December 22: Roundtable discussion about Values
Guests: GreenWatch TV crew members
Round 1) Art Browning and Bonnie Lambourn
Round 2) Gordon Anderson and Chris Switzer
NOTES: We discussed how the radical right has coopted the word "Values" at the very same time that our Values-driven country bombs civilians in Iraq, denies children health care in rural and inner city America, forces farmers in foreign countries to pay off debts incurred by dictators; plus we'd rather build more prisons than increase school funding. And so on and so forth. See the Green Party Ten Key Values: http://www.gp.org/tenkey.html

December 8: Election Irregularities, Needed Reform and Recent Problems
Guests:
Pokey Anderson, friends, and colleagues.
This could be considered a post-election follow-up to an earlier show.
(Pokey sent out this 51capitolmarch announcement; check it out before, during, or after the show. Several of us met up in Austin to protect the vote.)

November 24: Radical Encuentro Camp; David Cobb
Guests:
1) chickpea and herb, about REC
2) Gloria Rubac, Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement
3) David Cobb, (telephone call in interview)
NOTES: Gloria spoke of a showcase death penalty case in Texas: Frances Newton, due to be executed December 1st. Progressive activists gather in the deep south Dec 3-5 (Register for REC); Radical Encuentro Camps build solidarity amongst diverse communities, grassroots organizers and activist groups in Tejas and beyond. Finally: audio interview with David Cobb, Green Party 2004 candidate for US President, discussed the movement for a FULL COUNT of votes in Ohio (see http://www.votecobb.org).

November 10: GreenWatchers Roundtable
We had a rollicking discussion with panelists and callers talking about why Kerry lost, did Bush win, how has a radical minority managed to retain the highest offices of power in our land, what must caring, nurturing people do to set our country back on the right track. As usual, our host Brian Harrison did a masterful job of facilitating and stimulating a freewheeling conversation.
Guests:
Segment 1) Scott Trimble, Bonnie Lambourn, Don Cook
Segment 2) Art Browning, Becky Stephens, Gordon Anderson

October 27: Local Politics
Two important races for public office here in Houston and Harris County are District Attorney who chooses which criminal cases to pursue and how to do so, and the office held by Tom DeLay.
Guests:
1) Reginald E. McKamie, for District Attorney of Harris County
2) candidates for US House Representative, District 22:
Mike Fjetland (IND), Richard Morrison-DEM, and Tom Morrison-LIB; we invited the other candidate but his office declined (Tom DeLay-REP).

October 13: First Nations Where We Live
To observer Columbus Day, we air a leader of Ecuadoran Amazon people speaking of their lives (AmazonWatch.org), and we discuss other issues related to people and cultures who lived here long before Europeans came across the Atlantic Ocean.
Guests:
1) Mike Oeser, Houston Attorney at Law (ACLU-Houston) and member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma
2) Jacquelyn Battise, KPFT 90.1 FM programmer, People of Earth, Thursdays 11:00 AM to noon.

September 29: Water Resources in Texas
Do you know much about Texas water resources? You might want to learn more. You can live without oil, but if water becomes all about profit, you're over a barrel. As a barometer, we have the estuaries of Galveston Bay at our front door, one of the biologically most productive coasts in the world. See these web sites: Lone Star Chapter of the Sierra Club, National Wildlife Federation, The Texas Water Plan.
Guest: John Bartos, Houston Attorney, Environmental Activist; represents environmental concerns on the Texas Water Development Board.

September 15: Peace
The prevous Friday evening, September 10, more than 1000 people assembled at Mecom Fountain in Houston for a candlelight vigil with respect to the more than 1000 US soldiers who have died in Iraq since the war began. Our guest and our host discussed underlying issues and shared thoughts with viewers. See Houston Indymedia (http://houston.indymedia.org) for further coverage of the event.
GUEST: Scott Parkin, Community Organizer, Houston Global Awareness Collective (see: http://www.houstonglobalawareness.org)

September 1 - Labor Day: Do you wonder if you're part of the working class? Ask yourself if you could do without your paycheck. Solidarity, folks.
See this website: www.millionworkermarch.org
GUESTS: David and Rona Smith

August 18: Super Fund sites near YOU
Remember hearing that quite a few of these places with concentrated, dangerous pollutants exist in and around Houston? Will they ever be cleaned up? Do people live nearby?
GUESTS:
1. Reginald Adams (Museum of Cultural Arts, Houston)
2. Phyllis Dunham (Regional Director, Sierra Club)
As an extra special treat, we had the new experience of having a new co-host, Erika McDonald. She brought in-depth expertise and knowledge by virtue of her post as investigative reporter for "EcoBeat" which airs every Thursday afternoon between 5:30 and 6:00 PM on KPFT 90.1 FM radio, during the local news program.

August 4: Mr. Sharon, Tear Down That Wall
Apartheid in the Holy Land. This problem was discussed both from a historical perspective, a present day human point of view as to how events affect people and families trying to live in the area, and with an eye to the future as to how American policies and behaviors could change things for the better.
GUESTS:
1. Hannah Hawk (Houston co-ordinator, Muslim Public Affairs Council: www.mpac.org)
2. Hadeel Assali (Palestinian activist in our city)

July 21: National Green Politics (www.gp.org)
At the national Green Party convention in Milwaukee last month, Greens nominated Cobb/LaMarche for US President/Vice President, and did not endorse Nader/Camejo. Building the Green Party from the ground up is the focus of the campaign. The urgency of the need for radical change is the problem. The show considered long and short term strategies, and talked about the platform, convention vibes, national and global problems, and hopes for the future.
GUESTS:
1. Anelle Williams (co-host, Women's Collective radio show, 10:00 PM Thursday, KPFT 90.1 FM; Parliamentarian, Green Party national Black Caucus; more)
2. Alfred Molison (co-chair, Green Party of Texas; Steering Committee member, Harris County Green Party)
3. David Collins (Green Party grassroots activist from before the organization became formal in Harris County, or even in Texas)
4. by phone, Patricia LaMarche from Maine, the Green Party candidate for Vice President of the United States. We also showed brief video footage from the national convention in Milwaukee, with David Cobb, candidate for US President (www.votecobb.org).

July 7: Electronic Elections - concepts, concerns, and safeguards
GUESTS:
1. Prof. Dan Wallach (Rice University, Dept. of Computer Science; http://www.cs.rice.edu/~dwallach/)
2. Pokey Anderson (co-host Sunday Monitor, 6 PM on KPFT 90.1 FM radio)
See the following websites for furthuer information:
Dan's favorite -- Verified Voting. Other sites cited on the show include Leadership Council on Civil Rights, Texas Safe Voting, and Black Box Voting.
NOTES: Well worth follow up. Make sure that your local voting officials learn about the issues involved in making sure that your vote gets counted the way you cast it. See also: Computer Ate My Vote (True Majority) and ACTION item for July 13 in Austin.

June 23: Discussions about Green Party conventions (TX & US), Nader, Kucinich
GUESTS:
1. JosH Darr (Community organizer; Treasurer, Harris County Green Party)
2. Bonnie Lambourn (Artist, Educator, Delegate to state convention of Texas Democratic Party, District 17, GreenWatch crewmember)
3. Gordon Anderson (Black Caucus of US Green Party, KPFT volunteer, GreenWatch crewmember)
See resources accessible from HCGP home, GPTX home, GP home
NOTES: This show came together more facilitously than almost any other! Breaking news on the Green Party front included Nader's tapping of his running mate, and the airing of a telephone interview by Amy Goodman of Peter Camejo and David Cobb. We also heard a first-hand account of Dennis Kucinich's stirring words in Houston the weekend before at the state convention of Texas Democrats.

June 9: Women's Health and Reproductive Choices
GUESTS:
1. Meryl Cohen (VP Education and Counseling),
2. Peter Durkin (President and CEO),
both of Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas (see PPHSET press release);
3. Alicia Nuzzie (pro-choice activist),
4. Maria Palacios (poet, author, feminist), both affiliated with Women's Action for Reproductive Rights (W.A.R.R.)
NOTES: Our guests presented rational, caring viewpoints about education and freedom. THis one is a keeper, well worth re-viewing the video tape. The topic will likely evolve into a series.

May 26: Gentrification, Third Ward Housing Problems
GUEST:
Lenwood Johnson (Fair Housing Coalition; apv1@ev1.net; 713.731.7667)
The Coalition's mailing address is P.O. Box 21371, Houston, Texas, 77226
NOTES: Lenwood brought along a wonderful book titled "DISPLACEMENT: How to Fight It" ISBN: 0-9606098-1-4. It came out of the movement against gentrification in San Francisco during the 70s.
(Following the main segment of the show, we aired video footage of the demonstrations at the Halliburton shareholder meeting in Houston on May 19; Tish of houston.indymedia.org gave background and commentary. See also CorpWatch.)
(displacement..)

May 12: Proposition 1 and Pensions for City Employees
GUESTS:
1. JosH Darr (Project Coordinator, AFSCME Local 1550; joshdarr14@yahoo.com)
2. Kimbal Urrutia (Executive Director, AFSCME Local 1550; kmu3030@hotmail.com)
NB: AFSCME is American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees; Local 1550 is located at 2608 Sutherland in Houston, Texas (713.928.3738)
NOTES: You can see quite a bit of information from AFSCME by clicking HERE. (Plus, see Press Release.) We had at least three city employees call in during the show to thank these labor leaders for speaking up on their behalf. Lots of short term arguments appear to have been made at the expense of little people's long term lives. Millionaires? A mere million really doesn't mean that much anymore... Let's talk about Billionaires!

April 14, April 28: Hiatus. We had to defer guests lined up for these dates due to the massive move of the HMS studio from the old 3900 Fannin house at Branard to east downtown, 2302 Texas Street. We apologise, not only to guests, but also to viewers! Topics would have been Third Ward Housing Problems, and Ecuadorian Indigenous Nations. See above for rescheduling.

March 31: Same-sex marriages
GUESTS:
1. Mitchell Katine (cooperating attorney with Lambda Legal Defence; mkatine@wba-law.com)
2. Tammi Wallace (Project Director - Equality Knocks; LGRL.org)
3. Rev. Helen Havens (St. Stephen's Episcopal Church; www.ststephenshouston.org)
4. Marilyn Ladin (Cantor and Psychotherapist; cantormarilyn@sbcglobal.net)
NOTES: The first half of the show concentrated on legal issues, with occasional discussion of social justice. Two callers spoke on the air, and both had religious issues, so Host Brian asked them to stay tuned for the second half after the announcements, when we hope they heard witnessing (from local, deep thinkers of both Jewish and Christian faith) about how God has given us love> so who are we to limit it?

March 17: Bush Lies, People Die (The World STILL Says NO to War - march March 20!)
GUESTS: Raj Mankad, Keith Koski, and Miah Arnold - local organizers
NOTES: Wonderful marches and rally the following Saturday at City Hall!

March 3: What's going ON in Haiti
GUEST: Hassan Perez (Journalist - www.blackvoicenews.com)
NOTES: We set the topic of this show on week ahead of time, recognizing the building civil unrest. Little did we know how rapidly it would come to a head, with President Aristide's departure happening over the weekend between our decision and show time...

February 18: Houston Black Radical History
GUESTS: local people with knowledge and memories worth sharing
1. Ernest McMillan (former SNCC activist, Dallas chairman)
2. Ester King (Community Activist in and around Houston)
3. Clif Smith (programmer, KPFT 90.1 FM; former SNCC activist)
NOTES: Ernest, Ester, and Clif discussed with Brian events in the civil rights movement of the sixties, particularly around TSU. Most people remember Montgomery, Little Rock, and other justifiably famous places; the movement in Houston has its own history.

February 4: Child Executions - Harris County leads the world
GUESTS:
1. Gloria Rubac (Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement) call 713.523.8454
2. Njeri Shakur (Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement)
3. Anita Babineaux (U.S. Coordinator, Nanon Williams Support Association)
NOTES: Children Convicted of Capital Crimes: We Kill Them. In the United States, in Texas, and in Harris County - Death Penalty Capitol of the "Civilized" World. (Here are several more useful web links:American Bar Association, International Justice Project, Amnesty International)
HISTORY Review -- Bob Buzzanco's "History They Didn't Teach You"

January 21: Immigrants, Patriots, and Human Rights in The Homeland
GUESTS:
1. Imran B. Mirza (Immigration Attorney with Quan, Burdette, and Perez)
2. María Jiménez (Immigrant Rights Activist in Houston; Member of the Board of Directors, National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights)
NOTES: The show caught the attention of several listeners who called in. This gave our guests the opportunity to address such issues as right to work, English as a mandated national language, and the distinction between being "illegal" and being undocumented. See Maria's article from a couple of years ago at inmotionmagazine)
HISTORY Review -- Bob Buzzanco's "History They Didn't Teach You" covered the Treaty of Guadeloupe / Mexican Independence / Texas Statehood (text not yet published on the web - check back soon for link!).

January 7: Greens in the political picture in 2004
GUESTS:
1. Charlie Mauch (Green Party candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner)
2. Earl Gerhart (Steering Committee member, Harris County Green Party; a Texas delegate to US Green Party)
3. We also aired an exclusive, taped interview with Dennis Kucinich, US Representative, Ohio (D), who seeks the Democrats' nomination to run for President of the United States.
NOTES: In the interview, Rep. Kucinich suggested that he could be considered the Green arm of the the Democrat Party. His views resoundingly echo many of the planks of the Green Party platform. After the tape finished, Charlie and Earl discussed with Brian the variety of views held by Greens here and around the country about what our strategy should be, both with respect to national politics and local, grassroots party building. (You may be asking, "What about Ralph Nader?" Please see THIS.)
HISTORY Review -- Bob Buzzanco's "History They Didn't Teach You" segment resumed with a review of what happened in Kampuchea three decades ago. GO here and learn more.

Previous years (click on the year to see details)

2003 Includes: Local Elections (Dec 10; Oct 1, 15, 31; Sep 17), Simplicity, Iraq Quagmire, Globalization/WTO, Hispanic Politics, Gay Rights, Tree Sitting, Cuba, Health Care, FCC, Flooding, Women and War, Labor Day, War and Immigrants, Death Penalty (Apr 3, Jan 23), Progressive Media, Living Wage, Peace Movement, and the Souls of Black Folk.

2002 Includes: Civil Rights in Perilous Times (Robert Jensen, Danalyn Recer), Police Accountability (Civilians Down, Corpus Justice, Copwatch), Rahul Mahajan for Governor, Texans for Gun Safety, The New Katy Freeway, Labor Day Special, HIV at home and in the world, Plan Colombia, Pacifica Radio, Health Care for All, Palestine, Latino Labor, Congo Conflict, African American History, Enron and Deregulation, Cuba, statewide Green Party candidates for office, and more.

2001 Includes: School of the Americas Watch, Peace, Middle East Policy, LGBT Politics in Houston, Alternative Media, Marijuana Law Reform, Immigration Issues, Death Row, Prisons and Criminal Justice (Ray Hill), Corporate Misbehavior (Ralph Nader taped), Third World Debt (Jere Locke), Environmental Issues, Green Party supported local candidates, and more.

Music played during the show (especially during in-tro and out-tro) has been an evolving element. In the beginning back in late 1999/early 2000 or so, canned 'public domain' clips gave something... Then we got a Free Radicals CD and encouragement to use it on the air free from Houston musician/activist Nick Cooper, so we used several cuts from that pretty exclusively for a year or so. Then on KPFT's Democracy Now! we heard "Is It For Freedom" by Sara Thomsen, tracked her down and got permission to use that song, so did and still do upon occasion. We also play songs from GASCD, including Bruce Cockburn "Call It Democracy", Propaghandi "Today's Empires, Tomorrow's Ashes", Michael Franti "Oh My God", Rheostatics "Bad Time to be Poor" -- Get this excellent double disk set! (GASCD: Governments Accountable to Society and Citizens = Democracy; thanks, Susan and Alan in Ontario, for turning us on to this.) And we're looking to air tunes from Green Revolution when/if Sudden Death responds. Listen up for David Rovics, Dave Lippman, or you never know who might show up live in the studio, Darryl Cherney did once... Come on down! Our show ends at 10:00 PM and a short, topical song might fit in real nice to close the show... LATEST ADDITION, hoping for permission after the fact, we aired, with attribution, part of a song from The Righteous Mothers simply too topical to pass up during the closing of the 31 March 2004 show!

Explicit Links to Music (for printed bi-fold...)
http://www.enjoymusic.com/freeradicals/
http://www.gascd.com
http://www.davidrovics.com
http://davelippman.com/
http://www.darrylcherney.com/
http://www.righteousmothers.com
http://www.sarathomsen.com

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last update: 2005-12-26