Re: [Marxism] "Gays to blame for bush victory" --"Grandpa" Al Lewis

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Mike Friedman wrote:
> Sad, really sad, how lesser evilism works. Any of you New Yorkers listen to
> Grandpa Al Lewis' tirade against gay activists this morning?

For comrades outside of the USA, Al Lewis is the host of a radio show on
the Pacifica radio network outlet in NYC. The network was launched in
the 1940s as a non-commercial, free-speech alternative. A couple of
years ago activists staved off a takeover that would have turned the
network into a bland, music-oriented outlet like NPR, our version of the
BBC. Lewis himself is an interesting figure. Over 90 now, he was a
character on the Munsters, a hit TV comedy from the 1960s about haunted
houses and ghouls. A few years ago he ran for governor on the Green
Party ticket.

Although I supported the grass-roots movement at Pacifica, I find it
hard to listen to the station nowadays. Put in a nutshell, most of the
programming is both preachy and unprofessional. So my observations may
not be 100 percent accurate. That being said, I have the distinct
impression that the station went overboard for Kerry.

Just a couple of observations to support that. About a week before the
election, health food guru and onair host Garry Null was interviewing
Alexander Cockburn. Null told Cockburn that he was practically one of
the only people at the station supporting Nader. Although Null tends to
be something of a conspiracy theorist, he was completely repelled by
Kerry's ties to corporate polluters and support for the war in Iraq.

A couple of days later, the Pacifica news was running a piece on Nader
that was completely hostile. It played up all the statements against him
running and even went so far as to equate his candidacy with some 19th
century campaign that supposedly helped the pro-slavery Democrats get
elected by siphoning off votes. And they weren't even referring to an
abolitionist party, which of course would make sense from a historical
standpoint.

The Pacifica station in NYC is apparently going through some bloody
factional struggle right now that I haven't really figured out. All the
various groups send me email or leave automated messages on my answering
machine at home promising more democracy, more racial diversity, better
fundraising and programming. Frankly, I just don't have that much
confidence in the station's ability to dig itself out of its morass. The
key element in the salvation of the Pacifica radio network is leadership
and I don't see much of that either on-air or in the battles surrounding
the station.

--
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