[grc] Pacifica and WBAI

Wed Oct 9 19:56:08 PDT 2019

Yes my feelings exactly and that is what the PNP has been doing, petty squabbling which make any solutions to the ongoing financial difficulties at Pacifica impossible. TO me that is HUGE.  .  And to simply focus on what the IED did and not see the other side is the kind of one sided and unhelpful thinking that has gotten us into this never-ending  impasse. It is always simple to see a big bad boogy man who is of course  never ourselves than actually create. solutions.    And as someone who actually works at Pacifica and has been at KPFA for 20 years I wish those who are not part of the organization and have their own agenda’s not be representing the side of truth and justice.  I am at KPFA and see what goes on and have been on the LSB. And I can tell you it is the petty squabbling that has gotten us to this point of crisis.  Once again.  And as someone who has worked in ACT-UP and many other grassroots organizations that had a modified consensus basis I have seen how process that is Democratic can  work and Pacifica is NOT democratic  because the intention to respect each other and actually communicate isn’t there.  Rather people are stuck in the old New Left paradigm of right and wrong and self righteousness .  This isn’t about simply about right and wrong. Its about terrible communication and lack of respect  all the way around.  So please people stop the conspiracies and constant battles and try to actually  create health solutions . We are not each other’s enemies.  Seriously you don’t need the CONTELPRO to fuck up Pacifica when we do it to ourselves.   

Lisa 

> On Oct 9, 2019, at 7:44 PM, Tracy Rosenberg <tracy at media-alliance.org> wrote:
> 
> I dunno. I personally have a hard time equating people squabbling and having personality issues with invading a community radio station, breaking the equipment, decamping with all the computers and the EAS unit, taking tens of thousands of member dollars donated to continue that local programming, and literally fundraising for another station on that station's air, all without any sanction or even notification to the license holder (which is the entire board of directors) as being exactly congruent actions.
> 
> People in groups are people in groups. But the mission of the organization and the existence of community-based media in the biggest media market in the world has significance beyond people squabbling with each other. 
> 
> The focus needs to be on the world, not on internal personality stuff. There is too much at stake to be focused on the petty stuff. 
> 
> My two cents. 
> 
> - Tracy
> 
> On Wed, Oct 9, 2019 at 6:13 PM Lisa Dettmer via grc <grc at maillist.peak.org <mailto:grc at maillist.peak.org>> wrote:
> Not in my experience.  And I think that is another one of the rumors put out by one side. It is true that in my experience at KPFA there is a faction that is more pro-management (except when union negotiations happen). And not really concerned with a democratic process within the station and especially not with the 200  KPFA unpaid staff that Pacifica disenfranchised in 1999 by getting the NLRB to kick us out of the union and making horrible law across the country that prevents all unpaid staff from having collective  bargaining rights.  But the fights on the PNB are beyond any real politics.  They are power politics.  Who wants what piece of pie. And who has grievances against this person or group.  And yes there is some attempt to make Pacifica more functional and unfortunately that often leads to being more like NPR. But to me that is a failure of imagination and comes out of a long term impasse with the other side so there is no real collaboration.  They all need a lesson in communication and meditation because they are not being democratic in their manipulation of the By-Laws.  And that goes to both sides.  Cause I have been on both sides and know them both well.  The rational people generally leave or don’t want to be a part of Pacifica to begin with.  So keep your eye on the PNB and not just on the recent IED . 
> 
> Lisa 
> 
> > On Oct 9, 2019, at 5:22 PM, riva enteen <rivaenteen at gmail.com <mailto:rivaenteen at gmail.com>> wrote:
> > 
> >  "I think  the real focus needs to be on the horrible sectarian divisions  and pretty fighting the  Pacifica board that keeps it from making rational decisions. "
> > 
> > Lisa, there are some serious political difference that are a factor as well.  Has the network become a democratic party shill?
> > 
> > On Wed, Oct 9, 2019 at 4:19 PM Lisa Dettmer via grc <grc at maillist.peak.org <mailto:grc at maillist.peak.org> <mailto:grc at maillist.peak.org <mailto:grc at maillist.peak.org>>> wrote:
> > I have to say what is missing from this analysis is the fact that the PNB has been largely dysfunctional and hasn’t upheld their fiduciary duty to make WBAI solvent and that was the impetus for the IED firing the staff and managers of WBAI which has been a financial mess  for a decade and very mismanaged and was unable to pay its rent or staff for a long time..  I am always amazed that such a dysfunctional board as the Pacifica PNB is, is  able to keep their position and are not regulated more by the courts, if indeed the courts have such broad regulatory powers.  Because they are driving Pacifica into the ground.  And I am a former NY’er so seeing WBAI do so badly in raising money and reaching a broader audience  is extremely sad for me.  I think  the real focus needs to be on the horrible sectarian divisions  and pretty fighting the  Pacifica board that keeps it from making rational decisions.  
> > 
> > Lisa Dettmer 
> > KPFA Radio 
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