Immediate Action Item

An Anonymous Shaker emails (which I am publishing with permission):

Liss:

NPR fired Juan Williams this morning [after he made negative comments about Muslims on Fox]. The right wing response has been immediate, intense, and cruel. I answer the phones at Listener Services, and we answer emails, too; so far the names I have been called are very similar to what I imagine trolls call you daily. I have no idea how you stand up under constant abuse from screaming people (textually or telephonically), but I'm drawing a lot of strength from your example.

If you have the ability or energy, I'd really appreciate it if you could ask Shakers to either call 202.513.3232 to give me and my colleagues some idea that there's someone in the universe out there that thinks journalists following an ethical code is a good idea. We have received so many angry, vitriolic, and vicious comments that our email system has collapsed; and I myself have received over fifty furious calls from self-described conservatives who believe that Mr. Williams' comments were protected under the Constitution and that we are evil liberal censors.

We have received zero positive calls. The phone is ringing off the hook. We'd really, really, really like the support.

Please pick up the phone and make a call to let NPR know that you support their decision to require their employees to refrain from engaging in overt bigotry against marginalized populations.