Poisoning WBAI's air

I came across the following observations by Rachel Barr elsewhere on the web, where Frank Lefever had posted it for wider circulation.

I agree wholeheartedly with Rachel, whom I have never met, but occasionally come across on FaceBook. 

I hope this broadcast (audio clip below) and Rachel Barr's thoughts reach Bill Crosier, who could do something about the Reimers/Bates disaster, but I'm afraid I fully understand the pull-the-plug solution she brings up. Anyway, read this and add your own comments:

Today, Tuesday, Oct 17, a show hosted by Geoff Brady who does a show on  Monday nights from 11-12 was on the air from 9-11AM. Bates repeated it from 4-6PM and again from 9-11. This show was about conspiracy theories that attempt to explain the hurricane  in Ireland and Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. 

Tony Bates, while pitching, said that Bill McKibben's theories on climate change are bogus because he's funded by the Rockefeller Foundation..This was not only an insult to  Bill McKibben's work but to Democracy Now, as Amy has had Mr. McKibben on many times.. Also disrespectful to the young people who have gotten so involved in the climate change movement, not to mention Standing Rock. Not cool to dis your media colleagues on the air. Very rude, unprofessional and disrespectful. If Geoff Brady wants to have such kind of guests on to talk about such conspiracy  theories, that's fine. I don't listen to a lot of BAI's programs for many different reasons. However,  to have this particular show on to make money from it is equivalent to BAI  selling 9/11.. I know many people who lost loved ones on that date. They aren't interested in anyone making money off of it. And so it's the same with Puerto Rico.. Im sure that people who are Puerto Rican, whether they live on  the "mainland" or not, and those, like myself, who have been helping Puerto Rico since Maria struck the island aren't interested in hearing about engineering that created the hurricanes. Puerto Ricans are more than knowledgeable about the history of the u.s. government invading that island in 1898, that it's a colony, sterilized the women, and bombed Vieques. I'm sure they are much more interested on getting water, water, water, water, insulin, generators, and antibiotics. 

Tony Bates further went on to criticise the Board of Pacifica calling them close minded because they did not think the program which aired 3 times in one day was appropriate. 

The one good show that David Kinney aired on Sunday Oct 15 from 9PM-11PM was not re aired .. It was about Paul Robeson's testimony in front of HUAC, he played "What is America to Me" and the testimony of the Hollywood 10. Shame on Bates that he called out the Board on this. This is unprofessional, rude and disrespectful. 

I hope that Toby Bates faces ramifications/disciplinary measures for allowing this particular show to be used for fund raising purposes and for "dissing" the Board publicly.

Perhaps if BAI doesn't make the 1.8 it won't be such a bad thing -- with a PD such as this one, maybe its time for  the station to go... I've given money over 40 years, been listening  for more than that, worked there for 10 years, but there is no more community, there is no flavor. I never get an email answered nor was I literally allowed to buy a premium because they were trying to make me  pay for all of it at the same time. No way to do business.

It was a good 57 years. Good luck

Feel free to respond, please.

Rachel.Barr

musicrdb@yahoo.com

Here is the first part of the program in question.