Sent in 2005 to the KRFC Programming Committee shortly
following the first "firing" of Eddie Arthur.
This is Eddie's letter to which Kevin referred above:
I was prepared to force an issue this evening over the manner of Eddie's removal from this committee. I stand by my previous e-mail, which spoke of such a plan. I think it sets a bad precedent and it robs this committee of the useful autonomy it needs to truly represent the needs of all our programmers and listening members. We already had one situation where a committee member was nearly forced to resign for openly expressing his disagreement with our previous station manager. I think there are good reasons why we shouldn't allow for the removal of Eddie from the PC without even a minimal objection by all of you: it damages this committee’s reputation (for fairness) and potentially it undermines our integrity in the minds of many in our ranks. It may or may not be so, but honestly I think it’s the exact wrong road to take at this juncture.
I do have exact reasons and I am willing to send to any of you these reasons via the e-mail, but I doubt if many of you will be interested. Time doesn't allow for that now and, for once in my life, I wish to be brief and not right. Anyway, I don't think it would make a damn bit of difference in the long run. Yes, I’ve become that pessimistic, sad to say. In speaking with several individuals today, I have decided to not force any issue tonight. To do so, will cause further disruption.
Forgive me, but I do believe that what has happen to Eddie is wrong. I know he’s not a saint. Clearly, none of us are. He's my friend. I think he’s a great DJ. I have tried to argue that we should try and save what I see as a valuable volunteer asset. Please find it in your hearts to find some way of doing so in a manner that brings greater unity to this station. Don't kid yourselves; KRFC needs it badly right now. I will attach Eddie's statement in another e-mail when I get it. Would somebody be gracious enough to read it to the committee this evening, as I had promised?
My reasons for why I remain here have been squandered. I blame myself, no one else. Folks, I'm flat broke in that category. I believe there are plans for my weekly time slot. I offered to give it up freely, if that might help us. I did this in good faith. What you decide to do with it, I firmly believe, is also done in good faith. I will, obviously, fill in until a permanent replacement is found. That may not even be necessary. Just let me know. Everyone has the agenda for this evening. If not, e-mail me and I'll attach to you another one. I believe I just may well hold the record for serving the shortest period of time as facilitator for the PC in the history of KRFC: zero minutes. I won't be attending tonight’s meeting.
I thank everyone for the pleasure and license of having my own show for a while on KRFC.
I'll end this with a short personal story: this afternoon, a comment someone wrote to me was what finally knocked the wind out of what shaky commitment-to-continue I might have had left in me. I openly advertised to every one of my intentions last Thursday evening in an e-mail I posted to you all. Not a single person on this committee responded. I put the Eddie issue on the agenda as an item of discussion that I sent out for approval. I then reminded several individuals of just this fact over the weekend. I did get back one response, finally: I was accused of being devious. I was accused of acting in bad faith. I was accused of willfully planning to force an issue on folks without warning them. You know what, it was a good kick in the ribs. I'm getting out of the fracas. I'm headed for the first comfortable couch I can find and curl up. As Bob T. might say, happy trails.
Please accept this as my formal resignation.
Dear Programming Committee,
I would like to say a few things about my situation. Thank you for giving me this opportunity. First, I feel as though I have been denied due process in this matter, and I am in the process of filing a formal appeal with the board. Second, despite what has been let on, I feel I was removed to a large degree in retaliation for writing a letter to a local newspaper that criticized a decision and the way in which this decision was made.
About the letter to the Bullhorn, I checked my facts and talked with many involved people including Beth before sending it and have again since. I stand by those facts. I understand that the letter may have made the station seem less than unified, and for that I apologize. The letter was not sent to hurt KRFC. It was to speak out against something that I thought was a great loss for myself and the community. Should I not have that right? I also did not add the qualifiers as to who I am at the station, the Bullhorn added those on their own without my knowledge. I meant it to be a letter from Eddie Arthur only.
Next, let me give you a little example of the kinds of things I have been charged with in the past, just for the sake of the larger picture. In October I was called into Beth's office for a "very important" meeting. Don Flick was there, as I no longer meet with Beth without a facilitator. This meeting was for her to tell me that she wanted me to resign from the PC. Her reasons were that 1.) I was unprofessional on the air 2.) I should not have given gift certificates away during the fund drive. 3.) wearing sunglasses to a station meeting is bad for the programming committee image 4.) I was not allowed to give away gift certificates 5.) I don't volunteer enough.
This felt like harassment and intimidation, if this was meant to be anything else then I suppose it might have been brought up to the programming committee. This method of dealing with disagreements is the sign of a major problem at the station and there are more people than you think dealing with it all the time at KRFC. Many of them have just minimized their involvement at the station as I have done. But I cared about the PC too much to be bullied out of it.
I will make no bones about it. For a committee to have strength, unity and the feeling of the members that they are actually providing a unique service to the station, the committee must be allowed to breathe. This cannot be done with the station manager on every sub-committee and at every minute of every meeting reminding the members what is okay to think or not think so that no unauthorized ideas can take root. Let them take root! If the ideas stink then they will wilt in the realm of the real debate that occurs when everyone feels safe to say whatever is on their mind. I understand the fact that the station manager has a huge stake in the programming of the station and I support that. But if there is to be programming committee then it must be allowed to have some sort of identity that is separate from the station manager. This is a separation of power and it is a healthy idea. I urge the programming committee to have a separate meeting without the station manager present just to discuss how things are really going and if there isn't a more empowering format for the members of the committee.
Lastly, getting kicked out of the station by Beth is a very serious issue to me. KRFC is everything to me, both creatively and also because most of my friends are volunteers. Radio is one of those things in my life that I know I am good at and therefore would be crushed to lose. I have certainly not been right in all of my actions at KRFC, and I don't believe that there has been any evil intention on others parts in this, I hope. Perhaps something far less sinister is at work here: personality conflict and a huge difference of opinion in matters that have to do with programming. That type of thing will certainly get you fired in corporate America, but it should be tolerated in a community radio station.
Sincerely,
Eddie Arthur
2/7/05