• Audio Statement: Download or Stream to Media Player (mp3 format)
• Nomination Statement
• Candidate Questionnaire

My name is Aaron Aarons. My web site is http://aarons.f-m.fm. I am an independent supporter of a diverse anti-capitalist, anti-imperialist KPFA governed by a strong, democratic, Local Station Board.

I have been active in the struggle against capitalism, imperialism and related oppressions since 1956. I have participated in well over 1,000 demonstrations. One of the high points was my participation, as a member of Campaign Against Apartheid, in the construction and occupation of shantytowns at U.C. Berkeley in 1986, where I was one among over 100 arrested during one of the violent police assaults on our project. In 1960, I participated in a banned demonstration against a nuclear submarine launching, for which I and 8 others were tried and convicted by the Feds. I was also arrested in the sit-in at KPFA in 1999, when the hijackers shut down the station.

I support and encourage struggles on all fronts against the U.S. imperialist ruling class and its allies around the world. One of my main concerns has been showing solidarity with the people of Palestine and Lebanon against U.S-enabled Israeli oppression. I also am loud and unequivocal in my support for the Iraqi people's struggle against U.S. occupation. For these reasons, I am a strong supporter of Flashpoints.

I have spent time in Mexico and can communicate in Spanish.

I have been listening to KPFA for 30 years. I was a regular caller to "Shoutin' Out with Mama O'Shea" before Mama's show was eliminated during the 1995 purge, which also eliminated dozens of programs by diverse community activists. I was one of those fighting against the Democratic Party hijackers of Pacifica long before that.

I have been dissatisfied with the News Department for a long time. It generally takes an almost uncritical attitude towards the pronouncements of ruling-class agents, habitually saying, for example, that some politician (or non-human entity!) "believes" something when all we know is that they want the public to believe it! Another example is how some news staffers refer to the so-called "war on terror" without using the "so-called" or equivalent qualifier.

Sometimes, if one doesn't recognize the voices of the newscasters, one can think that one is listening to NPR!

What we need is a News Department that starts from the premise that the government and the corporations are lying until proven otherwise. We also need a News Department that doesn't let the U.S. ruling class define what is news! There are struggles and conflicts all over the world that only get mentioned on KPFA News if and when the U.S. capitalist media mention them first. Much of this criticism of the News Department also applies to the Public Affairs Department, especially the Morning Show.

If elected to the LSB, I will use whatever influence I have to push News and Public Affairs programming toward a much more oppositional and critical stance, while advocating more time for such programming.

1. Why do you want to be on the Local Station Board?

I want to help make KPFA a more effective instrument in the struggle against oppression in general and against the United States ruling class in particular.

2. How do you envision the Local Station Board working with the Pacifica Foundation, KPFA and the community?

The station board and the Pacifica national board need to set policy to guide programming so that it serves the mission of the station.

3. How could the station better serve its listeners?

I don't think that serving the listeners should in itself be a major goal of the station. Helping arm listeners politically for the struggle against the ruling class should be. To this end, I would try to orient the station towards presenting a wide variety of analyses from various anti-capitalist viewpoints, including (but not limited to) diverse interpretations of Marxism and anarchism.

4. Describe some actions you would take to increase the influence of the station in underrepresented communities and to increase the diversity of the listening audience?

I would push for diverse programming by various groups from oppressed communities with varied ideas about how to fight oppression. This would include more multilingual and "foreign"-language programming. Such programming should also be advertised in the relevant communities.

5. What sources of funding, other than listener donations, do you feel KPFA should solicit?

None.

6. Please state briefly the skills, experience, educational background, work history, organizational affiliations, areas of community service, areas of interest and expertise that you would bring to the Pacifica network as a member of the Local Station Board.

The main thing I would bring is my experience in a wide variety of political groups and struggles over nearly half a century, combined with the knowledge gained by extensive reading and discussion over that same period.

I also have familiarity and experience with many aspects of computer and internet technology, and a bit of experience as a programmer on Free Radio Berkeley.

I speak and (better) read and write Spanish.

7. Do you anticipate missing any Local Station Board meetings due to family or job related problems or inadequate transportation?

No.

8. On which Local Station Board committees* are you interested in actively serving? If you are a current Local Station Board member, on which committees do you currently serve?

I am most interested in serving on the Programming Committee, the Technology Development Committee, and the Outreach Committee.