I used to get spams from him about his book. Over and over and over again, and I would email him and ask and then tell him to stop spamming me and the listservs that I was on. Did he stop?

Well, eventually.

This is pathetic. We have major social problems in this society, one of which is the lack of job skills among young workingclass people, and yet all we hear for change at KPFA is promoting a program by an 88-year-old former host of a KPFA program, Bill Mandel. Mandel is a wonderful person and his programs were all outstanding, but it is time to pass the torch to the younger generation.

The duty of all of us who are getting ready to retire, or in the case of Bill Mandel, long-time retired, is to make room for the under age 30 generation of the workingclass to take over at KPFA. First and foremost, KPFA must be a voice of the workingclass of all colors, and it is that class outlook that will guarantee a radical perspective, getting rid of the Democratic Party reactionary idiocy that still exists at KPFA.

While many of us may not like the music of the younger generation, KPFA does not exist for the music; it exists to promote workingclass politics to help us change the fundamental nature of this society and eliminate the profit motive, the cause of all the wars.

I urge the people who are clearly living in the past with this promotion of a program by Bill Mandel to instead look forward, turn toward the young people, teach them your skills, and pass that torch to them just as fast as you possibly can because they must take over with all the job skills we can possibly provide.

I treasure Bill Mandel's many books, the memory of his hundreds of programs, his milestone achievement of listener call-ins, and his lifelong commitment to the struggle for a better life for the workingclass. It is time to welcome as many workingclass young people to KPFA as possible right now.

How long could you have been listening to KPFA to make the following statement:

"First and foremost, KPFA must be a voice of the workingclass of all colors, and it is that class outlook that will guarantee a radical perspective..."

For as long as I listened to the station, it has never been a voice for the working class. Sure, there is some coverage of labor issues but that's about it. KPFA, like most groups/sects/organizations representing US radicalism is overwhelmingly middle class.

Why wouldn't most working people be found in the working class?

It's time to send this creepy Stalinist out to pasture. Sure, he had his (one) moment of glory nearly a half century ago, but that was very, very long ago. Lately he has NOTHING to contribute to the working class or anyone else. Added to that, he still talks shit at 88 and that should be enough to send him on his way.

Stalin is gone, let's make one of his lesser disciples go away too.

Nestor

this vain motherfucker has been about self-promotion, resting on his laurels, and grandstanding during his entire *careeer*. it's not only time to get his lame ass off kpfa, it's time to kick discussion of *rehabilitating* this stalinist pig off indybay.

don't the lame sectarian cadre have their own forum to debate the merits of their *leaders*? as a working class anarchist, i say we shouldn't even share our forum with authoritarian scum like mandel and his sycophantic cronies.

You know, I used to get a lot of Bill Mandel email on my lists too, in Seattle.
I wouldn't say that the reason a radio should be allocated is by age, and that some people are too old. Old people can be perfectly capable of doing good radio. But shows shouldn't be reserved only for people who have previously done radio, or have experience. It has to be for the good of the station over all, so shows that have a big audience should continue, and there shouldn't be bias against letting new people have slots.
I find myself letting days go by when I don't listen to Pacifica.
One of the best developments recently has been ability to tune in to radio shows in other towns - and this usually works as well with dialup as DSL. I wouldn't sign up for satellite radio, because those remove the local flavor, and the main reason why I'm a radio listener instead of plugged into an iPod is that I like to hear local radio DJs mention things going on - like the KALX evening news. And good quality music shows will give you better music than hours spent experimentally downloading mp3s and then rejecting quite a bit of what you sampled.