Public Radio International

Wisconsin Public Radio

VIOLENCE & MORALITY

Program 05-07-03-A

Listen!

Do you ever have a right to kill? What about Israeli agents who assassinate Hamas leaders? Or suicide bombers who blow up their enemies? Do the ends justify the means? William Vollman has written a three-thousand page treatise on the morality of violence. In this hour of the Peabody-Award-Winning Program To the Best of Our Knowledge we'll talk to him about living in a violent world.

SEGMENT 1:

Novelist and journalist William Vollman has written a seven volume study of the moral calculus of violence. His one volume summary is called "Rising Up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom and Urgent Means." Vollman talks with Steve Paulson about when violence is justified and when it isn't. Also, historian Harold Schechter is the author of "Savage Pastimes." He tells Anne Strainchamps that violence has always been an important part of popular entertainment and our ancestors enjoyed truly grisly spectacles. Even a generation ago, TV was a lot more violent, and we hear the clips to prove it.

SEGMENT 2:

Sarah Vowell is obsessed with presidential assassinations. She talks with Steve Paulson about the lingering mystery and drama surrounding the murder of Abraham Lincoln.

SEGMENT 3:

Stephen Mitchell has composed a new translation of "Gilgamesh," the epic poem of ancient Mesopotamia. Mitchell reads a bit from his translation, then tells Jim Fleming the story of Gilgamesh, and they talk about what the story means and how it resonates with what's happening in Iraq today.

Cassette copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 05-07-03-A.

................................................................

Books:

• Stephen Mitchell, Gilgamesh: A New English Version (Free Press)
• Harold Schechter, Savage Pastimes (St. Martin's Press)
  
• William T. Vollmann, Rising up and Rising Down: Some Thoughts on Violence, Freedom and Urgent Means (Harper Collins)
  
• Sarah Vowell, Assassination Vacation (Simon & Schuster)

Music:

• After Vowell:
  Norman Blake & Tony Rice w/ "Lincoln's Funeral Train"
  on Norman Blake & Tony Rice: 2
  Rounder Records
• After Mitchell:
  "Avaz-e-Dashti"
  on Yo-Yo Ma's Silk Road Journeys
  Sony Music Entertainment

Distribution dates:

week of 07/23/2006 - hour 2 week of 07/03/2005 - hour 1

Listen!

................................................................

Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

Wisconsin Public Radio is a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension.

Page design and management by Jim Fleming at Wisconsin Public Radio and Sarah Fleming.

© 2006 WHA Radio and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved.