Change Begins with YOU

Hey YOU. Yes, YOU. YOU who became Time magazine's "Person of the Year in 2006". I'm talking to YOU.

I've received comments and e-mails regarding DL Hughley's disparaging remarks about the Rutgers basketball team and Sharpton Watch. I am going to post one of those comments here and address it. An anonymous commenter sums up the sentiments of many of the people e-mailing me privately....

I want to know what's going to happen to Hughley? No protests? Nothing? Just
because he's Black and can demean us when he wants to! He had NOT RIGHT
talking about those girls like that! It was irresponsible. But, nothing is going to happen to him. I don't care what color Imus is, this issue SMACKS
of the DOUBLE STANDARD and THAT is NOT fair!

I'm a realist. We already have enough "leaders" who ply us with symbolism and mysticism. That is not what this blog is about. It is about people who are doing something not just talking about how unfair life is. NO ONE. I mean NO ONE is going to fight our battles for us. Sure there will be people who opportunistically leap in front of the spotlight when controversy erupts to exploit a bad situation, but none of these people have a sustained commitment to battling negative portrayals of African American women , or men for that matter, in popular culture. So YOU who are understandably angry about DL's comments....

1. How many e-mails have YOU sent to NBC, CBS, ABC, FOX, UPI, the AP, Reuters, your local newspaper about this? I have.
2. How many people have YOU e-mailed the DL Hughley YouTube clip?
3. How many times have you used 5 minutes of your anytime minutes to call Viacom or BET about giving DL a new show on BET this fall? I called this morning and got transferred into oblivion, but I'll researching better contact info after work.
4. How many letters to the editor have you sent to your local paper about failing to cover DL's comments?

That is just a start. Sure, I'll occasionally whine on this blog, but ultimately my goal is highlight what people are DOING. If you want to see protests, what's stopping you from grabbing a poster board and going to your local NBC affiliate and picketing? Sure you might not be effective, but you may. Call your own press conference. Al Sharpton does not have a monopoly on protesting. If you think people should be protesting, then you need to gather up your friends and family and roll down to the NBC affiliate with your placards.

As I have said in the comments. I continue to brainstorm what to do next related to the DL situation. Throw in your ideas as well and while you are at it, send the URL of the YouTube video to everyone in your address book. You can go to YouTube by clicking the YouTube icon on the video that I posted on my site and e-mail it. If YOU do decide to do something then let us know in the comments.

"Sharpton Watch" was a cynical exercise on my part. I could have easily focused on Jesse Jackson, Oprah, Al Roker, Ron Allen, Gwen Ifill, Media Matters, NOW and any of the other people or organizations who spoke out during the Imus situation. I didn't expect the National Action Network to respond at all and thus they would have made my point by their silence, but they DID respond, however tepidly. The point remains that they haven't mobilized their resources in the same manner that they did in the Imus situation. It is their organization. They can do OR NOT DO what they want. But the Imus situation was never about African American women to begin with. It was about people who wanted him gone for YEARS using the Rutgers team as pawns to carry out their mission. They don't really care about OUR DAUGHTERS. Hence the immense SILENCE on DL Hughley's comments. This evening I will be discussing some of the things we might be able to do together to DEFUND DL. Stay tuned. The site is called What About Our Daughters meaning you have a stake in the outcome of the War on Black Women. We can't contract out our responsibility to combat negative portrayals of African American women in popular culture to someone else.

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Hip Hop Toyline.. Getting Them While They're Young

Just what young black children need... a HIP HOP toy line.( From crunktastical.com). "With Baby Jamz, we're going after that hip-hop mom." Let us all hope that this hip hop toy line and accompanying CD collection stresses that the letter "Z" generally does not indicate the plural form of a word. This wonderful idea is being brought to you by Beyonce's daddy . You know the former IBM executive. I hope this is not yet another case of rich black folks taking advantage of the huddled masses. AGAIN. We'll reserve judgment, but we might have to march on Toys- R-Us.

Knowles pointed to a lack of children's toys that reflect urban society as the main impetus. "There is a real opportunity for us to make a benchmark here, with Planet Toys making the toys and Music World making the music," Knowles said.YahooNews

MY PEOPLE. MY People! Am I the ONLY person that sees anything wrong with a toy that reflects urban society? Just what exactly IS urban society?

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"Sharpton Watch" Over - Rev. Al Responds to DL Hughley

Monday, May 21st Morning Update: Some of you may continue calling the National Action Network about this DL Hughley situation. That is your choice, but might I suggest a different use of your anytime minutes, Viacom, Mr. Hughley's new employer. DL has a new show coming out this fall on BET. You can call Viacom at (212) 258-6000 read them DL's quote and ask them if DL Hughley is the best they have to offer to America. Let me remind you that Rev. Sharpton doesn't own any networks or comedy clubs. While calling the National Action Network may make you feel better, calling Viacom may actually be a more effective use of your time, talent, and treasure ( anytime minutes). (212)-258-6000, just go ahead and save it in your cellphone. ( I called and got transferred into oblivion, so I will have to regroup after work.)

Folks Sharpton Watch is over. I got an e-mail from Tamika Mallory, Director of National Action Network Decency Initiative at 5:13 PM Friday. The following is Rev. Sharpton's statement regarding the D.L. Hughley Situation. We'll be talking more about this on the Black Women's Roundtable Saturday at noon.

It has recently come to our attention that D.L. Hughley has made
disturbing comments about the young women of the Rutgers basketball
team. Let me start by reaffirming the position of the National Action
Network. We do not accept or find humor in the denigration of women or
any other group. It does not matter whether the person making the
statement is black, white or from any other race. Nor does it matter
whether the intent of the comment is a lame attempt at humor, a racist
attack, or in the case of Mr. Hughley, an obvious attempt to create
publicity for himself. It is sad that after a very successful career in
comedy, Mr. Hughley would stoop to behavior that is disrespectful to
women as a means of self promotion. We hope that the entertainment
industry will see through this feeble attempt to gain publicity in order
to find his next job.

In Progress,

Reverend Al Sharpton, President of National Action Network & Tamika
Mallory, Director of National Action Network Decency Initiative

Yes. I know some of you will think it is not enough but if you remember ALL we asked for was ANY response to DL's comments, and we got that. It was a small victory for a blog that isn't a month old. Stay tuned for our big summer effort regarding Black Exploitation Television. Thank you to those of you who called and e-mailed and urged me along.

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Video Contest to Promote Positive Images of Black Women

For all of you tired of the never ending string of negative images in television, movies, and music videos, have I got the contest for YOU. A site called SuperSistas is holding their first annual video contest to celebrate positive images of African American women. *GASP* Yes, they actually are soliciting POSITIVE images. So pick yourself off of the floor and get you or the creative people in your life busy. You could win up to $500 for fighting the War Against Black Women. They might even make me dust off my handycam! Here are the details:

This Summer join us for positive messages and winning visions of Sistas. A total of $1000 will be awarded for the best videos under 10 minutes long.Use the clips on SuperSistas.com for inspiration OR present your own idea of what it means to be a winner in mind, body and spirit. Videos must be your original work and may be action, comedy, music videos, drama or whatever! Absolutely no pornography or profanity accepted. Contest is open to all ethnicities, male and female and all skill levels. Age 16+

Deadline for submissions is Sunday, July 1, 2007.

Learn more by going to their site.
I KNEW that there were people out there waging the good fight who weren't being covered by mainstream media. Just because ABC. NBC, and CBS don't cover it, does not meant that people aren't outraged about the negative portrayal of African American women. Nor does it mean that they aren't doing what they can to fight those images. KEEP THE LINKS COMING!

For those of you on Sharpton Watch. Today is Day 5 of Al Sharpton officially ignoring the comments of DL Hughley on The Tonight Show regarding the women of Rutgers. Why don't you take time and use some of your anytime minutes to ask him why by calling212-690-3070. Another number in regard to the Rev. Al situation, reach out to Rachel Nordman in the media office at 212 876 5444 or email RevAlmedia@yahoo.com.

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Update on Sharpton Watch - Day 4

I understand some of you have experienced some rude treatment by one of the people answering the telephone at the National Action Network. Reader Zabeth has some alternative contact information:

Another number in regard to the Rev. Al situation, reach out to Rachel Nordman in the media office at 212 876 5444 or email RevAlmedia@yahoo.com.

We've given him the benefit of the doubt so far. As early as May 10th, I sent an e-mail to Rev. Al. now I don't want to conclude that Rev. Al was merely using the women of Rutgers to carry out his mission of toppling Imus, but his silence on DL Hughley's comments on The Tonight Show are calling me to question his sincerity[sic].

For those of you on Sharpton Watch. Today is Day 4 of Al Sharpton officially ignoring the comments of DL Hughley on The Tonight Show regarding the women of Rutgers. Why don't you take time and use some of your anytime minutes to ask him why by calling 212-690-3070.

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