-Caveat Lector- radman pull quote: "I have witnessed the head of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission impose censorship and deny citizens their Constitutional rights to free speech and peaceful assembly." Ya wanna talk conspiracy, huh? ========================== >Dr, Judith Rodin >President, University of Pennsylvania >Fax 215/898-9659 > >July 15, 1999 > >Dear Dr. Rodin: > >After months of ignoring pleas to mediate the crisis which she had provoked >here at KPFA, Dr. Mary Francis Berry arrived in the Bay Area this week for >a secretive, invitation-only news conference. You deserve to know about >that and subsequent events in which Dr. Berry played a starring, though >remote-control, role, since they present problems for the academic >profession, your university, and above all, the U.S. Constitution. > >Dr. Berry lied to the media on several issues. She did not misstate; she >outright lied, and this can be documented. The following day, the watchdog >group Media Alliance intercepted a misdirected internal memo revealing that >the Pacifica board has been discussing the sale of Pacifica "assets" the >day after Dr. Berry denied such rumors. She continued to do so, while >sternly reiterating that staff would be fired for discussing internal >matters on air. Apparently on Berry's instructions, a newscaster was >dragged from his microphone for reporting the memo as her newly imported >manager took the station off the air. The scuffle between Dennis Bernstein >and armed guards was heard throughout Northern California, and when >hundreds of people gathered at the station (I was one), the Berkeley Police >were ordered by Dr. Berry's minions to evict and arrest those within the >building, including its staff. These events have been covered by all news >outlets, including yesterday's rally of 2000 people at the station. > >This, apparently, was the ultimate reason for the five armed guards which >Dr. Berry had stationed within KPFA several weeks ago. Five seemed a bit >like overkill, but these men work for a company that specializes in hostile >takeovers and internal investigations. On Tuesday, KPFA was forcibly seized >and the staff arrested and/or locked out of a building constructed by >community donations. What was this if not a hostile takeover conducted with >all the finesse of Charles Hurwitz? > >Yesterday, Pacifica's nationally broadcast show "Democracy Now" carried a >report on the events at Berkeley. The program was suppressed at all >Pacifica stations. It was taken off the air in Washington in >mid-broadcast. > >I have witnessed the head of the U.S. Civil Rights Commission impose >censorship and deny citizens their Constitutional rights to free speech and >peaceful assembly. I have heard a member of the academic community lie to >the press; as both a former journalist and a present academic, I am doubly >incensed by such behavior. I have watched Dr. Berry cynically play the race >card despite the objections of many people of color to whom she has never >bothered to speak. These include people of the stature of Alice Walker and >June Jordan, as well as the young people at KPFA whose interests she claims >to support yet whom she has stonewalled. > >I am writing to you as an individual, but I am also signatory to a letter >protesting Dr. Berry's actions which has been endorsed by numerous >academics throughout the Bay Area. That letter was released before >Tuesday's extraordinary events. By now, I believe that it will not be >difficult to enlist academics internationally, since Dr. Berry's attempt to >muzzle free expression affects us all and demeans our profession. > >You have a problem. If the University of Pennsylvania Academic Senate has >an ethics committee, I strongly urge it to investigate the conflicts of >interest and buccaneering actions of Dr. Mary Francis Berry at Pacifica. >Those of us who built and suport KPFA and its affiliates intend to do so >through every legal means available. > >Sincerely, >Gray Brechin >(Author of 2 new U.C.Press books - "Farewell, Promised Land" and "Imperial >San Francisco" <A HREF="http://www.ctrl.org/">www.ctrl.org</A> DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion & informational exchange list. Proselytizing propagandic screeds are unwelcomed. Substance—not soap-boxing—please! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory'—with its many half-truths, mis- directions and outright frauds—is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRLgives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html <A HREF="http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/ctrl.html">Archives of [EMAIL PROTECTED]</A> http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ <A HREF="http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/">ctrl</A> ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
