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| Pacifica Campaign Update, June 28th, 2001 |
On June 27, three well-dressed media activists associated with the Los Angeles Pacifica Campaign Group disrupted a cocktail party of a National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) affiliate, the Sales & Marketing Council of Orange County (SMC-OC) at the Marriott Hotel in Irvine, California, in order to protest and educate homebuilders about the Pacifica Crisis. The NAHB, the third-largest trade-lobbying association in the country, employs manager Ken Ford, renegade board member who is actively participating in the attempted destruction of the Pacifica National Network. Ford may currently have become Chair in the wake of the recent resignation of former Chair David Acosta. During the cocktail party in Irvine, one activist stood on a chair in the middle of the room and delivered a speech explaining to the crowd who Ken Ford is and his role in the destruction of the Pacifica Foundation. The speaker was allowed to finish his statement. He told the audience that Ken Ford must resign from the Pacifica board and asked the crowd to call him and NAHB president Bruce Smith and tell him to do so. He also said that they, the activists, would be attending NHB events until Ford reigned. During this presentation, two other activists gave fliers to the party goers and engaged them in discussions. Members of the SMC/OC asked questions ranging from "Why doesn't Pacifica fire Ken Ford?" to "What is the NAHB?" They read the flyers, and carried on discussions about the issue. After Approximately 15 minutes, the activists were removed from the hotel by the hotel's security force. Meanwhile, on June 20th, four media activists disrupted a panel discussion hosted by the Associated Builders and Owners of Greater New York (ABO), the New York City affiliate of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The four activists were associated with the Pacifica Campaign to Stop the Corporate Takeover and Concerned Friends of WBAI-New York and Concerned Friends of WBAI- New Jersey. The panel discussion, attended by approximately 150 people, part of the Buildings NY Show at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, was called a "Visionary Panel" of "top real estate executives to discuss the future of New York's real estate industry." During a break in the discussion, one of the activists politely stood up in front of the audience and began to inform them about Ken Ford and his destructive actions at the Pacifica Foundation. A guard grabbed her arm and hurried her out of the room as she continued her announcement. While the guard was thus occupied, another activist loudly continued to deliver the message to the audience that Ken Ford must leave the Pacifica Board. He was pushed out of the room by Nick LaPort, executive director of the ABO. During these two public announcements, other activists passed out leaflets to all members of the audience and to the Javits convention center at large. The leaflets stated that Ken Ford has grossly violated the public trust and abused his fiduciary responsibilities, and that his unethical actions have endangered a valued public media institution, causing a national furor. NAHB members were urged to contact Ken Ford's employer, Bruce Smith, to tell him that Ken Ford must resign from the Pacifica b oard. After the protest, Shill commented to the audience that, "We (the NAHB members) got off easy this time compared to other protesters who were dressed as flowers."The activists were followed out and interviewed by a reporter for the trade newspaper Real Estate NY, who said that she would report on protest at http://www.globest.com/ on Thursday, June 21. Disruptions of NAHB events are autonomous actions taken as part of a national pressure campaign for Ken Ford's resignation from the Pacifica Board. Other activists in the Bay Area have been protesting at the business office of NAHB president Bruce Smith in Walnut Creek, near San Francisco, while activists disrupted an NAHB board of directors meeting in Washington DC and an affiliations'(P.A.S.S. of BIA/SC) lunchean and trade show in Ontario, California, in early June, and dropped a banner from the NAHB headquarters in Washington DC. At this time, the Pacifica Campaign is calling for all concerned listeners and activists to join a coordinated National Day of Action Against Ken Ford and the NAHB to save the Pacifica Radio Network on July 10th. Specifics are below. Please consider joining our peaceful and legal pickets on that day. NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION DATE: July 10th 2001 WHAT: Activists will picket peacefully and legally at affiliate offices and local events of the National Home Builders Association across the country, to protest the NAHB's aggressive strong-arm tactics and to demand that Ken Ford, manager at the NAHB resign from the Pacifica Radio Network's board of directors. To educate the public about the NAHB's repressive attacks on Media, environmental, disability rights, and internet activists. To date, approximately 13 groups around the US have weighed in on the action, as well as one in Croatia (!), where the pickets will be broadcasted on radio. Please join us! Contact your local community radio station and ask them to cover the action . The Pacifica Campaign will provide you with a boiler plate press release for local coverage, a downloadable flyer, information about picketing, and any other support you need. We will also be pursuing press coverage on the national level. Contact Ursula_ru@hotmail.com or call the Pacifica Campaign 646-230-9588 and the Pacifica Campaign-LA at 323-878-5680 for more information. Tell them Ken Ford must resign from the Pacifica Board Ken Ford NAHB Multifamily Housing Division President Bruce Smith NAHB Headquarters |