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Some thoughts on prejudice.
Oct. 26th, 2010 04:29 pmI would like not to be prejudiced, but I am. I think probably everyone is prejudiced in some way. Just like we all have to poop now and then. It's part of being human.
But. Just as we try hard to take care of our unpleasant biological facts of life in private, without inflicting them on other people, we also try hard to keep our prejudices out from under the common nose. Expressing prejudice in public is like pooping in public--it's an embarrassing breach of very basic manners.
Juan Williams recently committed this embarrassing breech of basic manners right out there on Fox "News." It's hard to get more public than that.
He also worked for NPR, which makes matters even worse. NPR is a news organization. That means it has to be impartial, in so far as that is possible for human beings. Someone whose prejudice overpowers his good sense to the point that he whips down his pants and expresses the steaming pile on TV is someone who won't be able to keep it out of his news reporting and analysis. NPR had no choice but to fire him. And they did.
But. Just as we try hard to take care of our unpleasant biological facts of life in private, without inflicting them on other people, we also try hard to keep our prejudices out from under the common nose. Expressing prejudice in public is like pooping in public--it's an embarrassing breach of very basic manners.
Juan Williams recently committed this embarrassing breech of basic manners right out there on Fox "News." It's hard to get more public than that.
He also worked for NPR, which makes matters even worse. NPR is a news organization. That means it has to be impartial, in so far as that is possible for human beings. Someone whose prejudice overpowers his good sense to the point that he whips down his pants and expresses the steaming pile on TV is someone who won't be able to keep it out of his news reporting and analysis. NPR had no choice but to fire him. And they did.
