Thursday, Apr. 08, 2004 - 1:46 a.m.

Bickering

I brought Conspiracy Man on as a guest on the Anarcho-Primitivism Today public access TV show. I thought it was a good idea. I figured that though Conspiracy Man was formerly active in the local Green Party, I thought his views on September 11th conspiracies and global peak oil extraction would add to the show by elucidating the geostrategical aims of the Bush Administration. I checked it out with the collective 2 weeks ago, and they were fine with me interviewing him.

All did not go as smoothly as planned. During the schedule planning meeting, local anarcho-badboy Johnny Z made a remark calling Conspiracy Man a "liberal". Conspiracy Man took offense. Tongue Cancer said something about how framing September 11th as an inside job takes credit away from the brave Arab terrorists who were boldly standing up for their oppressed people. Conspiracy Man took offense at that too (as did I, silently). Then someone suggested we all go on camera and debate it. Conspiracy Man threatened to walk off the show if we were going to involve him in a contentious on-air debate, and said he was not willing to be on a show that touted the September 11th attacks as a good thing in any way. Collective members fired back that they thought his putting conditions on what other people could say on the show amounted to an authoritarian demand, and they were not going to stand for it. Much arguing ensued. It finally calmed down, and it turned out that no one there actually felt like going on camera to contradict Conspiracy Man, so we reached an uneasy truce. Some members of the collective later told me that they gave in out of consideration of my feelings.

The interview went fine, though it was somewhat wooden and dull.

I missed most of the show because I was out in the hall talking to Conspiracy Man, hoping he wouldn't leave in anger or disgust. Johnny Z came out to ask Conspiracy Man some pointed questions. I tried my best to help them hear one another. Their talk turned out to be mostly aimiable and respectful, but I was tense the whole time.

Sometimes this TV show has as much drama as a community meeting at Twin Oaks. It's too bad most of the drama takes place back stage, instead of on camera where it could at least entertain someone.

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