Yesterday, as I watched the fiasco with Juan Williams evolve, I thought, now Mr. Williams knows what it is like to be a white, Christian, conservative and tea party-attending American. For more years than I care to remember, we have been labeled bigots, uneducated, stupid, and most recently crazy. In the world of NPR listeners, even mentioning that you are a Bible-believing Christian — let alone a Republican — is greeted with with rolled eyes, a tolerant smile , and oftentimes scorn. The political correctness movement has dogged Americans of all beliefs, where a seemingly innocent remark can cause a firestorm of difficulties.
Several years ago, the Locke Foundation sponsored an event in Charlotte, featuring Juan Williams. He is a common-sense, dynamic speaker, but even more than that — he is a nice guy. There were so many people waiting for him to sign his books and meet him that he delayed his flight to sign every book. His attitude when signing books was one of total graciousness.
One of my history professors at Meredith, Dr. Happer, used excerpts from Williams’ excellent books and film documentary to present a clear picture of the civil rights movement. Although Juan Williams is an unapologetic liberal, he is a scholar and outstanding writer, especially when it comes to the civil rights movement. He is certainly no bigot!
Mr. Williams does not deserve NPR’s wrath over his really innocent remark, but he now truly understands what many average Americans are experiencing and how conservatives are constantly demeaned by the intolerant, liberal left.
