Pacifica update

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Pacifica Update and Action
New Letter Writing Campaign
http://www.progressiveportal.org/letters/pacifica/

--Write to Proposed New Pacifica Board Members
--Urge Them Not to Take a Seat on the Pacifica Board
--Let Them Know What's Going On at the Network

Go to http://www.progressiveportal.org/letters/pacifica/

Last week, the shrinking, illegitimate majority on the Pacifica Board of
Directors made another desperate attempt to forestall the inevitable
restoration of the network to listeners, staff and community. Their lead
attorney, Daly Temchine, of the anti-union law firm of Epstein, Becker &
Green, sent a letter to the California judge overseeing the lawsuits by
dissident board members, listeners and Local Advisory Board members. He
asked the judge for permission to call an emergency Board meeting on
Tuesday, July 17th.

The purpose of the conference call meeting is to allow the present Board
majority to unilaterally pack the board with several new members to regain
a working majority. This move would permit two or more of the current,
embattled Board majority members to resign. Temchine credited the pressure
campaign underway nationally with prompting the impending resignations,
while grossly misrepresenting the campaign to the judge as "unrelenting
harassment." That is the present Pacifica leadership's interpretation for
mass nonviolent, Constitutionally-protected protest.

"As a consequence of this campaign more directors have been forced to
consider resignation. The status quo will be altered and needs to be
restored," Temchine said. He also said that the five proposed new members
are former D.C. Mayor Marion Barry, Democratic Party stalwart Susan
Estrich, Dick Gregory, James Ferguson, and George Barnstone of Houston.

Plaintiffs in the three lawsuits against Pacifica are arguing against the
move. Judge Sabraw of Alameda Superior Court is slated to rule Tuesday,
July 17.

We need to properly inform the proposed new board members about the
situation at Pacifica. Please send letters immediately to Dick Gregory,
Susan Estrich, and George Barnstone asking them to withdraw their names. Go
to http://www.progressiveportal.org/letters/pacifica/

progressiveportal.org is the site that the NAHB general counsel vainly
tried to stifle. But in an email inadvertently sent to the activist
webmaster, the NAHB powerlawyer admitted they had no grounds on which to
sue or by which to stem the flood of criticism of their man Ken Ford. Keep
free speech alive and let the proposed new board members know what you
think of this latest anti-democratic action designed to keep an
illegitimate clique in power.

Epstein, Becker & Green's Smear Campaign

In a draft letter to Judge Sabraw of the Alameda Superior Court that was
obtained by KPFA in Berkeley, Temchine calls free speech activists
"self-appointed terrorists" and "vigilantes." He charges us with
"extortion" and claims that we are "totalitarian" and "fascist." He says
that "one or more" Pacifica reform activists hacked into the computer of
Pacifica Board member Andrea Cisco or her employer "or both" to obtain a
list of her clients.

The charges are patently false, with no basis in fact. They are maliciously
motivated and aimed at smearing the tens of thousands of people nationwide
who have exercised their legitimate free speech rights in peacefully
protesting the malfeasance of the present Pacifica leadership. Temchine is
simply trying to prejudice the judge against us in order to win favorable
rulings. They¹ve lost in the court of public opinion and are now
desperately seeking salvation in in a court of law.

This smear tactic will not work. Our movement is peaceful, respectful,
multiracial and, above all, nonviolent. The vast majority of letters that
we have written to the Pacifica board members and others are heartfelt
expressions of our commitment to this network and its historic mission.
Many are pure poetry. The pickets and protests nationwide ­ whether in
front of the anti-union firm of Epstein, Becker or the offices of the
National Association of Home Builders ­ are peaceful, nonviolent and filled
with our music and our dreams. Our movement has won endorsements from major
public figures and entertainers, trade unions, civil rights organizations,
religious groups, and journalists worldwide.

Given Epstein, Becker¹s anti-union background, and the growing desperation
of the Pacifica board majority, these cheap allegations come as no
surprise. We call on Daly Temchine to withdraw the allegations and issue an
apology to the tens of thousands of good people across the country who are
struggle for a radio network that we¹ve nurtured and built for more than
fifty years.


Louis Proyect
Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org