Thursday
Jun212007
The First Amendment Hypocrites, Part I
Thursday, June 21, 2007 at 12:32PM Gina, The Blogmother
I’ve been inundated with e-mails saying that the protesters at D.L. Hughley’s Ft. Worth performance were wrong to protest because D.L. was just exercising his First Amendment rights when he called the women of Rutgers nappy-headed and the ugliest women he had ever seen in his life. One African American male blogger even wrote a three-part series of hand wringing posts where he concluded that the protesters were wrong to protest due to First Amendment. In fact, Hughley has been wrapping himself in the cloak of the First Amendment and deriding protesters in every interview where he has been forced to account for his what he said on the Tonight Show.
As a blog whose mission is to criticize negative portrayals of African American women in popular culture, we often receive e-mails and comments from folks who are torn over whether to criticize Hip Hop due to First Amendment criticisms. These well-meaning folks don’t like what Hughley or Hip Hop artist are saying, but they don’t want to trample on their First Amendment rights.
So I am going to take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to provide a First Amendment primer ( MY VERSION) so that all these well-meaning folk can be liberated from an erroneous conclusion that protesting or criticizing the degradation of Black women is violating these “artists’ rights. Shall we begin?
The next time you read a post, comment or article whining about this blog, protesters or critics of Hip Hop, Hughley, or popular culture’s assault on Black women remember this:
A. Those First Amendment Activists (FAAs)Have Probably NEVER actually read the First Amendment.( Part I.)
B. Those FAAs have never actually read THIS blog.(Part II)
C. Hughley and the FAAs are Hypocrites. ( Nah, I didn’t stutter., (Part III)
D. Hughley is His Ilk are Cowards. ( Yeah, I said it.)( Part IV)
A. The First Amendment protects us from the “guv’ment,” not each other. It protects D-list comedians from being yanked off stage by the police ( agents of the guv’ment) and throwing the D-list comic in jail for telling offensive jokes. It protects the D-list comic from other guv’ment restrictions such as fines or permit denials for telling pitiful jokes.
The First Amendment does not make Hughley immune from criticism from me or the protesters. The First Amendment does not protect Hughley from any financial loss due to reduced ticket sales, cancelled tour dates ( a girl can dream), or being released from his contract to produce a television show ( looking at you BET) for his attack on a group of young Black women.
Remember Don Imus? What law enforcement agency went to Imus' studio to arrest him? Did the FCC fine him for his comments? Were station licenses pulled? Nope. Imus' ouster wasn't a Free Speech issue, it was a FREE MARKET issue. The guv'ment didn't pull him off the ait, his sponsors did by pulling their ads.
Chew on this. Part II , "First Amendment Activists Have Never Actually Read this Site"will be up tomorrow.
F.Y.I. Eddie just told me that Brian Williams is going to be in Ft. Worth today for NBC Nightly news. Please remind NBC Brian Williams of this national protest and campaign against indecency, and that we have international support. Leave a message on NBC Evening News blog at http://dailynightly.msnbc.com/
Get on it people! how NBC can ignore comments made on THEIR OWN NETWORK, I will NEVER KNOW
As a blog whose mission is to criticize negative portrayals of African American women in popular culture, we often receive e-mails and comments from folks who are torn over whether to criticize Hip Hop due to First Amendment criticisms. These well-meaning folks don’t like what Hughley or Hip Hop artist are saying, but they don’t want to trample on their First Amendment rights.
So I am going to take a break from our regularly scheduled programming to provide a First Amendment primer ( MY VERSION) so that all these well-meaning folk can be liberated from an erroneous conclusion that protesting or criticizing the degradation of Black women is violating these “artists’ rights. Shall we begin?
The next time you read a post, comment or article whining about this blog, protesters or critics of Hip Hop, Hughley, or popular culture’s assault on Black women remember this:
A. Those First Amendment Activists (FAAs)Have Probably NEVER actually read the First Amendment.( Part I.)
B. Those FAAs have never actually read THIS blog.(Part II)
C. Hughley and the FAAs are Hypocrites. ( Nah, I didn’t stutter., (Part III)
D. Hughley is His Ilk are Cowards. ( Yeah, I said it.)( Part IV)
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. The First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America.
A. The First Amendment protects us from the “guv’ment,” not each other. It protects D-list comedians from being yanked off stage by the police ( agents of the guv’ment) and throwing the D-list comic in jail for telling offensive jokes. It protects the D-list comic from other guv’ment restrictions such as fines or permit denials for telling pitiful jokes.
The First Amendment does not make Hughley immune from criticism from me or the protesters. The First Amendment does not protect Hughley from any financial loss due to reduced ticket sales, cancelled tour dates ( a girl can dream), or being released from his contract to produce a television show ( looking at you BET) for his attack on a group of young Black women.
Remember Don Imus? What law enforcement agency went to Imus' studio to arrest him? Did the FCC fine him for his comments? Were station licenses pulled? Nope. Imus' ouster wasn't a Free Speech issue, it was a FREE MARKET issue. The guv'ment didn't pull him off the ait, his sponsors did by pulling their ads.
Chew on this. Part II , "First Amendment Activists Have Never Actually Read this Site"will be up tomorrow.
F.Y.I. Eddie just told me that Brian Williams is going to be in Ft. Worth today for NBC Nightly news. Please remind NBC Brian Williams of this national protest and campaign against indecency, and that we have international support. Leave a message on NBC Evening News blog at http://dailynightly.msnbc.com/
Get on it people! how NBC can ignore comments made on THEIR OWN NETWORK, I will NEVER KNOW
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Reader Comments (8)
It was this blog site readers that started the media frinzy when Hughley was here in town. The local media was "amazed" at all the emails they received. Maybe it will work again. We are still outnumbered in public opinion, but we have mounted to most power.
”The First Amendment does not make Hughley immune from criticism from me or the protesters. The First Amendment does not protect Hughley from any financial loss due to reduced ticket sales, cancelled tour dates ( a girl can dream), ore being released from his contract to produce a television show ( looking at you BET) for his attack on a group of young Black women.”
Exactly! I say this all the time.
Sometimes I get so hurt and sick of all of this unfairness. It's sad that black woman-hood doesn’t seem to get the respect and support from our "own", even when insiders and outsiders attack us.
That spiteful and hypocritical behavior from DL only proves to the non-black community how some black men like him still possess an inferior mindset. As black women we also possess the power to stump these ungrateful men in their tracks, stop supporting them - our own demise.
I hope one day they realize by encouraging this oppressive treachery and disrespect towards black women (their own), they too will never get respect from others. No other race does this, others give each other the benefit and support... at least when they get attacked by outsiders. Not us, so it will always continue and get worse, unless bw start wising up! Stop protecting and finding excuses for these men and start boycotting!
Note: I'm not saying all black men do this, but even so, many of them still keep silent and don't stand up either way.
Peace
while I agree, there are some cases that focus on issues such as this. Now don't get me wrong, the 1st amendment never said "go ahead and act ign'ant" but this is something that really needs to be discussed. ANd don't get it twisted, Hustle Simmons and other apologists need to stop using freedom of speech as a defense.
there was a case (and as soon as i find it, i will pass it along) in Illinois where a Neo nazi organization held a march. A group of Jewish folks and their supporters had a protest. Well, the anti nazi protesters went and assaulted the Neo Nazi's.
this went all the way up to the supreme court. The court stated that the protestors violated their first amendment rights. but not the right to assembly, but their freedom of speech. i tripped out too.
now in the federalist papers (i have to find out which one). it does state that citizens have to right to say what they want but must do so in a manner that does not outrage their fellow citizens. I think that is the approach that we must take.
There are some tough black men in Texas who will still stand up for the honor of our women. Can't speak for jellyfishes. NBC came and went through Fort Worth, without a mention. But we did leave our mark on Hughley and those like him. Blister one coyote and they all scream. Love you women who speak up. Other sisters take it lying down.
Eddie I actually talked to a reporter at the assignment desk. Just because they left town does not mean they won't eventually cover it. Every week something new happens that lets me know that I am headed in the right direction.
We're not going anywhere.
What I find truly ironic is that people like DL want to drape themselves in the first amendment and talk about their freedom of speech and how their rights are being infringed. What they forget is that we have the same freedom! Yes they have a right to say whatever they want but we also have the right to say that we don’t like it, we find it offensive, and here’s why you should too.
EXACTLY, I can't wait to trot out the rest of the series. The irony is that these first amendment activitsts are trying to use it to shut people up or make people feel as if they are doing something "unconstitutional" by criticizing Hughley or Hip Hop.
the First Amendment is a two way street.
Shut D. L. Hughley's fat mouth up and tell him that those Rutger Sisters look just like his Momma!