Afrosphere Bloggers Ask Media To Cover Jena Six Story

The Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition “ask that the mainstream traditional media step forward and discharge their duty to provide coverage of this vitally important event to their viewers and readers and act as “the fourth institution” of governmental “checks and balance” that constitutional framers intended the press to be.” To further this effort the Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition will embark on a ‘Day of Blogging for Justice’ on Thursday August 30th.

Jena, LA, August 29, 2007 –(PR.com)– There is growing concern surrounding the Jena Six case in Jena Louisiana. Yet, inexplicably, the national media, most particularly on television, has been abysmally silent on an occurrence of grave social, political and legal importance.

The ‘common folk’ media of the blogosphere, has stepped up to the plate in the absence of adequate traditional media coverage. Bloggers have taken to hanging banners to blog side-bars and placing them in blog entries at an increasing rate; displaying the words ‘Free the Jena 6′ accompanied by the evocative symbolism of a noose hanging from a tree. On these blogs strategies that can assist in bringing awareness to these young targets of racist psychological abuse are finding willing participants in discussion, and action; but they need the media’s help.

This issue, like Katrina, highlights how some people receive deference in treatment over others. “The Jim Crow style racism and government negligence, reflected in the Jena 6 case, are both quite worrisome. Unfortunately, the case is another incident that points to the entrenched racial and socio-economic disparities in the South, which this country has yet to fully confront,” says political scientist Dr. Sekou Franklin of Middle Tennessee State University. As the Congressional Black Caucus has noted “…we must speak out against injustice and inequality. This tale of two standards depicts a pattern of gross violations.”

The Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition “ask that the mainstream traditional media step forward and discharge their duty to provide coverage of this vitally important event to their viewers and readers and act as “the fourth institution” of governmental “checks and balance” that constitutional framers intended the press to be.”

In furtherance of this effort the Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition will embark on a ‘Day of Blogging for Justice’ on Thursday August 30, where dozens of the coalition’s members (and all else who wish to join with them) will write entries in their blogs on behalf of these six young men who are victims of racially motivated civil rights abuses. A list of bloggers who’ve signed on to participate can be seen here:

Along with blogger support, a united front of more than 300 concerned community members gathered at the steps of the courthouse in Jena on July 31, 2007, in a show of support for the African-American youth civil rights victims who were imprisoned after reacting to the provocation of Caucasian students who received only a school suspension of 3 days for hanging nooses from a ‘whites only’ tree in the schoolyard that all students share.

In addition to online and in-person support, those who could not travel to join others at the steps of the courthouse have added their signatures and comments, some 45,000, to petitions generated by individuals globe-wide who are appalled enough to take action.

A coalition of civic groups has formed www.freethejena6.org as a standing central location, providing solutions for those who are seeking information with intent to take action.

Afrosphere Jena 6 Coalition Advisory Group:
Wayne Hicks electronicvillage.blogspot.com
D. Yobachi Boswell www.BlackPerspective.net
Francis Holland afrospear.jconserv.net/
Daz Wilson http://purplezoe.blogspot.com/

Primary Contact: D.Yobachi Boswell * 615-478-5204 * lionrunner777@yahoo.com

Volunteers Needed to Rebuild Gulf Coast

Local coordinators and/or honorees available for interview…

_________________________________________

NCBCP PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 15, 2007

Contact: Edrea Davis (edmedia@dogonvillage.com)
Phone: 818.613.9521
NCBCP: 202.659.4929

COALITION MAKES URGENT CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS TO AID IN GULF COAST REBUILDING EFFORTS

Full day of community service events planned the day before massive demonstration in New Orleans

In an effort to trigger a new wave of volunteerism in the Gulf Coast region, the National Coalition on Black Civic Participation (NCBCP) is making an urgent call for local and national groups to join them Tuesday, August 28, for A Day of Service to help rebuild hurricane damaged communities in New Orleans.

“We’re calling on all able-bodied citizens to join forces with other national and local organizations, celebrities, and individuals to help with rebuilding and clean up efforts in New Orleans,” says Melanie L. Campbell, executive director and CEO of the NCBCP. “While it is imperative that we send a message to the government that they need to act immediately to help survivors of the hurricane, we also want to underscore the need for every individual to do their part as well.”

A Day of Service precedes “8/29, A Day of Presence,” a massive demonstration that will be held on the second anniversary of Katrina intended to force the government to create a Marshall Plan to restore New Orleans and the Gulf Coast region.

On A Day of Service, the NCBCP will join the Louisiana Unity Coalition, National Urban League, AFL-CIO, NAFEO, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, International Association of Black Firefighters, The Peoples’ Agenda, The Advancement Project, The Praxis Project, Saving Our Selves Coalition and volunteers from across the country to: conduct an environmental clean-up and remove contaminated top soil from damaged communities; help to paint and pressure wash buildings; repair the playground in a local public school; and help in the restoration of a historic African American church. Volunteers will also visit the sick and elderly in the few nursing homes that have reopened.

“The people of the Gulf want immediate action from the government,” says Vincent Sylvain, Convener, LA Unity Coalition and Katrina survivor. “But, the world needs to know that the folks in the Gulf Coast have not been sitting and waiting for the government. We’re all doing our part to clean up the city and could not do it without the help of the generous volunteers from across the country.”

Campbell adds, “If you can’t make it to help rebuild a Gulf Coast community, volunteer where you are. There are ‘lower ninth wards’ across the country. ‘A Day of Service’ is to highlight community service and self empowerment.”

The evening of August 28, from 6:30 PM – 9:30 PM, the NCBCP’s Black Women’s Roundtable will host “Celebrating Our Sisters of the Gulf Coast Dialogue & Recognition Ceremony,” honoring women from the region who have worked tirelessly to assist hurricane survivors and advocate for comprehensive recovery and rebuilding of the Gulf Coast. The event will include dinner, music, poetry, comedy, and the presentation of certificates of recognition. Speakers include, Susan Taylor, editorial director, Essence magazine, and Iyanla Vanzant, author, radio host and spiritual leader.

A Day of Service is being organized by LA Unity Coalition, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice at Dillard University, Mount Zion United Methodist Church, African American Leadership Project, Urban League of Greater New Orleans, Rainbow PUSH New Orleans and Millions More Movement. To volunteer contact RosariaBeasley@bellsouth.net or call the Urban League of Greater New Orleans at (504) 620-2332.

# # #

NOTE TO MEDIA: To schedule an interview with national, state, and local organizers contact Edrea at 818.613.9521. FOR “8/29: A DAY OF PRESENCE” PRESS RELEASE go to: http://tinyurl.com/36h7qr

What About Our Daughters is Outraged Over Horrific Rape

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Austin, TX - August, 5 2007- Fresh off a battle with Black Entertainment Television, Gina McCauley isn’t slowing down on her blog, What About Our Daughters? McCauley is outraged over Al Sharpton’s planned ” Day of Outrage” scheduled for August 7, 2007, also sponsored by the BloggingWhileBrown Blog. Her next targets are Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the NAACP and other African American elites who have been noticeably silent about what may be one of the most horrific crimes committed against a Black woman in recent history, she’s talking about the June 18th gang rape of a 35-year- old woman that took place in Dunbar Village, a housing project in West Palm Beach, Florida.

The woman was raped repeatedly for over three hours by at least ten African American youths, while they brutally beat her son. Eventually the woman and son were forced to lie naked together in their bathtub and the woman was forced under gunpoint to perform oral sex on her 12-year-old son before the attackers poured cleaning solution on them, burning the mother’s skin and blinding her son. Not a single neighbor called the police and the woman and her son were forced to walk alone to a hospital. Only three of the alleged attackers have been arrested and residents of Dunbar Village aren’t talking to police.

McCauley is angry about a lack of public outrage from many of the people who were so swift to inject themselves into the Duke rape case a little over a year ago.

” Jesse Jackson and Rainbow PUSH rushed to issue press releases announcing that they were going to give a college scholarship to the Duke rape accuser .” McCauley said, referring to Jackson’s offer to the Duke rape accuser.

In an interview with the Associated Press on June 15, 2006 Jackson indicated that he was anxious to get in contact with the Duke rape accuser. “”I can’t wait … to talk with her and have prayer with her, because our organization is committed, when she’s physically and emotionally able … to provide for her the scholarship money to finish school so she will never … again have to stoop that low to survive,” Jackson said from Chicago in a telephone interview with The Associated Press at the time. Jackson has issued no such statements in the case of the Dunbar Village rape victim. His silence and the silence of others is damning to McCauley.

” Where is his press release offering a scholarship to this woman? Where is the announcement of how much Rainbow Push has donated to this poor woman and her child? Where is his offer to go down to Florida and have prayer with this woman?”

McCauley goes on to criticize the NAACP for holding a press conference of support for Michael Vick, but not doing the same for the West Palm Beach victim. ” I mean Michael Vick is a multimillionaire who is more than capable of defending himself, who is looking out for this poor Black woman in Florida trying to eek out a living selling Avon and delivering telephone books?”

When McCauley heard about Sharpton’s “Day of Outrage,” she decided to wade into controversy again by pointing out what she thinks is a moral inconsistency within the African American community.

” Here we have Sharpton initiating a self-promoting publicity blitz announcing a national day of outrage about rap lyrics which denigrate Black women, but I am not aware of a single e-mail from the National Action Network speaking out about this brutal attack, asking the residents of Dunbar Village to start cooperating with police, or encouraging people to help this woman and her child.”

McCauley hopes that by targeting Sharpton, Jackson and other African American leaders on her blog, she can produce some off line results. ” I notice that on his tour he plans a stop in Miami. That is not far from West Palm Beach. I wonder if he is going to pass the collection plate to contribute to this woman’s victim’s assistance fund?”

A victim’s assistance fund has been set up for the West Palm beach woman and her child through Saint Ann’s Church in West Palm Beach, FL. Checks can be made payable to the Dunbar Village Victim Assistance Fund-St. Ann. They can be dropped off at any Wachovia branch or mailed to: St. Ann Catholic Church, 310 N. Olive Ave., West Palm Beach, FL 33401. The church’s phone number is (561) 832-3757.

–

Sincerely,
Gina
What About Our Daughters
“Combating negative portrayals of African American women in popular culture.”
whataboutourdaughters.blogspot.com

Join us at Blogging While Brown in Atlanta in July 2008.
BloggingWhileBrown.Blogspot.com

August 7 Day of Outrage against the Music Industry

Hat tip to Black PR Wire

For Immediate Release
Saturday, August 04, 2007

Contact Information
Debra Toomer
305.218.2252

(BPRW) REVEREND AL SHARPTON AND NATIONAL ACTION NETWORK’S DECENCY INITIATIVE TO LEAD A 20-CITY VIGIL TO PROTEST THE USE OF WORDS “NIGGA” “BITCH” AND “HO” IN THE MUSIC RECORDING INDUSTRY

(BLACK PR WIRE) New York,NY (August 4,2007) – Reverend Al Sharpton, Founder and President of National Action Network (NAN), along with Tamika Mallory, Director of NAN’s Decency Initiative, has announced a national “Day of Outrage” against the continuous use in the music recording industry of the words “nigga,” “bitch” and “ho.” Reverend Sharpton, who has persistently challenged the entertainment industry on denigrating lyrics, will use August 7th to call for the withdrawal of public investments from companies that won’t clean up their act. In New York, one of the states where the event will take place, roughly $3 billion from the state pension fund is invested in the entertainment industry. According to Reverend Sharpton, “The idea of divesting State taxpayers’ money from record companies that have a double standard when it comes to language is something that will be a priority.” In April, Reverend Sharpton led the drive to have Don Imus fired from his syndicated radio show for calling the Rutgers University women’s basketball team “nappy-headed hos.”

The event on August 7th which is being held by National Action Network’s Decency Initiative will take to the streets in 20 cities across the country at 12 (Noon) to mount public pressure on the music industry to adopt a universal standard of respect for all people. The cities are New York City, Newark, NJ, Los Angeles, CA, Detroit, MI, Atlanta, GA, Miami, FL, Washington, DC, Dallas, TX, Jacksonville, FL, Las Vegas, NV, Kansas City, MO, Phoenix, AZ, Stamford, CT, Philadelphia, PA, Columbia, SC, Houston, TX, Richmond, VA, Baltimore, MD, and Augusta,
GA.

Since April, the Decency Initiative, in collaboration with dozens of activists across the nation, has demanded that the music recording industry eliminate the use of the offensive words “nigga,” “bitch,” and “ho” in all recordings. No other ethnic group is subjected to denigration for profit by the music industry and the Decency Initiative will continue to demand a universal standard of respect, particularly for all women and African Americans.

The August 7th national protest will mobilize dozens of women and men in 20 cities for a call to action. There will be a press conference and protest in each city located strategically outside of a major music distributor. The strategic locations will send a strong signal to the music industry that the people will no longer stand by idly while public airwaves are used to promote disrespect.

The protests will be multi-cultural and include all age groups. The women and men will come from all facets of the community including leaders and students. All people must now stand united in defense of decency and the August 7th gathering is just the beginning of a national movement to achieve this end.

Background on the Decency Initiative:

In Reverend Al Sharpton’s 2003 book “Al on America” he dedicated a whole chapter to Hip-Hop, condemning Hip-Hop artists for using those exact three words. He convened the first Hip-Hop summit taking a very public stance that was widely covered in the media both nationally and locally. He also picketed the movie Barbershop for desecrating Rosa Parks, a position that was covered nationally. He has written numerous op-ed pieces for the New York Daily News and others about the “N” word and how Blacks must stop using it. On his syndicated radio show which is broadcast in 40 markets he has had hip hop artists on and debated them about the use of demeaning lyrics. He appeared recently on Oprah Winfrey’s show opposing the Hip-Hop artists. At our recent NAN national convention that was widely covered by all newspapers, we withdrew an award for L.A. Reid, a Black music executive because he had co-authored songs with the “Ho” word, and we had a public forum on the words with hundreds of Black kids and formed a Decency Initiative headed by Tamika Mallory to follow up with Blacks and others that use the terms “N,’ “B” and “H.” The Decency Initiative and Reverend Sharpton led a march of hundreds outside of the four major companies on May 3, calling upon on them to remove those words from their artists, most of them Black. Then Decency Initiative and Reverend Sharpton went into Detroit holding the same public forum in late May.

The Decency Initiative has marched upon Viacom, the owners of BET, and even addressed their stockholders on this issue. The Initiative also called upon comedian Michael Richards to apologize for his use of the “N” word and the Decency Initiative does limit its outrage to members of the music industry or to its impact on African-Americans. The vigil on August 7th will be an annual event sponsored by the Decency Initiative.

12:00 (Noon) EST

New York City

Virgin Music Store

Times Square

1540 Broadway

Btwn. 45th & 46th

Philadelphia, PA

F.Y.E Music Store

Broad Street and Chestnut

Philadelphia, PA

Richmond, VA

Radio One (92.1)

2809 Emerywood Pkwy

Richmond VA 23294

Stamford, CT

Mill River Park

Washington Boulevard & Broad Street

Stamford, CT

Augusta, GA

Municipal Building

530 Greene Street

Augusta, GA

Atlanta, GA

WHAT, Hot 107.9

101 Marietta Street

Atlanta, GA 30303

Miami, FL

F.Y.E Music

501 Collins Ave

Miami Beach, FL

Chicago, IL

Clear Channel Illinois Center

233 North Michigan Avenue

Chicago, IL

Kansas City, MO

Magic 107.3

4240 Blue Ridge Boulevard

Kansas City, MO

Phoenix, AZ

Sony Corporate Tower

7700 East Camelback Road

Phoenix, AZ

Los Angeles, CA (9:00 am/12:00 Noon EST)

Los Angeles Sentinel

3800 Crenshaw Boulevard

Los Angeles, CA 90008

Bakersfield, CA

American General Media Complex

1400 Easton Drive

Bakersfield, CA 93309

Montgomery, AL

97.9 Radio Station

4101 Wall Street

Montgomery, AL 36106

Detroit, MI

Motown Historical Museum

2648 West Grand Boulevard

Detroit, MI 48208

Jacksonville, FL

Gateway Shopping Center

5184 Norwood Avenue

Jacksonville, FL

St. Louis, MO

The University of Missouri – St. Louis

One University Boulevard

St. Louis, MO 63121