We're delighted you've come to our new blog for the program Weekend America.

What is a blog? For us, it is a place, as one blogger put it, "where your ideas can stand alone, without interference*."

The point is we want to hear from you, and not just whether you like or dislike our show. We want to "mine" your expertise and knowledge. Weekend America's desire to go beyond mere news coverage to instead present and examine new ideas – to do what we're calling a "journalism of ideas" -- offers us a golden opportunity to have our audience members offer their own ideas and help "spin the idea" and advance the thinking.

Weekend America is a relatively young program whose mission statement includes:

• Weekend America exists to give public radio listeners a radio home on the weekend, allowing them to be part of a community that shares their values -- where they feel welcomed, amused, intellectually and emotionally engaged, challenged and entertained.
• Weekend America (WA) permits Americans see themselves and to encounter the world around them with creativity, compassion and curiosity.
• Weekend America will use the weekend as an ideal time to reflect our complex, diverse, multilingual, multicultural nation back to itself.
• By examining how Americans spend their weekends, listeners to Weekend America will understand the important ideas that shape their lives and obtain real insight into what Americans value and want, refreshing listeners' intellects and replenishing their spirits.

Tell us what stories we ought to be covering, what new people we ought to be talking with, what new ideas we ought to be tracking, what issues we ought to dig into. Help us invent a new kind of weekend public radio … interesting, worthwhile, but also "weekend-y."

Thanks,

Jim Russell
Executive Producer

*We reserve the right to edit for length and inaccuracy, and to screen out offensive or illegal content.

Much thanks for airing Matthew Algeo's interview with Kevin Roth about his experience in the 1966 shooting at Grand Rapids High. Roth has a morally and spiritually correct perspective on his culpability in his classmate "Blackbeard's" problem with society. He has truly imbibed of the teachings of the world's great religious teachers, including the Christ and the Buddha, and as a result he has come clean within himself although he is still troubled by the outcome. We rarely hear such wise interpretations from those who profess Christianity or other faiths. In terms of the common American culture, Kevin would be derided as a wimp or a loser or just screwed up.

Your interviewer Algeo appeared to share the macho cultural view by revealing incredulity over Kevin's confessions in several instances. While Algeo expressed empathy, he also evinced disagreement and a lack of sympathy that he tried to cover in the guise of "political correctness." If he wants to develop a more professional manner, I hope Algeo will listen to the tape often and understand all the messages that he was communicating to us listeners.

Kevin Roth was again right in thinking that many Americans would not find his views acceptable because Americans do not generally analyze themselves and their culture in particularly profound ways or show any interest in what people in other countries or non-mainstream societies think of them. For example, we can't often find in the mainstream media any serious discussion of America's war in Iraq that does not conform with the views of Republican or Democratic politicians. Seen as a whole, American society is not so much interested in what others think of us, as how we ourselves can "get ahead."

Thank you so very much for your smelly feet story. It is kind of you to remind us of the enthusiasm that living with a goal can engender. A boy's exuberance following the big win and a father's voice of pride modified by an exemplary humility is rarely heard so eloquently. Such selfless pursuit should earn not only the son but the father and mother a reward for devoted parenting. I suggest as a prize a case of Limburg cheese. There can't be a family more deserving to receive a delicacy with olfactory distinction.

I appreciate the kind words that Kim wrote. However I don't see myself as a spiritual leader, but do think of myself as a Christian asking the Lords forgiveness. I was rather emotional last week, which did hamper my thoughts. There is so many things I would have liked to say and didn't or they didn't come off the way I wanted. I do thank your organization in giving me an opportunity to speak and hope some good can eventually come from these tragic events, so they can be eliminated. The seven minutes you allowed is a start.
God Bless and Stay Safe.....Kevin

I listened to your podcast about skipping ads with a TiVo. During the course of the podcast I was reminded that Target was a sponsor of Weekend America. My point - we can't avoid advertising ever. Your guests proved it during their interviews by building scenarios for ads. One way or another a product or service will be thrust into our collective face. Great show!

I have been wanting to buy a cd burner to mix all my favorite songs ala Ipod and I am always looking for new stuff to listen to so Gideon's cd mixers club (I am sure I didn't make the "first 11" cut) has inspired me to persue a club of my own (hopefully our own). Anyone interested? If you wanna join, blog on. I'll check this page again on Thursday Sept 2 or the Tuesday after memorial day.