NPR doesn't need this crap

Atrios has so more information about Barbara Hagerty and how NPR, believe it or not, has a freaky Jesus fundie for a religious reporter. Which would be fine if she did her job, but she is far too dedicated to traditional Christian values like not leaving Caesar's to Caesar, hypocrisy, and lying.
Atrios of course has great points about why this is such a big deal. I would just like to add that it concerns me very greatly that NPR is allowing someone so partisan and unethical onto the air. NPR is the last great bastion of news for people who their news uncensored and undistorted by conservative corporate interests. I know people will disagree with both sides, but I've always found NPR to be as even-handed as they could afford. Of course, this is considered horribly liberal to those who think anything other than right wing propaganda is an abomination in the eyes of the Lord, but for those of us who actually want to hear the news, NPR was okay.
But if they are going to let the right wing propanganda machine to take over and invent scandals, then we are in serious trouble. It's hard enough for really obsessive Americans like me to get a handle on the news. Imagine how bad it is for people who try to keep up but are hardly obsessed. My boyfriend is a good example. On top of working full-time, he's a musician and hardly has time to obsessively pick apart the news to figure out what's true and what's right wing propaganda. He's a smart guy, but a busy guy.
So he relies on NPR for his news. That's pretty much where he gets most of his information, listening to NPR on the radio to and from work. He also makes an effort to watch the news in the morning, but that's sort of a nightmare. This morning was a good example--he flipped on the TV because he wanted to know what was going on with this murder, etc. Fox News is reprehensible. On CNN, they had a talking head saying that some people might possibly think that a revenge cycle could possibly be starting but that's just an opinion and certainly a fringe opinion. On MSNBC, they were discussing if they would hurt BushCo's re-election campaign. On the Today Show, they were focusing on the family's grief. He said, "Argh! I just want to know what the fuck happened!"
I said, "Turn it to the BBC." Yes, we have digital cable and get BBC America, which has his hands down favorite news program. (Though the Today Show always gets a look-see, if only to see what Katie Couric, for whom he has an unspeakable crush on, is wearing.) But they weren't playing the news on BBC America yet. Argh! I outlined what was going on for him and that probably didn't make him feel better, as it sucks like a motherfucker, but at least he finally, finally knew what was going on.
So, we need a decent news source. And NPR is it, particularly for people who don't watch the news on BBC America. Now we have to watch them like a hawk to make sure that they aren't getting infiltrated by the right wing propaganda machine. Thank goodness Atrios is on it.