Over the years many of our readers have listened to National Public Radio, mostly for the commentaries and classical music and jazz it provides its listeners.

NPR is supported by millions of dollars of federal tax money. It is also supported by donations from people around the country.

NPR has always been a bastion for liberal ideas, but most of us who have listened knew that and didn’t care.

Juan Williams has been a commentator for NPR for the last few years and also appears from time to time on the conservative Fox network.

Williams, an African American who has written books on civil rights, is very liberal in his writings and his public expressions.

Even though at times we have disagreed with his opinions, we still respected them, because he has been honest and forthright, something that has been missing of late from most public commentators.

On the Fox show hosted by Bill O’Reilly, Williams, in answer to a question posed him by O’Reilly, said that he has a concern for his safety when he sees a Muslim in the dress of his culture getting on a plane that he is flying on.

NPR fired him the next day and basically called him a bigot because of his concerns.

Most everyone at some time had the same thoughts when seeing a Muslim dressed in the clothes of their culture when they get on a plane or sit at a restaurant or when walking through any shopping area.

Do those thoughts make you a bigot? No, they do not, nor did it make Juan Williams one.

NPR receives its money from our hard-earned taxes. They should be protecting the rights that the First Amendment provides.

Last week George Soros, the supporter of all things left wing, gave NPR $1 million. Soros has been and is a menace to the protection of the First Amendment in this country. We wonder if that is the reason Mr. Williams was fired.

We feel that officials of NPR should publicly apologize for firing Juan Williams, and if they don’t, they should receive no more of our tax money.