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Videotape reveals racism charge against PNB member is unfounded |
Background Last month Pacifica National Board member Lisa Davis accused fellow PNB member Patty Heffley of making a racist remark after a meeting of WBAI's Local Station Board (documented here). Examination of the recording, however, shows otherwise, as Chris Farrell reports below in his letter to the Pacifica National Board. Discussion of this incident has already taken up several hours of the national board's time and is on the agenda for the upcoming 3/10/06 meeting as well. Wbai.net feels strongly that the PNB should not waste its time or validate character assassination by giving Davis's claim any more credence or time. Many in Pacifica have signed onto Farrell's letter. To add your signature in support of Patty Heffley, and against the use of personal attacks to gain political advantage in Pacifica governance, email helpfixwbai[at]yahoo.com with your name and information. ***** Chris Farrell's letter to the PNB
Date: Mon, 20 Feb 2006 In a letter sent to the Pacifica National Board, WBAI director Lisa Davis charged that a remark allegedly made by another WBAI director, Patty Heffley, was evidence of Heffley's racism. Davis claimed that Heffley said Davis was happy to be elected to the PNB "cause she gets to eat free food, sleep in hotels and travel at the expense of Pacifica." While some of the exchange between the two delegates is difficult to hear on the tape from the meeting, the transcript below indicates that Davis has mischaracterized Heffley's remark.
Davis: I can't wait to go to the National Board, I am so thrilled. I am so thrilled. [audio of this exchange: http://www.radio4all.net/proginfo.php?id=16941] The difference between Davis' report and Heffley's remarks may seem slight, but when considered in the context of the exchange, it is telling. Heffley is not commenting on Davis' character but drawing a distinction between how a naive member might imagine service on the board, focusing on some of the perquisites, and the disappointing reality of learning that the Foundation has serious problems and has been abused by some of those in whom it placed its trust. One can agree or disagree with Heffley's opinion, but the conversation does not support Davis claim that Heffley is engaged in "the most vicious and racially offensive propaganda deliberately designed to thwart the socio-political advancement of people of color." If Davis had misunderstood Heffley's remarks, taken offense, and sought redress, this matter would be now settled, as Heffley immediately offered an apology. Davis' unfounded allegations of racism are a more serious breach than Heffley's rude and insensitive reaction to Davis' election to the board. Davis claimed the comment Heffley made after a meeting of the WBAI LSB "embodies her arrogant belief in White skin privilege. . .that no Black person should ever be treated the same as a White person." She described Heffley as a person whose attitudes are "racist and incendiary" aligned with "most reactionary forces of this country." While Heffley has apologized for her misbehavior, Davis and others on the board have persisted, lending credence to the notion that they are willing to use personal attacks to discourage participation in Pacifica governance by those with whom they have political differences. Davis specified in her letter that she did not consider the matter "confidential or private," and others forwarded the letter, encouraging it to be widely disseminated. The smear campaign launched against Heffley has already resulted in even more vicious attacks against her. During public comments at WBAI's most recent LSB meeting, speakers quoted verbatim from Davis' letter. Heffley was denounced as a "white trash cracker," subjected to mocking remarks about her physical appearance, and targeted for derision. Davis described her report of Heffley's remarks as a matter of principle. "I will NEVER sit idly by and be silent when I hear or witness condescending statements and digs being made about any one, regardless of their nationality, sexual preference, gender, physical characteristics, etc." Her record in this regard, and the record of other members of the Justice and Unity Coalition, does not match her rhetoric. Director Michael Warren, a member of the JUC, made a disparaging reference to Heffley's weight during a September PNB meeting. Davis was not merely idle and silent; she joined in an attempt to sanitize the minutes of the meeting and remove evidence of Warren's insult. Ed Marshall, a JUC candidate for WBAI's LSB, wrote on a public list-serve to board member Carolyn Birden about another board member, Berthold Reimers. Marshall described Reimers as "your boy. Your property. Your servant. Your brown skinned mascot." Reimers asked JUC members of the LSB to repudiate these offensive remarks but Davis, along with PNB directors Bob Lederer and Ray Laforest, has refused to do so. The failure of Davis and others, including Lederer and Laforest, to insist on a consistent standard of behavior for all those participating in Pacifica governance suggests that their actions regarding Heffley are politically motivated. They ignore racist remarks by their political allies while using allegations of racism against political opponents. This drives good people away from participation in the Foundation. We have the opportunity to take a stand against such behavior, and it is important that we should do so. ** WBAI LSB meeting audio 2.15.06: http://www.kpftx.org/archive.htm#ilsb060215 Signers (in alphabetical order):
Jon Almeleh, national broadcast engineer, WBAI listener
Carolyn Birden, WBAI LSB ***** Additional statements From Joe Wanzala: I have learned that some members of the Pacifica National Board are seeking to sanction PNB member Patty Heffley for some allegedly racist remarks. I also understand that to the extent anybody took offense at Patty's remarks and/or may have misconstrued them, she has apologized profusely, and sincerely. Nevertheless, certain members of the PNB stolidly insist on maintaining an inquisitional pursuit of this matter. The statements made by Patty were clearly not racist and the efforts to characterize them as such is in fact evidence of the hypocrisy of the PNB members who are making the accusation. Putting this particular incident aside, in a sane world, (and incidentally, consonant with the Pacifica mission) if and when racist comments are made, forward thinking people should be interested in whether the person who made such remarks meant to offend and is unrepentant, or whether that person recognizes that their remark is out of order and is apologetic. In either case, such incidents should be seen as opportunities for dialogue and understanding, not merciless prosecution. Returning back to the situation with Patty, there is no question of racism at play here. Instead, it is clear that certain members of the PNB are ruthlessly and opportunistically exploiting an indiscreet remark made by Patty rather than address real issues before the Pacifica National Board. I appeal to members of the PNB not to continue this counterfeit inquisition and to save their outrage against racism for real instances of its manifestation.
Joe Wanzala, KPFA LSB ***** From Donna Warren: The attacks against Patty Heffley are not only racist but politically motivated by a small group at WBAI who want Ms. Heffley off the PNB. Lisa Davis should be censured by the PNB for her continuous remarks and, if I were Ms. Heffley, I'd sue Ms. Davis for defamation of character. Ms. Davis is an obvious pawn of behind the scenes and former director Michael Tarif Warren and current directors Bob Lederer and Ray Laforest. This former and these current directors are hypocrites; they continue to "insist on a consistent standard of behavior for all those participating in Pacifica governance" but fail to do it themselves. They obviously don't see it but they are destroying the very institution they say they believe in. For the good of the organization, I ask Lisa Davis, Michael T. Warren, Bob Lederer and Ray Laforest to stop their attacks on Patty Heffley and use their energies and intelligence to build a stronger Pacifica. I'm wondering if they'll be happy when and if WBAI ceases to exist. How can they get their voices out then? I've been personally attacked by Lisa Davis and Michael T. Warren and told I do not represent the values befitting a candidate for public office but I will tell you now, I will never back down from insults and false accusations from anyone - black, white or any color inbetween. Cut the crap and stop this nonsense before no one will serve on the board of Pacifica.
Very sincerely, ***** From Debbie Speer: Accusations of racism or disrespect against Ms. Heffley, based on available recordings, first hand reports and my personal knowledge of her as a tireless, fearless and dedicated advocate for WBAI and Pacifica, are clearly baseless in fact. I strongly urge all bodies involved to reject any and all attempts to discipline Ms. Heffley on the basis of the incident described, for what appear to be political purposes, by Ms. Davis.
Respectfully, |
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