You're watching...
FNC political analyst Juan Williams speaks out on political correctness and why he thinks it’s preventing an honest debate in the U.S.
Also in this playlist...
Auto-advance: ON
Auto-advance
This transcript is automatically generated
Well Fox News contributor one Williams made news late last year when He was unceremoniously.
Fired from national public radio.
NPR fired him after He told Fox News Channel bill -- that He gets nervous when He sees Muslims on there one.
And PR was widely criticized in many said their attempt at political correctness went completely overboard.
So this is all led to a book written by Juan Williams He joins us now to discuss a book called muzzled the artists of the assault on honest debate -- one.
Three speeches and freight.
No well tell me -- -- literally cost me a job and you know for a while I thought cost me a career town it was a short lived.
Worry about member had a sleepless night until Fox News Channel stepped in said no.
In fact you're still part of this -- -- and we like to in fact increase your role here bit.
It was a reminder to me that if you say the wrong thing in somebody's mind they're not only -- you tell you to shut -- but they'll -- -- Are right but here's the difference you can walk out on the street corners say whatever you want right I've always said you know you can you know we have to listen to you but you have the right to say would you want.
And you may get a couple -- if if somebody doesn't like what you say correct but that's all that's your freedom to do that but when you're working for somebody who gives you a paycheck isn't that a different deal.
Yet when -- you you will violate if you violate their standards it's up to them they have the right to fire you.
The question is.
Exactly where those standards in the NPR's case they said that by saying that.
Seeing people in Muslim guard at an airport as I'm getting on a plane and admitting that makes me nervous was evidence of some kind of bigotry.
And that the violation in terms of the journalistic standard was the audience could no longer trust me because they knew that I had betrayed.
This feeling that you of all people have written books about so writes.
That He to look -- you know imagine -- let's let's flip the script.
Tom Sullivan says something like this OK -- Tom -- a white man.
All of a sudden Tom you would be not only a -- you be a white bigger -- -- -- of it.
-- black guy who was written.
Bestselling books about the civil rights movement.
The first African American on the Supreme Court that the grandeur in terms of black religious experience in America and I still get hammered.
It reminds me Bill Cosby who has far greater stature in American life and culture than I do bill constantly.
For saying you know what we have a problem in the black community in terms of out of wedlock births high dropout rates we need to get this straight.
He was castigated -- -- digging into his personal life to try to embarrass them and demean him marginalize him to say he's not a good brother you don't need to listen to him.
That's where we are in American -- that's why I think there's an ongoing assault on honest debate that's why the books are muzzled.
So because we don't have dishonest debate and even.
Eric Holder said we're it was Christmas specifically about -- decent work.
Too afraid to have an honest debate about race in America a nation but nobody every time it's been tried it's so -- I don't wanna go there I don't want to.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- And I think there's a basic corruption the other day I saw for example.
There was a statement on TV show.
About the fact that whites in America have twenty times the wealth of blacks in America I think it's eighteen times the wealth of Hispanics in America so they have a guy who did the study.
And then they have a guy from the civil rights group and -- lamenting this.
And I thought to myself you know I I think there's a voice missing in this conversation someone who would say.
Well why is it that there is so much poverty Iraq we could it be related to the fact that there's been fairly break -- so many out of wedlock births so many children living in poverty because there's no -- -- home what's going on in terms of men.
Warning to not be dads and lead their families.
How is this related to economic conditions.
These it's not just a matter of -- blame game and say oh you know what whites are really dominant and blacks are what's going on in the black community.
Nest the -- that the honest debate is the question of why why is red gap there right but it also might point to US so there's a -- -- missing they would say this is eight.
Complete.
Unbiased journalistic discussion to my mind.
By accepting that voice you're making an editorial decision that silencing an important point of view that would contribute to an understanding.
Of why there is this vast difference and let me just quickly say remember when President Obama -- -- Obama said.
Black -- need to be better fathers the response from Jesse Jackson was He should have -- He should be cash rate.
I've talked talk about a threat I was fired -- castrate I'm glad they didn't Nashville.
So to to the to specifically the media in this country right that's.
You know the media has a long and colorful past you go back to William Hearst and oh my -- -- was making up stories correct so that's a whole different media than what we have today and we talked about the British media in the tabloid.
Over there vs the US media.
It's like we've got a pretty good.
Access for people Weathers the Internet whether it's television -- radio newspapers magazines.
You are interested in something you -- you can find.
Somebody who's who talked about.
Oh absolutely in in our current media landscape.
Typically what you find is someone who's who made the most extreme obnoxious and rude statement about it yes and that person gets lots of playing lots of attention deposit -- -- But what we're in a situation town.
Where I think people drive let's say the Internet using -- -- -- example you can find like minded people people who share your opinion your political affiliations or your interest whatever your interest might be no matter how perverse by the way.
And then there's a sub group who says oh yeah and we even agree on this point and if you don't agree.
Then you aren't a member of the club you are you're a little bit of a trader we don't like you and they're not even they're arguing among themselves I like to read what what people who think differently than me me -- I.
I have no I don't get threatened if you if Tom says to me one you know what I think you're not on this point and here is why and I've got more facts and I got a better argument.
-- -- time that it doesn't threatening but clearly in this environment now if you're not a good left Winger.
Or you're not a good concern if you're a and I know a Democrat name -- Republican in name only they want you out of that club buddy wanna shut you up.
Do you think people.
Aligned with the right or the left -- -- because.
That there a Democrat or Republican they haven't you people really give it.
Thought of -- independent thought of how they feel about what an issue is as opposed to what their party is saying.
I think they do but I think again there's so many sanctions in place there's so many.
Risks that come from saying what you really think that people do that double -- you know and they say well -- say this am I gonna get.
Ostracize am I gonna be shine -- someone gonna say you know what.
You said the wrong thing you offended me.
We're gonna go to human relations now because you said the wrong thing to that woman didn't.
And you don't have to be malicious mean you're trying to have a conversation and I think a lot of people just feel you know what they're being muzzled right.
At the selective.
Mosul is the name of the book the assault on honest debate Juan Williams -- was good to see one banks -- have thank you and.
