Sun Dec 23 08:39:00 2001

repost of email sent by DF on Friday, December 15:

First an acknowledgment: I am awed and really moved by the extraordinary sacrifices made by so many people in this ongoing movement. So many deserve so much appreciation for their work and sacrifices, and now finally giving all of us a chance to restore Pacifica. We have to rebuild the trashed and looted garden, so let's dig in!

Okay. So who is Dave Fertig? Here's my superficial yet boring reply: I graduated from Peoples College of Law in 1986. I have practiced as a civil rights attorney since 1987 with a focus upon workers' rights against discrimination, first-amendment issues and non-profit corporations. My solo practice is in Altadena, California. At least half my time is devoted to pro bono activities, including Pacifica, local first-amendment and other matters. I was a poor disk-jockey at KSUN, Sonoma State's tiny radio station, in 1978. From 1976 to present I have been involved with issues relating to public access to cable TV, to varying degrees and in varying ways.

Here's the reeeally boring stuff: I was born on the South side of Chicago in 1956, raised in D.C. (1962-1972), and I've been a Californian since 1973, in So Cal. 1973-1976, then after a respite in Sonoma County I came back to So. Cal. where I've lived since 1980. I currently live in Pasadena. I come primarily from Irish-English and German-Jewish gene-pools. I was a red-diaper baby, raised with SNCC and CORE meetings in my home (Chicago & DC) and attended demonstrations, rallies and meetings since as early as I can remember. I was first arrested in political protests at age 12, and dozens of times since. Almost all my life I have worked for the principles of human and civil rights, dissemination of power, people over property, music with heart and of course our basic right to inexpensive but good red wine. Volunteerism, humanism, egalitarianism, non-violence and cooking with love form my core values.

I have worked at various jobs, paid and unpaid, such as ditch-digger, day-care worker, dishwasher, street entertainer, bartender, construction worker, TV camera operator, public access TV show director, political and labor organizer, welfare advocate, law clerk and lawyer, and I'm still trying to get a job as a blues-harmonica player.

Where do I stand on the "issues"? I am committed to representing the KPFK Local Advisory Board; I am committed to the dissemination of power, free speech, community access to modes of communication, probing journalism instead of punditry, broader and more varied programming, and the Mission of Pacifica as stated in Article II of the Articles of Incorporation. I am a fundamentalist in that regard.

There are so many issues to address, from basic structural matters (including by-laws, elections, etc.), to personnel and LAB evaluations (and decisions arising from that!), programming, and network issues, to re-opening the station to the community in fullfillment of the mission of Pacifica, and of course, fund-raising. And many other things.

I think I would first insist upon an express removal of the "gag rule" and issuance of prompt instructions to that effect to all station managers, so that the discussion may begin. But I don't want to here get into an on-line point-by-point discussion of every issue and the enormous amount of detailed minutae which must attend, I'd rather participate in a live discussion with the KPFK LAB, listeners, supporters and yes, the detractors too. In person or on the air.

Meanwhile we must work to retire the debts of both the Foundation and the lawsuits that were key to getting us to this point. And that's a tall order! With a return of mission-oriented programming, resumption of community involvement and the implementation of institutional accountability, the fund-raising should be made less difficult.

-Dave Fertig