Editor's note: The following opinion was posted by a listener, Jahn Dmitri Eichfeld, on the public newsgroup git.club.wrek, as part of a general discussion about defending WREK's programming. These discussions typically flare up once or twice a year when some yahoo decides that "WREK sucks" and posts to the newsgroup to bitch about it. Jahn subsequently became a DJ at WREK.
After catching up on 40 previous news group posts, I've been inclined to write just a bit on why exactly there is such an argument going on here and possibly offer a few insights along the way.

Foremost, music is obviously a very powerful art. Around the world, music signifies anything from the emotions of one to the hopes and dreams of many. Additionally, music is, in its very essence, a tribal cynosure, meaning people identify not only themselves through music, but with others. Although this is quite obvious to most individuals, it seems that only a minority would recognize that tolerance for music is synonymous with tolerance for people. Why exactly is this? Without delving into Freud (which is completely off topic for this news group), I pose that the ego is responsible. Now, why does this matter at all? Good question, but I promise it is relevant to the current news group threads.

More than only a few times have I said "country music sucks". In fact, I still catch myself using derogatory comments concerning a few types of music. And these comments are usually fueled by ego and said in the presence of others that subscribe to my musical preferences (a.k.a. members of my tribe). With as much ego aside as possible, country music does not "suck". Punk rock does not "suck". Smooth jazz (I can't believe I'm saying this) does not "suck". Why? Because it is an embodiment of people, and passing judgement on any form of art is simply an egotistical choice to condemn an individual or even a massive group.

So, to bring in my point from left field and relate it here, I think there is a great deal of egotistical gibberish flying around these past few posts, from both the pro- and anti- WREK sides. The Atlanta area, Georgia Tech -especially-, is amazingly diverse and has enough culture to absorb even a social scientist for a length of time. Why is this relevant? Simple. Atlanta broadcasting offers a near plenary selection of music. WREK serves the cracks and crevices in this social painting of sound. As we are all educated individuals here at this fine institution, how could we possibly condemn WREK for filling gaps in the social fabric? I certainly think the selection of Jazz on the WREK rotation is something I do not identify with, but that doesn't mean I will be racing off to the student population with petitions and propaganda (I save that for the Parking department).

Yes, this means that I occasionally turn my dial to another station if WREK is playing some form of music I am not familiar with or know to be against my listening choices. But sometimes I listen. Have any of you ever listened to Arabic music? It's fascinating! And once I heard a complete CD of Slave Chants, followed by another CD of native African tribal music. It was great to hear the contrast.

The other side of my point is that I do think WREK restricts a good many students from having their tastes represented. Personally, I like straight-ahead and classic Jazz, so when WREK is playing ambient sounds (which is fun, but not something I would actively listen to), I tune into WCLK. There's always the money argument; "Students pay for WREK so the musical tastes of the students should be exactly proportional to the rotation at WREK". I don't agree with this. As educated individuals, as people who will run the next steps of the entire world in our very small, seemingly insignificant ways, -we- have a duty to everyone around us to promote social equality. There is an abundance of rock, jazz, country, hip-hop, reggae, and everything else broadcast in this city, and it is down-right selfish to want WREK to cater to the wants of the students over the needs of the minority population in Atlanta and especially at Georgia Tech.

No one owns the airways (well, the government regulates them and has sold them, but they do so in the best of faith for equal sanctity of broadcasters). Since Georgia Tech has a license to broadcast over the entire city, the students and administration have the sole responsibility to uphold their original intent to bring alienated forms of music into light. And what a great thing! What other college can say, "without our radio station and the generous student body, the Arabic population, people who like atmospheric sounds, those that respect reggae as part of their lives, and dozens of other groups would have no active voice what so ever". My last comment to you all is thus, thank you. Thanks for letting me be a part of someone else's culture and some one else's pleasure. If it means that a dollar or two comes out of my pocket each year or that I have to turn a knob every now and then, I'm happy to do it.

Jahn Dmitri Eichfeld, March 2001

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Edited by Chris Campbell, March 2001