Airwaves & Liberty

The Green Party convention broadcast finished up a couple days ago — and it was really good, if I might say so. We received a lot of great feedback. In case you missed it, all three hours are now uploaded and available here for your listening.

Hour 1 is sort of a “Greens 101″, includes guests Ruth Weill and Scott McLarty from the GP, Pat LaMarche (2004 Green VP candidate), Mike Feinstein (Green and former mayor of Santa Monica), and others

Hour 2 includes speeches and sounds from the convention and a discussion of the Green Party in the political landscape. Guests include Kathy Kelly (of Voices for Creative Non-Violence), Malik Rahim (of Common Ground), Jill Stein (Physicians for Social Responsibility), Omar Lopez (immigration community organizer), and more.

Hour 3 focuses on a discussion of the nomination of Cynthia McKinney and Rosa Clemente. We hear from them, as well as Ralph Nader, Jared Ball, and others.

More information about the Green Party is online at gp.org or the GP’s convention last weekend at greenparty2008.org.

Tuesday, the House Judiciary Committee will hear from former Undersecretary of Defense Doug Feith and other guests Tuesday morning on the role that Bush Administration lawyers played in creating, developing, and implementing interrogation & torture policies at Guantanamo.

Feith was one of the architects of the Bush Administration’s legal and policy framework for interrogations. He was initially scheduled to testify in June, but cancelled on the morning of the hearing. His appearance is ensured by subpoena.

Pacifica Radio will broadcast the hearing live Tuesday, starting at 9:00 a.m. EDT. KPFA’s Larry Bensky will host this special, with Laura Prives producing. Tune into the live stream here.

Other guests scheduled for tomorrow’s hearing include Philippe Sands, Professor of International Law, University College London; and Deborah Pearlstein, Associate Research Scholar at Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School for Public and International Affairs.

Tuesday’s hearing follows up on previous coverage of this topic. Last month, Pacifica aired Judiciary Committee hearings that featured former White House Chief of Staff David Addington, former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John Yoo, and others.

Renowned anti-nuclear champion and Nobel-nominated Dr. Helen Caldicott has launched a new one-hour, weekly public affairs radio show called “If You Love This Planet.” The first show will air on KPFT in Houston on Monday July 14 at 7:00 PM Central time.

“If You Love This Planet” explores the many dangers of nuclear weapons, nuclear power, climate change and global environmental crises, and explores real solutions to these problems.

We have all heard Dr. Caldicott’s riveting speeches on our airwaves over the past several decades. Many of us have seen her powerfully engage audiences in person. Her radio show is a beacon of truth, a fresh, uncensored and courageous voice in a media landcape that has more-often-than-not ignored the dangers of all things nuclear.

Dr. Caldicott also takes on the global enviromental crises we all want and need to learn more about, “full frontal.” The time has come to cut through the media blackouts and accumulated lies.

She’s passionate, engaging, funny, extraordinary and powerful. And she has a guest list for this show that will make your head spin.

“If You Love This Planet,” (also the title of her book, and her Academy Award-winning documentary film) is recorded weekly in Canberra, the capital of Helen’s native Australia. Her primary host station is Pacifica’s KPFT in Houston, Texas. Her target audience? Every last American, Canadian and European citizen, for starters.

Dr. Helen Caldicott, a pediatrician, was the primary founder of Physicians for Social Responsibility. As one of the most articulate and passionate advoctes of citizen action to remedy the nuclear and environmental crises, Helen has devoted the last 35 years of her life to an international campaign to educate the public about the medical hazards of the nuclear age and the necessary changes in human behavior to stop environmental destruction.

Her latest books include “War In Heaven” and “Nuclear Power is Not the Answer.”

REVOLUTION REWIND: 1968 YEAR IN REVIEW
A three-hour documentary special

“Revolution Rewind” is a 40th Anniversary celebration of a year in which a radical wave crashed across the globe, changing the world and its people politically, socially, and culturally. Wars, marches, elections, assassinations, human rights, civil rights, women’s rights, the explosion of consciousness and creativity… And Pacifica Radio was there to capture it all.

Check back here for a link to the documentary program after July 10th. Or check with your local Pacifica station or affiliate for air time.

CONTENT BY HOUR:
Hour 1: Revolution Rewind: 1968 Year in Review, Part One consists of a broad overview of 1968, with audio selections ranging from Pacifica’s courageous and uncensored coverage of the Vietnam War, Martin Luther King, Jr., members of the Black Panther Party, Cesar Chavez, Robert Kennedy, the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Pete Seeger, Jesse Jackson, Muhammad Ali, Ayn Rand, and many more.

Hour 2: Revolution Rewind: 1968 Year in Review, Part Two showcases the powerful artistic contributions made within this year of turmoil: the sounds of Bob Dylan, Allen Ginsberg, Melina Mercouri, Sun Ra, Phil Ochs, Abbie Hoffman, James Baldwin, Langston Hughes, and others.

Hour 3: Revolution Rewind: 1968 Year in Review, Part Three features two very special guests who found themselves on the forefront of change in 1968 — independent journalist Connie Lawn and activist Tom Hayden join us in the studio 40 years after the fact, to share thoughts and analysis on the lasting importance and impression of 1968, the year of sounds that changed the world.

PRODUCTION STAFF:
Executive Producer: Pacifica Radio Archives and Brian DeShazor
Produced and Edited by Mark Torres
Written by Joanne Griffith
Hosts: Brian DeShazor, Joanne Griffith, Sonali Kolhatkar, Mark Maxwell, Margaret Prescod, Aura Bogado, and Mark Torres

Pacifica Radio will air a live three-hour broadcast from the Green Party Convention in Chicago on Sunday, July 13th as the convention comes to a close.

The convention coverage will air live on Pacifica’s five sister stations this Sunday — 12n-3pm EDT / 11am-2pm CDT / 9am-12n PDT. If you listen to a Pacifica affiliate station, check to see if they’ll be carrying the broadcast live or tape-delayed.

In this Presidential election year, huge issues face the United States: wars in the Middle East and saber-rattling with Iran; the danger of environmental collapse; and the economy in recession with no end in sight… Yet on many of the most important issues facing us, only modest differences exist between the two major parties.

However, over the weekend of July 13th, the Green Party will chart a different course at its annual convention in Chicago. Hosted by Davey D from KPFA’s Hard Knock Radio and produced by KPFK’s Christine Blosdale, Pacifica Radio will be on site to bring you live coverage on Sunday, July 13th. We’ll air speeches, stories and sounds from the Green Party convention, as well as terrific live interviews and analysis of the Greens in the current political landscape.

Pacifica’s Green Party coverage is the first in the network’s summer coverage of the national political conventions. The Democratic National Convention takes place in Denver at the end of August, and the Republicans will be in St. Paul at the beginning of September. We’ll have a crew on-site for both.

SPECIAL LIVE COVERAGE: Pacifica Radio presents the House Judiciary Committee hearing on the Bush Administration’s torture policies, live from Capitol Hill, anchored by Larry Bensky

DATE: Thursday, June 26, 2008
TIMES: 9:00AM - 2:00PM EDT (6:00AM - 11:00AM PDT)

Streamed live at Pacifica.org.

The House Judiciary Committee will hear from David Addington, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President, and Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John C. Yoo. Pacifica Radio will broadcast the hearing live, starting at 9:00AM Eastern (6:00AM Pacific), Thursday, June 26, with its veteran Washington correspondent Larry Bensky as anchor.

Among the issues expected to be discussed are the use of stress and torture in interrogations, why many senior FBI and Department of Justice (DOJ) officials failed to take strong actions after identifying interrogation abuses, and the recent Supreme Court 5-4 decision upholding habeas corpus rights at Guantanamo.

Pacifica Radio will present constitutional and legal experts to discuss the issues involved in the hearing and will invite its listeners to present comments following the hearings. Possible pre-show and post-show guests include: Rep. John Conyers, Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Jamie Raskin, Professor of Constitutional Law at American University, Mark Danner, Professor of Journalism, U.C. Berkeley, Scott Horton, Chair of the Committee on International Law of the Bar Association of New York City, Clive Stanford Smith, Founder and Director of “Reprieve,” London, David Bonner, Public Lawyer and Professor at University of Leicester in the UK, Laura Donahue, Fellow at the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School, and Paul Glusman, Berkeley Employment Lawyer

Berkeley, California (June 16, 2008) – On Thursday, June 26, Pacifica Radio will broadcast the House Judiciary Committee’s hearing on torture. David Addington, Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Vice President, and Former Deputy Assistant Attorney General John C. Yoo will testify. Pacifica’s broadcast will start at 9:00am EDT (6:00am PDT), anchored from Capitol Hill by its veteran National Affairs Correspondent Larry Bensky.

Among the issues to be discussed are the use of stress and torture in interrogations; why many senior FBI and Department of Justice officials failed to take strong actions after identifying interrogation abuses; and the newly recent Supreme Court 5-4 decision upholding habeas corpus rights at Guantanamo.

Pacifica will present constitutional and legal experts to discuss the issues involved in the hearing and will invite its listeners to present comments following the hearings.

List of Potential Guests:

• Jamie Raskin, Professor of Constitutional Law at American University
• Mark Danner, Professor of Journalism, U.C. Berkeley
• Scott Horton, Chair of the Committee on International Law of the Bar Association of New York City
• Clive Stanford Smith, Founder and Director of Reprieve
• David Bonner, Public Lawyer and Professor at University of Leicester in the UK
• Laura Donahue, Fellow at the Constitutional Law Center at Stanford Law School
• Paul Glusman, Berkeley Employment Lawyer

Tentative Broadcast Schedule:
Pre-show: 9-10am EDT / 6–7am PDT
Hearing: 10am-1pm EDT / 7-10am PDT
Post-show: 1-2pm EDT / 10-11am PDT

NOTE: Depending on the number of witnesses and how many rounds of questioning by committee members, the hearing can either end earlier or later than the specified schedule.

SPECIAL BROADCAST:
CELEBRATING MARRIAGE EQUALITY: Live Broadcast of a Same-Sex Wedding

From KPFK/ Pacifica Radio, “Celebrating Marriage Equality” will make history as one of the first live broadcasts of a legally recognized same-sex wedding in California.

In mid-May, the California Supreme Court ruled that people have a fundamental right to marry the person of their choice. On Friday, June 20th, Pacifica will broadcast the wedding of Linda Martinez and her partner Regina Rodriguez, as well as discussion with the happy couple, their minister, friends, and family.

The broadcast will also features discussion and analysis with Los Angeles-area LGBT activists about the implciations of the Court decision and the looming November referendum that would constitutionally ban same-sex marriages in the state if passed.

Hosted by Sonali Kolhatkar of KPFK’s morning show “Uprising, the broadcast will air live on KPFK and other stations next Friday, June 20th, 11am-12n EDT / 8-9am PDT.

SPECIAL BROADCAST:
RADIO BLOOMSDAY: A JAMES JOYCE CELEBRATION
Starring Alec Baldwin, Anne Meara & Amy Stiller, Kate Valk and Alvin Epstein

From WBAI/Pacifica Radio, RADIO BLOOMSDAY is an intimate radio program featuring readings of James Joyce’s Ulysses plus selections from Joyce’s entire canon, performed by leading actors. Bloomsday is celebrated every year on June 16, the day Ulysses takes place.

WBAI will air a nine-hour Radio Bloomsday special, beginning at 7pm on Monday, June 16th. The first three hours — all FCC-clean — will be distributed live to the Pacifica network via satellite. Later hours will be posted on the web on Tuesday.

“Radio Bloomsday will make the works of Joyce accessible to a 21st century audience, the newly initiated and devoted stalwarts alike,” explains producer Larry Josephson. “This year’s show begins with a survey of all of Joyce’s works, followed by a spotlight on the holy trinity of characters in Ulysses: Stephen Dedalus, Leopold Bloom and his wife, Molly.”

ACTORS & PERFORMERS:
– Alvin Epstein (the original Lucky in “Waiting for Godot”) reads a tribute to Samuel Beckett, Joyce’s former secretary
– Amy Stiller will do a tribute to the Irish poet Patrick Kavanagh
– Alec Baldwin reads The Citizen
– Anne Meara will perform the role of Gertie MacDowell
– Kate Valk as Gertrude Stein

In addition to these stars, others scheduled to perform in Radio Bloomsday include John O’Callaghan from Stargate Atlantis, Obie award winner Aaron Beall, Faux Real Theatre’s Mark Greenfield, performance artist ZeroBoy, and actors Jim Fletcher, Patricia O’Connell, Emily Mitchell, Vera Beren, David Pincus, Laura Simms, Bob Dishy, and Alana Newhouse.

PRODUCERS & DIRECTORS:
–Radio Bloomsday is produced by Larry Josephson, winner of the prestigious Peabody Award and three Grammy nominations for his work with Bob & Ray. Larry co-created (with Isaiah Sheffer) the first Bloomsday broadcast from Symphony Space 26 years ago, which he produced for radio until last year.
– The broadcast is directed by Caraid O’Brien, who will also perform the complete Molly Bloom monologue (in the upload-only hours). She wrote and directed “Bloomsday on Broadway” at Symphony Space for three years. Caraid was born in Galway, Ireland and, at 33, is the same age as the fictional Molly Bloom.
– Artistic Director is Janet Coleman, author of “The Compass,” host & producer of The Cat Radio Cafe, and WBAI Arts Director.

In case you missed the news, Utah Phillips died late last week of complications related to congestive heart failure. He was 73.

Utah Phillips was one of my favorite performers and inspirations. I got the opportunity to see him perform in Madison a few years ago one of his last tours, and it was terrific. More than terrific - it filled me with joy, gave me a dose of labor & folk history, and inspired me to do good work. And it was fun! It’s a rare performer who can deliver all that in a single evening performance. In fact, I can’t say I’ve been as impressed with any show since.

Scooter wrote the following comments to the Grassroots Radio Coalition, and I think they provide a great epitaph:

Utah Phillips was the Kind Uncle of the entire human race.

Which is one hell of a thing to be, but I noticed Utah Phillips because he did radio that didn’t suck, which is not easy.

Utah Phillips talked right into the best feelings about yourself and the world. He knew how to make you love yourself. He was just an old hobo, pissed off at the system, and full of love for me and the rest of us. Seek his pissed offedness.

And find his love.

A good start for anyone’s journey

Now for the audio…

KPFA folk show host Robbie Osman did a two hour tribute to Utah Phillips on last Sunday’s “Across the Great Divide.” You can listen to the show here:

On Tuesday’s Democracy Now, they replayed a January 2004 they conducted with Utah Phillips. Listen here:

Utah hosted a show called Loafer’s Glory from KVMR in Nevada City in the late 1990s/early 2000s, which was syndicated on the Pacifica network. Information about the show and CD sales info can be found at utahphillips.com. Also, Steve Baker from KVMR has posted three classic episodes at the KVMR Loafer’s Glory page.

The family requests memorial donations to Hospitality House, P.O. Box 3223, Grass Valley, California 95945; (530) 271-7144; www.hospitalityhouseshelter.org