Can you quote where CNN said that? I am just going by the link you posted in your OP:
You may think I'm splitting hairs, but I am really not trying to, nor trying to appear obtuse for rhetorical reasons. Safety is one reason this guy cited for wanting to remain anonymous. It's not among CNN's stated reasons for not revealing his name. This kind of conflation is very common and IMO it is part of the reason people on different sides of an issue talk past each other so much of the time.
If CNN really thought the guy's "safety" was threatened, then reserving the right to reveal his name would be a threat (if, that is, he continued to make bigoted statements anonymously). But that was not CNN's stated reason for not revealing his name. Personally, I think he feared personal embarrassment, not violence, but that's not my point. I couldn't understand your posts based on what CNN said. If you think CNN withheld the name to prevent physical attacks, I understand better what you are saying.