The following e-mail was cc-ed to us:
To: bdeshazor@pacificaradioarchives.org, thirdestatesundayreview@yahoo.com
I thought I was hearing some (bad) specials and not From The Vault recently. Just checked the webpage and, sure enough, For The Vault managed to offer four programs for Black History Month and NOTHING for Women's History Month which is so damn typical of pathetic Pacifica.
Equally true is that all four Black History Month segments were men and all four March segments were, you guessed it, men.
In your White Male world, Brian, that may play. For this African-American woman, it doesn't. Explain to me where I make my complaint about this disgraceful and continuing sexism.
What was our reader talking about?
We went to the From The Vault website to check. The weekly radio show served up offerings in February (Black History Month) and in March (Women's History Month).
January 30th, "we kick off 2009 Black History Month by featuring rare recordings of one of America’s greatest intellectuals, W.E.B. DuBois." No, it wasn't actually Black History Month but they wanted to be sure they got in four programs devoted to the topic. February 6th, " From the Vault continues a tribute Black History Month by presenting the second half of a documentary featuring rare recordings of one of America’s greatest intellectuals, W.E.B. DuBois." February 16th's broadcast was devoted to activist and comedian Dick Gregory. Feb. 20th to Malcolm X. Feb. 27th -- wait! Each month has four weeks. Yeah, but we told you that history was so important to them -- or at least men's history -- that they kicked off in January. Feb. 27th was devoted to Paul Robeson. (Yes, our reader was wrong, they did five programs for Black History Month and not four.)
Wow, what might they do with Women's History Month?
Your answer was in Black History Month. Five programs, all devoted to men.
March 6th: "This week on From the Vault, we present a recently restored and digitized program — A Piper Piping Away: An Interview with Paddy Maloney. Mr. Maloney is founder and leader of the traditional Irish music group The Chieftains, who were instrumental in popularizing traditional Irish music that was in danger of being lost forever." Paddy Maloney? And his all male band? Women's history how? As the rest of the month made clear, From The Archives didn't give a damn about Women's History Month. March 16th, "FTV 149 Shakespeare: This was a Man (Part 1 of 3)". March 23rd, "FTV 150 Shakespeare: This was a Man (Part 2 of 3)". March 27th, "FTV 151 Shakespeare: This was a Man (Part 3 of 3)".
To: bdeshazor@pacificaradioarchives.org, thirdestatesundayreview@yahoo.com
I thought I was hearing some (bad) specials and not From The Vault recently. Just checked the webpage and, sure enough, For The Vault managed to offer four programs for Black History Month and NOTHING for Women's History Month which is so damn typical of pathetic Pacifica.
Equally true is that all four Black History Month segments were men and all four March segments were, you guessed it, men.
In your White Male world, Brian, that may play. For this African-American woman, it doesn't. Explain to me where I make my complaint about this disgraceful and continuing sexism.
What was our reader talking about?
We went to the From The Vault website to check. The weekly radio show served up offerings in February (Black History Month) and in March (Women's History Month).
January 30th, "we kick off 2009 Black History Month by featuring rare recordings of one of America’s greatest intellectuals, W.E.B. DuBois." No, it wasn't actually Black History Month but they wanted to be sure they got in four programs devoted to the topic. February 6th, " From the Vault continues a tribute Black History Month by presenting the second half of a documentary featuring rare recordings of one of America’s greatest intellectuals, W.E.B. DuBois." February 16th's broadcast was devoted to activist and comedian Dick Gregory. Feb. 20th to Malcolm X. Feb. 27th -- wait! Each month has four weeks. Yeah, but we told you that history was so important to them -- or at least men's history -- that they kicked off in January. Feb. 27th was devoted to Paul Robeson. (Yes, our reader was wrong, they did five programs for Black History Month and not four.)
Wow, what might they do with Women's History Month?
Your answer was in Black History Month. Five programs, all devoted to men.
March 6th: "This week on From the Vault, we present a recently restored and digitized program — A Piper Piping Away: An Interview with Paddy Maloney. Mr. Maloney is founder and leader of the traditional Irish music group The Chieftains, who were instrumental in popularizing traditional Irish music that was in danger of being lost forever." Paddy Maloney? And his all male band? Women's history how? As the rest of the month made clear, From The Archives didn't give a damn about Women's History Month. March 16th, "FTV 149 Shakespeare: This was a Man (Part 1 of 3)". March 23rd, "FTV 150 Shakespeare: This was a Man (Part 2 of 3)". March 27th, "FTV 151 Shakespeare: This was a Man (Part 3 of 3)".
It's not just that they ignored women, it's that they aired a three part series during Women's History Month with the subtitle "This was a Man." We find it hard to believe they'd have dare done anything similar during Black History Month.
But this didn't strike any programmer or station manager as strange or even objectionable. Which goes a long way towards explaining why the likes of Gloria Steinem, et al were not needed or wanted by Pacifica stations for election commentary throughout 2008 until John McCain announced Governor Sarah Palin was his running mate. Suddenly it was time to uncage the women and let them on air long enough for them to foam at the mouth and assure listeners that Sarah Palin was worthless and evil and would give them restless leg syndrome. Then, like any pet at a zoo, they were led back to their cages.
And they stood for it which makes them as pathetic as their zoo handlers.
By standing with them, they endorse the erasure of women and their accomplishments. Which is how From The Vault can get away with nine weeks in a row of programming focused on male accomplishments. All the more appalling when four of those weeks fell during Women's History Month.
