[gpga-news] PrsRls: Greens Welcome Zinn History on Broadband Spectrum

[Bruce Dixon]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

For further information, please contact:
Bruce Dixon, Press Secretary
       770-592-7295 * bdixon@georgiagreenparty.org
Patricia Crayton, Co-Chair, Georgia Green Party
       404-281-7547 * patricia.crayton@georgiagreenparty.org
Nan Garrett, 2002 Gubernatorial candidate, Georgia Green Party
       404-229-0626 * nan.garrett@georgiagreenparty.org

Greens Welcome Zinn History on Broadband Spectrum
"Built with public assets, it should serve the public
no less than the broadcast spectrum," says Party activist

Pointing out that the core infrastructure which make the internet
possible was developed and built with public tax dollars, Georgia Green
Party state Council members today welcomed the History Channel's plans
to show "The People Speak", narrated and based on the work of Howard
Zinn, as a "welcome change of pace" from the limited perspective which
too often dominates television's lineup.

"Our nations wars have asked much in blood, wealth and related
sacrifices from her citizens, but generally the only victors in these
battles have been the military contractors, wealthy financiers and the
resource industries like big petroleum which today profits from the
Bush-Obama Afghan pipeline war," said Nan Garrett, Heard County
attorney, former judge, 2002 Party Nominee for Governor who  recently
returned to the Georgia Green Party's state committee after a two year
hiatus.  "Zinn's History tells the tale of the real victories won in
the everyday struggles of people, not nations.  This is the story of
the eight hour day, the abolition of slavery, the movement to end the
wars abroad or the ones targeting the working people who have built the
abundance our nation enjoys."

This Sunday, December 13 at 8pm, the History Channel will show a
"The People Speak".   Rarely seen before, "using dramatic
and musical performances of the letters, diaries and speeches of
everyday Americans, THE PEOPLE SPEAK gives voice to those who spoke
up for social change throughout U.S. history, forging a nation from the
bottom up with their insistence on equality and justice."

Greens have long challenged the private appropriation of public
resources.  It was Congressional land grants which made the railroads
possible a century and a half ago, and that same right of way now
carries the cross-country backbone which make today's information
economy possible.  Congressional funding from public coffers developed
satellite technology.  Public streets provide right of way to cable
providers.

"These investments ought to give the citizens of this country an
ownership stake in the communications network which has been ceded to
corporate control," said incoming Party cochair Patricia Crayton, an
Atlanta resident and long time People's TV producer and host, who
served in Rev. Hosea Williams Feed the Hungry media department for
fifteen years and as past President of the Georgia Black Farmer's
Association.  The Party's Platform has long called for the political
will to regulate the monolopolistic practices of utility franchises
which all too often seemed more concerned with serving shareholders
rather than rate payers.  The Party is seeking candidates for public
office willing to challenge the rampant privatization of the public
commons.

Sunday's film is narrated by Howard Zinn and based on his best-selling
books, "A People's History of the United States" and "Voices of a
People's History".

-- 30 --

Background:

The People Speak
http://www.thepeoplespeak.com/

Platform of the Georgia Green Party
http://www.greens.org/georgia.static/pdf/GvrnDocs/Platform-2003.pdf