community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
Rustbelt Radio for May 12, 2008
by Pittsburgh IMC: Rustbelt Radio collective
Monday, May. 12, 2008 at 10:01 PM
radio@indypgh.org (email address validated) 412-923-3000 WRCT 88.3 FM
On this week's show... * An exploration into the roots of the global food crisis * Word on the Street asks local teens how they can reduce violence in Pittsburgh * News and analysis from the Mexico Solidarity Network * A radical history lesson for May 13th * And 2.3 million and rising- a weekly report on the prison industrial complex
audio link: 
MP3 at 27.2 mebibytes
Welcome to this week's edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of the news from the grassroots, news overlooked by the corporate media.
On today's show...
Rustbelt Radio is broadcast live from WRCT studios every Monday at 6 PM on 88.3 FM in Pittsburgh, and the program airs again on WRCT every Tuesday morning at 9AM.
We can also be heard weekly on the following stations:
We're also available on the internet, both on WRCT's live webstream at W-R-C-T dot ORG and for download, stream or podcast from our website at radio dot I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot org.
We turn now to local stories.
Fed Up, the local chapter of The Human Rights Coalition brings us this week's report on the prison industrial complex:
This past weekend, hundreds of East End residents in Pittsburgh gathered at Peabody High to participate in a community event aimed at reducing teen violence and promoting life opportunities. Rustbelt Radio's Carlin Christy was there and brings us this week's word on the street:
For more on local news, you can visit pittsburgh dot I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot org.
You are listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news overlooked by the corporate media. We turn now to news from other independent media sources around the world.
On May 6th, Ecuadorian police detained five journalist associated with Ecuador Indymedia. Four of the five were detained because of their relationship with the fifth detainee, Ecuadorian resident and Colombian national Antonio Alcívar. According to The Regional Foundation for Assistance in Human Rights, Alcívar is being pursued by the Colombian Administrative Security Department for arms trafficking charges and for his connections with the Colombian National Liberation Army.
The journalists were arrested on the street and then taken to their homes where the Judicial Police carried out searches. Agents reportedly confiscated computers, documents, hard drives, and a Che Guevara poster as “evidence.” The manner in which the arrest was carried out led Ecuador Indymedia to accuse the government of targeting journalists for their criticism of government policies. Recently Ecuador Indymedia contributors have condemned Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa's support for large-scale mining and a proposed Free Trade Agreement with the European Union.
According to The Regional Foundation for Assistance in Human Rights, it appears that “the [arrest] was undertaken with the intention of intimidating alternative press that approaches information in a critical manner and is committed to social struggles. This action constitutes a violation of the freedom of expression."
The arrest follow the March 1 Colombian military attack on an Ecuadorian FARC camp. The event sparked a regional crisis and conflict between Colombia and Ecuador. To justify the attack, Colombia made a number of allegations of Ecuadorian ties to guerilla groups. Though the government has refuse to comment on these events, the arrest of Antonio Alcívar may be an attempt to demonstrate the government's intent to root out the Colombian guerrilla presence in Ecuador.
Radio Rootz brings us this radical history lesson for May 13th:
* rdyMAY-13.mp3: radical day may 13th (1:15)
That was the Mexico Solidarity Network's news and analysis for the week of APRIL 21 through MAY 4, 2008, with background music by "Son de Madera".
On our April 21st show, Rustbelt Radio reported that people with ties or possible links to Burger King had attempted to infiltrate the Student Farmworker Alliance and the Coalition of Immokalee Workers who are fighting to get fair wages for migrant tomato pickers. Since the story first broke in mid-April in the Ft. Myers News-Press, this claim was confirmed on the Alliance's website, with various investigative reporters.
On May 7th, Eric Schlosser, the investigative author of "Fast Food Nation" published an editorial article in the New York Times and International Herald Tribune which focused on the hiring of Diplomatic Tactical Services, a private security firm, by the Burger King Corporation to spy on the Student/Farmworkers Alliance.
Schlosser describes how Cara Schaffer, the 25-year-old owner of Diplomatic Tactical Services who posed as a community college student in order to gain access to the SFA's meetings, was previously denied a private investigator's license in Florida, lacking proof of (quote) " lawfully gained, verifiable experience or training" (end quote). Schaffer was also a former subcontractor for Guillermo (gee-YER-mo) Zarabozo, whom is currently facing murder charges before the Miami District Court. The spying from an unlicensed investigator, Schlosser claims, may have been illegal under Florida law.
Schlosser spoke with one Burger King executive who claimed that the company had worked with Diplomatic Tactical Services previously on "security-related matters" and had spied on the non-violent Student/Farmworkers Alliance (quote) "in order to prevent acts of violence." It has also come to light that Burger King CEO, John Chidsey, knew of this partnership. Quoting an email he later received from a company spokesman, Chidsey explained the situation by saying (quote) "It is both the corporation's right and duty to protect its employees and assets from potential harm" (end quote). This contradicts earlier statements made by company spokesman Kiva [sp?] Silverman, saying that he had no knowledge of the partnership and suggesting that "Kevin," the employee who used a fake e-mail address to infiltrate the SFA even before Schaffer's attempts, was acting under his own accord.
Schlosser in his article calls for regulations and Congressional hearings on corporate espionage, saying, (quote) The Bill of Rights was adopted to protect Americans from the abusive power of their government. I've come to believe that we now need a similar set of restrictions to defend against irresponsible corporate power... Unlike government agencies, whose surveillance activities are supposed to be conducted according to strict guidelines and court orders, these private firms operate with a remarkable degree of freedom (end quote).
Via a posting on their website, the Students/Farmworkers Alliance says that, when added to Burger King's previous online smear campaign, (quote) both tactics [have] now been linked to the highest levels of leadership at the corporation... Given recent revelations, it is clear whose behavior needs to be under scrutiny (end quote).
You're listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.
And now we present the Indymedia Calendar of Events:
[ Outro Music ]
Thanks for tuning in to Rustbelt Radio here on WRCT Pittsburgh, WPTS Pittsburgh, WNJR Washington, WVJW Benwood, WIUP Indiana and WKCO Gambier.
Our hosts this week are Lizzie Anderson and Carlin Christy with additional contributions from Jon Heiman, Andalusia Knoll, Jessica McPherson, Juliana Stricklen and Diane Amdor. This week's show was produced by Matt Toups. Special thanks to all of our hosts, producers, and contributors.
You can get involved with Rustbelt Radio! To contact us, or to send us your comments, email RADIO at I-N-D-Y-P-G-H dot ORG. All of our shows are available for download or podcast on our website at RADIO dot INDY-P-G-H dot ORG and this show can be heard again Tuesday morning on WRCT at 9 AM after Democracy Now!
Tune in next week at this time for another edition of Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.
Rustbelt Radio for May 12, 2008 (ogg vorbis)
by Pittsburgh IMC: Rustbelt Radio collective
Monday, May. 12, 2008 at 10:01 PM
radio@indypgh.org 412-923-3000 WRCT 88.3 FM
audio: ogg vorbis at 21.8 mebibytes
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