KPFT iLAB Debates

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Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 09:48:35 -0600
Subject: [kpftilab] The Flashpoints controversy
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......has veered far off course. The issue for the LAB is
not(shouldn't be) related to content per se. The question before the
LAB
about FPs should be; How does Flashpoints fit into KPFT's schedule wrt
the
stations programming goals. Which begs the question; what are KPFT's
programming goals?

I will defend the right of Bernstien to have his voice heard no matter
what
he is saying, His voice is currently heard world-wide by virtue of the
FP
web site without having him on KPFT. I must admit there is a certain
amount
of poetic justice to have Dennis on KPFT after the jack-booting
censorship
Garland put him through,, but how long untill that wears thin remains
to be
seen?

I am most concerned that KPFT could better use the 7-8 time slot in a
manner
that serves the community better. There are serious issues that this
community must address that are totally unrelated to Israel or
Palestine or
many of the other issues that Bernstien tackles. The Class Struggle
program
being proposed will not serve the working parents in our community well
in a
10am - Noon time slot. I have heard that DN may be expanding to two
hours
which would put air-time at an even higher premium with national and
outsourced programming continuing to take up an inordinate amount of
air-time (7 hours + per day). We still have yet to remove the
commercial
endorsements from BBC and the station continues to be a pseudo
commercial
enterprise for record companies by virtue of at least the 4 hours of
the
outsourced World cafe.

This is why I would seek to have the Flashpoints decision reconsidered.
Perhaps if KPFT must air FPs it would be well served to consider giving
Dennis' program one or two nights a week as opposed to 5.

Michael

--------------------------------------------------------
From: greg gieselman <aachen@firstnethou.com>
Reply-To: aachen@firstnethou.com
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 18:10:03 -0600

mon 6:00p hou

mike, rick:

* well. there you have it. 30 exchanges selected from a possible
100+
from just this past weekend. more than 8--maybe 10--persons [i lost
count], at least 3 of whom are LAB members. and this was just one
topic. there were numerous others.

so. you guys still interested in doing news?

gg
713.840.1404
--------------------------------------------------------

I have to say again that Mark and Dan are on the money about the type
of
programming needed at KPFT. To take it down to basics, no matter what
your
vision of KPTF/Pacifica is, KPFT/Pacifica is a business first. By that
I
mean that the basics of running a radio station cannot be ignored. One
of my
concerns is that there seems to be no coordinated thought about the
marketing
of the station. We want the community to know that KPFT exist and be
known
for something that they can remember. To do that you have to deliver a
constant message and constantly explain to the listening audience what
KPFT
is about. You can best do that by realtime talkshow programming that
allows
the public to chime in while also listening to others voice their
opinion and
the host ask new questions. You have to regularly talk about the
environment
and important public issues of all kind in the arena of KPFT, the way
the
mission implies. The public has to here the issues discussed
differently.
Different questions have to be asked as well as bringing issues to the
air
that normally don't get discussed in this town.

I listened to conservative talk radio during the last major city
elections.
There were many points of view that were never heard. For example,
conservative radio never really understood why blacks voted higher in
the
run-off than they did in the general election. All they could do was
insult
the black community by saying that black voters were not smart enough
to know
who to vote for.

We have to have locally produced, live and interactive programming to
make an
impact on this community. And we don't need programming that preaches
to the
choir. Many points of view need to be discussed from many different
angles.
I hope more of you out there will get pass the personally name calling
and
look closely at what Dan and others are saying. And to tell you the
truth,
since KPFT/Pacifica has transitioned, I haven't seen a real good
opportunity
for other voices to really be heard. I have been waiting for the
opportunity
myself to get in on some good verbal jousting.

I don't believe that not having more discussions has been on purpose
but
things just haven't come together like they need to. We need to
release the
great power that is the Pacifica network. We have got to come together
and
put it together. And don't forget, to make this work we will need many
minds, from many points of view and much less name calling and personal
accusations.

Diallo
---------------------------------
X-Sender: Slasher_@prodigy.net

Michael
------------------------------------------------------------------
In addition to all of what Mark said below which is 100% correct; my
biggest problem with the new KPFT is that with the exception of Amy
Jimmy and Ray's shows there is no actual thought or dialogue going
out over the air.

The public affairs voices on KPFT currently: Bernstein, Otie, Tony
Diaz, Buzzanco and Wally (whose politics I am more in agreement with
than not) don't seem intellectually curious at all. They already
have the answers to every question and just want to beam that Truth
directly into their audiences' mind.

The 10-12P public affairs shows planned so far seemed designed not to
create excitement but to enact some arduous predetermined vision
of "Pacifica Radio". Like two hours of bitter medicine that music
fans can either stomach while they wait for David Dye and Roark or
admit that they can't hack and retreat to KIKK and the Redneck
Weekend.

I know it is NOT THE WAY KPFT HAS ALWAYS DONE IT. But in the pre-NPR
days for most stations, single Community-based shows historically
worked better on the weekend or evenings when more of their
constituencies can hear them (not a midday). That is when BAI
programs most.

Even though it is early in the game...by attempting to run two
completely different stations, KPFT seems destined to fail at both.
This has been made even more difficult now that the entire weekend
has been declared completely off-limits, including its 12 hours
straight mind-numbing Blues programming.

Talk shows or talk-music shows can bring that gap in the audience.
But no matter how many times Mark, Diallo or I say it, the KPFT
braintrust doesn't seem interested.

I suppose some vision for KPFT will eventually emerge.

Or course the community will be the last to know since the
programming council is DOA.
----------------------------------------------------------------

Dennis Bernstein responds:

-----Original Message-----
From: dennis bernstein [mailto:dbernstein@pop2.igc.org]
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 5:33 PM
To: Danielpearl@wsj.com; dmjo_2000@yahoo.com; otie@ev1.net;
torrymercer@hotmail.com; kenfree@ev1.net; dbernstein@igc.org
Subject: SPAM: facts, attacks and conspiracy

Mr Jones, I hear your having a strong reaction to FP's. Not nearly as
strong, I'm sure as those who feel that Isreal can do no wrong and that
every Palastinian should be deported to Jordon or Syria. Here's one
from
the latest bunch of threats I recived which purports to be from
"Daniel
pearl@wsj.com." following his brutal murder. Mr Pearl was a good
reporter and a coureagous truth-teller: That the Israeli pro-propaganda
PAC dogs have tried to make political hay on his grave and the
suffering
of his family is deeply disturbing. As you can see below, the enclosed
threat comes as an attached note to a forwarded CNN story. Tell me, Mr
Jones, how you would feel recieving ten of these in one week.

Danielpearl@wsj.com wrote:

"May you have the same destiny that I had because, YOU ARE A JEW, YOUR
FATHER IS A JEW AND YOUR MOTHER IS A JEW. Too bad that you are a fucken
self hating scum bag Jew. God willing, you and your family and friends
will be killed by Arab Islamic Palestinian terrorists."

I've got dozens more of these kind of vieled threats. Referring to me
you wrote: "For the record, the last person in Pacifica to claim to
have
received so many death threats was Bessie Wash." Talk about factless
conspiracy broadbrushing. Isn't this exactly what you're engaging in
right here? I would suggest that, before you leap next time, you look.
In any event, Daniel Pearl wrote me a letter from the grave so I wrote
back:

dennis bernstein wrote:

Dear deceased spirit of Daniel Pearl, may all be well wherever you are,
my brother journalist. I am deeply saddened by your murder in pursuit
of truth. Shabat Shalom. I am also troubled by those of your brothers
and sisters who have decided to use your terrible murder for political
purposes and in pursuit of the continued bloody occupation of
palastine.
I do not understand what makes such people tick, but I am saddened by
their actions, and their willingness to tread on your soul and make
poisened political hay with your family's suffering. I wish for your
family a deep healing and for you, eternal peace. I also pray for
forgiveness for these cruel oppressors--may they soon see the light;
and
on this particular shabbat, I pray for libertation in Palastine,
liberation now. Rest well my lost colleague. db

And finally, Mr Jones, now that you've attacked me on the personal
level, how about a discussion on the fact and ideas. What do you
believe about the issues i've been raising on FP's is misguided and
what
exactly do you disagree with? I've seen about three or four of your
attacks, but I see no facts. For instance, could you comment on the
massive expansion of Illegal jewish settlements or the bottom line fact
that Isreali is in violation of binding UN resolutions and the fourth
Geneva convention. Do you support the use of US made F-16 figter-jets,
Attack helicopers, tanks, landmines and sophisticated sufrace to
surface
missles against a civilian population living in one of the most densely
populated cities on the planet. Do you have any comments on the fact
that it is a clear violation of International and US law to furish
weapons to another country that are then used to enforce an occupation?
What is your response to the use of landmines near the entraces of
crowded refugee camps? And what is your defense for the massive air
and
land assults on West Bank refuggee camps, in which all males over 15
are
spearated, striped and numbered with a magic-marker for further
processing. And finally, what's your response to the fact that hundreds
of Isreali officiers and soldiers are now sitting in Isreali jails for
refusing to serve in the occupied territories? Are they all
self-hating
jews from Brooklyn? Why do you think that Palastinian women have for
the first time ever started to blow themselves up for the cause of
liberation? What is the significance of this terrible turn of events?
How should we talk about it, and as alternative media people, and tell
the world?

Rest assured, Mr Jones, the Flasfpoints team has made a firm decision
on
this subject: you'll soon be hearing on Flashpoints more voices from
Palastine, as well as the voices of Isreali war resisters and holocust
surviviors who are speaking out against occuption. I'll be anxious to
hear your response to their perspectives on Occupation.

With great respect, dennis bernstein for Flashpoints

-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: greg gieselman <aachen@firstnethou.com>

It is not a "flame" war to call somebody on their prejudices and
continual use of disingenuous "peace" babble to cover up his real
politics

Ken's eager-to-be-helpful personae covers up a deep rage that seeks
to exclude and not advance the dialogue.

He may have lasted that long with RR but I am a lot less diplomatic
than Rafael.

There is nobody I have met in Pacifica who I have less respect for
than Ken Freeland. In fact, I have none. Ken probably needs to come
clean, drop the Peace hooey and go off in the desert and shot off
guns with his like-minded brethern. But he won't.

He would be dangerous if he wasn't so ineffectual.

And you, Rick, are baiting me and giving me yet one more opportunity
to pile on. Yes, this will be my last post on this subject.
-----------------------------------------------------------------

From: greg gieselman <aachen@firstnethou.com>

Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 17:57:08 -0600
Reply-To: aachen@firstnethou.com
To: maxreturn51@aol.com, rick.covert@ev1.net
Subject: [Fwd: [kpftilab] Re: Like a giant sea Squid]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
24th...several missing in seq
gg

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>

It is not a "flame" war to call somebody on their prejudices and
continual use of disingenuous "peace" babble to cover up his real
politics

Ken's eager-to-be-helpful personae covers up a deep rage that seeks
to exclude and not advance the dialogue.

He may have lasted that long with RR but I am a lot less diplomatic
than Rafael.

He would be dangerous if he wasn't so ineffectual.

And you, Rick, are baiting me and giving me yet one more opportunity
to pile on. Yes, this will be my last post on this subject.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>
Rick, a perfect capper for the only argument Ken ever walked away
from (wasn't going very well for ya was it?). Let's hope it's the
start of a Freeland silence trend. But I don't have much hope of that.

There are many rare and unusual creatures in the deep Ocean.

And Pacifica-the Thermal Vent of American Media- is a magnet for them
all.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Edwin Johnston" <edi@hal-pc.org>
0

Yep, it a Pat Buchananism, a true American fascist of the right-wing
populist mode, just like Freeland.

"There are only two groups that are beating the drums for war in the
Middle
East - the Israeli Defense Ministry and its amen corner in the United
States,"
- Pat Buchanan, on the Persian Gulf War

"[The LaRouchians] also use esoteric code words ... which may puzzle
the
average person but strike a chord with anti-Semites of the old school."
-- Dennis King, "Lyndon LaRouche and the New American Fascism", chapter
16,
The Art of Scapegoating

"In the United States, code language is a convenient tool for advocates
of
racism and anti-Semitism. They don't have to worry about being jailed
for
their ideas, but they do have to use caution in communicating with
those
outside their ranks. While laying out their argument they must avoid
triggering a premature revulsion or feeling of embarrassment in their
audience. They must also protect themselves against the backlash of
their
ideas -- negative press coverage, social ostracism, or even physical
assault
from members of the targeted ethnic groups. Racists thus talk about
"states'
rights" in the South and "law and order" in the North. Anti-Semites
call
themselves "anti-Zionists." Naturally, not all advocates of states'
rights
or law and order are racists, nor are all critics of Israel Jew-haters.
This
is precisely what makes the code words so convenient."
-- Dennis King, "Lyndon LaRouche and the New American Fascism", chapter
27,
LaRouche's Purloined Letter

----- Original Message -----
From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>
To: <kpftilab@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 10:41 AM
Subject: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
conspiracy
theorist....

> Ken sez:
>
> "So you're in Jones' mindless "amen corner,"
>
> "amen corner" is the phrase anti-semites (I mean anti-Zionists)
> use to identify members of the International Jewish Conspiracy.
>
>
> --- In kpftilab@y..., "Ken Freeland" <kenfree@e...> wrote:
> > That's pitiful stuff, Stan. And no one would be more supportive
> the I
> > would of getting Hightower and folks like him regular play on
> KPFT. For
> > you and Jones to keep painting me as if I opposed this is
> ludicrous,
> > and is basically strawman argumentation. I thought you, at least,
> might
> > be capable of independent thought. So you're in Jones'
> mindless "amen
> > corner," eh? So be it. Spare me your pontifications.
> >
> > Peace,
> > Ken
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: merriman [mailto:merriman@n...]
> > Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 10:29 AM
> > To: kpftilab@y...
> > Subject: Re: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> > conspiracy theorist....
> >
> >
> > This discussion on both local vs.berkeley programming and
> antisemitism
> > has degenerated into ad hominum which I regularly hear condemned by
> > Freeland. There is a worthwhile debate on both issues which can
> > contribute to KPFT. Let me assert, Ken that many, many of us are
> > working dilligently on programming concepts and outreach....not
> just you
> > and Hep. Stop this silly "I do more than you do nonsense". And no
> one
> > gives a shit, Ken that Bernstein is your friend or not your friend.
> > What is worthwhile discussion is whether his content is revlevant
> to a
> > Texas and Houston audience and whether it is really investigative
> > reporting and journalism or largely Berkeleycentric opinion radio.
> And
> > whether the uniquely Texas brand of progressivism/populism is
> relevant
> > to programming mix. Perhaps we have not noticed that Texas
> conservatism
> > is having a profound impact on both the national and world
political
> > stage.............and that our spokespersons for Texas populism
> deserve
> > a much bigger stage..........for both information and opinion about
> not
> > just local issues but national/international as well. What should
> be at
> > issue here is developing locally originated programming and
airtime.
> > Many of us would like to hear more Hightower, et al either in
> > juxtaposition to the Bernsteins of the airways or instead of. And
> many
> > of us would like to also hear some reasonable attempt at telling
the
> > truth about violence and anti-semitism coming from the Arab
> communities
> > in the middle east as well as from the Sharon government and would
> like
> > to hear more from and about the peacemakers on both "sides" in the
> > region. And some of us wish to examine the very difficult question
> of
> > what is anti-semitism vis a vis condemning Israeli terrorism. Otie
> > quite incorrectly dismisses this discussion out of hand "because
the
> > Israeli view is well covered in the mainstream media". And we
> need to
> > discuss what is the intention, locally for certain advocates to
> > inexplicably suggest protest at the Holicaust Museum to express
> support
> > for oppressed Palestinians and want to ask what do the benefactors
> of
> > that museum and what it stand for have to do with oppression of
> > Palestinians and further, what are the motives of those making such
> > protest recommendations if there is not some underlying hostility
> > against things Jewish.............a legitimate local discussion.
> Stan
> > Merriman
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Ken Freeland <kenfree@e...>
> > To: kpftilab@y... <kpftilab@y...>
> > Date: Sunday, March 24, 2002 9:05 AM
> > Subject: RE: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> > conspiracy theorist....
> >
> >
> > No one can match Edwin Johnston in the name-calling department. I
> guess
> > everyone is good at something (but you might pay a bit more
> attention to
> > your grammar, Edwin, this one is kind of laughable).
> >
> > But wait a minute, what is really the point here? Who is opposed
> to the
> > development of local programming? Not I, not Otie, not Duane
> Bradley,
> > not the LAB. Indeed, Otie is going out of his way to encourage the
> > local community to get involved in programming. We currently
> import
> > four hours per weekday of current affairs programming. That leaves
> > EIGHTY hours per week for locally produced programming, plus,
> > potentially, the entire weekend (which is all locally produced as
> things
> > stand).
> >
> > Hep Ingham and I are both involved in helping to locate local
> > constituencies who would benefit from local programs -- Hep, for
> > instance, mentored the Labor Show. Torry has been trying to line
> people
> > up for local programs for months, and many of the people he
> identified
> > are now involved (Rubac, the First Nations Show, etc.)
> >
> > If Edwin and Dan are so obsessed with generating local programming,
> why
> > aren't they out there recruiting local programmers and helping them
> get
> > a spot on KPFT? Because, I suggest, local programming is not
their
> > real interest. It is all a bunch of subterfuge. Their real
> interest is
> > plainly to smear Dennis Bernstein and anyone who supports his
> revealing
> > investigative journalism (particularly with regard to Israel, of
> > course!). Actions speak louder than words. Let's see some action,
> Dan
> > and Edwin. Talk is very cheap. I'm looking forward to reading your
> > first program proposal.
> >
> > The KPFT struggle is now in a phase where only constructive effort
> is
> > helpful. The time for bickering and recrimination is past. So put
> your
> > shoulder to the wheel and stop the belly-aching, please, so we can
> move
> > on to making KPFT the best station in the nation. We've made
> tremendous
> > strides in that direction for the past couple of months, and the
> speed
> > of development of KPFT as a resource for progressives and the local
> > community is truly breathtaking. There is much to be positive
> about!
> > But if, to use Spiro Agnew's famous phrase (probably penned by
> William
> > Safire) you prefer to be "nattering nabobs of negativism" well, I
> guess
> > no one can stop you. But I will assume that the majority of us
have
> > more productive things to do with our time.
> >
> > Peace,
> > Ken
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Edwin Johnston [mailto:edi@h...]
> > Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 11:16 PM
> > To: kpftilab@y...
> > Subject: Re: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> > conspiracy theorist....
> >
> >
> > Freeland is clearly are Mr. Dense.
> > Where did I say focus on local issues?
> > Those types of shows would focus on "all" issues as they relate to
> local
> > people within our local signal.
> > But of course, I was referring to the heritage of KPFT, mentioning
> by
> > name some old programs we used to put on the air. And you are just
> as
> > clueless as Otie on what KPFT was prior to the Ganter era.
> > Let the Arabs use their own news sources to report what is going on
> on
> > the Arabic Hour, they can read, you know. And let the Jews provide
> the
> > listeners what is going on from their perspective on mazel Tov or
> > whatever new show. And not only news, but culture. And then let
them
> > open up the phone lines. It's worked before, so why shouldn't it
> work
> > again?
> > And the Persian Program: so-called middle eastern, but neither
> Arab, nor
> > Jew - we're talking true perspectives here!
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Ken Freeland <mailto:kenfree@e...>
> > To: kpftilab@y...
> > Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 10:38 PM
> > Subject: RE: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> > conspiracy theorist....
> >
> > Yes, good idea Edwin, let's force everyone to focus on local
issues,
> > then we won't have to wonder what our tax dollars are doing in
> > Palestine. You and Dan Jones are indeed two peas in a pod. You
> might
> > at least have been original.
> >
> >
> > Peace,
> > Ken
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Edwin Johnston [mailto:edi@h...]
> > Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 10:09 PM
> > To: kpftilab@y...
> > Subject: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> conspiracy
> > theorist....
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@y...>
> > <snip>
> > > That is hateful reductionism masquerading as learned discourse.
> BTW,
> > > treacherous is the second most common adjective applied to Jews
by
> > > anti-semites (after money-grubbing), followed close-on by
> underhanded
> > > and secretive.
> > <snip>
> >
> > Don't forget "vermin."
> >
> > Here's my suggestion: dump Flashpoints and return some programs
> like the
> > Arabic Hour, Mazel Tov, Community Dialogue, the Persian Program and
> hip
> > feminist shows. The issues with thus be covered, by locals, with
> > diversty
> > and community input.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

The Giant Sea Squid swims over to Google.com to justify his anti-
semitism and drags James Baldwin out of his peaceful grave.

.....when everyone knows that it was the noted progressive PAT
BUCHANAN who has used "Amen Corner" to attack Jews and the "Liberal
Media" for years.

Incidentally, if you want to hear a balanced discusssion of where the
Israel-Palestinian war is at the moment. Check out, Fresh Air's
interview with James Bennett at

http://freshair.npr.org/dayFA.cfm?display=day&todayDate=03%2F19%2F2002

A thoughful (and depressing view) of reality on the ground that is so
far beyond Dennis Bernstein's grasp. Brought to you by two Jewish
controlled media (the Jew Terry Gross fronting for NPR) and Bennett
fronting for the liar of Jewish imperialism, the New York Times.

Interestingly, it is followed by a commentary on "liberal bias" in
the media by Geoffrey Numberg, who is my vote for the greatest
thinker America has at the moment.

--- In kpftilab@y..., "Ken Freeland" <kenfree@e...> wrote:
> http://www.flamemag.dircon.co.uk/baldwin_amen_ver.htm
>
> More of Jones' bottomless ignorance: the Amen Corner is a play
written
> by James Baldwin a half-century ago. But of course, this really
doesn't
> help, because Dan will be sure to note that anti-semites walk one
leg at
> a time, and Ken Freeland walks one leg at a time, so surely Ken
Freeland
> must be an antisemite. This is all we can expect from this one-
trick
> pony: 101 reasons why anyone who disagrees with Dan Jones, or who
> supports Flashpoints, is an antisemite. Spare me!
>
> Peace,
> Ken
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dmjo_2000 [mailto:dmjo_2000@y...]
> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 10:41 AM
> To: kpftilab@y...
> Subject: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
conspiracy
> theorist....
>
>
> Ken sez:
>
> "So you're in Jones' mindless "amen corner,"
>
> "amen corner" is the phrase anti-semites (I mean anti-Zionists)
> use to identify members of the International Jewish Conspiracy.
>
>
> --- In kpftilab@y..., "Ken Freeland" <kenfree@e...> wrote:
> > That's pitiful stuff, Stan. And no one would be more supportive
> the I
> > would of getting Hightower and folks like him regular play on
> KPFT. For
> > you and Jones to keep painting me as if I opposed this is
> ludicrous,
> > and is basically strawman argumentation. I thought you, at
least,
> might
> > be capable of independent thought. So you're in Jones'
> mindless "amen
> > corner," eh? So be it. Spare me your pontifications.
> >
> > Peace,
> > Ken
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: merriman [mailto:merriman@n...]
> > Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 10:29 AM
> > To: kpftilab@y...
> > Subject: Re: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> > conspiracy theorist....
> >
> >
> > This discussion on both local vs.berkeley programming and
> antisemitism
> > has degenerated into ad hominum which I regularly hear condemned
by
> > Freeland. There is a worthwhile debate on both issues which can
> > contribute to KPFT. Let me assert, Ken that many, many of us are
> > working dilligently on programming concepts and outreach....not
> just you
> > and Hep. Stop this silly "I do more than you do nonsense". And
no
> one
> > gives a shit, Ken that Bernstein is your friend or not your
friend.
> > What is worthwhile discussion is whether his content is revlevant
> to a
> > Texas and Houston audience and whether it is really investigative
> > reporting and journalism or largely Berkeleycentric opinion
radio.
> And
> > whether the uniquely Texas brand of progressivism/populism is
> relevant
> > to programming mix. Perhaps we have not noticed that Texas
> conservatism
> > is having a profound impact on both the national and world
political
> > stage.............and that our spokespersons for Texas populism
> deserve
> > a much bigger stage..........for both information and opinion
about
> not
> > just local issues but national/international as well. What
should
> be at
> > issue here is developing locally originated programming and
airtime.
> > Many of us would like to hear more Hightower, et al either in
> > juxtaposition to the Bernsteins of the airways or instead of.
And
> many
> > of us would like to also hear some reasonable attempt at telling
the
> > truth about violence and anti-semitism coming from the Arab
> communities
> > in the middle east as well as from the Sharon government and
would
> like
> > to hear more from and about the peacemakers on both "sides" in the
> > region. And some of us wish to examine the very difficult
question
> of
> > what is anti-semitism vis a vis condemning Israeli terrorism.
Otie
> > quite incorrectly dismisses this discussion out of hand "because
the
> > Israeli view is well covered in the mainstream media". And we
> need to
> > discuss what is the intention, locally for certain advocates to
> > inexplicably suggest protest at the Holicaust Museum to express
> support
> > for oppressed Palestinians and want to ask what do the
benefactors
> of
> > that museum and what it stand for have to do with oppression of
> > Palestinians and further, what are the motives of those making
such
> > protest recommendations if there is not some underlying hostility
> > against things Jewish.............a legitimate local discussion.
> Stan
> > Merriman
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Ken Freeland <kenfree@e...>
> > To: kpftilab@y... <kpftilab@y...>
> > Date: Sunday, March 24, 2002 9:05 AM
> > Subject: RE: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> > conspiracy theorist....
> >
> >
> > No one can match Edwin Johnston in the name-calling department.
I
> guess
> > everyone is good at something (but you might pay a bit more
> attention to
> > your grammar, Edwin, this one is kind of laughable).
> >
> > But wait a minute, what is really the point here? Who is opposed
> to the
> > development of local programming? Not I, not Otie, not Duane
> Bradley,
> > not the LAB. Indeed, Otie is going out of his way to encourage
the
> > local community to get involved in programming. We currently
> import
> > four hours per weekday of current affairs programming. That
leaves
> > EIGHTY hours per week for locally produced programming, plus,
> > potentially, the entire weekend (which is all locally produced as
> things
> > stand).
> >
> > Hep Ingham and I are both involved in helping to locate local
> > constituencies who would benefit from local programs -- Hep, for
> > instance, mentored the Labor Show. Torry has been trying to line
> people
> > up for local programs for months, and many of the people he
> identified
> > are now involved (Rubac, the First Nations Show, etc.)
> >
> > If Edwin and Dan are so obsessed with generating local
programming,
> why
> > aren't they out there recruiting local programmers and helping
them
> get
> > a spot on KPFT? Because, I suggest, local programming is not
their
> > real interest. It is all a bunch of subterfuge. Their real
> interest is
> > plainly to smear Dennis Bernstein and anyone who supports his
> revealing
> > investigative journalism (particularly with regard to Israel, of
> > course!). Actions speak louder than words. Let's see some
action,
> Dan
> > and Edwin. Talk is very cheap. I'm looking forward to reading
your
> > first program proposal.
> >
> > The KPFT struggle is now in a phase where only constructive
effort
> is
> > helpful. The time for bickering and recrimination is past. So
put
> your
> > shoulder to the wheel and stop the belly-aching, please, so we
can
> move
> > on to making KPFT the best station in the nation. We've made
> tremendous
> > strides in that direction for the past couple of months, and the
> speed
> > of development of KPFT as a resource for progressives and the
local
> > community is truly breathtaking. There is much to be positive
> about!
> > But if, to use Spiro Agnew's famous phrase (probably penned by
> William
> > Safire) you prefer to be "nattering nabobs of negativism" well, I
> guess
> > no one can stop you. But I will assume that the majority of us
have
> > more productive things to do with our time.
> >
> > Peace,
> > Ken
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Edwin Johnston [mailto:edi@h...]
> > Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 11:16 PM
> > To: kpftilab@y...
> > Subject: Re: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> > conspiracy theorist....
> >
> >
> > Freeland is clearly are Mr. Dense.
> > Where did I say focus on local issues?
> > Those types of shows would focus on "all" issues as they relate
to
> local
> > people within our local signal.
> > But of course, I was referring to the heritage of KPFT,
mentioning
> by
> > name some old programs we used to put on the air. And you are
just
> as
> > clueless as Otie on what KPFT was prior to the Ganter era.
> > Let the Arabs use their own news sources to report what is going
on
> on
> > the Arabic Hour, they can read, you know. And let the Jews
provide
> the
> > listeners what is going on from their perspective on mazel Tov or
> > whatever new show. And not only news, but culture. And then let
them
> > open up the phone lines. It's worked before, so why shouldn't it
> work
> > again?
> > And the Persian Program: so-called middle eastern, but neither
> Arab, nor
> > Jew - we're talking true perspectives here!
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Ken Freeland <mailto:kenfree@e...>
> > To: kpftilab@y...
> > Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 10:38 PM
> > Subject: RE: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> > conspiracy theorist....
> >
> > Yes, good idea Edwin, let's force everyone to focus on local
issues,
> > then we won't have to wonder what our tax dollars are doing in
> > Palestine. You and Dan Jones are indeed two peas in a pod. You
> might
> > at least have been original.
> >
> >
> > Peace,
> > Ken
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Edwin Johnston [mailto:edi@h...]
> > Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 10:09 PM
> > To: kpftilab@y...
> > Subject: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> conspiracy
> > theorist....
> >
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@y...>
> > <snip>
> > > That is hateful reductionism masquerading as learned discourse.
> BTW,
> > > treacherous is the second most common adjective applied to Jews
by
> > > anti-semites (after money-grubbing), followed close-on by
> underhanded
> > > and secretive.
> > <snip>
> >
> > Don't forget "vermin."
> >
> > Here's my suggestion: dump Flashpoints and return some programs
> like the
> > Arabic Hour, Mazel Tov, Community Dialogue, the Persian Program
and
> hip
> > feminist shows. The issues with thus be covered, by locals, with
> > diversty
> > and community input.
> >
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>
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Date: Sun, 24 Mar 2002 16:41:07 -0000
Subject: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
conspiracy theorist....
Reply-To: kpftilab@yahoogroups.com
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Ken sez:

"So you're in Jones' mindless "amen corner,"

"amen corner" is the phrase anti-semites (I mean anti-Zionists)
use to identify members of the International Jewish Conspiracy.

--- In kpftilab@y..., "Ken Freeland" <kenfree@e...> wrote:
> That's pitiful stuff, Stan. And no one would be more supportive
the I
> would of getting Hightower and folks like him regular play on
KPFT. For
> you and Jones to keep painting me as if I opposed this is
ludicrous,
> and is basically strawman argumentation. I thought you, at least,
might
> be capable of independent thought. So you're in Jones'
mindless "amen
> corner," eh? So be it. Spare me your pontifications.
>
> Peace,
> Ken
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: merriman [mailto:merriman@n...]
> Sent: Sunday, March 24, 2002 10:29 AM
> To: kpftilab@y...
> Subject: Re: Local alternatives was: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Scratch a
> conspiracy theorist....
>
>
> This discussion on both local vs.berkeley programming and
antisemitism
> has degenerated into ad hominum which I regularly hear condemned by
> Freeland. There is a worthwhile debate on both issues which can
> contribute to KPFT. Let me assert, Ken that many, many of us are
> working dilligently on programming concepts and outreach....not
just you
> and Hep. Stop this silly "I do more than you do nonsense". And no
one
> gives a shit, Ken that Bernstein is your friend or not your friend.
> What is worthwhile discussion is whether his content is revlevant
to a
> Texas and Houston audience and whether it is really investigative
> reporting and journalism or largely Berkeleycentric opinion radio.
And
> whether the uniquely Texas brand of progressivism/populism is
relevant
> to programming mix. Perhaps we have not noticed that Texas
conservatism
> is having a profound impact on both the national and world political
> stage.............and that our spokespersons for Texas populism
deserve
> a much bigger stage..........for both information and opinion about
not
> just local issues but national/international as well. What should
be at
> issue here is developing locally originated programming and airtime.
> Many of us would like to hear more Hightower, et al either in
> juxtaposition to the Bernsteins of the airways or instead of. And
many
> of us would like to also hear some reasonable attempt at telling the
> truth about violence and anti-semitism coming from the Arab
communities
> in the middle east as well as from the Sharon government and would
like
> to hear more from and about the peacemakers on both "sides" in the
> region. And some of us wish to examine the very difficult question
of
> what is anti-semitism vis a vis condemning Israeli terrorism. Otie
> quite incorrectly dismisses this discussion out of hand "because the
> Israeli view is well covered in the mainstream media". And we
need to
> discuss what is the intention, locally for certain advocates to
> inexplicably suggest protest at the Holicaust Museum to express
support
> for oppressed Palestinians and want to ask what do the benefactors
of
> that museum and what it stand for have to do with oppression of
> Palestinians and further, what are the motives of those making such
> protest recommendations if there is not some underlying hostility
> against things Jewish.............a legitimate local discussion.
Stan
> Merriman
----------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Edwin Johnston" <edi@hal-pc.org>
MessageThe hallucinations that Freeland wishes to project onto this
list ar=
e absolutely astounding. I'm coming to the conclusion that Freeland
operate=
s on a totally unconscious level, where his Id has a pipeline straight
to h=
is keyboard. It's as if he is a waking somnambulist as he utters his
stream=
of dreamlike fantasies.
Dan and I set up the Houston Radio Report specifically as an outreach
tool.=
So far about 25,000 copies have hit the streets, in Houston, across
Americ=
a and oversees. Our website has received over 30,000 hits. The current
issu=
e features program proposals for KPFT, including one submitted by
Freeland =
himself! It also features two pages of letters from listeners of all
stripe=
s with their ideas on the new direction KPFT should take. The
centerfold is=
a wonderful interview that I got from early 1970s KPFT manager, David
Cros=
sley, where he passionately provides the breadth of his personal
experience=
and keen social insight about ideas on the future direction of KPFT,
etc. =
The sheer amount of hours and cold hard cash put into the newspaper
project=
alone could choke a blue whale. And it doesn't even touch on the many
othe=
r magical things that Dan and I have done that were instrumental in
creatin=
g the situation where KPFT was reclaimed for the community.
There is little reason to attempt to wrestle with the rest of the
falsehood=
s Freeland is advancing here, it's a waste of time. Kooks will be
kooks.
----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>

Having discharged its bolus of ink, the giant sea squid retreats into
its posture of self-righteousness and unsubstaniated claims of
productivity.

I am not eager to hear the kind of programming that Freeland "mentors"

----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>

Ken attempts to bury you in a cloud of ink

to cloud his views.

He is an anti-semite, Thomas Jefferson, not withstanding.

----------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Ken Freeland" <kenfree@ev1.net>

In 1799, Thomas Jefferson gave the following warning, which has been
ignored, along with other good advice right up to the present day:
"Single acts of tyranny may be ascribed to the accidental opinion of a
day, but a series of oppressions, begun at a distinguished period,
unalterable through every change of ministers, too plainly prove a
deliberate, systematic plan of reducing us to slavery." Subsequently
referred to as: "the conspiracy theory". (from: PROPAGANDA IN THE NEXT
WAR Originally published in 1938 -- FOREWORD TO THE SECOND EDITION
2001)

Peace,
Ken

"THE CIA is not now nor has it ever been a central intelligence agency.
It
is the covert action arm of the President's foreign policy advisers. In
that
capacity it overthrows or supports foreign governments while reporting
"intelligence" justifying those activities...Disinformation is a large
part
of its covert action responsibility, and the American people are the
primary
target audience of its lies." (Deadly Deceits, page 192) Author Ralph
McGehee is a former CIA agent
----------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>

Rick-

This is Ken's view of Israel from one post back. No need for a
conspiracy theory, Ken just types it out for you.

"1) Promotion of the philosophy espoused by Theodore Herzl (a
nineteenth century protofascist philosopher) and his followers,
advocating the expropriation by force and treachery of Palestine from
the Palestinians for the sake of European (Ashkenazi) Jews...."

That is hateful reductionism masquerading as learned discourse. BTW,
treacherous is the second most common adjective applied to Jews by
anti-semites (after money-grubbing), followed close-on by underhanded
and secretive.

Ken throws those around, too.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>

BTW, I forget to mention the strain of Founding Fathers
Libertarianism that characterizes the particular type of hate
politics that Ken expouses

Look up "Zionist" in your dictionary and you will find the
definition "those who worked towards and believe in the
reestablishment and development of a Jewish state, in what is now
Isarel"

Look up "Zionist" in the special dictionary of nutbars of Ken's ilk
and you will find pictures of Queen Elizabeth with a Yarmulke
counting drug money with George Bush, Sammy Davis and William Shatner.

--- In kpftilab@y..., "Ken Freeland" <kenfree@e...> wrote:
> What I am all about is keeping the United States free of "entangling
> alliances" such as George Washington warned us against.
Our "alliance"
> with Israel is baseless, immoral and ultimately counterproductive in
> terms of our ability to relate to the rest of the civilized world,
> particularly the Arab world (not that this matters any to Dan
Jones, of
> course). To classify this as "hate" is the ultimate in Zionist
> demagoguery. It is you have exposed yourself as a partisan, Mr.
Jones.
> I advise all subscribers to this list to be thus forewarned. Those
who
> support Israel's criminal policies, and US support for it, are the
true
> "haters." Just ask the hundreds of Palestinian civilians who have
met
> an early death this year, and the thousands more who are denied a
return
> to their homes from which the Zionists (the Stern Gang et al.)
forcibly
> removed them decades ago.
>
> Peace,
> Ken
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: dmjo_2000 [mailto:dmjo_2000@y...]
> Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 8:28 PM
> To: kpftilab@y...
> Subject: [kpftilab] Scratch a conspiracy theorist....
>
>
> To put it bluntly, Ken, you have just exposed yourself, not me.
>
> "Zionists and their minions, whether overt or "closet."..."
>
> is Protocol-of-the-Learned-Elders-of-Zion hate personified.
>
> Which is what you are all about, isn't it, Ken?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>

To put it bluntly, Ken, you have just exposed yourself, not me.

"Zionists and their minions, whether overt or "closet."..."

is Protocol-of-the-Learned-Elders-of-Zion hate personified.

Which is what you are all about, isn't it, Ken?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "Ken Freeland" <kenfree@ev1.net>

Ha, ha. Rick, you got it wrong, my man. This Dan isn't practicing
psychology, but Zionist demagoguery. It's pretty simple, really:

1) If a critic of Israeli depredations is a gentile, call him an
"anti-Semite."
2) If a critic of Israel is a Jew, call him a "self-hater."
3) If all else fails, force people to concentrate on local news
("local,
local, local, local . . ."), which is one way to keep their attention
off the question of how many billions of US tax dollars are spent
annually subsidizing Israeli war crimes and crimes against humanity.

This business of calling critics of Israel "self-hating Jews" is the
most arrant nonsense of all. It essentially asserts that you can't
possibly hold a critical view of Israel and love yourself as a Jew.
This
is, of course, the very opposite of the truth: Jews with any kind of
decency and humanity condemn Israel for its brutal and endless
occupation of Palestine, such as Not In Our Name in Chicago, and the
group that just recently took out a full page ad in the International
Herald Tribune and other national papers, and the hundreds of Israeli
IDF officers who refused to follow orders to go to the West Bank and
participate in the illegal occupation.

People who object to Bernstein, in my opinon, are really objecting to
his incessant expose of Israel and its daily war crimes. The
strategies
outlined above are the stock approach of Zionists and their minions,
whether overt or "closet." But I am confident that people on this list
are intelligent enough to see through this subterfuge to the real deal:
Dennis Bernstein is an award-winning, first rate investigative
journalist who tells it like is about Israel and other international
news and issues. This rubs some people the wrong way, of course, but
as
they say in Brooklyn: facts is facts.

Peace,
Ken

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Potthoff [mailto:strangefriend@hotmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 4:46 PM
To: kpftilab@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Jew baiting as a fundraising tactic....

Yes, but if Socrates was blowing smoke up my ass, even though he was
Socrates, he would STILL be blowing smoke up my ass.

Dan, are you fully certified to practice psychology in the State of
Texas? If not, I may have to report you to the Texas Medical Society
for practicing outside of your discipline.--Rick Potthoff

----Original Message Follows----
From: "dmjo_2000"
Reply-To: kpftilab@yahoogroups.com
To: kpftilab@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [kpftilab] Re: Jew baiting as a fundraising tactic....
Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 21:55:11 -0000

I know the post was a little long, Rick, but you should try reading
past the first sentence.
The "cultural baggage" (to quote our drug warrior Mr Becker) we bring
to an issue often explains more of our position than the "facts".
Dennis hated Israel long before he ever heard of the Palestinians...
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
X-Sender: kenfree@ev1.net

Ha, ha. Rick, you got it wrong, my man. This Dan isn't practicing
psychology, but Zionist demagoguery. It's pretty simple, really:

Peace,
Ken
-----------------------------------------------------------------
X-Sender: dmjo_2000@yahoo.com

Um, Rick, you, Ken and Otie can go off and form your Bernstein
fanclub. I'll be over here saying he is an egomaniac and a poor
journalist. And that KPFT would be better off repeating DN! at 7P
for those of us who work during her show.

Another 3 months of FP and you will be screaming like the rest who
have heard him

"Dennis, make your peace with that long lineage (back to the 15th
centry, no less!) of Rabbis in your family...and get that ego of
yours under control"

And KPFT will still be promising a news department and making do with
Mathew Momoh, as their "talk show host" (more of a giggling host
lately)

local, local, local, local,
----------------------------------------------------------------------
sender: <merriman@neosoft.com>

>>
>>Dan is right about overdoing the Berkleycetric stuff and remember, I
am
>from
>>the Bay Area and understand this culture and appreciate much of it.
>Duane,
>>remember, that progressivism in Texas has its roots in the East Texas
>>Populist movement of the mid-1800's; that streak of independence
remains
>in
>>Texas culture and is attractive to people like you and I ,
transplants.
It
>>plays on the solutions-oriented instincts of Texans and Texana
>>transplants.........the rugged individualism that pervades even
>>liberal/progressive/populist thought here. Populism is the soul of
the
>>progressive movement here, often misunderstood or overlooked by
progressive
>>newcomers. Thus we bred Ronnie Duggar, John Henry Faulk and other
east
>Texas
>>Democrats like Wright Patman (whose kids and grandkids are right
here in
>>Houston )(now emulated mostly by Greens) who fought and beat the
power of
>>big banks, west Texas Democrats who fought the railroads, Bob
Eckhart,
>>Mollie Ivins and Hightower.............irreverent,
non-conspiratorial,
>>trusting of movement solutions and results oriented. We need a mix
of
>this
>>worldview on both local, regional and national issues
programming.....and
>>amen to the need to scrupulously avoid and condemn when were hear
>>antisemitism, as KPFT's listener base core has always had a
significant
>>Jewish representation from the huge multi-generational Jewish
community in
Houston and of course first, because it is the right thing to do. Stan
Merriman
---------------------------------------------------------------
From: "Edwin Johnston" <edi@hal-pc.org>
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Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 13:34:31 -0600
Subject: Re: [kpftilab] Re: Jew baiting as a fundraising tactic....
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I guess it's fair for me to chime in here and remind everyone of my
early
warnings that the Bozo-nco crew would try to turn KPFT into "Radio
WBAI" and
Dan Jones' previous warnings about the "tyranny of the coasts" in
regards to
the direction Pacifica would take the network, which includes the KPFA
influence.
It's clear now that the yearnings for a democratic process for
programming
have been entirely abandoned at KPFT. The LAB has been emasculated.
Hep's
phony programming committee is hardly a memory at all. Otie is in full
control of programming, he told me so himself last night. I had
submitted
programming proposals to this list and to many of those on the phony
programming committtee, never to hear another word about them, vanished
into
the memmory hole.
Here we have the new system of patronage in action.

----- Original Message -----
From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>
To: <kpftilab@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, March 23, 2002 12:59 PM
Subject: [kpftilab] Re: Jew baiting as a fundraising tactic....

> Fair enough, Torry....
>
> (below a paraphrase of my coments to others on this topic)
>
> Those who have spent time on the coasts are familiar with the origin
> of Bernstein's rapid anti-Zionist views (and Chomsky's for that
> matter) and understand them as an archetype, the cliche of the "self-
> hater".
>
> Among the Jewish Left, they were for many years a curiousity and a
> needed counterpoint to reflexive support for Israel among Americans
> Jews.
>
> But now that Israel has descended ever deeper into its indefensible
> Apartheid policies and siege mentality, rapid anti-Zionism has become
> more fashionable, even required, of those on the Left.
>
> My concern about Dennis' show broadcasting in Texas (and to a younger
> crowd) where leftist/progressive politics are NOT rooted in Jewish
> identity is that it finds a more than receptive audience among
> anti-semites.
>
> Unfortunately, conspiracy theory = antisemitism, to a large extent.
>
> We need to be considering what message KPFT is actually sending by
> broadcasting exclusively in its public affairs the
> Bernstein/Goodman/Chomsky worldview (a very narrow one borne largely
> out of renegade New York Jew's reaction against their own
> upbringings) In NY and Berkeley those views still have a historical
> context. In Texas, they mostly don't.
>
> It was a critique but it is one of a billion possible critiques of
> this modern world.
>
> Although people blab on about Lew Hill and Pacificism, Pacifica's
> real roots are mostly in the Jewish Left of New York. Which is the
> fight that BAI has been having for the last 20 years, as various
> communities try to steal airtime from them (a very important
> background for Utrice's rise).
>
> And it is no accident that Dennis mentions Lew Hill in nearly every
> sentence-that is the prototypic "self-hater"'s identification with
> the WASP other.
>
> It is clear to me from the defenses of Dennis that people are making
> here that y'all don't understand for whence he sprung (and why many
> who completely oppose Israel's policies still consider him a hateful
> buffoon).
>
> That was why Stan urged instead that KPFT also connect to and
> celebrate the progressive politics of TX populism and its history.
>
> And why I have suggested over and over that if the station really
> wants to connect (and make a social and political difference here) it
> should consider airing the voices of folks in Houston rather than
> _preaching_ continually a (largely non-productive) One-note-Samba
> from the likes of Chomsky, Bernstein and some of the FSRN crew.
>
> And at least not until you understand what they are up to.
>
> Using 5hr/week of valuable Flashpoints may make everyone feel
> virtuous that they are listening to an "alternative" message.
>
> But it hold back locally-based programming.
>
> And why it will lead to a anti-Semitic following at KPFT.
>
>
> --- In kpftilab@y..., "Torry Mercer" <torrymercer@h...> wrote:
> > What exactly are you saying? All jews must be Zionists? If some
> Jews want
> > Palestinians to have self determination then they are "self
haters"?
> >
> > Who better to shine a light on the fascism of Ariel Sharon than
> another Jew?
> > Surely you don't support the Israeli state policy of Sharon.
> >
> > OK, we know ya don't like Dennis Bernstein and you don't like his
> politics.
> > Other folks seem to like him a lot. Does he somehow go against the
> Pacifica
> > mission in your mind? Where exactly are you coming from? What are
> your
> > politics? Do you support Sharon? What political line do you support
> in
> > Middle East politics? If we knew, then we might be able to better
> understand
> > your criticism of Bernstein. Most folks in Houston never heard of
> him before
> > hearing him pitch for fund drive: out of context. Let us at least
> hear his
> > regular show for a while before asking us to disregard him as you
> have.
> >
> >
> > >From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@y...>
> > >Reply-To: kpftilab@y...
> > >To: kpftilab@y...
> > >Subject: [kpftilab] Jew baiting as a fundraising tactic....
> > >Date: Sat, 23 Mar 2002 02:30:18 -0000
> > >
> > >
> > >Always works.
> > >
> > >Notice how the phones light up.
> > >
> > >The simplistic straight-out-of-box dogmaticism and
close-mindedness
> > >of Otis is totally repellant to this listener.
> > >
> > >Otis has managed to do the impossible which is make a card-
> > >carrying "self-hater" into an advocate for a more balanced
> approach.
> > >
> > >And we're all getting to know the humourless, self-promoter Dennis
> > >Bernstein, aren't we? He doesn't stop ya know; this goes on night
> > >after night with him.
> > >
> > >For the record, the last person in Pacifica to claim to have
> received
> > >so many death threats was Bessie Wash.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 17:26:08 -0600
Reply-To: aachen@firstnethou.com
To: maxreturn51@aol.com, rick.covert@ev1.net
Subject: [Fwd: [kpftilab] Re: Jew baiting as a fundraising tactic....]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
mon 5:20p hou

guys:

* had to start somewhere, so choose this from last sat. dan jones is
replying to a long string of hostile posts from torry mercer, ken
freeland + rick potthoff. rick is a lab member; the other 2 are not,
buit have been involved in various pacifica things for a awhile.

shall try + get all of them fr this point forward, but no guarantees.
shall also add posts from edwin
johnston, stan merriman + lab member mike pimenthal [aka slasher]
where
germaine.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: "dmjo_2000" <dmjo_2000@yahoo.com>

Fair enough, Torry....

(below a paraphrase of my coments to others on this topic)

Those who have spent time on the coasts are familiar with the origin
of Bernstein's rapid anti-Zionist views (and Chomsky's for that
matter) and understand them as an archetype, the cliche of the "self-
hater".

Among the Jewish Left, they were for many years a curiousity and a
needed counterpoint to reflexive support for Israel among Americans
Jews.

But now that Israel has descended ever deeper into its indefensible
Apartheid policies and siege mentality, rapid anti-Zionism has become
more fashionable, even required, of those on the Left.

My concern about Dennis' show broadcasting in Texas (and to a younger
crowd) where leftist/progressive politics are NOT rooted in Jewish
identity is that it finds a more than receptive audience among
anti-semites.

Unfortunately, conspiracy theory = antisemitism, to a large extent.

We need to be considering what message KPFT is actually sending by
broadcasting exclusively in its public affairs the
Bernstein/Goodman/Chomsky worldview (a very narrow one borne largely
out of renegade New York Jew's reaction against their own
upbringings) In NY and Berkeley those views still have a historical
context. In Texas, they mostly don't.

It was a critique but it is one of a billion possible critiques of
this modern world.

Although people blab on about Lew Hill and Pacificism, Pacifica's
real roots are mostly in the Jewish Left of New York. Which is the
fight that BAI has been having for the last 20 years, as various
communities try to steal airtime from them (a very important
background for Utrice's rise).

And it is no accident that Dennis mentions Lew Hill in nearly every
sentence-that is the prototypic "self-hater"'s identification with
the WASP other.

It is clear to me from the defenses of Dennis that people are making
here that y'all don't understand for whence he sprung (and why many
who completely oppose Israel's policies still consider him a hateful
buffoon).

That was why Stan urged instead that KPFT also connect to and
celebrate the progressive politics of TX populism and its history.

And why I have suggested over and over that if the station really
wants to connect (and make a social and political difference here) it
should consider airing the voices of folks in Houston rather than
_preaching_ continually a (largely non-productive) One-note-Samba
from the likes of Chomsky, Bernstein and some of the FSRN crew.

And at least not until you understand what they are up to.

Using 5hr/week of valuable Flashpoints may make everyone feel
virtuous that they are listening to an "alternative" message.

But it hold back locally-based programming.

And why it will lead to a anti-Semitic following at KPFT.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: greg gieselman <aachen@firstnethou.com>

mark:

*** your last 3 posts deserve full consideration + a full, meticulous
response.
unfortunately, there
isn't time for that right now, but there is time for the following on
the record
quickie:

* about 2 1/2 weeks ago, dennis bernstein + i spoke at some length. i
had
called him to compliment him on his interview with michael moore. when
we were
finished with that topic we went on to others. since so much of his
air time is
devoted to the israeli-arab conflict--and he only covers one
side of the story, and that side heavily spun--i asked him if he
weren't
concerned he had gotten a rep for not being interested in the truth,
but merely
his opinion of it. below is his response [direct quote]:

d bernstein [7th march 2002]: <greg, the truth is what i say it is.>

i asked him if he really meant that, and he said yes. we discussed it,
which led
to a question i had for him about his concern for balance in his
programs--or at
the very least, acknowledging that there was another side to the story.
below is
a close paraphrase of his response:

d bernstein [7th march 02]: <if you want balance, go watch cnn. or
read the ny
times. everyone
knows newspapers + mainstream media are controlled by jews.>

i asked him if he realized how racist + self-loathing that sounded + he
said it
wasn't either, but that i obviously didn't understand. he got that
part right.
we tried to discuss it further, but the conversation began to veer off
into
worldwide-jewish-control-of-banks-and-the-media conspiracy theories.

going back to his favorite topic, i asked him if he were willing to
acknowledge
that innocent dead
israeli children were just as dead as innocent palestinian
children--and if he
understood that on a human level, the parents + families of dead jews
grieved
just as much for their losses as the parents + familes of dead arabs.
below is a
close paraphrase of his response:

d bernstein [7th march 2002]: <don't talk to me about dead
children...what about
the jewish
settlements [in arab lands]?...the israelis have gotten what they
deserved.>

full dislosures 1): i'm not jewish so i have no personal religious ax
to grind
here. 2) he said a great
deal more, of course, but after that, i was thinking about how utterly
cavalierly
he had dismissed
<...dead children...> in favor of real estate. anyway, i asked him if
he didn't
think there might be
some issues he needed to address within himself...issues involving his
apparent
inability to see beyond his blinders. he asked what i meant. i told
him that he
is holding himself out as an investigative
journalist, but in fact he more often sounds like a paid hack for some
lobbyist
or foreign ministry.

his response: <so what?>

he went on to say that he was producing a show, and had i ever heard of
artistic
license? well, yes, i
have. but in my naive way, i'd like to believe that artistic license
is one of
those things we at pacifica
would try to use sparingly when it comes to investigative reporting.

* we talked about other things, too, that night, but there was
virtually no
getting through to him on any level. his mind was made up; why confuse
him with
the facts? he wasn't interested in debate or
conversation. he merely wanted an audience. i felt as if i were
listening to
elmer gantry.

* contrast herr bernstein's nightly one-sided ravings with amy
goodman's
broadcast last week of her
debate between former att gen ramsey clark + former cia director
woolsey. what a
superb hour of
radio--an intelligent, spirited, highly charged discussion from two
persons who
could not--as they
both acknowledged--have disagreed more about their topics. i am
certain vitually
everyone who heard it learned a great deal. i certainly did.

*** recap. mark, we at pacifica--esp some of the more ossified icons +
great
minds--seem to excell
at sanctimonious, self-righteous excoriation of anyone who has the
temerity to
confront us with anything which disputes his/her previously held
positions--even
if those positions are little more than
personal opinions. in a recent post [qv], dan jones has put both such
behavior +
the genesis of it into some context; but the truth hurts, and a fair
number of
people in this network--including our own
kpft, kpfa + the pnb--don't want to hear it. better to ignore it +
hope that the
problem will just go
away. it won't + you know it won't.

dennis bernstein is rapidly turning himself into some sort of grotesque
parody...a sort of single-issue
art bell of pacifica garnished with the shards of oliver north. fine.
it's a
free country. let him have at it. but why do we have to take up a
prime time
slot on our station with it? let's put him on at 3:00am
with all the other conspiracy theorists, and use that time to rerun
democracy
now.

*** mark, have you not asked yourself why gauleiter bernstein is not on
kfpk?
bai? pfw? there could be a message there.

gg
--------------------------------------------------------