Ape Talks to Jack Etkin April 23, 2016

04/24/16 • 40 min

Earlier this month, Citizen's Forum, a public access public affairs program, produced by volunteers at Victoria's Shaw Cable affiliate, in accordance with CRTC mandate, was axed. Jack Etkin is the long-time, Victoria-based democracy and media activist host of, and producer behind the show, and a number of other media/democracy projects. Jack Etkin on the demise of Citizen's Forum, the corporate media, and Canadian democracy.

Gorilla Radio :: News, Public Affairs

File Download (40:39 min / 37 MB)

Gorilla Radio :: News, Public Affairs

File Download (40:39 min / 37 MB)

Previous Episode

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Luciana Bohne, VOWS, Janine Bandcroft Apr. 20, 2016

Last month, the International Tribunal for Yugoslavia came down with a verdict against Radovan Karadzic, the first president of the Serb Republic, and leader during the Bosnian War of the 1990's. Regardless of the merits of the ICTY's case against Karadzic, the manner in which it was conducted, and the refusal of the Court to investigate properly, let alone prosecute NATO for the crimes it committed leading to and during the secession wars of Yugoslavia brings into question both the utility of the International Tribunal itself, and more broadly, the concept of international law entirely. In fact, exemptions from international law that have allowed the litany of wars waged by the West since the dissolution of the Soviet Union can all be traced back to the Former Yugoslavia, where the United States made sure to exclude itself and its allies from the "supreme international crime" of aggression. Luciana Bohne is a retired (and recovering) academic, and co-founder of Film Criticism, a journal of cinema studies at Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. She describes herself as possessing "an internationalist outlook, having been born in Yugoslavia, raised in Italy, and matured intellectually in the US." Luciana's articles on politics and mainly Italian film history appear at CounterPunch.org, where her latest article, 'The Cowards' Wars' was, she says, occasioned by the sentencing of Radovan Karadzic to forty years imprisonment by the International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia. Luciana Bohne in the first half. And; I went down Monday to Victoria's Canadian Forces recruiting centre to talk to some of the people observing the international Day of Action Against Military Spending. For Canada's part, VOWS, or Voice of Women for Peace called on the Canadian Government to: "Substantially reduce military expenditures and re-allocate them to urgent social and environmental needs;" saying, "The federal government should invest in programs that will reduce poverty and help our country transition to a low-carbon, green economy and NOT on combat missions overseas and buying new warships and fighter jets." Giving voice for a world without militarism with VOWS in the second half. And; Victoria Street Newz publisher emeritus and CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will join us at the bottom of the hour to bring us news of some of the good things coming to the streets of our city, and beyond there too, this week. But first, Luciana Bohne and the writing and unwriting of laws granting impunity ad infinitum, based on assumptions of the "altruistic morality of intervening to adjust the affairs of the world."

Gorilla Radio :: News, Public Affairs

File Download (57:52 min / 53 MB)

Next Episode

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Art Farquharson, Jack Etkin, Janine Bandcroft April 27, 2016

With the rolling back of labour rights, deterioration of working conditions, government maintenance of an artificially high unemployment rate, proliferation of guest worker programs, and prolonged wage stagnation we've witnessed over the last few decades, the workers around here, if not the World, have good reason to cry "May Day" But who would answer the call now? As with much of labour history, even that term has been appropriated, its original meaning and intent being all but erased from public consciousness. Art Farquharson is a fully paid, life-long member of the Working Class. He's laboured in the fields and factories of this nation, and on its highways and high seas too. A proud unionist, Art's held CAW, Unifor, Machinists, Public Service Alliance, IATSE, and Ferry Workers Union union cards. He's also a card-carrying member of the Industrial Workers of the World, or Wobblies, who never misses a chance to sing, march, or provide guitar accompaniment for pickets, protests, demonstrations, or celebrations of the working people like the Corporate Golden Piggy Awards, and New Year's Day Poor People's Levee Tour. In short, Art says he "comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable," adding, "There is no retirement from being a citizen, [and] can be no rest until all workers the world over have peace and justice." Art Farquharson in the first segment. And; earlier this month, Citizen's Forum, a public access public affairs program produced by volunteers at Victoria's Shaw Cable affiliate, in accordance with the CRTC's mandate to cable operators in return for the market monopolies they enjoy, was axed. Jack Etkin is the long-time, Victoria-based democracy and media activist who hosted and produced the show. He's also behind a number of other media and democracy projects around here, and has been for more than a decade. Jack Etkin on the demise of Citizen's Forum, corporate media, and Canada's frail democracy. And; Victoria Street Newz publisher emeritus and CFUV Radio broadcaster, Janine Bandcroft will join us at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what's good going on on the streets of our city, and beyond there too, in the coming week. But first, Art Farquharson and bringing the meaning back to May Day.