[lbo-talk] KPFA / Open Letter to Wellstone Club

[Joseph Wanzala]

According to my computer files, I sent the following message out on theWellstone Democratic Club list at 7:08 a.m. this morning (9/22/06).  Ithas been met with stone silence by the quite large list ofmembers--assuming it was actually delivered to the list.  I will waitand see if it generates any discussion, because it exposes them asviolating their customary procedures and taking action in an arena otherthan their principal mandate.  If the silence continues, I will re-sendit tomorrow.  You may forward this material to any lists you wish.  Itis a public letter.Marc SapirOpen Letter to the Wellstone Democratic ClubI am intrigued and concerned by the Wellstone club's going outside ofits usual local, state and federal electoral environment to endorse aslate of candidates in a divided house at our  independent radio stationKPFA.  As a list member and a KPFA member I had not heard from Wellstonethat this action was under consideration and certainly I heard of nopublic or private debate or hearing of contrasting viewpoints (as you dowith candidate forums) on the internal divisions at the station orwhether an endorsement would be a good idea.  It leaves me breathless tolearn that a Democratic Party club has intervened within such a disputebecause one of the main bones of contention by many supporters andlistener-sponsors of KPFA has been that much of it's paid staff is tooclosely tied to the liberal wing of the Democratic party, thuscompromising it's broader grass roots movement building efforts.As Wellstone list members know, I am not the first to point out that thelargest sector of the Wellstone club is white, upper middle class andliberal.  The progressive or left political movement in the Bay Areawhich supports KPFA is, of course, much broader than that, both inintent and in reality, and maintaining the integrity and independence ofthe station requires trying to grow and assure that breadth.  For asizeable political organization chartered by the Democratic Party toraise funds for one side in a situation where the goal ought to be toend the divisions and divisiveness through openness and compromise willhave a detrimental affect.  What ought to happen is a more open airing(on KPFA in some regular slots) of different views on forward policiesfor the Station, something which the staff, and I assume the candidatesWellstone has supported, are reluctant to see happen.Wellstone's insertion into this environment may well come back to hauntall of us (regardless of our political vantage within the progressivemovement) for the disunity and increased hostility it will induce amongmany station supporters.  I have been trying, for a few years now, toencourage people involved in such struggles within the important BayArea  political movement to treat internal debate in a much more open,fair and respectful way than has been the case, irrespective of theirpolitics.  The endorsement of a specific slate of listener candidatesbacked by the paid staff at the station (staff who have tried tootherwise peripheralize the station board elections so that an airing ofissues and differences in policy pursuits do not get a full hearingbefore the public on the air) is, to say the least, discouraging.Marc Sapir MD, MPHExecutive DirectorRetro Pollwww.retropoll.org-----Original Message-----From: WDRC at yahoogroups.com [mailto:WDRC at yahoogroups.com] On Behalf OfKatz, JohnSent: Wednesday, September 20, 2006 4:03 PMTo: WDRC at yahoogroups.comSubject: FW: WDRC for KPFA event Sunday September 24Importance: HighDear WDRC,Enclosed is a flyer inviting all supporters of a renewed KPFA to come toa campaign kick-off event and fundraiser  for the slate of candidatesendorsed for the KPFA Local Station Board by the Wellstone Club and ourpartner organization in this effort, the Concerned Listeners for KPFA.This is an opportunity to meet the candidates and shmooze with some ofthe on air staff that is supporting their candidacies, including LarryBensky, Bonnie Simmons, Phil Maldari,  Sasha Lilley, and Mark Mericle.The event will be this Sunday September 24th from 3-6 at ConnHallinan's home (one of the candidates) , 3033 Dana st. (near Prince) inBerkeley. The same large beautiful home where Jerry Mc Nerney held hisfundraiser last Saturday.Hope to see you there.John Katz
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