90.1 KPFT is Houston’s own “Radio for Peace,” a listener-sponsored station, is one of the city’s prized possessions. KPFT is committed to alternative viewpoints and hosts a number of important programs. The beauty of KPFT is that it is a democratic community organization, where all listener-members and sponsors can have a say in the station’s actions and programming decisions.
So it came as a surprise to many loyal listeners when management unilaterally approved a program hosted by the Israeli Consulate of the Southwest Region last December. Listener-members and sponsors were outraged: what kind of alternative radio allowed the official arm of a government to spew propaganda on its airwaves? Worse, this was a government currently involved in acts of war, crimes against humanity and apartheid.
Members were also furious at the undemocratic decision-making process. How had management come to this choice without the approval of the members, the Local Station Board or any other committee?
Although the program continues to be a shameless form of pro-Israel propaganda, the fact remains that the peace activists involved in the campaign against the Consulate program were dedicated to their mission. However, this was not enough for the activists, who decided to take their efforts one step further.
They agreed that if KPFT was indeed the people’s radio and stood for peace, then this sort of programming decision could not be allowed to happen again.
Listeners organized themselves and met throughout January to exchange ideas. They finally decided on launching a campaign to get KPFT to endorse the principles of the “Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions” movement. The BDS movement was launched by Palestinian civil society and asks people all over the world to endorse three basic principles: the right of return for all Palestinian refugees, the equal rights of all Israeli citizens, Arab or Jewish, and an end to Israeli occupation.
If KPFT endorses the BDS movement, then any viewpoint that does not agree with these basic principles would not be allowed a platform on air. These principles are in line with international human rights law and UN resolutions, so any voice that refuses to endorse them is clearly not a voice of peace and does not deserve a spot on KPFT.
After tainting its democratic credentials with this inexcusable decision, this is the least that the station and its management can do.
Probably a wonderful counterpoint to the generally anti-Israel nature of at least one program, Arab Voices. A good contribution to the democratic credentials of the station.
Much division, I see:
KPFT’s station manager, in addition to taking reasonably voiced criticisms over the consulate program, said that he has received ad hominem attacks, accusing him of being a supporter of “war crimes,” “apartheid” and “child killing,” and being the Latino equivalent of an “Uncle Tom.”
Ironic, seeing as how you're spewing pro-Islamic propaganda. Not that I care for either side, but you're just as bad as the Israelis in that regard.
A Palestinian state would of course never allow a station like KPFT to exist and would jail or torture everyone involved (in the name of peace I'm sure). Israel does allow free speech. So we see how the pro-Palestinian anti-Israel crowd both here and abroad are so very threatened by free speech. BDS is the racist, apartheid behaviour. The free and open discussion promoted by KPFT and the free open discussion allowed in Israel (and prohibited in virtually every Arab country) is neither racist nor apartheid.
Dana Al-Kurd's arguments are right out of the "BDS Playbook". They are not based on fact and show a general misunderstanding of reality.
We get it, Dana El Kurd hates Israel. All someone needs to do is look at her prior articles:
Power Struglle Seizes Middle East
Arab Students face Racism, Prejudice
UH Fails at Middle Eastern Studies
Palestinians facing Real Issues in Israel
KPFT has never been great in painting a true picture of Israel and the fact they are allowing someone to come represent Israel for 20 minutes every two weeks is admirable. There are 20,160 minutes that make up 14 days. Does 20 minutes of material in that 20,160 minutes really offend you so greatly that you feel that it has no right to be heard? And further, doesn't KPFT encourage dialogue and debate? "Peace Radio" should allow for opposing viewpoints and discussion.
I really think Dana El Kurd needs to re-evaluate her obviously negative opinion towards KPFTs airing of this show.
one of those articles out of all of them have anything to do with israel. your not proving anything
It proves her obviously Islamic bias.
I don't care about Jews or Muslims = not biased.
I care about Muslims = biased.
none of those articles mention islam either. y'all are ridiculous
They didn't? Did you READ the articles?
She has her side of the story, and that's fine. If the tables were turned, I'd be defending the Islamic side in this discussion. But for you to stand there and try to pretend that the author doesn't have an obvious bias towards one side is the only ridiculous thing here.
there's no islamic mention of anything in any of those articles. and yes, i read them.
the author talks about arabs often. is that what you're referring to? because they're two different things, smart guy.
i'm not sure why anyone would want a completely unbiased article from the school newspaper, given that any news story will covered in much greater detail by national organizations. it's almost as if you're just trying to put an uppity muslim woman back in her place.
I agree with Dana.
I wonder what KPFT has to say about Muslim media outlets?
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2009/01/hamas-in-their-own-voi...
I wonder if KPFT supports the following Muslim's message?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zl12Zqa18Yk
Opposing the Israeli government's policies is not equivalent to hating Jews or Israelis. There are Israeli Jews and non-Israeli Jews who don't support the policies of their government and have joined the BDS movement. If the Israeli government is SOO Democratic why is military service forced even if you believe it is immoral? Why are Palestinian children and adults jailed INDEFINITELY for things like throwing stones at tanks in PALESTINIAN villages? Why are there JEWISH ONLY roads while Palestinians face road blocks and restricted movement? Why is the government stealing Palestinian land, uprooting their crops, demolishing their houses(Illegally) to build a wall that separates families, divides villages and schools and is not following the set border but rather annexing a large amount of fertile land into Israel? There are countless parallels to South African Apartheid, it is undeniable that the Israeli government is acting immorally. These actions are not innocent on the part of the government but they are very real and DETESTABLE. KPFT does not give airtime to the Egyptian, Saudi, Iranian or even US government, why would they give airtime to anyone who seeks to obscure the truth about crimes being committed in their country?
"If the Israeli government is SOO Democratic" – No one ever even brought that up?
"why is military service forced even if you believe it is immoral" – Leaving aside the never-brought-up point about immorality, military service is forced because Israel is surrounded by countries who would love to see it annihilated and tried to bring that about in 1948, 1967, and 1973.
"Why are there JEWISH ONLY roads while Palestinians face road blocks and restricted movement?" – I'll raise you one and ask why there are de jure Palestinian-only roads all throughout the West Bank where if Israelis drive through accidentally they will be murdered in cold blood.
"large amount of fertile land into Israel?" – citation please. Israel is nearly all desert, I would love to know what fertile land you refer to. Can't be in the Negev, can't be in the middle, maybe you mean somewhere in the North?
Marie,
Your instincts are infallible. Yes, yes, yes these ARE the people we should side with instead of those brutal Israelis:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2011/01/people-picture-muslims...
hrm yes let's see what jihadwatch has to say about this
Marie,
The following article describes what you are really saying:
http://archive.frontpagemag.com/readArticle.aspx?…
Hello The Truth, I enjoy your comments that you post regurlaly. I believe there is no such thing as moderate- islam. I am deeply concerned about the future of western civilization values. Do you know of the current situation in Europe?
Page 1.
The situation in Europe is more advanced (which means worse) than it is here, plus there are two cultural issues which put Europe in a more difficult situation. These being our right to freedom of speech is a constitutional right and European countries do not have that same right written into their founding documents. Secondly we as a people have a innate mistrust of government which the Europeans do not share, or at least to the same extent. So we are more likely to vote out congressmen who kowtow to a group of people we have the common sense to distrust.
In addition to these concerns Muslims represent a bigger percentage of the populations in Europe than they do here. The liberal, PC, multiculturalists allowed them to immigrate in mass and now that it is too late they are finally beginning to face the problem. Coincidentally in the past week Angela Merkel, David Cameron and Nicholas Sarkozky all made public pronouncements saying that multiculturalism (PC way of saying Muslim immigration) has NOT worked.
Page 2.
Pat Condell has some wry and entertaining (in a fashion) videos on this subject. Here is one of them:
There is a pivotal trial ongoing in the Netherlands accusing Geert Wilders of hate speech with “hate speech” meaning telling the truth about Islam. This trial will be a tell as to the direction Europe will head.
Bat Ye’or has researched and written some excellent material on how Europe started down the path of multiculturalism, i.e., the embrace of cheap Muslim oil in exchange for the abandonment of Western values. Her books are not easy reads. She goes into the history of Mitterand’s first treaties with the Arab oil states with in-depth explanations of the treaties and what their costs to France’s soul and conscious were as well. Mitterand essentially traded oil for Muslim immigration and a clear conscience.
You can also find out a lot about Europe’s Islamic problems from websites like:
http://www.jihadwatch.org
(The comments written at this site offer some great insights.)
And, for current events the following website is excellent:
http://www.thereligionofpeace.com
Keep spreading the word "The Truth". At least you are not blinded like every other person who thinks this cult is actually a "religion of peace". You should change your name to "little Geert".( That's a good thing ha)
Thanks, Oh Yeah.
You, too, should spread the truth about Islam. We in the West have been fooled by the snake-oil salesmen peddaling this all-encompassing –and barbaric, supremacist, sadistic– way of life. Only be getting the truth out, and by using the exact words from the Koran will people in the West wake up to the true nature –the evil nature– that is Islam.
Oh Yeah,
One other thought…
If you read the comment section of JihadWatch.org there are many fascinating debates on the topic of the decline (or not) of western values and how this is (or is not) affecting our ability to see and to react to Islam's 7th century babaric values as we should. We live in amazing times and it's good to know there are people like you out there who are interested and disturbed by *all* of this stuff.
Yes you are correct. I thought I was the only person who keeps in touch with the European world. I fear for their existence and their culture. Geert Wilders isn't even able to visit parts of Europe because he actually tells the truth. He recently visited Florida and warned the USA that our civilization would be next as commanded by the "Al- Hijra(islamic doctrine of immigration". Fortunately, for the USA, we have political personnel like Allen West and Mike Fair who recognize this legitimate issue. As for the UK, I hope David Cameron can take action before it's too late.
So you allow alternative viewpoints on the station as long as they're not pro-Israel? <sarcasm>Makes sense.. </sarcasm>