P.O. Box 3818 -
SAN LUIS OBISPO, CALIFORNIA 93403
805-544-0142
American Civil Liberties Union of
San Luis Obispo County
A - C - L - U
April 28, 1999
William Kennard, Chairman
Federal Communications Commission
445 12th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20554
Dear Commissioner Kennard:
The Executive Board of the ACLU Chapter
of San Luis Obispo County
applauds your efforts to provide
citizens with opportunities to exercise
their First Amendment rights through
the issuing of low-power radio
licenses.
A right, which we assumed citizens
already had, because the airways belong
to the people. The dominance of the
airwaves by commercial interests does
not further democracy, which makes
them the real "pirates."
Locally, two low-power radio stations,
which had been providing citizens
with a valuable voice, were forced
to shut down because of the threats
from the FCC. This is intolerable
in a democratic government.
Please allow citizens to serve their
communities with alternative voices,
which can only promote democracy
and will help to restore faith in
government---a government which,
according to the Preamble to the
Constitution, and the Constitution
itself, belongs to the people.
Sincerely,
Hank Alberts
President