Categories: Opinion and Editorial

Tucker Carlson Fired?

Tucker Carlson fired? Will FOX News let the guy who harpooned Michael Vick with very stinging words go?
In case you missed it, Tucker Carlson recently said on a FOX News program that he believe Michael Vick should be executed. That’s right. Executed. And so the debate begins. There are actually two heavy debates taking place on the internet as this YouTube video goes viral. The first debate concerns your individual opinion of what Tucker Carlson said. The second debate is whether Tucker Carlson should be fired for hoisting such opinions in the air like a giant communist flag during the middle of a cold war.

Let’s just say the guy is outspoken. Tucker Carlson was actually just filling in on Hannity and Colmes according to an LA Times article when he dropped the whole “E” bomb. The “E” bomb, as in executed, has since gone viral thanks to the controversial remarks about a well known NFL player. Michael Vick is no stranger to having his name in the headlines. Vick was arrested and charged with animal cruelty for his role in dog fighting. He spent time in jail and now is back on the football field as the starting quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles. Barack Obama kind of patted Vick on the back when Obama praised Philadelphia management for giving a former prison inmate a second chance. Tucker Carlson apparently didn’t like that. So much so, that Tucker Carlson went on the air-proclaimed his Christianity and then in the same breath said “Michael Vick should be executed”.
That’s not a typo. It’s the big “E” bomb. Now the question is how do you feel about what Carlson said. We obviously are all well aware of what Tucker Carlson believes should happen to Michael Vick. But should the headline today read, “Tucker Carlson fired” over Michael Vick comments?

It’s an interesting situation that we will have no immediate answer to. FOX News probably has had their share of backlash(or publicity) after Tucker Carlson dropped the “E” bomb. He threw a little disclaimer out there by saying this was his personal opinion. But is it okay for a news anchor to call for the execution of a fellow human being?
Tucker Carlson said it without even flinching. Now there is serious debate on blogs, forums and comments concerning what should happen to Tucker Carlson and his job.

I personally don’t believe Tucker Carlson should be fired. It was horrible news judgment and Carlson had to know that the Michael Vick should be executed speech would be controversial. So how much thought did he actually put into this before he went live with it? Did he just opt to stray from the teleprompter or did he plan this controversial moment? It could have been either way. If his statement was pre-meditated, I would say that FOX has every right to no longer allow him to anchor. Whether he should be fired, I am not sure. If Carlson did not plan it and just blurted out his opinion–it’s just an example of speaking without thinking. That doesn’t make it right, either. But I don’t think the guy should get canned over stating his opinion-no matter how wrong it may appear to be to most sane people. It was probably more of a case of being theatrical and trying to bring a future audience to the program by being controversial. I’ve said it before–it works for Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh so it must be okay, right? Just say things that are so outlandish that people will listen no matter which extreme side they are. Tucker Carlson certainly took an extremist point of view with his comments-whether intentional or not. Either way, it seems as if that’s certainly his true opinion. And that’s kind of scary.
I don’t think he should necessarily be fired for expressing his opinion. But he might not be allowed to anchor considering his opinion just happens to be so extreme that not many people at home are going to be able to relate to the guy. Maybe the people at home would hate or love the guy for saying those things–if that’s the case maybe he belongs on radio like Limbaugh or Stern where such stuff is often allowed. But not on network national news. That’s such an odd place to make such strong opinionated comments.

If the “Tucker Carlson fired” story does break today, I wouldn’t be so surprised. I wouldn’t call it censorship–but probably a smart business decision to take someone off the air who has such an extremist position on the issue. Michael Vick paid his time in jail per the court decision. He is supposedly trying to do the right things as many other offenders are. Carlson probably jumped on the Michael Vick hate bandwagon a little too strong. So strong, he catapulted Michael Vick off into la-la land. Nobody needs Tucker Carlson to tell them that what Michael Vick did was wrong and horrible. I think it’s safe to say most people are well aware that what he did was horrible.
Tucker Carlson though claimed he was Christian and then called for another human beings execution in the span of about 10 seconds. Should he be fired? Maybe FOX will lay the hammer down on the guy even though he was just a fill in anchor. But who really knows? The guy is entitled to his opinion and ironically enough a second chance just like Michael Vick. Even if what he said came across as insensitive, ignorant and unforgiving.