community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
community-based, non-corporate, participatory media
Rustbelt Radio for October 6, 2008
by Pittsburgh IMC: Rustbelt Radio collective
Monday, Oct. 06, 2008 at 7:36 PM
radio@indypgh.org 412-923-3000 WRCT 88.3 FM
On today's show: Financial experts including Naomi Klein speak on the current economic crisis, We explore the roots of Freedom Corner located in the Hill District, Fed-Up takes us inside the Prison Industrial Complex, Green Party VP Candidate Rosa Clemente, plus more in our local and global headlines
audio link: 
MP3 at 27.3 mebibytes
Rustbelt Radio for October 6, 2008
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 report:
For more on local news, you can visit pittsburgh dot I-N-D-Y-M-E-D-I-A dot org.
[ HMB BREAK RUSTBELT - 0:20 (fades down 0:10 in to start global intro) ]
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 Sept 11, 2008, Bolivia expelled its United States ambassador. Bolivian President Evo Morales explained this action, (quote) The ambassador of the United States is conspiring against democracy and wants Bolivia to break apart. (endquote) Today Rustbelt Radio explores the situation that led up to this action.
Evo Morales was elected president of Bolivia in 2005. He is an Aymara Indian, the first indigenous person ever to be president in Bolivia. He came out of the organized labor movement, and his political party is called the Movement towards Socialism. The union he belongs to is a confederation of coca growers. The coca leaf has been an important plant in Andean indigenous traditions for thousands of years. It is also used in the production of cocaine, and for this reason it is a controlled substance in many countries. With this background as an indigenous coca-growing socialist, mainstream U.S. media tends to portray the Bolivian president with negative prejudices. However, in South America, he is more often viewed as a democratically elected president, with wide support from Bolivians and from other South American nations.
Most recently, mainstream news has focused on conflict between the central government led by Morales, and (quote) "autonomist regions". Land reforms and other nationalization projects have been key goals of the Morales’ government, and the right-leaning local governments of some eastern states that are rich in resources oppose these policies. After failing to defeat resource redistribution policies in a national constitutional convention, the provincial governors are now demanding autonomy from the national government. However, there is strong support for Morales within the populace of these states. On September 11, just before the US ambassador was kicked out, the Pando province militia attacked a rally of about 1000 pro-Morales peasants. At least 30 of the peasants were killed in the attack, including women and children. National troops then arrested the Pando governor for his suspected involvement, and the attorney general accused him of genocide. The US ambassador met with opposition governors on the eve of the massacre, which is part of the reason he was then expelled by the national government.
The present conflict is the latest manifestation of a larger struggle, which thoughtful observers have compared to the civil rights or anti-apartheid movements. Tanya Kerssen from the Center for the Study of the Americas says (quote) There are deep class and race divisions in this country that are the legacy of colonialism and neocolonialism. From the point of view of the social movements, Bolivia is on the brink of historic change that will finally bring equity and justice to the indigenous majority. They are ready to fight and die to bring this change about. And, to be clear, from what I hear from people, the social movements see themselves as supporting the democratic process in the face of corruption. This is the part, I think, that's missing from discussions about what's happening in Bolivia. The social movements see themselves as defending their democratically elected government that has just received a 67% vote of approval, including support in the eastern regions. (endquote)
Kathryn Ledebeur, Director of the Andean Information Network, says that a common misconception is that Morales is a puppet of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Actually, there are many groups with many interests who pressure the government to make change. Tanya Kerssen agrees, saying (quote) This is not like the U.S., where we vote our choice for president and then sit back and trust that she or he will represent us. The social movements know that Morales will represent them as long as they have his back, so to speak. They protest to make their voices heard to the president, as well as to his opposition. (endquote).
Resource wars are also at the heart of this struggle. Bolivia is rich in oil and gas and has already faced battles regarding the privitization of their water supply. Peasants achieved a major victories during the "Water War" at the beginning of this decade, when massive strikes stopped Bechtel and other corporations from privatizing the water supply.
In addition to water, coca is a cash crop that is particularly politically charged. To large numbers of poor, indigenous Bolivians, coca has great economic importance and cultural significance. However, the United States’ foreign policy approach has been to view coca as equivalent to the refined product cocaine. President Bush recently said the U.S. should suspend trade benefits for Bolivia because its government won't work towards coca eradication. President Morales instead prefers a policy that is tough on drug traffickers but does not force farmers to abandon the crop on which their livelihoods depend.
The Morales government and the eastern provincial governments demanding autonomy are now holding talks, but no resolution has been reached. Concurrently, the Bush administration has stepped up its calls for coca control by offering military assistance, but Morales has asserted that the issue will be handled internally.
Radio Rootz brings us this radical history lesson for October 5th:
The US defense department will pay private U.S. contractors in Iraq up to $300 million in the next three years to produce news stories, entertainment programs and public service advertisements that support U.S. objectives and the Iraqi government. This is part of a program that the US military categorizes as a “information/psychological operation" that can be conducted in Iraq far into the future. The Pentagon's effort is designed to compete with al-Qaeda’s media operation which includes sophisticated websites and high quality videos and audio tapes of Osama bin Laden and his lieutenants. Under the plan, the contractors will develop and maintain websites, assess news articles in the Iraqi, U.S. and international media, and counter media coverage deemed negative by the standards detailed in the contract solicitation. The Pentagon will issue an additional $45 million contract to monitor Iraqi public opinion under a separate three-year plan.
All of the companies sharing the contract “specialize in strategic communications” and have done previous defense work. SOS International is one of the companies that is profiting from the Pentagon’s plan. In 2006, the company won a two-year $200 million contract to “assist in gathering information, conducting analysis and providing timely solutions and advice regarding cultural, religious, political, economic and public perceptions." The other three companies are the Lincoln Group, which planted U.S. military-written pieces in Iraqi newspapers in 2005, MPRI, which won a contract to plant former US soldiers in public projects, and Leonie Industries, which promises (quote) “access to seemingly impenetrable markets.”
The 1948 Smith-Mundt Act prohibits the use of government funds for direct propaganda. Though the law carries no legal weight in foreign countries, lawmakers have used the Smith-Mundt Act to challenge the legitimacy of using American tax dollars for ongoing military information operations in Iraq and the Middle East.
The $300 million contract for Pro-American publicity and the continuation of American media influence in Iraq adds to the $12 billion per month cost of the Iraq War. As one military official describes, "A lot of money is being thrown around, and I'm not sure it's all paying off as much as we think it is."
Election Unspun brings us this interview with Rosa Clemente, the Vice Presidential Candidate to Green Party nominee Cynthia McKinney:
You're listening to Rustbelt Radio, the Pittsburgh Independent Media Center's weekly review of news from the grassroots.
Located in the Hill District of Pittsburgh, Freedom Corner has served as a gathering place to support and inspire social justice struggles which have been taking place in this City for over 50 years. Like other stories of people's history, the roots behind Freedom Corner remain unknown to many Pittsburgh residents, especially to the younger generations.
Freedom Corner was brought into life to fulfill a need for change. It began in the Hill district in the late 1950's and continues to be used today by community activists from the Hill, the city of Pittsburgh and even by people from countries as far away as Bangladesh.
Rustbelt Radio spoke with Sala Udin former city councilman of the Hill District. Sala is currently organizing with the new Freedom Corner Committee which is working to maintain and preserve the site. Sala talks about the origins of Freedom Corner.
Prior to the demolition of the Lower Hill District for the Civic Arena, there were many homes and businesses located in the neighborhood. According to WQED, (quote) "From the 1930s to the 1950s the Hill District thrived and was one of the most prosperous and influential black neighborhoods in America. It was thriving, bustling, and safe--a center for music, art and literature."
In 1963, Freedom Corner was the point of departure for more than 2,000 Pittsburghers who attended the historic March on Washington. During this event Dr. Martin Luther King Jr delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech to over 250,000 people.
Ms. Alice Pittrell has been a Hill District resident for several decades and currently works with The Legacy Arts Project, a performing arts company in the city. She witnessed and participated in the social struggles that took place in Pittsburgh in the 1970's. Ms. Alice explains the significance of the Freedom Corner location:
ms_alice_on_history_of_FC.ogg: ms alice on freedom corner history (:26)
Ms. Alice shares more of her personal experiences with the freedom struggles that took place on the Hill:
Freedom Corner continued to host marches, demonstrations, protests, and celebrations that promoted racial justice and civil rights throughout the 1970's and 80's. Former City Councilman and life-long Hill District resident Sala Udin:
During the 1990's a movement began to formalize a monument for Freedom Corner Committee. Sala explains:
During the 1990's, the intersection of Crawford and Centre streets continued to serve as a gathering point for social justice movements including anti-police brutality and fair housing marches and rallies. Despite the continued use of Freedom Corner, a formal monument had yet to be erected. Sala explains the motivation behind designating an official Freedom Corner site.
Freedom Corner's monument was finally completed in 2002, nearly 10 years after its inception. The community responded positively to the completion of this dream that was years in the making:
In recent years, Freedom Corner has served as a gathering place for the No Casino on the Hill Campaign, and the fight for a community benefits agreement between the Hill, the city, and the Penguins hockey team who are once again constructing a new arena at the base of the Hill. Both the No Casino on the Hill and the One Hill Coalition's campaigns have had success in achieving their demands. Freedom Corner continues to be a symbolic and physical meeting place for the spirit of these community based struggles, however Freedom Corner has recently been vandalized and is in need of funds to maintain the site.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority was the original owner of the plot of land where Freedom Corner sits. This past spring, City Council passed a bill which transferred ownership of Freedom Corner from the URA to the City of Pittsburgh. Additionally this bill established a trust fund to maintain Freedom Corner. However, previously in 2004, Councilman Udin set aside $53,000.00 for anticipated maintenance and repair needs. This money is to be administered by City Council, however it remains unspent after 4 years.
Councilwoman Tonya Payne, who represents the Hill District, describes a recent decision to reallocate the funds.
* tonya1.ogg: tonya 1 (0:33)
Sala Udin seems skeptical that the City will actually utilize the $53,000 for the maintenance of Freedom Corner. He believes the reallocation will actually REMOVE funds from Freedom Corner and he is currently organizing to transfer the ownership from the City to a collaboration between the Freedom Corner Committee, the Urban League and the Poise Foundation. He shares his thoughts on City Councils decision:
While City Council is claiming responsibility for maintaining Freedom Corner, community organizers and those who understand its historic significance believe they should maintain control of the site. Councilwoman Tonya Payne disagrees:
Despite the City of Pittsburgh's current control of Freedom Corner, community organizers are working to raise funds to maintain the site.
Rustbelt Radio spoke to Artistic Director and founder of the Legacy Arts Project, Linda Imani Barrett. She describes an upcoming event that will help to benefit the community's efforts to maintain Freedom Corner.
Imani further discusses some of her goals for the future of Freedom Corner:
While there seems to be some contention over who should maintain Freedom Corner, both City officials and community organizers believe the historical value and significance of the site should be passed on to the youth.
Councilwoman Tonya Payne explains to the younger generations why it is important to preserve Freedom Corner:
Sala Udin also hopes that new generations of Pittsburgh residents will draw inspiration from Freedom Corner and understand its value to the community:
After witnessing decades of social justice struggles take place at Freedom Corner, one moment stands out for Sala:
Hill District resident Alice Pitrell believes that if youth are given the opportunity to learn about Freedom Corner, they will work to maintain it as well.
Those interested in supporting Freedom Corner are encouraged to join the New Freedom Corner Maintenance and Management Committee. Citizens may also sign and circulate the Save Freedom Corner Petition. For more Information send an email to Sala Udin, thats sala @salaudin.com. Or call 412-600-6090. And to learn more about Freedom Corner, you can visit www. freedom corner. org.
That was an except from a speech given by the award winning journalist Naomi Klein. The speech was delivered on September 18, 2008, at Scripps College in Claremont California, and highlights her newest book The Shock Doctrine:The Rise of Disaster Capitalism. In her book, she proposes that policy makers use crisis for radical economic transformation, "economic shock treatment," its called by some. This current financial crisis, she says, is being used to push through a "policy wish list" touted by former Republican Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich. We will hear more from Naomi Klein as she speaks about her book later in the program.
After nearly two weeks of heated debate in Washington DC, the second version of a 700 billion dollar bail-out for Wall Street was approved by Congress and signed by President Bush on Friday October 3rd.
The first version of the plan, only three pages in length, was brought to the Senate on the 24th of September by Treasury Secretary, Henry Paulson and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. Section 8 of the plan has been met with criticism for causing a conflict of interest since Paulson is the former CEO of Goldman Sachs, a firm that will benefit from the plan. The section explicitly denies any checks or balances on Paulson's powers. (quote) Decisions made by the Secretary pursuant to the authority of this Act are non-reviewable and committed to agency discretion, and may not be reviewed by any court of law or any administrative agency (end quote).
Paulson says this plan needs to work effectively and quickly.
(quote) The market turmoil we are experiencing today poses great risk to US taxpayers. When the financial system doesn't work as it should, Americans personal savings and the abilities of consumers and businesses to finance spending, investment and job creation are threatened. The ultimate taxpayer protection will be the market's stability, provided we remove the troubled assets from our financial system.......I am convinced that this bold approach will cost American families far less than the alternative; a continuing series of financial institution failures and frozen credit markets unable to fund everyday needs and economic expansion.....And so, the best protection for the taxpayer and the first protection for the taxpayer is to have this work (end quote)
Paulson's urgency for immediate decision making on this financial crisis is exactly what Naomi Klein is calling "shock economics," and the basic principle of her book. More from Naomi Klein:
Ms. Klein goes on to give us some back round about the financial system, and how we have arrived at such a historic and severe crisis:
It also is important note that in October of 2007 President Bush, who fully supported the $700 billion dollar bail-out of Wall Street from the start, vetoed the State Children's Health Insurance Program bill. This bill planned to expand health care coverage from 6.6 million children to more than 10 million. The plan was asking for $60 billion over the next five years. The Bush administration said they simply did not have the money, and Bush called the plan a (quote) federalization of the health care system. (end quote)
On September 25, the day after the bail-out was presented to the Senate, there was a national out cry of dissenters protesting the plan. Progressives all over the country gathered in 251 emergency rallies in 41 states. Locally, the Thomas Merton Center, Pittsburgh's 37-year-old peace and justice center organized a rally outside the Federal Building down town. A press release stated:
We are gathering to:(quote) protest the pillaging of our economy by our banking and lending institutions. We find it incredible that these institutions - which created this phenomenal crisis in the first place - are now calling for the Federal government to use hard-working tax-payers money to rescue those very same institutions from their failed financial gambles. (end quote)
Among the speakers at the rally was Titus North. North is a Professor of Political Science at the University of Pittsburgh and is running for Congress as a member of the Green Party. What is most notable in North's resume, is the time he spent working in Tokyo for the Japanese financial markets. In 1989 he worked as a correspondent for a firm called Global Finance, which was eventually taken over by Thompson Financial Networks. In the early 1990's he was the Tokyo bureau chief for Thompson. He writes for a digest of Tokyo financial press, and also received his PhD after presenting his dissertation on Japanese financial systems. North is a self proclaimed expert on Japanese finances.
Rustbelt Radio had the opportunity to interview Mr. North after the protest, inquiring about his experience in foreign financial markets, and his perspective on the crisis at home. He gives us a bit of history concerning the financial meltdown of the Japanese markets. In the 1990's Japan's bubble economy collapsed because banks were burdened with real-estate related bad loans. But according to Titus North, alternatives exist to U.S. policy makers' $700 billion dollar bail-out plan. He cites the Japanese's handling of their own market crisis as an example:
Rustbelt Radio was also able to get Mr. North's opinion on the bail-out, citing his perceived pros and cons for the plan.:
On Wednesday October 1st, the bill passed in the Senate by a 74-to 25 vote. On Friday October 3rd, the House also approved the revised version of the bill, now some 400 plus pages in length. The revised bill also includes numerous "pork barrel" projects, including an extension of tax rebates to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Rum duties, tax breaks for film companies that produce movies in the U.S. and many more. Still the legislation, even with its revised earmarks, remains publicly unpopular. All 432 seats in the House are up for reelection next month, and congress remains unsettled about passing such an unpopular bill.
In concluding our interview with Titus North, he urges every one to write to their congressmen and women and voice their demands to hold Wall Street accountable, and to take a hint from Japanese history.
To write to congress go to (forms.house.gov ) and put pressure on your state representatives to put Main street BEFORE Wall street.
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, and WIUP Indiana.
Our hosts this week are [ ] and [ ] with contributions from Juliana Stricklen, Jessica McPheron, Abie Flaxman, Carlin Christy, Colleen Halley, Raqueeb Bey, Lizzie Anderson and Dan Papasian. This week's show was produced by Phill Cresswell. 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 October 6, 2008
by Pittsburgh IMC: Rustbelt Radio collective
Monday, Oct. 06, 2008 at 7:36 PM
radio@indypgh.org 412-923-3000 WRCT 88.3 FM
audio: ogg vorbis at 19.9 mebibytes
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