At 1 a.m. on Monday night, August 13, a single bullet flew through the window of Houston Community Radio station KPFT. Although no one was injured, the bullet missed DJ Mary Thomas by only 18 inches. As an integral part of the listener-supported Pacifica Radio Network, KPFT has been challenging the status quo by tackling controversial topics for decades, leaving some to wonder if the shooting was a political statement. KPFT General Manager Duane Bradley addressed the incident in the station's blog, saying, "Security considerations will be the topic of an open staff meeting. In this climate of seemingly escalating violence, it is important for all KPFT staff and volunteers to remain vigilant and aware of the fact that KPFT has been a lightning rod numerous times during the past 37-plus years." Monday's incident is not the first time the iconoclastic station has been the target of political violence, as their transmitter was a victim of two Ku KLux Klan bombings in 1970. www.kpft.org
