1/8 A journalist is not showing bias by saying racism is wrong.

2/8 Ahmar Khan did a public service by telling media sources he was asked to take down a tweet where he denounced racism. And it’s credible to think he was concerned about losing his job for speaking out (a test we use for anonymity at some news outlets).

3/8 As a journalist, I am grateful for that public service…

4/8 ...in the same way that I was grateful over the years to the dozens of whistleblowers who have spoken to me for news stories that sparked important debate and led to change (whistleblower accounts that were welcomed and published by my employer, without the use of names).

5/8 BIPOC colleagues who have been calling out journalists with privilege like myself for not commenting publicly on this are right to do so.

6/8 I love the ideals that public broadcasting stands for: including a deep respect for and duty to the public interest.

7/8 It’s past time for people who share that love and are in positions of privilege - to live and act on that duty in braver and more public ways.

8/8 The people who have the most to lose, and are affected most by a broken system, shouldn’t be expected to also do the public part of the work to fix it - alone.