Conservative and Liberal join forces on KPFT's The Prison Show

For many years, Liberal talk show host Ray Hill has been a fixture on the prison show here in Houston, which discusses issues about people in prison, advocates against the death penalty in Texas, and most importantly, helps prisoners adjust to prison life, and helps prepare prisoners for their return to society, once they have completed their sentences.

On Friday's Prison Show, Ray Hill surprised everybody when he introduced his new co-host, former Conservative talk show host John Matthews. Matthews, a former dittohead, known for calling those who disagreed with him names, then hanging up on them, was convicted several years ago of exposing himself to a child, and then sent to prison to do his time. He is now out, and although he is still Conservative, he has become the sensible kind of Conservative who discusses issues instead of demonizing those who disagree with him. I sincerely hope that he is now rehabilitated, and that his new venture, cohosting and arguing with a Liberal on the radio, goes well.

This move by Liberal radio station KPFT to add John Matthews to their lineup is a very controversial one, and a lot of the station's listeners aren't too happy with this move, but this is the kind of dialog I like to see - A Conservative and a Liberal arguing their cases with each other, and sometimes even finding common ground on an issue. I have to give kudos to KPFT for reaching out to Conservatives, most of who disagree with Liberals on just about everything. But, IMHO, this is what our founding fathers had in mind when they created this great nation - Debate about our future among all factions that make up America, without one side making the other out to be Satan or Adolph Hitler. Both Rush Limbaugh and Michael Moore could learn something here.

The only thing that bothers me about this arrangement is the hiring of a sex offender by KPFT. However, John Matthews did his time, and if he has learned his lesson, deserves a chance to once more become part of society. The Conservative views he now embraces are pretty much along the same lines of the values I believe in, which are sensible and not the batcrap insane ones he formerly embraced. I do have a huge problem with what he was convicted and sent to prison for, but at this time, I am not going to judge him. If he has learned his lesson, he deserves a chance. And good luck to KPFT with their latest experiment.

Pacifica is what it is. I hope this experiment is a success. I don't necessarily always see Hill's POV, but I respect his contributions, some of which I'm familiar with personally.