Category: Specials

WERU Special 3/8/18: The University Student Movement & the Honduran Government’s Violent Repression of Dissent

Producer/Host: Carolyn Coe

The University Student Movement (el MEU) and the Honduran government’s violent repression of dissent

Human rights organizations have documented human rights abuses committed by Honduran security forces against university students, citizens protesting election fraud, and community members defending territory from concessions granted to extractive industries. This report describes the struggle in Honduras for a quality education and examines the Honduran government’s violent repression of dissent.

Guests:
Ovet Cordova, student activist in the University Student Movement at the National Autonomous University of Honduras (UNAH)
Eleana Borjas, Radio Progreso journalist
Lahura Vasquez, high school natural science teacher, previously taught at UNAH
Gerson Medina, UNAH law student and human rights advocate

FMI: www.radioprogresohn.net/

Love Stories by Mainers – event recorded 2/14/18

Love Stories by Mainers, a storytelling event hosted by WERU-FM and Wednesday on Main, was held at the Alamo Theater in Bucksport, Maine on 2/14/18. Storytellers Becky and Rob McCall, David Weeda, Anu Dudley, Amy Roeder, Brook Minner, Carol Visser, Jonathan Fulford and Naomi Graychase took the stage to share their stories. Amy Browne of WERU-FM was the emcee. John Greenman recorded the event.

Some of these stories aired on WERU’s Maine Currents on 2/27/18 and on a WERU Special on 2/28/18. Instead of archiving those show separately, here you will find the entire storytelling event unedited, as well as the individual stories available for listening online or downloading.

The files attached below are in order:
-The full show
-Amy Roeder
-Anu Dudley
-Brook Minner
-Carol Visser
-David Weeda
-Jonathan Fulford
-Becky & Rob McCall
-Naomi Graychase

WERU Special: Camden Conference 3/1/18

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

Camden Conference 2018: “This Too Shall Pass”

Key Discussion Points:
a) American diplomacy and lack of it currently
b) Changing world order
c) Role of US in the 21st Century

Featuring:
Chas Freeman, Brown University
Indira Lackshmanan, Poynter Institute
Natalie Nougayrede, The Guardian Newspaper

WERU Special: Afghan Peace Volunteers 1/30/18

Producer/Host: Carolyn Coe

Afghan Peace Volunteers

Part I: Nematullah, active with the Afghan Peace Volunteers, has been teaching refugees and internally displaced people in Shahrak Police Refugee Camp in Kabul, Afghanistan. He describes how his work as a child laborer influenced his desire to become an educator of disadvantaged children. He also shares how he has introduced into his classroom the concept of nonviolence in addition to core subjects like math and Dari.

Part II: Three students who are in their third and final year of study at the Street Kids School–Adila, Sakina, and Amrullah–share what they have learned at the school as well as challenges they face and have overcome. One of their teachers, Naser, shares his concerns about the street kids’ future and reveals his struggle to be a different sort of teacher, and person, from what he experienced.

Part III: An update on the situation for Afghans in Afghanistan and in Europe from Voices for Creative Nonviolence UK–

Guests:
Nematullah, teacher for Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) and a coordinator of the EarthGEN! team at the Borderfree Nonviolence Community Centre
Students at the Street Kids School (a program of the Borderfree Centre):
Adila
Sakina
and Amrullah
Naser, bridge class teacher at the Street Kids School and Kabul Univ. student

Afghan Peace Volunteer blog: ourjourneytosmile.com
Voices for Creative Nonviolence: vcnv.org

Giving Tuesday 11/28/17 Hour 2 (4-5pm)

Host: Amy Browne
Guest co-host: Brook Ewing Minner
Engineer: John Greenman

Giving Tuesday is a national special day that is an alternative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Instead of shopping the point is to support community organizations.  WERU is celebrating this day with 2 hours of special call in shows today.  Representatives from community organizations of all kinds are invited to call in and let the community know what kind of work they do and how interested listeners can support them.

Giving Tuesday 11/28/17 Hour 1 (10-11am)

Host: Matt Murphy
Guest co-host: Cathy Melio
Engineer: John Greenman

Giving Tuesday is a national special day that is an alternative to Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Instead of shopping the point is to support community organizations.  WERU is celebrating this day with 2 hours of special call in shows today.  Representatives from community organizations of all kinds are invited to call in and let the community know what kind of work they do and how interested listeners can support them.

WERU Special 11/2/17: Drinking Water in Flint, MI & Palestinian Refugees in Lebanon

Producer/Host: Carolyn Coe

Part I: Lead in the drinking water in Flint, Michigan. How did the state of Michigan’s actions, under the direction of a state-appointed emergency managers, cause the poisoning of the drinking-water in Flint, Michigan?
What actions did Flint residents, scientists, journalists, and the medical community take to demand safe drinking water? What steps are being taken to help mitigate the damage done by lead ingestion?

Part II: Palestinian refugees’ situation in Lebanon. How do NGOs help preserve Palestinian heritage in Lebanon where the previous Lebanese Minster of Education banned the teaching of Palestinian history and geography?
How can Palestinians earn income despite discriminatory labor laws in Lebanon?

Guests:
Dr. Mona Hannah-Attisha, pediatrician, director of pediatric residents, and whistleblower
Flint Child Health and Development Fund:
Robert Shetterly, activist and artist of the Americans Who Tell the Truth portrait series
Nadia Abdelnour, board president of Innash Association
Grace Said, board member of Innash Association
Umm Mohammed, embroiderer for Innash Assoc.
Samar Kabouli, Innash Assoc. employee who helps to coordinate Innash’s embroidery project
Kassem Aina, Director of the National Institution of Social Care and Vocational Training (Beit Atfal Assumud)

WERU Special 5/31/17: Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Producer/Host: Linda Washburn
Engineer: John Greenman

Program Topic: The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA)

Key Discussion Points:
a) The Equal Rights Amendment was introduced in 1923. Why was it introduced?
b) 94 years later the ERA languishes- why?
c) What has jump-started interest in the ERA?
d) Are there ways other than a Constitutional amendment to bring equality to women?

Guests:
Posie Cowan, founder of Equal Rights Maine, from the Blue Hill Peninsula
Kathleen Bonk (Brooksville and DC) was involved with ERA ratification starting in 1972, then worked with Betty Ford and Alan Alda on the ERA Countdown Campaign as Communications Chief and is now on the steering committee for the current federal ERA drive.

To learn more about this topic:
Equal Rights Maine at equalrightsmaine.org (local organization)
Equal Means Equal: Why the Time for an Equal Rights Amendment is Now by Jessica Neuwirth, The New Press, 2015.
Why We Lost the ERA by Jane J. Mansbridge, University of Chicago Press, 1986.
Posie’s connection to the suffrage movement: And on to the ERA:
bangordailynews.com/2016/03/28/the-point/my-great-grandmother-fought-for-womens-equal-rights-im-still-working-on-her-dream/?ref=relatedBox
visit www.eracoalition.org and www.equalrightsamendment.org.