Muzzled
The Assault on Honest Debate
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- USD 3.99
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- USD 3.99
Descripción editorial
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Muzzled scores some righteous points about the need for an honest national dialogue.”—Los Angeles Times
In Muzzled, Juan Williams uses his very public firing from NPR as a launching pad to discuss the countless ways in which honest debate in America is stifled. In today’s partisan world, where media provocateurs rule the airwaves and political correctness dictates what can and cannot be said with impunity, Williams shows how the honest exchange of ideas and the search for solutions and reasonable compromise is deliberately muzzled. Among the issues denied a full-throated discussion are racial profiling, the increased reliance on religious beliefs in debating American values and legislation, the nuances of an immigration policy gone awry, the uneasy balance between individual freedom and our desire for security against terrorism, and much more.
Delivering a fierce, fresh look at the critical importance of an open airing of controversial issues, Williams argues that only by bringing such hot-button topics into the light of day can we hope to grapple with them, and exercise our cherished, hard-won right of free speech.
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"When our biggest concern is not whether our words are true but whether our words will result in punishment, then we are giving away our most precious freedom." A long-time journalist for NPR, Fox News, and The Washington Post, Williams (Enough) tackles political correctness and the polarization of debate in America, but not before thoroughly explaining his departure from NPR. Although the airing of his grievances becomes tiresome, he redeems his book when he turns to the national scene. The theme of free speech is woven throughout his own story and his examination of partisan politics, taxes, immigration, and polarizing issues like abortion. He writes: "The voice of honest debate in America has been muzzled. And as those voices of honest debate have grown silent, the quality of our political institutions has been diminished." As he warns against "politically entrenched thinking protected by special-interest groups and lobbyists," he analyzes recent events, such as the 2010 health care debate and the 2011 Wisconsin public-sector union debacle, while also providing historical context. Though short on solutions, Williams's passionate cry for real discussion will inspire readers.
