Date: 12/13/01 4:41:49 AM Eastern Standard Time
From: Webweaver@ProgressivePortal.org
Sent from the Internet (Details)

PACIFICA SETTLEMENT REACHED
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Good morning --

All of Pacifica's board members have agreed to a settlement of
several lawsuits against them and the Foundation. The plan would put
effective control of the organization in the hands of the so-called
"dissidents" who have been working to restore the progressive mission
of the network.

In another positive development, Utrice Leid, Pacifica National
Programming Director, architect of the WBAI purges, and voice of
race-baiting divisiveness, has left Pacifica, effective immediately.
Her departure, preceded by those of her predecessor Steve Yasko and
Executive Director Bessie Wash, completes the exit of the national
staff members who did so much of the hatchet-work that has nearly
destroyed Pacifica.

The agreement is cause for optimism, but with a note of caution:
Twice before in recent weeks, similar agreements have been announced,
only to fall apart after members of the board majority (the
hijackers) who were not present for the negotiations balked. This
time, the announced settlement looks stronger, because it was
supervised by the judge in the lawsuits, and all parties were present
and agreed.

Still, since we've been embarrassed by premature celebration of the
earlier agreements, I believe we must remain vigilant until everyone
has signed the paperwork and the organization has been handed over to
an interim board. That is supposed to happen next week. Until then, I
suggest we keep the champagne corked.

Until the settlement becomes real and irrevocable, Progressive Portal
will continue to offer opportunities to write to board majority
members calling on them to resign. Thank you for sending such a
letter in recent days. Please invite friends to do so as well,
keeping up the pressure against possible wavering board members.
Letters may be sent via this Web address:
http://www.progressiveportal.org/letters/pacifica/resign/

We could not have reached this point without your participation,
along with thousands of others. More than 1.2 million letters have
been sent by Progressive Portal users regarding Pacifica since the
site was launched in mid-May. For the most recent resignation letter
alone, the figure is 21,887 and counting as I write these words early
Thursday morning.

More information about the apparent settlement is available at:
http://www.savepacifica.net/20011212_settlement.html

A copy of the settlement text is at:
http://www.savepacifica.net/settlement.html

Even if the settlement goes into effect, I don't believe that's the
end of the story. Many points in the settlement are uncomfortably
vague. Once "we" become the majority controllers of Pacifica, the
differences we have subsumed to our common struggle will surface. We
will be challenged to walk our talk, to build community, working
toward consensus and amicable decision-making -- not to become
divided into a new set of factions to replace the old set of
factions, bickering over a network founded by pacifists. (If we do
that, I fear this two-year effort will have been in vain.)

I have not always been happy with the "tone of voice" of our movement
in this struggle. At times it has become too vituperative, too
personal. Certainly, we've been given ample education in the politics
of divisiveness by our opponents (witness Ken Ford's comparison of us
to the Al Qaeda terrorists). I pray we haven't learned that
particular lesson very well.

Let's keep in mind that we really are all working toward common
dreams -- a world in which people are not deprived of life, liberty,
or the pursuit of happiness based on their backgrounds, skin colors,
geographies, sexual orientations, genders, cultures, languages, or
other excuses for exploitation; in which differences are settled
peacefully and respectfully, without resort to guns, literal or
verbal; in which our beautiful planet is preserved, protected, and
restored; in which our daily lives can be absorbed in building the
world we envision more than struggling against the world as it is.

We've all spoken passionately about how vital it is to have a
progressive radio network during these dangerous times. Let us summon
the courage to work together for the greatest good of this
indispensable resource in the coming weeks and months, as Pacifica
becomes, once again, a democratically* run, progressive radio
network. [*Note the small "d"]

Peace,

Steve Freedkin