Is Becky a "leftist"? Obviously not on Israel.

Joseph Anderson doesn't know Becky or the work she's done in Santa Cruz. Why should he? Clearly, he is judging her on the her nut-rightist views on Israel--which has been the subject of these threads.

While I can understand the rage he, I, and others feel about apologetics for the terrorist Israeli government, Becky is a real and regular supporter of civil rights for homeless people locally. She has written, documented, and spoke out for restoring basic rights for the poor in public spaces in Santa Cruz. (Check out www.huffsantacruz.org)

She does write regularly for Street Spirit, the monthly American Friends Service Committee newspaper sold by the homeless.

"The Hopscotch Rebellion" was about the Santa Cruz Police Department's crackdown on political activists chalking slogans against anti-homeless legislation on the sidewalk in the City's gentrification campaign in 2002 passing the Downtown Ordinances.

She was pummeled by the LAPD while trying to cover the DNC in 2000 in L.A. She has probably put more homeless people up in her backyard than anyone I know.

She has not only regularly helped produce my twice-weekly radio show Bathrobespierre's Broadsides for nine years, but has helped the FRSC collective in the past by housing the transmitter at significant personal risk to her and her family.

I think it's inaccurate, ungrateful, and narrow-minded to suggest Becky is "not a part" of the FRSC collective. I understand the "FRSC collective member" who rightfully disagrees with Becky's views on this one subject finds her anti-Palestinian tirades repugnant. So do I.

A small strong minority of collective members to their credit are the folks who regularly attend the meetings. Most of us don't. That doesn't take away from the what the rest of us give to the station nor make us non-members. All of us. Even those with some nutso views.

I find it confusing and frustrating that Becky can see so clearly on some issues, yet be so deluded on others.

It's certainly true that her positive work on police abuse and human rights denial locally shouldn't lend any credibility to her confused support for Israeli government terrorism.

That said, her extremist right-wing take on Israel shouldn't take away from what she does and is doing locally to restore civil rights to poor people and educate the community on that issue. Both of these issues should be judged on their own merits.

People are not machines. They are often a mass of contradictions. It's important not to throw out the wheat with the chaff. Becky and her work on local issues are not chaff.

Full disclosure: as many readers of this thread know, Becky and I lived together for five years and are good friends.