Birthday, Building Project, Bash for Jazz and Justice

DECEMBER 15th, 2007: Day of Infamy or Glory for American Free Speech

The local Pacifica Radio station, www.WPFW.org (89.3 on FM dial), has survived 30 years, through ups and downs. It hopes to leave Champalin Street in Adams Morgan for their very own place, and their kick-off fund-raiser combines many parties into ONE BIG BASH on December 15th 2007.

I am quick to inform you that I find some of their opinions on www.WPFW.org on the fringes, but their health, news, jazz and justice contributions are loved by many in the mainstream. After years of donating to the NPR stations (in New Hampshire and Washington DC/WAMU.org) I decided to check out this Pacifica Station. I volunteered a few hours over several weeks recently, and was glad for it. I met many local whites joining with minorities (a truly diverse and interesting bunch) to acknowledge what they get out of WPFW (89.3 FM).

Most of the donations and membership monies came in for the AMY GOODMAN NEWS MAGAZINE (at 8am weekdays, repeated at 6pm each evening) that has the odd title "The War and Peace Report." I disagree that news can be thus summarized; is it not news or worthy of Amy Goodman's special attention if we talk of labor strikes, cabbies' concerns and trade? I really think Amy Goodman's show might find an alternative to the subtitle of her news show "War and Peace Report." Gloria Minott, Askia Mohammad and Verna Avery-Brown do a fantastic job with local, national and international news, as a counterpoint (unintended?) to Amy Goodman.