Untitled Document

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Parkin, Scott [mailto:sparkin2002@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Monday, May 13, 2002 9:53 AM
> To: hep (E-mail)
> Subject: here ya go
>
>
> Hep-- This is what I saw and heard: On Wednesday April 17th, Jeff Wittig
> and I went to KPFT a little before noon to pick up a video camera from Bob
> Buzzanco. I entered the studio and saw Edwin Johnston and Emilio
> Bateman in
> the CD room and asked Emilio if he had seen Bob Buzzanco. He said he had
> seen him, but didn't know where he was at the moment. Jeff and I
> then went
> into the studio to a room full of people-- Bob Buzzanco, Jay
> Gallick, Steve
> Brightwell, Janis Blue (spelling?), Buzzanco's guest for his show on
> Venezuela and a volunteer engineer with long hair that I don't know. I
> stood in the hall adjacent to the studio until the JV show ended.
> Jeff went
> back into the lobby at some point while I waited for things to clear out.
> When the JV show ended, the guests and host of the JV show walked
> out of the
> sound room and Bob Buzzanco went in. No words were spoken whatsoever
> between Buzzanco and the JV guests. I saw the entire interaction. Jay
> Gallick asked me to get another of Buzzanco's guests on the phone and I
> spent a few minutes doing that. I then got the video camera and left. As
> Jeff and I were walking out, I saw the JV guests and host talking
> with Stan
> Merriman and Greg Geisalman and I heard the woman with the group say "I
> think some of the staff are anti-Semitic". Also, I saw Greg Geisalman in
> the lobby talking with the JV people, but I never saw him in the studio or
> hallway when the incident supposedly happened. I also never saw Edwin
> Johnston in the studio or hallway, only the CD room.
>
> --Scott
>
> FYI, I think Jeff saw Emilio confront the JV guests.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Wittig, Jeff [mailto:jwitti@coair.com]
> Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 7:50 AM
> To: Hep
> Subject: Buzzanco
>
>
> To whom it may concern:
>
> I was in the KPFT offices on the day of the alleged incident. I was
> standing in the hallway just outside of the control room. The guest hosts
> from the show were leaving the control room and were discussing "how it
> went." I saw Bob Buzzanco enter the control room and speak to
> Jay Gallick.
> I did not see or hear any interraction between Bob and any of the guest
> hosts. As the guests past through the library area a discussion did
> break-out with someone else (who I am not familiar with and did
> not see, but
> only heard - It was not Bob Buzzanco) and some of the guests.
> The comments
> were along the lines of, "I am a Jew and I cannot believe that you people
> can support the policies of Israel... You people make me sick..." As I
> left the offices I past by the guests as they were huddled around the
> reception area. I heard a woman among them say, "I think there is some
> anti-semitism among the staff." I assumed that she was referring to the
> comments made in the library.
>
> I have had several discussions with Bob Buzzsanco concerning the
> conflict in
> Israel and the occupied territories. During these discussions
> Bob has been
> very critical of the policies of the Israeli government, but I have never
> heard him utter a word or made any suggestion that was anti-semetic. In
> fact, I have seen and heard Bob go out of his way numerous times
> to condemn
> anti-semitism as well as other forms of racism.
>
> Please let me know if I can elaborate further or provide any other
> information.
>
> I would be happy to provide a sworn copy of this statment if so required.
>
> Sincerely,
>
>
> Jeff Wittig, Esq.
----------------------------------------------

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Janice Blue [mailto:bluej@texas.net]
> Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2002 10:59 PM
> To: hingham@igc.apc.org
> Subject: FW: Where I was...at KPFT
>
>
> Hi Hep,
>
> This is the letter I sent to Duane and Otis this afternoon when I learned
> nothing had been done to clear up this smear campaign against Bob.
>
> Thank you for anything you do to right this wrong,
> Janice
> ----------
> From: Janice Blue <bluej@texas.net>
> Date: Wed, 15 May 2002 16:32:15 -0500
> To: <dbradley@kpft.org>, <otie@kpft.org>
> Subject: FW: Where I was...at KPFT
>
> Dear Duane and Otis,
>
> I sent this "deposition" on May 2, 2002, almost two weeks ago.
>
> I am disappointed George has not shared it with you and that this
> unfortunate, manufactured remark has harmed someone who
> contributes so much
> to our station.
>
> This lie is a great injustice to Bob and I will not let a person
> be smeared
> and discredited when I was an eyewitness to what really happened.
>
> I am willing to take a lie detector test...that is how strongly I
> feel about
> this false accusation.
>
> We need to come to Bob's defense and rid the station of people
> who fabricate
> such lies, attempt to ruin someone's character and reputation
> and take your
> time away from the important mission you are both working so hard to
> accomplish for our community.
>
> Thank you,
> Janice Blue
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----------
> From: Janice Blue <bluej@texas.net>
> Date: Thu, 02 May 2002 13:00:40 -0500
> To: <gbarnstone@pdq.net>
> Subject: Where I was...at KPFT
>
> To Whom It May Concern:
>
> Two weeks ago yesterday, around noon, I was in the KPFT control room,
> standing in the doorway between the recording studio and the control room.
> I was facing the west (Montrose) wall of the room when a programmer, Bob
> Buzzanco, walked into the control room from the hallway and stood directly
> in front of me. He handed an engineer, I believe, named Mike, a hand
> written time script for the show he was about to do.
>
> I turned around and noticed some activity in the control room. The four
> guests from the previous show, Jewish Voices, were starting to
> get up, take
> off their earphones and walk out of the room. I kind of leaned into the
> narrow doorframe to give them more room.
>
> As they started walking out of the recording studio and into the control
> room, a LAB member now known to me now as Greg Geiselman, walked into the
> control room and Bob Buzzanco expressed his angry feelings about
> the station
> giving airtime to the previous show, "Jewish Voices," and criticized Greg
> Geiselman for bringing in these guests, who in his view were "Sharon
> government apologists."
>
> Bob said something like. "That's what we're hearing on CNN and
> FOX." It got
> more verbally colorful and I was starting to feel the discomfort you feel
> when two people are arguing and you are in hearing range.
>
> During this time, I am still facing the west wall. Greg, to my
> left, closer
> to the hallway door, and Bob, to my right, closer to the window. While I
> was standing there and while Bob and Greg were arguing, all four guests
> walked past my left side and went out through the hallway door.
>
> Two of the guests were women and I could sense they, like me, felt
> uncomfortable but they left the room while Bob and Greg were still
> exchanging remarks. It was a brusque exchange...one or two
> minutes... after
> which Bob walked into the recording studio and went on the air.
> I heard him
> make a quick apologetic remark about the previous program...I
> think he said
> something like, "You may have thought you were listening to CNN or FOX but
> you're still listening to KPFT."
>
> So, to the best of my knowledge and recollection, the guest from "Jewish
> Voices," known as Donna de la Paz, left the recording studio
> while Bob and
> Greg were arguing and left the building while he was interviewing the
> consul of Venezuela on the air.
>
> It is my hope this will be resolved in a fair and peaceful
> manner. We need
> 100% of our talent, energy and dedication for the betterment of Pacifica.
>
> Thank you,
> Janice Blue
>
>
----------------------------------------------

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Brightwell [mailto:sbrightwell@kpft.org]
> Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 4:05 PM
> To: Hep Ingham
> Cc: dbradley@kpft.org
> Subject: Re: Jewish Voices day
>
>
> see attached...

I am Steve Brightwell, Chief Engineer of KPFT. I was operating the air
console on the day of the Jewish Voices program, which ended in a verbal
exchange.

As a rule, verbal exchanges between KPFT “family members” are fairly
commonplace, and don’t get my undivided attention. Also, the station was
running a carted break at the time of the transition, and my attention was
focused on pulling additional carts to extend the break while things in the
studio “settled down”. I was also focused on getting Jay Galic on-duty as
the console operator during that same break.

As to any verbal exchange between Bob Buzzanco and the participants of the
previous program, I would characterize the discussion as heated but not
inflammatory. I cannot recall specifics, but I did not hear any words or
expressions, which would not be allowed on-the-air, or be considered to be
ethnic slurs.

Again, I am being asked to recall a conversation which I was actively trying
to “tune out” at the time, but I do believe I would have noticed and
remembered any “dirty name” calling, and I don’t remember things getting
quite to that level.

> -----Original Message-----
> From: big daddy jay [mailto:nspctr39@yahoo.com]
> Sent: Thursday, May 16, 2002 11:07 AM
> To: Hep Ingham
> Subject: kpft statement
>
>
> mep.
>
> here's my statement. let me know if you want me to
> further clarify anything or if you have any questions.
>
> -gauk

I was at KPFT during the day of the Jewish Voices show which was followed
by Bob Buzzanco’s show. I was there to run the boards for Bob Buzzanco’s
show which was from 12-1pm. I had arrived at the station at around 11:30.
I arrived, said hello to people, and then helped try to record a PSA in the
back studio with Janice Blue before Bob said he needed me for his show. I
went to the front studio with Bob while the Jewish Voices was still on but
nearing the time it was to finish up. Brightwell was running the boards at
that time but I started to get situated and ready to take over. It was
during this time that Buzzanco and Geiselman had a verbal confrontation
spurred because the show was still on and should have been wrapping up.
Brightwell said he was unaware that Buzzanco had a show on next and that the
show needed to be wrapped up. Brightwell then signaled that the show needed
to end and went on the air to give the end of show goodbye. I had cued up
and then played a Clash song to start Bob’s show. The on-air people for the
Jewish Voices show were still in the studio and sitting and talking amongst
themselves. Buzzanco asked if anyone was going to get them out of the room
so that he could set up and begin his show. The Jewish Voices people left
the room and Buzzanco and his first guest, Vartkes Saattdjian, entered the
studio. Buzzanco never interacted with the people from the previous show.
During this time I was setting up the board and I asked Scott Parkin to call
the other guest, Dr. O’Brien, on the phone. People who I saw were in the
general area of the studio at the time of the event were myself, Steve
Brightwell, Scott Parkin, Jeff Wittig, Janice Blue, Mike (don’t know his
last name), Greg Geiselman, Bob Buzzanco, and Vartkes Saatdjian. Stan
Merriman had been in the area working the phones but I did not see him at
the time of the incident. The Jewish Voices people were inside the studio
with the door closed while the Geiselman/Buzzanco argument occurred, and
left the studio after it had occurred, and quickly entered into the front
lobby. Buzzanco entered the studio after the Jewish Voices people left.
This was the only time Buzzanco and the Jewish Voices people were in the
same area and no words were spoken between Buzzanco and the Jewish Voices
people. While I had seen Edi Johnson up at the station that day, I saw him
either outside or in the large back room--he was not present when the shows
changed over. Before the Clash song was over, Buzzanco signaled me to fade
it out and then he went on with his show. At about halfway through the show
and after the first set of interviews, I played more music and Buzzanco came
out of the studio to call the second guest, Mike Foley. After the show,
Buzzanco left the studio to go have lunch. I waited around because there
was a problem with the DAT for World Cafe and I was trying to help. I was
also going to help finish the PSA I had started, but since the front DAT was
messing up, the back studio was needed to play the DAT and I would not be
able to finish the PSA until later that afternoon and I left.

I was in the CD room (conference room) having a heated discussion with two
people, one of which was Johnston. I neither heard nor saw any exchange
between the people from Jewish Voices and Buzzanco. In fact I didn't know
Bob was in the station till I got in my car and heard him on the radio. I
didn't hear him come in.

In my opinion it would be impossible for Johnston to have heard anything,
since he was in the room with me at the time.

-----Original Message-----

From: Emilio Bateman [mailto:emiliobateman@yahoo.com]

Sent: Wednesday, May 29, 2002 10:36 PM

To: buzz@uh.edu

Cc: hingham@igc.org

Subject: Support for Bob Buzzanco

Dear Bob,

Here is my personal statement re the situation with

you and KPFT.

Again, I apologize for not responding more forcefully

earlier. I hope this helps .

Here is my statement:

The allegations of Anti-Semitism against Bob Buzzanco

are absolutely preposterous. Bob has an impeccable

record of opposing imperialism and racism, and his

support for the Palestinian people is testament to

that.

I was at the station to register my concern re the

so-called "Jewish Voices" show at the time the alleged

incident occurred, and heard no anti-Semitic

statements from Bob or anyone else. Nor do I believe

that anyone in that back "table area" where I was

could've heard any conversation that happened in the

studio areas.

The Zionists have always insisted that there is no

distinction between Zionism and Judaism. Therefore any

criticism of Israel is in their view anti-Semitic by

definition, but there is no reason for us to believe

them.

Let us be clear on the context in which these

allegations occurred:

At the time the so-called "Jewish Voices" show aired

on KPFT, the whole world looked on in horror as the

Israeli Army rampaged through Palestinian towns like

the Nazi Wehrmacht, destroying everyone and everything

in its path. "Jewish Voices" was a naked apology

for this genocide being carried out against the

Palestinian people. Many listeners, including myself,

were outraged by this, especially since KPFT has been

in the forefront of exposing these atrocities, and the

whole US-led "War on Terrorism" of which this is a

part.

Nationally, "Democracy Now", and "Flashpoints" have

been valuable tools for people to learn the truth

about the heroic struggle of the Palestinian people.

Locally, Bob Buzzanco has played an invaluable role,

both at KPFT, and in the movement more broadly. No one

should take these allegations against Bob

seriously,and he deserves our full support.

Emilio Bateman

emiliobateman@yahoo.com