Maybe we’re seeing a sense of it in that NPR public radio* producer’s non-apology apology? I’d like to hope so.

But anyone who is remotely surprised that someone engaged in politics on the Left would have “so much hate” in her as to say that she would be glad to see Rush Limbaugh die — and as graphically as she did — did not see my inbox the night Rush found himself in a Hawaii hospital months ago. They haven’t seen the e-mails I receive whenever I write his name. Hearing such ugly things about himself has become second nature to him. And no one deserves that.

But it comes with success, with having a voice today. We get them here – I and many of my colleagues receive them on a regular basis, especially when we write on the most hot-button issues of the day. Sean Hannity has had fun with the reality, with his “Hate Hannity Hotline” feature.

I don’t pretend that people on the Right don’t express hate-filled thoughts. But I also know that there is way too much of this tolerated by those who present themselves as the ideology of tolerance. And a lot of it is about Rush, who, apparently, like Fox News, just needs to be shut down by the government! Thank goodness for the Fairness Doctrine in the legislative side pocket.

I do hope that there is some sense of shame about that out there in the liberal media world. The problem isn’t that anyone got caught, the problem is this is the way people talk about each other. And influential people who frame news and shape policy and opinion and our culture. We need to expect more of ourselves and one another.

*CORRECTION: Spitz worked for a public-radio station, but not NPR.