation should raise eyebrows instead of making folks feel at ease that the plan is merely helping fill a reporting gap.
Ms. Schiller said the journalists would not be part of typical statehouse coverage, but instead would work on enterprise journalism that looks at how state government decisions play out over years, and extend beyond a single state’s borders.
What exactly does “enterprise journalism” mean? This sure smacks of agenda journalism as opposed to mere reporting, doesn’t it? And even if that isn’t the intent, the rhetoric here is suspicious.
Nothing to see here, citizen. Keep moving along.
stay safe.
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In other news NPR fires Juan Williams for saying that when he gets on an airplane and sees people in Muslim garb onboard, it makes him 'worried' and 'nervous.'
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-juan-williams-20101021,0,2593969.story
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In other news NPR fires Juan Williams for saying that when he gets on an airplane and sees people in Muslim garb onboard, it makes him 'worried' and 'nervous.'
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-juan-williams-20101021,0,2593969.story
Stupidity is now a fireable offense on NPR? I guess they should proceed to fire their entire staff.
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What is stupid about it? If someone gets bitten by a dog, it's only natural to be wary of dogs.
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What is stupid about it? If someone gets bitten by a dog, it's only natural to be wary of dogs.
None of the September 11 attacks were carried out by people 'in Muslim garb'. Even if we forget the majority of the world's Muslims have nothing to do with terorrism - and in fact are residents to nations allied with the United States - do you genuinely think terrorists will put on their Islam Uniforms when prepping for an attack?
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None of the September 11 attacks were carried out by people 'in Muslim garb'. Even if we forget the majority of the world's Muslims have nothing to do with terorrism - and in fact are residents to nations allied with the United States - do you genuinely think terrorists will put on their Islam Uniforms when prepping for an attack?
Why not? Since even looking askance at them is now verboten, hiding in plain sight is a valid tactic.
It could even be a diversion. (Recall the case of the Flying Imams, which was almost certainly a probe of security.)
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The elephant's in the living room. Too bad the living room is now a no-go zone.
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Honesty is a fireable offense.
Jesse Jackson in a rare moment of clarity:
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....
Part of our survival instinct is pattern recognition. Juan's statement is not much different than Jesse's.
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What is stupid about it? If someone gets bitten by a dog, it's only natural to be wary of dogs.
It might be natural, but I still do not think it is correct.
if you are bitten by a dog, that does not make all dogs aggressive. it certainly will make you fear all dogs, though.
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if you are bitten by a dog, that does not make all dogs aggressive.
No it doesn't, but
it certainly will make you fear all dogs, though.
generalizing from experience is called learning.
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No it doesn't, but
generalizing from experience is called learning.
Human beings are not statistics.
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People operate, rightly or wrongly, on perceived probabilities.
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People operate, rightly or wrongly, on perceived probabilities.
They may do that. And we may judge them on what probabilities they perceive.
And fire them from their taxpayer-funded jobs.
Can anybody point to me where the Constitution authorizes a National Public Radio?
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Can anybody point to me where the Constitution authorizes a National Public Radio?
If we only had the functions enumerated by the Constitution, there would be just 30,000 federal employees.
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It might be natural, but I still do not think it is correct.
if you are bitten by a dog, that does not make all dogs aggressive. it certainly will make you fear all dogs, though.
Thanks for making my point.They may do that. And we may judge them on what probabilities they perceive.
And fire them from their taxpayer-funded jobs.
Can anybody point to me where the Constitution authorizes a National Public Radio?
Can't disagree about the Constitutionality of NPR, however, that is not the point of the discussion. If one were to listen to everything he said, not just the perceived "anti Muslim" quote, they might realize it was not just an "anti muslim" statement. No, the 9/11 terrorists weren't wearing "muslim" garb, but they did commit their acts in the name of their religion, so many people would have a tendency to associate it with the clothing.
There is nothing wrong with that, it is completely natural to do so. As long as you are able to logically separate your initial reaction to it from the truth of the circumstance and don't act simply on the basis of your initial fears. If you are bitten by a dog, it is natural to be wary of dogs. A logical person will sort then sort the bad ones from the good and not shoot them all on sight.
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If we only had the functions enumerated by the Constitution, there would be just 30,000 federal employees.
And that would be a bad thing??? [tinfoil] [popcorn]
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If we only had the functions enumerated by the Constitution, there would be just 30,000 federal employees.
Yes, and?
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None of the September 11 attacks were carried out by people 'in Muslim garb'. Even if we forget the majority of the world's Muslims have nothing to do with terorrism - and in fact are residents to nations allied with the United States - do you genuinely think terrorists will put on their Islam Uniforms when prepping for an attack?
Don't forget about the imams on a plane--don't remember where but in the US--they got on in traditional dress and started acting VERY suspiciously.
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Don't forget about the imams on a plane--don't remember where but in the US--they got on in traditional dress and started acting VERY suspiciously.
And proceeded to... do what, exactly?
Is this the new standard? They might start being suspicious and weird at me ? On that standard I should be scaring myself .
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If I didn't know that NPR was a bastion for open thought and free speech, I'd think they were pushing a dogma that their employees must support...or else....
;/
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NPR is really nothing more than "Radio Free Democrat", and has been since its inception.
When candidates ask what items should be cut from the budget, NPR and PBS should be on the list, along with the NEA. From there go on to the Department of Education, etc.
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And proceeded to... do what, exactly?
Act strangely? Engage in Muslim prayer rituals? Test reaction in preparation for another terrorist assault?
We don't know. YOU don't know. I know -- and THAT IS NOT AN ANSWER. Most people do not get on airplanes and behave in the manner they did. Even Baptists don't do that. Behaviour outside the norm tends to draw attention, and if you doubt this assertion I suggest you go to a nearby mall, take your clothes off, and do cartwheels through the place. I think you will likely draw attention to yourself if you do this. In fact, you will probably be arrested for indecent exposure, so actually, I recommend you not do this.
Is this the new standard? They might start being suspicious and weird at me ? On that standard I should be scaring myself .
By definition you wouldn't BE "scaring yourself." "Once bitten, twice shy." People who haven't been living in a cave since September 11th, 2001 know we're in a war with extremist Islamists. To act ... "normal" in the face of people who are calling attention to themselves falls a bit outside the "normal" range of human reactions, IMHO. Now, you may very well fall outside the "norm," but let's not be too hard on everyone who can't live up to your standards, OK? ;)
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Here's the big challenge, IMO:
We live - you, I, doesn't matter if we're in Israel, Germany, America - everybody in the Western World lives in a society where we will meet - some of us, on a daily basis - people who don't only have different views from us, but who come from an entirely different frame of reference. Muslims, Amish, furries, Orthodox Jews, Fistful, Communists, LaVeyans.
The questions is, what to do about it. Naturally we're all sometimes weirded out by these people.
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and why are they so offended, by people paying attention to what they're doing in a PUBLIC place? [tinfoil]
edit: fixing dumb typo, hopefully i didn't add ten more.
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The questions is, what to do about it.
Well, if they act like Muslim nuts, treat them like Muslim nuts.
It is on them to conform to the American culture. If they don't like it, they can go back to their dunghill country.
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and why are they so offended by people paying attention to what they're dooing in a PUBLIC place?
Because if they're not dooing in a restroom, it's unsanitary. ;)
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Well, if they act like Muslim nuts, treat them like Muslim nuts.
It is on them to conform to the American culture. If they don't like it, they can go back to their dunghill country.
So in your view, people who wear religious garb in public are nuts? Do you apply this to other denominations as well?
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Because if they're not dooing in a restroom, it's unsanitary. ;)
:laugh: i can't even type right any more. if i'ma be wrong this much, i might as well get married.
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So in your view, people who wear religious garb in public are nuts? Do you apply this to other denominations as well?
IIRC, it was not so much what they were wearing, but also, what they were doing.
If we're going to be skewered for not being PC, it might as well be atleast be for what we really said rather than some slanted interpretation thereof... [tinfoil] [popcorn]
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On the religious garb/Juan Williams thing. First, never really thought much one way or the other about Williams, but his guest host of O'Reilly last night was beautiful. It's like he woke up one morning and found his testicular fortitude. He got fired for not toeing the party line of opinion.
It is true that none of the 9/11 hijackers wore traditional muslim garb. They were told to blend in. Now, as a protected class, wearing of the muslim garb can be a valid tactic for evading security that is too concious of profiling. My most recent example was going to Busch Gardens on 9/11 of this year. I've been living in that area for 15 years. There is a muslim population, they are low key and moderate. You just don't see people walking down the street in hijab or burqa Also, a good number are not arabic, back in the day my wife tutored english to some of the sizeable Bosnian immigrant population. I've been to Busch Gardens a bunch too. Maybe seen one person there before with dress indicating islamic faith. Then I go there on 9/11 and the place is covered up with it, from modest head coverings all the way up to radical beard and his wife with the burqa with sunglasses over the top look. The sheer number of people I saw and the day makes me consider that there was some sort of coordination. I don't mean they are all terrorists or that it was a probe, but I would readily believe that there was a concerted effort to go there dressed up, get hassled by the ginormous amount of military families there that day then get on the nooz. Warfare has many forms.
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If a pilot can be fired for speaking out and not confirming to the new normal, created by Muslims (extremists Muslims, but Muslims none the less). Then I have no problem agreeing with Mr Williams statement. None at all.
If one can reason the quote below from a thread on this forum about the pilot, then one can reason Muslims acting weird would scare folks.
http://www.armedpolitesociety.com/index.php?topic=26625.msg519507#msg519507
To verify he's not carrying any weapons onto the plane for a hijacker. They might have blackmailed him, have his family hostage, etc. The weapon might not be for the plane he's on, so he'll do it to keep him or his family safe and the hijackers take down another plane.
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On the religious garb/Juan Williams thing. First, never really thought much one way or the other about Williams, but his guest host of O'Reilly last night was beautiful. It's like he woke up one morning and found his testicular fortitude.
No, Juan Williams has displayed testicular fortitude for many years now. He's a journalist/analyst who doesn't just fit into a mold of mindless leftism or rightism. That's why, by firing him, NPR shot themselves in the foot.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=5618023
http://www.amazon.com/Enough-Dead-End-Movements-Undermining-America/dp/0307338231
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304252704575155942054483252.html
Tea party activists are surprisingly mainstream when it comes to their grievances about politics. They fit right in with most American voters who tell pollsters the country has been headed in the wrong direction under both Presidents Bush and Obama.