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Grievance against Eduardo Vera filed by Noel Waggener

The following is Noel's complaint to the board, followed by an excerpt of the unapproved minutes to the BoT's 3-16-98 meeting at which the grievance was considered. Eduardo posted these minutes to the KOOP email discussion list. This meeting is an extraordinary example of:

1. How the BoT absolutely refuses to exercise any oversight over the chair of the Community Board that elected them, Eduardo Vera.

2. How the BoT sidesteps, twists, distorts, and refuses to act on the politely stated legitimate concerns of programmers, volunteers, and others.

3. The incredibly hostile and confrontational atmosphere that has prevailed at KOOP since this BoT took office.

To: Board of Trustees
From: Noel Waggener, Programmer
Re: Eduardo Vera's Statements at the March Programmer's Meeting

After my program on 3/11/98, I had a very disturbing exchange with Eduardo Vera. When I expressed to Eduardo that he'd made false statements during the March programmer's meeting regarding my conversation with the programmer of "Sancocho Boricua", he became very angry and hurled several insults at me that I believe are inexcusable and cannot be overlooked.

Our conversation reached a heated level, with raised voices and each of us telling the other, "You're f**ked up." When I told Eduardo that I wanted KOOP to be for everyone and that, if asked, I would find a way to accommodate an interested Spanish speaker, he replied, "F**k you if you want to translate for the gringos." In response, I said, "Eduardo, you're a racist." He responded with, "Suck my d**k."

This is the note our conversation ended on. Regardless of past or present disagreements with Eduardo Vera, I produce a radio show right before his that I enjoy very much and will not be subjected to racial slurs and vulgar remarks. However heated our conversation got, there is no excuse for these type of insults and I call on the Grievance Committee, Board of Trustees and the General Manager to respond accordingly.

I will be glad to provide additional information regarding this matter...

Some months ago, I was with a listener that called the programmer on the Puerto Rican show to make some positive comments and to ask if the programmer could give some of the background info in English as well as Spanish. The programmer reacted with hostility, going into a diatribe about suppression of the Spanish language in the U.S. When the listener stated to her that she was aware of this issue and only called because she liked the music and wanted to learn more, the programmer told her, "If you want to learn about Puerto Rican music, go to the library." I couldn't believe that a programmer would say this to a caller. I called the programmer, whose name eludes me, identified myself, and asked her why she had done this. She expressed to me that she and the people in her audience had the right to have an all-Spanish program. I responded by challenging her to expand and enlighten her audience by announcing in English as well as Spanish. I also expressed how distasteful I thought her "library" statement was. Never in our conversation did I express any desire to force her or anyone else at KOOP to do a bilingual program. I thought our conversation ended on a positive note. We exchanged numbers and agreed to talk more about it later. The following week, I heard various versions of this conversation recounted, often with the major distortion that I would take action somehow to make her do a bilingual program. Months have passed, and truly, this incident had dropped out of my mind until several people informed me of Eduardo's comments at the March programmers' meeting. As I have said, the assertion that I said I want(ed) to force the Puerto Rican show or any other show on KOOP to be bilingual is FALSE. I have been told by several people, including Eduardo Vera, that the Board, because of these alleged comments, adopted a resolution that **lets programmers do their show however they want.** If this is the truth, then the Board passed this resolution without ever attempting to contact me and get my side. I have no problem with this resolution (from what I've heard by word of mouth). I have a problem with the notion that this was passed because of me. and would like to hear from a member of the Board regarding this resolution.

Grievance

Note: Theresa absent.

Noel Waggener and Eduardo Vera present.

Mac - is this an open or closed forum? Open is ok by both.

Procedure:

1. Statements (attached)

2. Recommendations

3. Board will close with a decision

Noel - the grievance speaks for itself, the conversation got heated in the studio, of the two letters, one is a grievance, the other a question.

Aida - do you have recommendations for the Board?

Noel - this situation is unacceptable in the workplace, that these things were said, the GM responded that I should come to the meeting, what will be done to prevent this in the future?

Mac - seems like both of you were cussing at each other.

Noel - I wrote this because of the racist attack on me.

Gabino - aside from the verbal exchange including profanity, has the situation changed or is it the same?

Noel - we wouldn't start back on each other.

Gabino - have relationships healed?

Noel - that's immaterial. Will it happen again? I don't know. Will it reignite in the future? I don't know.

Gabino - the interests of KOOP are what's at hand. We can't cure personal opinions and attitudes. There are certain things we have to work at in understanding each other.

Noel - don't you think there would be people calling for me to split if I said anything about Hispanics?

Gabino - I'm trying to take out the personal element, as individuals, I'm not condoning what either of you said.

Noel - are you telling me you guys are going to think about it or what?

Gabino - my concern is that the working relationship is improved.

Eduardo - who is offending who? Who's being a racist? There are certain perceptions coming from Noel that you can ask or tell someone to do their program in a certain way. Some populations have been barred from using and learning their language. The other major issue is that someone was verbally offended, if they don't want to be offended then they have to respect other people. I responded in kind. In my response of one offense to another is that I'm going to stand up to the offense of him feeling that he's right in suppressing the rights of my community. If you want respect you have to provide respect and that respect also has to go to the underserved communities. And you can't throw a verbal offense at someone if you want a verbal dialogue. There are two things that he is offended about: 1st gringoes, in my culture of resistance gringos is not a racist term, but one that denotes a political perspective of enslavement and destruction.

Noel - I'm not part of the perspective of enslavement and destruction.

Gabino - has the situation healed since this incident?

Eduardo - it's better, communications are better, I hope he doesn't get on my ass for anything. If he is willing to behave in a gentlemanly manner, I will respond in kind.

Jerry Locke - it isn't clear to me what the details are.

Noel - the conversation didn't start off with an explosion but did get heated up. It was "would you" rather than "you should."

Mac - you can't interfere with the language of a program. The Board has stated: no interference with other programs including physical interference.

(Motion passed by the Board Feb. 9: threats of physical violence are not acceptable with amendment that interference with someone's show is also unacceptable and both are grounds for losing programming and membership rights. Passed unanimously.)

Gabino - we need to include these policies in training.

Mac - also we are planning to work with Maria Limon to improve the culture at KOOP.

Noel - Eduardo feels justified to use what he feels is not a racist term. It is to me. Killing Indians doesn't apply to me. I've been trained not to use a racist term. I have a measure of control.

Gabino - the behavior is inappropriate to begin with. If the language issue was included in training then we wouldn't be here.

Noel - I called as listener to request translation to understand. It was a one time request completely blown out of proportion and misrepresented.

Eduardo - the argument of Noel is that he didn't tell, he asked.

Gabino - how can we move forward?

Eduardo - we have the policy on language. (attached)

Mac - I want to emphasize that there shouldn't be any sort of interference, that has always been KOOP policy. You don't know how many times Maria has heard this kind of comment. You have to learn to communicate with other communities. You asked someone to change their program for you and you're not part of that community.

Noel - I didn't ask with any amount of insensitivity.

Aida - if this was a request for information, her response to go to the library was appropriate.

Noel - she chose to give a lecture instead of answering the question. It wasn't delivered in a kind manner.

Eduardo - the treatment to listeners is not the issue, let's not change the issue. You took it upon yourself to tell someone to do their show in English.

Gabino - we need to educate everyone on the language policy of the station. We need to address the use of profanity, we need to be firm on our profanity policy.

Aida - with code of behavior kinds of things, doesn't Jenny have it in writing from the last station meeting? Be respectful. No name calling, etc. My recommendation is that you both take the rules of civil conduct into consideration.

Gabino - I move to address this grievance to inform all programmers and staff about the language policy and address the issue of behavior, conduct, and the use of profanity at the station. And convey this message to all at KOOP and be sensitive and respectful to the diversity of other people at KOOP. Passed unanimously.

Noel - this is jive. You would be calling for my head on a platter if I'd made a racist comment, you've lost sight of the rules of interpersonal conduct and let politics cloud the issue.

Mac - you are addressing politics when you address another human being. Having a statement put out, will that help? What else do you want from this?

Noel - I just don't like the tone of it. I feel like I'm receiving a verbal blow-off from you guys.

Aida - we did ask for recommendations and you didn't have any. No show has ever been taken away from any one for making racist statements.

Eduardo - if you respect people then you will be respected.

Pat - as long as there is no negative incentive then nothing will happen. Do something if someone uses profanity or makes a racist statement.

Mac - we are working on it with Maria Limon.

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