US Muslims fear greater divide following NPR analyst’s firing over ’sensitive barbs’
By ANIFriday, October 22, 2010
WASHINGTON - National Public Radio (NPR)’s decision to fire news analyst Juan Williams over his remarks on “seeing Muslims on airplanes” has been slammed by Muslim American activists and scholars.
Williams was sacked over his comment that gets worried when he sees Muslims in traditional garb on airplanes.
NPR had claimed that his comment violated the news organization’s ethics guidelines and undermined his credibility.
However, prominent Muslims have expressed concern that his firing would stretch the gap between Muslims and non-Muslims in the country.
“The greater American public remains unsure about Islam and very often hostile about Islam,” the Los Angeles Times quoted Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic Studies at American University, as saying.
Ahmed did admit that he was disappointed by Williams’ comments, but said that NPR’s abrupt firing “does not bring the temperature down against Muslims…. Now the debate is, are we being oversensitive to Muslims?”
Suhail Khan, a conservative activist, said that NPR overreacted by taking a harsh decision.
“While Juan’s comments may have been a little rough around the edges, he was voicing an honest opinion and trying to articulate his personal questions and struggles with perceptions in regards to Muslims,” Khan said. (ANI)
