Wednesday, January 17, 2001

More Pacifica
First, Michael Albert, of Z Magazine, has written a thoughtful and insightful analysis toward "Resolving the Pacifica Crisis." What's refreshing is Albert's even-handed, yet unflinching approach to the conspiracy of factors that have influenced the situation that mires Pacifica. To whit:
"Given the bitter hostility within Pacifica's camps... those who seek a rejuvenated, redefined, and exemplary Pacifica, need to continue to educate and agitate, of course, but there needs to be a new wrinkle. Their positive aims have got to be made evident.... Instead of a 'Save Pacifica' battle being waged against each specific violation of progressive values by Pacifica's management, the battle for a renewed Pacifica needs to be waged under a rubric such as 'Make Our Movement Reflect Our Aspirations - Pacifica First,' and it needs to have clear principles and demands that would permit rank-and-file progressives all over the country to understand what's at stake and to say: 'Hold on, those principles make sense. Of course our organizations should reflect our aspirations rather than mimicking the structure of Time Magazine, NBC, the State Department, or General Motors. We should support the Pacifica struggle, and you know what, we should patiently and calmly and constructively address the inadequacies of other institutions, too.'

Albert takes the long view on this struggle and sees it as an institutional problem, among many, that derives from Pacifica foresaking progressive democratic governance from within. Which leads me to this question: how can any organization that refuses to embrace and use democracy within be able to promote, protect and enrich democracy in the world outside?

Second, there is a much more scathing discussion of the "ideological" reversals at Pacifica--the corporatization of the Pacifica National Board--at the Village Voice.
posted 1/17/2001 01:53:15 AM