An extended conversation with journalist Robert Scheer on his newest book, The Pornography of Power: How Defense Hawks Hijacked 9/11 and Weakened America. With musical interludes from the patriotic playlist of The Paralyzed Veterans of America and Bob Dylan. Hosted by Janet Coleman.

Allison Cole on the Cult of True Victimhood (uninterrupted).* According to the publisher, “Condemnations of ‘victim politics’ are a familiar feature of American public life. Politicians and journalists across the ideological spectrum eagerly denounce “victimism.” Accusations of “playing the victim” have become a convenient way to ridicule or condemn. President George W. Bush even blamed an Islamic “culture of victimization” for 9/11.

Cole investigates the ideological underpinnings, cultural manifestations, and political consequences of anti-victimism in an array of contexts, including race relations, the feminist movement, conservative punditry, and the U.S. legal system. Being a victim, she contends, is no longer a matter of injuries or injustices endured, but a stigmatizing judgment of individual character. Those who claim victim status are cast as shamefully passive or cynically manipulative.”
*An edited version of this interview was previously aired on the October 21, 2007 Fund Drive Special.

The music of Barbara Lea
Prior to: "A Tribute To Jazz Legend Barbara Lea". A benefit by loving friends to honor her as she faces a serious life challenge with appearances by: Bob Dorough · Steve Ross · Daryl Sherman · Ronny Whyte, The Loren Schoenberg Big Band, Keith Ingham · Sue Matsuki · Karen Oberlin · Melissa Hamilton · Annie Dinerman and others.

Friday July 25th at 7:30PM. At the Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Café - 407 West 42nd Street (West of 9th Avenue). Reservations: 212-695-6909
Please join us in celebrating "The High Priestess of Popular Song", one of the greatest gifts to jazz singing!

Some of the songs from her career that we will hear: "I Want To Be Happy", "Child In Me Again" "Bittersweet" performed LIVE in our WBAI Studios for our tribute to Billy Strayhorn, February 13th, 1997 of course, "A Woman Alone With The Blues" and "Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans?" from her newest CD release DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO MISS NEW ORLEANS released thru Audiophile Records (ACD-333). And more!

On Sunday June 22, 2008 George Denis Patrick Carlin died of heart failure in Santa Monica’s, St. John’s Hospital at the age of 71. Former WBAI producer, Paul Gorman (Lunch Pail), played Carlin’s “Seven Dirty Words” routine on WBAI, which led ultimately to the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court case F.C.C. v. Pacifica Foundation. In that case a narrow 5–4 decision by the justices affirmed the government's power to determine and regulate indecent material on the public airwaves. With the consolidation of media gravitating into the ownership of fewer and fewer people and the government’s increasing influence over content, the right of freedom of speech guaranteed by the first amendment to the constitution is in grave peril.

First Amendment:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Although we have just recently ended our Spring Drive we all regret that we have to go to the well once again. This is not something that we want to do. However, since we have no other reliable sources of income, we are forced to go to our listeners or face crippling staff lay offs.

The drive will begin on Wednesday July 23rd and end on Saturday, August 2nd.

For this drive we are going to focus on our diminishing rights in violation of the 1st amendment. All of the on air presentations and the premiums that we offer will be centered on this issue. We will call on our friends past and present to help us in the presentation of this theme. Issues of war and peace, the environment, electoral politics, 911, jurisprudence, health, the arts and of course, media are all areas victimized by a planned policy and practice that makes it impossible for the public to get good, clear, truthful information.

The U.S. public suffers from misinformation, disinformation, doublespeak and newspeak practiced by corporate and many prominent public media outlets. Pacifica and its affiliates are the last media outlets that are attempting to remain unaffected by this trend in media.

In another Wake Up Call Special at 7:00 - 8:00 am, host, Esther Armah, explores the reality behind in the headlines in a segment Rest in Peace Mommy - AIDS behind the Statistics.

"Rest in Peace Mommy", are the words a 17 year old can finally say about her mother whose AIDS diagnosis broke up her family. Behind the headlines, the alarming statistics, and the tragic budget cuts are the lives and stories of those living with and dealing with the diagnosis of AIDS. In this one hour special, we hear from teenage Lavainna about the social stigma and personal scars of being born to a mother with AIDS.  We talk with a grandmother and activist dealing with and campaigning around the housing crisis facing those who are dealing with AIDS.  And we hear from policy makers who are creating new policy in line with the budget cuts.

Poet Amiri Baraka and collagist Theodore A. Harris discuss collaborating on a newly published book, Our Flesh of Flames; Part 2 of an extended conversation with journalist Robert Scheer on his latest bookThe Pornography of Power: How Defense Hawks Hijacked 9/11 and Weakened America; and actor and comedian Taylor Negron on his one-man show The Unbearable Lightness of Being Taylor Negron. Hosted by Janet Coleman and David Dozer.

A discussion with Rex Weyler, one of the founders of Greenpeace. We discuss a number of environmental issues from whales to over-population to global warming and climate destruction. Hosted by Ken Gale.

The WBAI Local Station Board Finance Committee will meet on Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at 6:30 PM at WBAI, 120 Wall Street 10th floor. The sole agenda item will be the first draft of the FY09 budget. The public is welcome. To be admitted to the building, call 212-209-2800 before 5PM so your name can be added to the building's computer list.

Bartleby, by Herman Melville. A digression from the summer series, paying tribute to the great American author, Herman Melville, whose birthday August 1st, is a legitimate and recognized day of Literary Obligation. A brief introduction to the story will be offered on the July broadcast. Bartleby was last presented by Simon Loekle over WBAI in 1998, when the station moved to its current quarters at 120 Wall Street. Due to time constraints, contributions to the station will not be solicited, but will be welcome. If you want this sort of programming, be sure to call (212) 209-2950 and make a pledge of support. Just tell them, "Simon sent me."
Continues on Saturday, August 2nd.

On July 5th the main archives page was changed to make it easier to listen to our shows. Previously, clicking on the "Play" link invoked software on your computer. Now, you can listen to shows using player software embedded in the archive web page.
When you click on the Play button, a Flash based MP3 player is dynamically inserted in the archive web page (see above). Simply click on the triangle to listen to a show - without leaving the archive page and without the use of software on your computer.

This requires that your web browser has the free Adobe Flash Player installed - almost all do. You can check for the presence of the Flash Player here. It also requires the use of JavaScript which, like Flash, is nearly-universal. If your web browser does not support either, the old version of the archives page is still available.

No change was made to the way shows are downloaded to your computer, you still right click on the "Download" link and opt to save it locally. Send feedback to webmaster at wbai.org.

Current tentative plans are for WBAI to cover the Democratic Convention on August 25th through the 28th and the Republican convention on September 1st through the 4th.

If you were less than satisfied with the Federal government's official investigation of the 9/11 World Trade Center and Pentagon Attacks, you are not alone.  To find out more about an effort to establish a referendum for a citizens-based, independent 9/11 investigation, go to www.nyc911initiative.org. Petition signatures are being gathered now for a ballot question in the November elections asking voters if they want a citizen's-based re-investigation of the 9/11 attacks. Find out more at www.nyc911initiative.org.

Iraq Veterans Against The War Testify Before The Congressional Progressive Caucus
Originally broadcast Thursday May 15th, available in our archives

Nine members of Iraq Veterans Against the War testified under oath before the Congressional Progressive Caucus about rules of engagement, the killing and abuse of civilians, the use of drop weapons, and the true consequences of the "surge." This was a follow-up to Winter Soldier: Iraq & Afghanistan 2008 (see below on this page for more). Pre and Post show Wrap-up anchored by Aaron Glantz and Aimee Allison. Coverage of the live testimony ran from 10AM to 2PM. From 2 - 4PM, Hugh Hamilton continued the Winter Soldier theme.
WBAI originally aired Winter Soldier in April.

In the Daily News on May 5th, David Hinckley did a story on the Pacifica radio archives. See Pacifica has a project of historic proportions. The archives consist of roughly 40,000 broadcasts, some over 50 years old. They are available for free at www.pacificaradioarchives.com.