KPFA: Peace & Freedom Party Candidate Forum Broadcast

First off, you didn't even choose "Government and Elections" as your topic category. The fact that you chose "Independent Media" as the category shows that your post was more about your problems with KPFA than about the debate. Get a life. Indybay readers who are interested in the elections look to the Government page for things about elections. Indybay readers who want to hear positive things about the independent media movement look on the applicable page for that issue, but they don't want to read your dirty laundry about KPFA (note the way I phrased that) mixed in with an announcement about a debate.

Second, I haven't listened to her in a while, and I didn't notice your post till the very end of the show's timeslot, but, have you ever listened to Kris Welch? Of course she was going to be fair. She is a good progressive.

Third, you want people to call in to Kris's show and ask her why another debate wasn't broadcast over KPFA's airwaves? Again, please get a life. If you ever listen to the station, you know that Kris is neither the program director or the station director. That kind of decision does not get made by Kris Welch, so don't bug her about it. Especially not during one of her- what?- three or four hours on the air per week. Send her a fucking email or snailmail letter. Maybe she shares your opinion.

Maybe you should go take a "how to be an activist" class somewhere and learn how to pick your targets and develop your campaigns.

Luci is angry at Messina for posting an article about the coverage of the Peace and Freedom Party elections and making comments about host Chris Welch. While Luci may not want to hear the news, Welch is a supporter of the management cabal at KPFA. She has gone along with the union busting by the KPFA management against the unpaid staff organization and is one of the staff supporters of "Concerned Listeners". While Luci thinks Welch is a "good progressive" her role at KPFA is the opposite.

Dear Luci,

Thank you for your feedback regarding the announcement I published to raise awareness of the KPFA Broadcast featuring Presidential Candidates for the Peace & Freedom Party. I am sorry “this kind of post upsets” you. Although, I don’t know what “kind” you mean. I am also sorry KPFA didn’t publicise this Broadcast on IndyBay, as it leaves listener-members interested in raising awareness of important programming to publicise it. Surely, we all agree as to the value of the Independent Media Center. I often notice “Democracy Now!” promoting their programming, headlines, links, breaking stories, etcetera, on IndyBay. It’s unfortunate KPFA, which I’ve been listening to for over twenty years, since I was a youth, doesn’t publicise as vigorously for the sake of strengthening the station as a whole.

I am glad there is a forum for independent journalism, where individuals throughout the greater community can publish their own journal entries, datelines. KPFA would be less without IndyBay facilitating a forum for the dissemination of information. I am grateful for the wide amounts of information I’ve acquired regarding the worsening corruption at KPFA through the Independent Media Center. I suppose the question would be for community members to collectively debate the definitions of free-speech, journalistic integrity, honesty, transparency, “objectivity,” ethics, etcetera.

I am registered to vote as a “Non-Partisan Voter,” which means I can vote for one of two parties: “Democratic Party” or the “American Independent Party.” The only “Democratic” vote I intend to cast in the foreseeable future is for Kucinich, unless any of the “Green” or “Peace & Freedom” Candidates or Nader convince me otherwise. Of course, that would mean I must re-register to “cross over.” The last KPFA LSB meeting I attended conflicted with one of two Presidential Forums I was interested in (schedules conflicted). As a long-time listener-supporter, I am sorry KPFA didn’t broadcast or archive that Forum. I am not shy about my past or future voting track record. I can’t understand such a shyness, secrecy, “privacy(?).” I prefer the open dialogue on the agora in the Socratic Method, but that’s just me. Am I off-base?

In order to choose two ‘topic categories,’ I understand one must e-mail one of the web-site administrators. I apologise, for I was out of time. I had to get to work (and I worked late today, apologies again for the late reply to your complaints). I don’t have “problems” with KPFA. I support KPFA because I believe in what it has always stood for and what I hope it will continue to stand for. Shall we not be critical or completely honest? I am in agreement with you about Kris Welch; I have appreciated her radio broadcasts since she was hosting the “Morning Show.”

On the matter of calling in to ask on-air hosts questions: this can be a very difficult or impossible prospect. KPFA no longer has “Free Speech” on its logo. When the phone lines are opened up, calls are either staged, “cherry-picked,” or controlled through certain callers being cut off whilst others are stretched out. During the last Fund Drive, I almost got a chance to say hello to Welch, but the eye contact was a bit frosty. That’s alright, the absence of dialogue is not the end of the world. We are all very busy. She came in to the phone room to say hello; she mentioned editing Alan Watts. Mary Berg or Sarv Randhawa or someone else noted, “He doesn’t edit well.” I understand I am the same part of the KPFA community that anyone else is, since I began participating decades ago visiting friends who produced veteran programs. However, I’ve recently discovered first-hand that volunteering at KFPA is conditional. On Sunday November 4, 2007 at the Lutheran Church of the Cross in Berkeley there was held a Candidate Forum for the 2007 KPFA LSB Elections. This was organised by Virginia Browning, listener-member with assistance by Les Radke, frequent KPFA Volunteer with regard to Elections. Bonnie Simmons gregariously gave me her phone number, “O.K., here’s the deal. Next time you guys are in Berkeley,” she told my friend and I, “Give me a call and you can ask me anything you want about KPFA.” Yet, at the last LSB meeting she only gazed at me, speechlessly, when I asked her about the correct procedure for submitting a transcript (of the previous meeting’s Public Comment) to the Board for the public record. I hope you can understand my unfortunate predicament.

“Maybe she shares your opinion,” you wrote. Maybe she does, indeed. Unfortunately, you’ll need to read my (and others’) previous publications to begin to understand why the inner circle at KPFA will stonewall listener-members who raise undesirable questions.

In conclusion, I’m not an activist, nor intend to pretend being one. Thank you very much for your feedback, apologies for any offenses, they were not intentional. Please feel free to e-mail me for any further communication. Should aporia be reached, I trust we can “agree to disagree,” as Wendell Harper used to say on one of my all-time favourite programs on KPFA, “What’s The Verdict.”

In solidarity for peace, democracy, and social & economic justice,

Felipe Messina, KPFA Listener-Member, Volunteer
“I campaigned for nothing, you treat me like this.” --Joy Division

Felipe, given your recent posts I think Luci makes good points.

In the last two weeks, you have posted very lengthy diatribes that seem intenced to foster division in the Green Party, SEIU and KPFA. You seem to justify this by lumping them all as attacks on KPFA as an umbrella. You seem to have shown up very suddenly, with all the background information and all the answers. I find it very curious.

It sounds like'' Indybay reader '' is trying to say something . Don't be shy, spit it out ! But if you do you better have some evidence to back up your strongly implied accusation .
Felipe is a bit controversial ? Probably acted a little out of line . Then welcome him to KPFA ! He will fit right in . All joking aside it's hard to take ''warnings '' about Felipe from the station mgmt. seriously . The same people that warmly embrace Jim Weber , who compared Richard Phelps to Hitler, described Roy Camapella the 2nd as a ''sexual predator '' stalking the halls of the station (for asking women to go to a movie ! ) before Roy came on the scene forced Gus Newport out , suspended a staffer(for only two days ! ) who went nuts one night and wildly threw chairs at people at a meeting , but suspended Noelle Halloran for five years for alleg. shoving a another staffer . etc. etc.
Messina may have problems . i don't know . But i sure don't trust the "" Concerned listener'' jury to try and convict him .

Someone who is not affiliated with DN! goes through and reposts their stuff as a labor of love every day.

I am sick of KPFA programming. If you're tired of it too, let the interim program director know.