Lil Wayne, Dialectical Thinking, Black Girls, BET BOYCOTTS. Help.

[M.dot]

I am thinking.

I see community in the women here and I am trying to figure out the next step to take.

Four Things have my mine spinning.
I. Lil Wayne and Drakes performance @ The BET Awards
II. DRAKES new video
III. The inappropriate little girls on stage during the performance.
IV. How to channel Black anger into Black action and my role as a writer.

1. I can't boycott BET because being reactionary makes my ass itch. BUT,
I want to do something. Just because there are angry people doesn't mean
that there are enough people that care.

2. My vision is got Black people treat gender the way that they treat race

3. What I really want is for the advertisers to feel our pain. However, what I know about Capitalism has shown me that any effort to "monitor" the music will only be co opted and made irrelevant.

4. I know that the real change begins when people see that THEY are the leaders
they need, not me. Friere on mine.

5. In the mean time, I am reading Grace Bogg's, "Nothing is More Important than Thinking Dialetically."

Any words, suggestions, ideas, or thoughts any of you may have
will be appreciated.

~Renina

[Moya]

I've always wanted to do something a la the truth campaign about gender. Little girls in t-shirts that say "would you fuck me, wayne?"

I don't know what child's parents would let me do that but its a thought. Mark ANthony Neal suggested once that we create feminist care packages to send to rappers and people like the folks at BET. Me and my folks made a list of what to include but never sent them . . .

Black Feminist Care Packages- Fan Mail

Send to:

Nelly (First person)
David Banner
Russel Simmons
Angel Lola Luv
T.I.
Tyra (send her sankofa)
Stephen Hill (BET)
Cornel West
M.E.D
Lil' Kim
Mark Anthony Neal
Bakarwi Kitawana

Can we maybe make a collage of language from these songs? We could cut out letters from mags and make a collage that we reduce to a 8 x 11 format. Could be cover of reading pack?
I'd love to make a collage or 12--(lex)

Stuff in Care Package:

Anybody remember offhand a concise piece that addresses black women's historic sexualization? (Sarah Jones....The Revolution Will (Not) Occur Between These Thighs)? (this is Alexis...in a bright green tube top.)

Confessions of a Recovering Misogynist
A not so good brother describes his struggle to become a better man. > by Kevin Powell

The Women's Liberation and Gay Liberation Movements
Speech given by Huey Newton, founder of the Black Panthers, August 15, 1970

http://notherapedocumentary.org/

Stacyann chin- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ofsVwH4O_k

Misfit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HkPH_HIdoR8

Dr. Stanley's Thickness

http://www.jumpcut.com/view?id=D9D7ADD0001E11DDA1F1000423CF382E

Moya & Leana letter http://www.vibe.com/blog/babar/2007/10/hiphopvsamerica.html

Letter from Assata http://www.handsoffassata.org/content/assataopenletter-text.htm

Admonitions-Lucille Clifton


CD including:
Jean Grae Taco Day
Jean Grae Damn! Remix
Jill Scott Thickness
Erykah Badu I stay woke
Janelle Monae Sincerely, Jane
Queen Latifah- UNITY
Mos Def- New World Water
Erykah Badu--The Healer
Ras Kass If, Then (Includes the line, "if bitches aint shit but hoes and tricks, then niggas ain't shit but hoes with dicks" CHURCH!
Boxes Nikki Giovanni (I have the mp3 for this)
Get Lower Chris Rock (Wonderfully satirical)
Bahamadia 3 Tha Hard Way
Audio or Video of Jessica Care Moore's-I'm a Hip Hop Cheerleader-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=faZFc7laKeU
Apani B Fly Emcee-Estrogen

Blue-Jbeezy

[M.dot]

Moya,

Thank you for responding and I hear you.

My concern is, with, however being reactionary.

Freire's whole shit is that the people have it in
them to change themselves.

Grace Boggs, "If we forget history and become academics, chances are
we will end up academics on the defensive, as is already happening with
African American Studies Programs."

If we are sending stuff out, isn't the presumption that
they care and will do something. I am not dismissing you,
in fact, I appreciate your willingness to engage. I am just
trying to work this thang out.

Shit. I started looking for the Imus to Industry notes because
I wanted to know who OTHER potential allies were.

After writing Why Rappers Need Nappy Headed Ho's
I began thinking that my approach to discussing RAP and children
may be framed in a public health context, a la the discussion of cigarettes.

Every since I saw the Rihanna Fenty's nudes, private, photos on the internet last month,
I was like, what is this, what kind of world do we live in? What does public consumption of
Black death and sexuality for white boys and corporations mean for us, for all of us
in our society.

I look forward to your response.

Really thinking about a truth campaign.

[Moya]

Right right. I think i'm pushed to react and it's a hard urge to resist. I love that quote by the way from Grace Boggs

and what is a boycott really of folks who don't really watch their programing anyway and BET is bundled with other channels so it's difficult to target.

I'd love to create the music that i want to hear. Me and QBG summer M are working on an ode to girls in glasses. I also think it's important to engage these folks producing these songs and images. I think the concern was initially that reactions lead to defensiveness but at some point don't we have to stop caring that people are defensive? i dunno . . .

still thinking thinking...

moya



M.dot said:

Moya,

Thank you for responding and I hear you.

My concern is, with, however being reactionary.

Freire's whole shit is that the people have it in
them to change themselves.

Grace Boggs, "If we forget history and become academics, chances are
we will end up academics on the defensive, as is already happening with
African American Studies Programs."

If we are sending stuff out, isn't the presumption that
they care and will do something. I am not dismissing you,
in fact, I appreciate your willingness to engage. I am just
trying to work this thang out.

Shit. I started looking for the Imus to Industry notes because
I wanted to know who OTHER potential allies were.

After writing Why Rappers Need Nappy Headed Ho's
I began thinking that my approach to discussing RAP and children
may be framed in a public health context, a la the discussion of cigarettes.

Every since I saw the Rihanna Fenty's nudes, private, photos on the internet last month,
I was like, what is this, what kind of world do we live in? What does public consumption of
Black death and sexuality for white boys and corporations mean for us, for all of us
in our society.

I look forward to your response.

Really thinking about a truth campaign.

[Moya]

BET Apology here

[Nuala Cabral]

While pouring all our energy into a boycott alone would be a mistake, I do think a boycott is one important tool we should consider.

With the recent outcry we have an opportunity to make certain demands while BET is under public scrutiny and ppl are fired up. We also have an opportunity to CREATE alternatives to the images and messages BET sends us, and support, share, distribute these creations. Making and supporting positive music is one example.

Moya, I love the idea of this care package--- if there was a way to create them digitially as well and share them (on a website or something), that would be dope. We could distribute online care packages not only to the media execs but to the consumers of BET.

I do think we should start thinking about what our demands to BET are. What do we want? Let's let the world know through a petition or an open letter. Byron Hurt demanded these two things: an apology and steps to ensure sexual exploitation does not happen in awards shows again. The first demand has been met-- sort of. But it's not clear what steps BET will take.

I think we can all agree that an apology without action is insufficient. Furthermore, someone needs to tell Drake, Lil Wayne and BET that saying "I'm sorry if we offended you" is NOT an apology.

I think we must demand the resignation of BET's CEO/Execs. If BET's leadership is not progressive, then how can we expect change? Through Viacom?

And definitely getting advertisers to pull support from BET is critical. How do we do this?

So in terms of moving forward, I can think of a few options for action... and I'm curious about other tactics yall can think of. I think we can encourage people to do all of these or those they feel most passionately about. Collective, dynamic action... we got this!

1. Create a petition with demands for BET and get ppl to sign on and email it to BET.
2. Boycott. If BET does not agree to these demands, they must understand they will lose support-- and not just from those of us who already don't watch BET anymore. (how do we do this- via advertisers?)
3. Target advertisers and pressure them to withdraw business from BET
4. Create, support and share ALTERNATIVE media (including music) that challenges the stereotypes that BET constantly reinforces through their awards shows and daily programming.
5. Use our allies-- find out who they are and get them involved in this effort. (M.dot, you mentioned this).

We could divide tasks and get to work...

Maybe once we generate a list of demands and get signatures, we can have some public figure(s) to present it for us. Perhaps Byron Hurt since his open letter has already sparked so much publicity and received some kind of response from BET? What do you think?

I know we're all busy, but whatever we do at this point could really be another spark for the fire. im down to collab. holla!

[M.dot]

I heard. There is one from Drake too.

Let me ask you this.

What do we hope to gain, by engaging with the Artist and the Corporations?

What does an apology mean to us? What is an apology if it isn't accompanied by a direct action?

Personally, I don't accept apologies from my friends that aren't accompanied by a direct action.
I also try my best, to take an action, along with the apology to express my commitment, sincerity.

If BET is going to traffic in Soft Porn and the perpetuation of Black girls, adolescent Black girls
as sex objects when these SAME BLACK GIRLS ARE likely, based on statistics, are likely become
members of the fastest growing new HIV cases, then an action that they can take
is to put their money where their mouth is.

If they are in fact sorry. SHOW it with an action.

I mean, I am really looking at the tobacco teen truth campaign
as a model.

The damage has been done re BET and the Drake Video.
The sponsors have their viewers delivered as promised.

BET gets ad money.

Sponsors get Black money.

Black women get an apology? What part of the game is that? How is this sustainable or just?
If the majority of Black househoulds are ran by women, then perhaps we need to be talking to the women
along with BET?

What do you think?

[M.dot]

Nuala,

First of all, let me saw how awesome it is to be among allies.
Last week, my partner said, "As long as you keep writing this pop culture shit,
for folks in general, you will be made to feel like you have no allies. Why not
engage the QBG's." Yeah for QBG's.

Thank you for commenting. I have one question for you.

What do you hope to accomplish by getting Debra Lee to resign?




Nuala Cabral said:

I think we can respond to this in several ways and a boycott IS one of them, (it should not be dismissed), but it is not the only tool we have.
With the recent outcry we have an opportunity to make certain demands while BET is under public scrutiny and ppl are fired up. We also have an opportunity to CREATE alternatives to the images and messages BET sends us, and support, share, distribute these creations. Making and supporting positive music is one example.
Moya, I love the idea of this care package--- if there was a way to create them digitially as well and share them (on a website or something), that would be dope. We could distribute online care packages not only to the media execs but to the consumers of BET.

I do think we should start thinking about what our demands to BET are. What do we want? Let's let the world know through a petition or an open letter. Byron Hurt demanded these two things: an apology and steps to ensure sexual exploitation does not happen in awards shows again. The first demand has been met-- sort of. But it's not clear what steps BET will take.

I think we can all agree that an apology without action is insufficient. Furthermore, someone needs to tell Drake, Lil Wayne and BET that saying "I'm sorry if we offended you" is NOT an apology.

I think we must demand the resignation of BET's CEO/Execs. If BET's leadership is not progressive, then how can we expect change? Through Viacom?

And definitely getting advertisers to pull support from BET is critical. How do we do this?

So in terms of moving forward, I can think of a few options for action... and I'm curious about other tactics yall can think of. I think we can encourage people to do all of these or those they feel most passionately about. Collective, dynamic action... we got this!

1. Create a petition with demands for BET and get ppl to sign on and email it to BET
2. Target advertisers and pressure them to withdraw business from BET
3. Create, support and share ALTERNATIVE media (including music) that challenges the stereotypes that BET constantly reinforces through their awards shows and daily programming.
4. Use our allies-- find out who they are and get them involved in this effort. (M.dot, you mentioned this).

We could divide tasks and get to work...

Maybe once we generate a list of demands and get signatures, we can have some public figure(s) to present it for us. Perhaps Byron Hurt since his open letter has already sparked so much publicity and received some kind of response from BET? What do you think?

I know we're all busy, but whatever we do at this point could really be another spark for the fire. im down to collab. holla.

[Nuala Cabral]

I think IF BET Execs are not willing to take action on this, they should lose their jobs. But we first need to spell out what we want them to DO.. not just what we don't want them to do.

I don't think we can expect change if we are communicating with leaders who are not willing to demonstrate leadership or a call for real action. Of course, this does not ensure that new executive leadership will be progressive or responsive, but I don't see how BET execs could get much worse.

It would also send a symbolic message that black people are standing up to a corporation that supposedly "represents us" and we have the power to shake things up.

What do you think?

[M.dot]

Nuala,

Thank you for responding.

My next question is, what good does showing a corporation that Black
people can shake things up, do?

Where is engaging Black women in all this?

We run the house holds, we buy the products advertised, we raise the children.

If corporations only care about a bottom line, what can we expect to gain
by making moral arguments about decency, etc?

Nuala Cabral said:

I think IF BET Execs are not willing to take action on this, they should lose their jobs. But we first need to spell out what we want them to DO.. not just what we don't want them to do.

I don't think we can expect change if we are communicating with leaders who are not willing to demonstrate leadership or a call for real action. Of course, this does not ensure that new executive leadership will be progressive or responsive, but I don't see how BET execs could get much worse.

It would also send a symbolic message that black people are standing up to a corporation that supposedly "represents us" and we have the power to shake things up.

What do you think?

[M.dot]

Hi Moya,

What does this mean?

"I think the concern was initially that reactions lead to defensiveness but at some point don't we have to stop caring that people are defensive? i dunno . . ."

Moya said:

Right right. I think i'm pushed to react and it's a hard urge to resist. I love that quote by the way from Grace Boggs

and what is a boycott really of folks who don't really watch their programing anyway and BET is bundled with other channels so it's difficult to target.

I'd love to create the music that i want to hear. Me and QBG summer M are working on an ode to girls in glasses. I also think it's important to engage these folks producing these songs and images. I think the concern was initially that reactions lead to defensiveness but at some point don't we have to stop caring that people are defensive? i dunno . . .

still thinking thinking...

moya



M.dot said:

Moya,

Thank you for responding and I hear you.

My concern is, with, however being reactionary.

Freire's whole shit is that the people have it in
them to change themselves.

Grace Boggs, "If we forget history and become academics, chances are
we will end up academics on the defensive, as is already happening with
African American Studies Programs."

If we are sending stuff out, isn't the presumption that
they care and will do something. I am not dismissing you,
in fact, I appreciate your willingness to engage. I am just
trying to work this thang out.

Shit. I started looking for the Imus to Industry notes because
I wanted to know who OTHER potential allies were.

After writing Why Rappers Need Nappy Headed Ho's
I began thinking that my approach to discussing RAP and children
may be framed in a public health context, a la the discussion of cigarettes.

Every since I saw the Rihanna Fenty's nudes, private, photos on the internet last month,
I was like, what is this, what kind of world do we live in? What does public consumption of
Black death and sexuality for white boys and corporations mean for us, for all of us
in our society.

I look forward to your response.

Really thinking about a truth campaign.

[Moya]

One of the things that happens when you call people out is that they get defensive and can't hear you. I guess I was speaking to the fact that sometimes even though a reactionary pose might bring about defensiveness in artists, is there a "so what?" factor to consider? I really don't know the answer to that just putting that on the table to be debated too.

I really really feel your questions M. Dot!!! a Debra Lee resignation isn't what i think we should be expending our precious energy on. They will hire another Debra Lee and things will keep moving per usual.

It's really hard to fight the perception that we as people in the world don't have the power to impact the music industry but we do. We run the households indeed! I think it's a great idea to figure out how not to preach to the choir (or anyone for that matter).

I have to say that my initial reaction to Every Girl (when i first heard it) was anger and dismissal but people in my community were like but it's hot though and i eventually came around. How do we talk to folks with out first checking our own complicity (or maybe more accurately me checking mine)?

What kind of truth campaign is needed for black women to get really real and reject the misogyny of the music? It's not just knowledge. Knowing about the stereotypes that black women face isn't enough. Like you were saying M. dot without direct action "awareness" means nothing.

Maybe also figuring out how to break through that trope "he's not talking about me, I'm not the bitch ho in question" (this should be easier since wayne and drake have explicitly said they mean every girl!).

still thinking. M. dot again your questions really have me stretching!!!! still thinking!

[Nuala Cabral]

Shaking things up means that we are demonstrating our collective power. For the black community, or black women, to see that we can make an impact will reinvigorate us and send the message to future execs that they will be held accountable by the black community.

Black women could lead this effort-- but really, I'm not suggesting a boycott is what we should concentrate on. I think borrowing the Truth campaign model to galvanize black women around this is a great idea. Even using humor to call out BET and get people to think critically.

For example, someone just sent me this video "BET Doesn't Care About Black People", and at 2:22 this comedian starts talking about BET: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_fHqx8gskk.

Perhaps, creating viral messages or media like this is where we should start. Here we have a community of outspoken black women, I'm sure we can come up with some creative, provocative and insightful shit that makes ppl think and want to respond.

I'm just saying that if or when a boycott begins, I'll support it. And I think collectively, black women (who do hold buying power) could play an instrumental role in a boycott. I imagine a successful boycott will upset the connection btwn the bottom line ($$ and advertising) and the sexual exploitation and sterotyping BET perpetuates. You're right, BET does not operate on a moral or even cultural code. And what's happening is much more complicated than morality and decency.

Maybe we first generate more awareness among black women so that more of us feel compelled to take action. We need to figure out what we want this action to be... what steps can/should we take?

As far as our collective energy within this QBG community, we have the ability to do many things: critique, demand, create, support and share. I think if we can provide an incentive and platform for black women to do these things, encouraging them to engage wherever they feel most passionate, we can capitalize on the diversity of this group and really make an impact.





M.dot said:

Nuala,
Thank you for responding. My next question is, what good does showing a corporation that Black people can shake things up, do? Where is engaging Black women in all this?

We run the house holds, we buy the products advertised, we raise the children.

If corporations only care about a bottom line, what can we expect to gain
by making moral arguments about decency, etc?

Nuala Cabral said:

I think IF BET Execs are not willing to take action on this, they should lose their jobs. But we first need to spell out what we want them to DO.. not just what we don't want them to do.

I don't think we can expect change if we are communicating with leaders who are not willing to demonstrate leadership or a call for real action. Of course, this does not ensure that new executive leadership will be progressive or responsive, but I don't see how BET execs could get much worse. It would also send a symbolic message that black people are standing up to a corporation that supposedly "represents us" and we have the power to shake things up. What do you think?