Human Rights Coalition
FedUp! Chapter
5125 Penn Ave
Pittsburgh, PA 15224
fedup@riseup.net
June 4, 2007
Letta from the Etta-der
Hello Friends! May this letter find you in health, peace, access to fresh air and somewhat nourishing food. Welcome to the 11th edition of the FedUp! newsletter. That’s the 11th edition for VA folks and the 1st for PA folks. What’s up PA FOLKS? Just for clarification, FedUp! originated to work solely on abuse issues at high level facility’s in Virginia in 2005 and has since expanded, becoming a chapter of the Human Rights Coalition to incorporate Pennsylvania as well. The beginning of summer finds a few new volunteers rolling up their sleeves. Please welcome Lizzy and Eric! Lizzy, Eric and I are working on resource flyers to help guide prisoners and their supporters through times of abuse and medical neglect. Along with the completion of these pamphlets, we are hoping some folks in Harrisonburg, VA will work on updating the Virginia Prisoner Directory Action-Resource Guide over the summer. We currently still have the Virginia Edition from 2005. If you have any suggestions of VA edition please let us know. The Pennsylvania 2007 edition is currently available for PA prisoners through Book ‘Em – P.O. Box 71357 Pittsburgh, PA 15213.
Anyways, we have been going through some growing pains and a little transitioning here. Please be patient as we are really behind on correspondence lately. As far as the proposed study-partner project goes, if you wrote to us with interest in this endeavor we are in the process of getting organized and hopefully a study partner will contact you soon. We are holding off on putting the project out there anymore at this point until we can network and connect people who are interested.
Due to security issues, we are not going to print people’s names with their submissions. We have had problems in the past and want to make sure you receive the newsletter at all. Please do not send us unsolicited legal materials. We are not lawyers. Sorry. Currently, we are trying to put out 4 issues of the newsletter a year.
A note to PA folks – We are in the process of brainstorming on what direction to head in. If you have proposals and suggestions on campaigns or organizing strategies that you think would be effective for a prison advocacy group please let us know.
A note to VA folks - As far as we can hear from Pittsburgh, a lot of the physical abuse has quieted down. We don’t know what’s going on if you don’t let us know and we need to hear from the people personally involved in the incident. If you all think an organization like FedUp! is important and needed, you must motivate people from Virginia to take this on. There is only so much we can do from up here in Pittsburgh. It is simply unsustainable. Y’alls families live in Virginia. It is very hard to build from up here. Please have interested people contact the above information and we can hook them up with folks we know in VA.
Oh. Some folks from PA and VA are heading down to the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta, GA. The slogan is “If another world is possible, Another America is necessary.” We’ll let you know what happens. It seems like a historic event from this end.
Ok everyone. Small is Big. Slow is Beautiful. We all have the power to change – ourselves and the world. No time like the present and your presence is requested. Listen to your dreams and never give up. In the words of Biko – Each one, Teach Two! Ha!
(I’m on a slogan roll. Send us your slogan, montra’s words of wisdom that help you get through the day.)
Chins to the sky,
Etta
From Erika Zauzig - 5506 Rock Creek Lane Virginia Beach, VA 23462:
Hello Everyone,
Thanks to all of you for your concern about the depression I had been in for months. I'm feeling a lot better now and am rejuvenated.
I was so pleased to see that ROSP organized a pod for those with mental illness. One of the guys I write and befriend likes the pod. I called ROSP to thank them for making this pod.
As I've said, I welcome letters from those with mental illness. I understand your pain and would like to befriend and provide you support. I am a person you do not need to hide your illness from.
Bless all of you, Erika
Message From R. I. H.D. of Richmond, Virginia
To you the prisoner and supporters for prison reform This is Ms. "K" with the nonprofit -- volunteer group Resource Information Help for the Disadvantaged (RIHD) who's mission and purpose is to assist, uplift and empower prisoner education, rehabilitation and successful reentry. First and foremost, the entire volunteer staff sends you all "Peace and Blessings" and To remind you all that "though you are locked inside a prison - prison doesn't have to be locked inside of you --- therefore "don't give up know that you can make a difference one situation, one person at a time - collectively" "always do a little and a little at a time eventually makes a big difference" - That your "Health is Your Wealth" - (physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally and religiously) - make these your daily routine and you shall always have "wealth" - With this said, I want to remind each prisoner that RIHD need your help. You the prisoner have the power to make a difference in the upcoming State Election. Listed below are a few ways YOU can change your Life for the Better...
1. Each and every Senator & House Delegate is up for reelection They all seek your family, friends, communities VOTE
2. Do you think those who opposed the Good Time Bill (50%) and opposed the Parole Board Guideline (denials due to the nature of the crime) DESERVE to be reelected by your family, friends, & communities? If you want to retire them out of office. Put them out of their misery. Let's take the "show them better than tell them" action!
a) make sure everyone you know on the outside is a registered voter before September 1
b) make sure every convicted felon who is on the outside go an apply for "restoration of voting rights for convicted felons"
c) Know any one that is in jail awaiting trial and is NOT a convicted felon, identify them to RIHD so that we can send them an absentee ballot, for they are still eligible to VOTE.
d) All the information, newsletters, bills and, etc., that RIHD has sent during the pass 3 years, and gain the "knowledge" necessary to make conscience decisions to and with your family, friends & communities. RIHD is a nonprofit organization and cannot tell anyone who to vote for or who not to vote for. However, a listing of all prison, prisoner bills with the politicians voting record will be in the next member newsletter.
e) RIHD is hosting Voter Registration & Restoration of Felon Voting Rights EVERY 3rd Wednesday of Each Month until September at the following time and address: 2pm - 6pm Wesley Memorial United Methodist Church Community Room 1720 Mechanicsville Turnpike Richmond, Virginia 23223 (804) 562-2123 or Go to our website: www.rihd.org And click on "VOTE" and get registered there as well. Please share this information with other prisoners and your families
f) You the prisoner can't vote; however your families, friends and communities can. Not until they take the time, step to the plate, be proactive, exercise their right by registering to vote and then voting in November - then we shall continue as status quo each year at the Virginia General Assembly. All the meetings in the world with the parole board chairperson; with the Director of VDOC isn't going to change a thing for they run upon the legislative rules and regulations - They are their BOSS. Who are the legislators -
Those who sit on the two committees. The Senate Committee for Rehabilitation and Social Service and the Delegate Committee on the Police, Militia and Public Safety approximately 30 Persons Total. Legislation Must Change. Bills such as the Good Conduct and Mandatory Literacy (VaLERA) and Parole Board Oversight -Guidelines are needed to ensure that Prisoner Education & Rehabilitation is acquired - "Earned" Second Chance
g) RIHD depends solely upon membership and donations - become a member today. Our annual dues for prisoner is $2.00 or 6 stamps -- for families (includes prisoner) $20. All dues goes towards postage stamps, printing and supplies only.
h) Families, friends, love ones must come to at least one RIHD meeting. We are planning meetings in the following areas: Newport News; Norfolk, Charlottesville, Roanoke, Fredericksburg, Alexandria/DC.
i) Where are the prewritten petition signatures? Our goal is 100,000. The petition drives continues until the bills are passed and signed into law. If every prisoner would have their family whether living in VA or not do one petition (25 register voter signatures) we would have over the number needed. For copy of prewritten petition package send self addressed stamped envelope (SASE) to RIHD - Bills - PO Box 55 - Highland Springs - VA 23075 or email us at InMateResource@aol.com
STOP! IT’S LEGAL TIME!--------------------RAMADAN SETTLED
as pertains to VA policy
Finally! A victory for the VDOC Religious Community and the Muslims in particular. The VDOC historically has been unsympathetic and unresponsive to its Muslim prisoners’ right to freely exercise their religious beliefs. This is most evident during Ramadan where many VDOC facilities subject the Muslims to oppressive practices. For example, the Keen Mountain Correctional Center in rural western Virginia, limits the Muslims to a small cold-bag predawn meal consisting merely of 2 hard-boiled eggs, 2 slices of bread, an 8-ox bowl of bran flakes, and an 8-ox bag of milk for each of the 30 days of Ramadan. Also, during Ramadan 2002-2005, the prison chose to lockdown as soon as Ramadan started and then used the lockdown as a pretense to feed the Sunni Muslims cold bag dinners. So, for 15 of the 30 days of Ramadan the Muslims received only cold food in the morning and evening. Additionally, where the non-fasting inmates received a minimum of 2800 calories daily, the Muslims were limited to 1000-1200 calories daily. In 2003, KMCC forced the Muslims to observe the Eid U1 Fitr meal during Ramadan! And in 2005, KMCC served the Eid meal 4 days after Ramadan. And in 2004 and 2005, KMCC refused to permit Muslims to observe the Eid U1 Fitr Prayer. And KMCC has never permitted the Eid U1 Ahdaa prayer and meal. Similar abuses occurred prior to my arrival at KMCC in 2002, but my lawsuit addresses only those abuses I suffered personally.
In October 2005, I filed a 42 U.S.C. §1983 suit in the Roanoke federal district court wherein I alleged that VDOC officials systematically violated my (our) constitutional rights and my rights under the Religious Land Use And Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA). (Couch v. Jabe, et al., Case No. 7:05-cv-00642). On September 22, 2006, (the eve of Ramadan) the Court granted my motion for preliminary injunction and required defendants to increase to 2200 the calories provided to Muslims. Then, finally, to avoid a losing jury trial, defendants (Deputy Director John Jabe, VDOC Dietitian Linda Shear, Warden Bassett, and others) agreed to a Settlement Agreement encompassing the following provisions:
1) The VDOC will no longer serve Muslims a cold-bag predawn meal.
2) During Ramadan, participating Sunni Muslim inmates shall be served a hot breakfast and hot dinner consistent with that served non-fasting inmates.
3) An additional bag meal will be provided to fasting inmates each evening.
4) VDOC Employees agree that the total calories and nutrition provided in the meals to fasting inmates will equal or exceed that provided to non-fasting inmates during the same period.
5) The Eid U1 Fitr prayer service shall be scheduled for the morning after the last day of fasting and shall be held before noon.
6) The Eid U1 Fitr meal will be held no earlier than the day after the last day of the Ramadan fast, nor no later than the third day after the last day of the Ramadan fast.
7) VDOC Employees will schedule the EId U1 Adhaa prayer service and meal at a mutually agreed upon time approximately four months after Ramadan. If necessary, assistance from an expert from the Islamic Center of Virginia will be requested to determine the appropriate date.
8) VDOC Employees agree that they will not schedule a quarterly lockdown during the Ramadan period. However, should an emergency exist which necessitates a lockdown, such a lockdown may be ordered without violating this Agreement.
9) VDOC Employees will modify its D.O.Ps and I.O.Ps and the Food Service Manual to be consistent with the terms of this agreement.
10) VDOC Employees, through the Commonwealth of Virginia Department of Treasury, Division of Risk Management, shall pay to (Muhammad) the sum of $-,---.
Oversight of these provisions rests informally with Mr. Asghar Goraya, Coordinator Prison Outreach, Islamic Center of Virginia, P.O. Box 35051, Richmond, Va. 23235-0051. Mr. Goraya has at his disposal a variety of means by which he can insure that VDOC complies with these provisions. Muslims are encouraged to contact Mr. Goraya if prison officials are in substantial non-compliance. (Be advised that certain settlement provisions, e.g., Eid Prayer services, probably cannot be implemented at Red Onion due to its segregation status.) Additionally, I strongly encourage all Muslims to interact in good faith with prison officials as they implement these changes, and to not use these hard-fought settlement provisions to harass officials. Ma Salaam.
The Real Problem
Each year Washington spends more on military action than on education, making America the only industrialized nation in the world that continues to run such a spending imbalance. Yet the real problem is at home, not in Baghdad, Kuwait, Israel, or North Korea. More than one in every five children live in poverty, our infant mortality rate is higher than that of Singapore or South Korea, and a young black man in Washington is less likely to live beyond the age of 35 than his counterpart in Bangladesh is.
We continue to allow U.S. factories to spew 6.4 billion pounds of toxic chemicals into America’s air, land, and water a year. That’s despite having the highest level of air pollution in world history. Do they really care about the Green House Effect or Global Warming? NO! As long as the middle class continue to reap the benefits we as the working class will disappear off the face of the earth at an alarming rate.
America is a unique country. She broke free from England, got involved in the slave trade in 1691- 1861, not to mention the Jim Crowism, The Great Depression, providing a safe haven for run away Nazis and the killing of millions of men, women, and children during the civil rights movement. “Yet in still” are being carried out today through the American prison system and the corrupt politicians. Just because we’re not prepared to die to eliminate AIDS or wipe out poverty doesn’t mean we can’t get involved in changing the country and protecting our youth for the future.
A lot of people are not FED UP! They are caught up in the media, that reads details and spin, watches “Law and Order,” “Seinfeld,” and the “Simpsons,” and waits in line for the Stairmaster at the nearest gym with a honey bun and a Diet Coke in their hand. When are we going to get UP! Stand UP! And be FED UP? In closing Josef Stalin once said, “The enemy is a cruel and implacable. He is out to seize our land, watered with our sweat, to seize our grain and oil by our labor. The issue is one of life or death for the people the issue is whether the people shall remain free or fall into slavery.”
Prison Diet Could Potentially Cause Cancer
The New England Journal of Medicine (which is the leading authority for new discoveries in the medical field) has published a finding that makes it clear that a diet composed of processed meats can lead to colon cancer. This is a medical fact. Yet all the meat in the diet served at least here at WRSP is processed (except for the piece of baked chicken that if you’re lucky you might see once every two months). Now to fully grasp the gravity of this situation, you must take two factors into account. First now that parole is no longer people are spending a lot more time in prison. Therefore they will be at a greater risk for cancer because they will be eating the processed food for a much longer time. Secondly I believe the greater risk is that a lot of the cases of cancer will go undiagnosed until it is terminal because of the simple fact that most men are not going to have their colons checked because of the manner in which the test is administered.
Now of course if you are aware of the dangers of processed meat you can always just ask for a bean tray. But what about the majority of prisoners that are ignorant to the dangers? (you can be sure that food service is not going to post a sign to warn you that what they are serving you may kill you) Is it fair that they should be subject to cancer just because of their lack of knowledge? After all isn’t it the responsibility of the state to keep you safe? As far as I am aware the majority of prisoners in VA are not on death row therefore it is plane to see that they were not sentenced to death. If that is true then why is the state feeding them something that is known to cause cancer? The reason of course is simple, MONEY. You always hear people talk about how good the food used to be. That was before parole was abolished and the state could afford to feed real meat. To be able to afford to house more people they had to make budget cuts and real meat was the first to go.
Now getting back to my original point if the state is forced to feed real meat that which does not cause cancer (as they should be doing) the state would be forced to reevaluate the current trend. Right now I am sure it may be hard to understand the sheer damage this would have on DOC’s budget but believe me, it might be just enough to soften the opposition to the better conduct allowance bill (SB105). If not worse case scenario you won’t die of colon cancer so you can’t lose.
Govern – meant
I have a history of violence, and know not Love, I care only for personal gain-
Truth be told, I’m as nasty as they come, I’m malignant, greedy and vain…
I’ve obfuscated the nation, and converted a plan to keep only my society on the rise-
By promising equal rights along with free will, but those are just some of my lies…
When I said justice for all, I meant just – us with all,
keeping you and I from ever being equal,
While you struggle to earn yours, I manipulate and take mine, just face it we’re too different a people
Cause you’re subject to care, and I care less of the subject, proving that nice guys do finish last
One would think you’d know better and see my true colors, considering our relationship in the past…
I’d say I was sorry but that wouldn’t be true I simply do what I feel needs to be done
No shame no pity no remorse no regret no tears no not even one…
Ill warn you though my ploy’s not over for I’m one you must circumvent,
And I demoralize what I touch while feeling no guilt “it is I” for whom the govern should be meant.
21 questions
If you were to walk though any Virginia Prison, you would be amongst a prison population where 70-80 percent of the prisoners upon their release if they do not die in violent criminal activity will probably return to prison. This is so because this same percentage of prisoners or even higher are leaving prison without any marketable skills that would enable them to maintain a livelihood on the outside.
The mandatory – minimum sentencing laws and the stiffer penalties that are imposed were designed to flood the prison industrial complex with poor, Black, Latino, and White youths from urban America.
Today politicians across the u.s.a. get in office and stay in office on the promise to fervently wage the so-called war on crime, which in actuality is nothing more then a promise to maintain the status quo of the poor remaining the prime commodities on the booming prison industrial complex business.
If the politicians and legislative members uphold the system that lock up prisoners for the offenses they have committed in order to make society more safe, how can they justify continually sending the multitude of these offenders back out into society unskilled and untrained to survive in a capitalist society?
The organization RIHD and the other support groups that support prisoners in VA, and who have been waging the battle to have the 85% law re-instated, so more prisoners can be released should be commended for their noble deeds. However, equal energy need be put into demanding that Virginia create job programs that will provide prisoners with marketable skills that they would be able to utilize upon release.
An effort need’s to be started where business companies based in Virginia need to be urged to provide jobs as well as job training to certain segments of the VA prison system. Then these companies should be made to hire these same prisoners upon release as they would already be trained in company’s work and could demand prevailing wages. This would do away with the diabolical scheme of returning these prisoners out into a job market with so many jobs that they cannot get because of their felony convictions.
Prisoners need to be designated as organizers who educate the prison populations throughout Virginia as to the efforts that need be waged in order for this proposal to be met. It is a logical and just proposal and members of city hall, the media, the clergy, and family members of prisoners should all be solicited for their support to such an effort.
P E N N S Y L V A N I A
This communiqué is a rallying call for all the existing veterans of the struggle, the old-heads who have not been broken and the new generations of prisoners who have developed a progressive consciousness.
Since Governor Ridge has come and gone we have seen the implementation of regressive policies and directives that have stripped prisoners of programs and privileges that many have sacrificed and died for.
There are over 41,000 prisoners in the state of PA and if each prisoner can get only one or two people on the outside to represent them and have them join together then there will be a potential voting block of 41,000 to 82,000 voters which is enough votes to effect the outcome of any campaign and if prisoners commit to the 10-10-10 project where each prisoner try to get 10 family members involved the we can develop a coalition of over 400,000 people and this is enough to vote in and vote out any politician in state, regional, and/or county office.
Many prisoners find themselves suffering from burn out as a result of trying to challenge that prevailing egregious conditions alone. Those who have attempted to challenge prison conditions have found themselves targeted by the prison administration and subjected to various forms of retribution.
To make matters worse, many of the prison advocacy groups that prisoners turn to seem to lack the resources, person-power and/or the will to seriously and effectively challenge the Department of Correction’s policy and management. In order to rectify the problems that prisoners encounter, prisoners must turn to the only source that they can depend on – family and friends – their loved ones!
This is not about POLITICS or MONEY, PROPOSALS, POWER or EGOS this is about the LIVES of our children and the Quality of life of our people! We have all talked the talk, it is time to walk the walk! Our very future is at stake, we have not "overcome”, we have not even "hit the bottom" there is still plenty of room to fall. It is getting worse and will continue to do so unless we get serious and organized to effect the root causes of the violence.
If we do not take personal
responsibility right now, it will not be done.
No
one is coming to save us,
we are the ones that we have been waiting for.
If you are tired of the direction that our community is headed, time to put up or shut up.
--Paradise Gray of OneHood
The previous articles are reprinted from the OneHood website – www.myspace.org/onehood. These articles originally appeared in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review and the New Pittsburgh Courier
Homewood Residents March
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribunereview/news/cityregion/s_506541.html
Tehron Long, a 13-year-old resident of Homewood, said Monday night that he's afraid to walk the streets of his neighborhood, a community long plagued by black-on-black violence.
"I think it's bad for our young people. We got drive-by shootings while there are little babies on the street," Long said at an emergency meeting of community leaders and activists to help stop the violence.
"If people start calling each other 'brother,' maybe the African-American culture will turn around. People need to stop selling dope and buying guns. I think the president should close down all the gun stores," Long said before a Community Unity Walk through the streets.
A similar walk was held Saturday, less than 24 hours before three people were shot and critically wounded near the intersection of Sterrett and Idlewild streets while worship services were in progress.
"It's getting worse and will continue to do so unless we get serious and organized to effect the root causes of the violence," said Paradise Gray, a founder of One HOOD, a coalition of black men dedicated to showing young blacks that there are alternatives to the violence.
"We are not frustrated. We are not tired. We have God on our side. We will not be defeated. We are going to outlast the violence," Gray said to the cheers of several dozen people who gathered outside the Homewood-Brushton YMCA on Bennett Street.
"A lot of young brothers and sisters lack guidance," said Jasiri X, minister of Muhammad Mosque No. 22. "If boys are running the street, it's because of the absence of men. They need love. No one is going to save Homewood. We have to do it ourselves."
"(The violence) did not start yesterday. This will not stop tomorrow," said Tim Stevens, chairman of the Black Political Empowerment Project, which is trying to develop strategies to put an end to the violence. "Our families must do our part. We have to instill values in our children," he said.
Rick Adams, of the Western Pennsylvania Black Political Assembly, said political leaders need to put the same time, effort and money into solving the problem that they did to build sports arenas and stadiums.
"A lot of people glorify that person who was shot, stabbed or (sent) to jail," said Garriton Jones, 28, of Homestead, who said he has experienced all three. Jones, who is Gray's cousin, said he is using his experiences to be a positive role model to his children. He urged educators to use men similar to himself who can acknowledge their mistakes and help young people learn from them. Hoping to bring light to the urgency of the matter, the Anti-Violence Initiative of One HOOD and B-PEP called an emergency meeting at Homewood YMCA to discuss ways to abate the violence. While no easy answers were offered, the ideas of economic empowerment, improved education, more parental involvement and cooperation among neighbors were touted most among residents.
It's got to stop'...Shootings spark action
plan
http://newpittsburghcourieronline.com/articlelive/articles/37742/1/Its-got-to-stopShootings-spark-action-plan/Page1.html
Coming off of multiple shootings on Sunday morning, Homewood
residents and community leaders met Monday evening determined to address the
crisis. "Now, it's almost like we expect it," said Homewood resident Nikki
Long. "It used to happen far and in between and now it's just getting closer and
closer. It's got to stop because innocent people are getting dragged into the
drama. It has to end somewhere."
"We just recently did a (neighborhood) walk and less than 18
hours later and a couple of people got shot. It's like, for what? I'm used to
doing something and seeing a change, so it's kind of awkward having a negative
outcome," said 14-year-old Michael Turner, a Homewood resident and member of One
HOOD. "But we've got to continue doing what we're doing and force the change
upon people because so far, as you see, they're not welcoming it easily." "We
need more positive education in the schools. How much Black education is
actually taught to our children about their own people?" asked Yvonne Morris, a
Homewood resident who lost her nephew, Darrel Spencer, to gun violence in 2001.
"That, with maybe an assembly to find out what's going on, what's needed, what
do (students) want?"
"When you say you want to do different things to have people
come to after school programs, hire people who've been in those situations—stop
hiring people who are interns at school," said Garriton Jones of Homewood. "You
have to get more of these people that are really involved in what's going on to
be here. You can't talk about it because a lot of you people (aren't) around so
you really don't know what's going on."
Hoping to provide more concrete solutions, Tim Stevens of B-PEP
announced the Anti-Violence Initiative's strategy to help the community better
utilize existing programs by listing entities and their services.
The Initiative also unveiled preliminary plans for an "implementation strategy"
to quell violence. The strategy is expected to list specific roles and
responsibilities for the education system, corporations, government entities,
police officers, family, clergy, media, and the youth themselves. Although
Stevens did not say when he expected the strategy to be complete, he guaranteed
that it would be released to the public as soon as all necessary details were
addressed. "We will not leave the table until we have this document done.
We're reviewing something the community put together in 1995," said Stevens.
"Let's review it, let's improve it. We will put this in a written form and ask
those in the power system and those who are just community citizens (to) take
your page and move on it.
"We cannot come back another 10 years from now and say let's have
some meetings. We want action out of this process."
---ettader’s note {Along with the neighborhood walks, OneHood is putting together a resource guide of anti-violence organizations and holding weekly meetings for folks to come together to talk and strategize about ending the violence. The co-founders of OneHood consist of men from all different backgrounds including Christian and Muslim, united for a common cause – to spread love grass roots style, and to stop street violence. The members are working overtime, always on the move speaking at community centers around the city, schools, and conferences. At a workshop OneHood presented during a restorative justice conference in April, members explained that another thing that brought them all together was the fact that they all worked with youth. Minister’s introduced themselves through hip hop. Recently OneHood hosted the 'Make Hip-Hop Not War' tour.
Make Hip Hop Not War
(Following from New Pittsburgh Courier
Article) With the harsh glare fixed on hip-hop casting a negative light on the
hip-hop music genre (and lifestyle) due to the backwash of the "nappy-headed
hos" controversy, the "Make Hip-Hop Not War" national tour was not only timely,
but it was opportune. The local effort is a reflection of what's going on in the
tour nationwide. Spokesperson Liz Havstad says, "This tour has emerged as a
major moment for the peace movement. The disproportionate impact of war and war
spending on communities of color will be at theme of the tour in an attempt to
make it a central discussion within the peace movement and among legislators."
The tour is the result of a coalition between three main national organizations:
Hip-Hop Caucus, Iraq Veterans Against the War and National Youth and Student
Peace Coalition as well as many alliances with regional organizations. All
participating groups are very passionate about the making the voices of
opponents to the war in Iraq heard loud and clear.
Gray, a North Side businessman and owner of The Unda'Ground Lounge explains,
"Every Black person and especially Black youth need to stand against this war.
Death is death no matter if it is on the streets of Homewood or on the streets
of Baghdad. It's a shame that our most well-trained Black men are in Iraq
fighting and dying while we need them here to help protect and build up our
communities." Reverend Yearwood, president of the Hip-Hop Caucus,
adds, "To end this war we have to bring new energy and new voices to the
forefront. The "Make Hip-Hop Not War" tour will begin to show the true political
power of our hip-hop communities and of our young people. It is time for young
African-American and Latino leaders in this country to establish a stronger,
more unified voice in the movement to end the war in Iraq."
Hold Up, Wait a Minute! It Ain’t ‘Bout Hip-Hop!
“One of the greatest roles ever created by Western man has been the role of Negro. One of the greatest actors to play this role has been the nigger.” – Henry Dumas
So Don Imus got sacked. The grumpy old man who personified the “angry white male” finally got what his hand, or rather his mouth, called for. His racist and sexist comments about the women athletes of Rutgers University did not go unchecked despite an intensive “spin” campaign by many of his media colleagues and right wing conservative commentators who wanted to re-direct the focus away from Don Imus’ racist and sexist comments to some of the language that is utilized in Hip Hop and incredibly, I’m ashamed to say, it almost worked. Talk shows paraded an endless line of Black commentators who started to parrot that Black people can’t get upset at Don Imus’ comments when we refer to ourselves and our women in degrading language in Hip Hop through the use of the term “bitches” and “hos” to describe our women and the use of the word “niggah” to define each other. Let it be clear there is no moral equivalence between Imus’ visceral racist and sexist comments and the use of degrading words towards Black women and men by ignorant or profit driven Hip Hop artists. Had Imus perceived the women of Rutgers University basketball team as simply rough looking women he could have easily described them as rough looking women, instead he used terms which carried racial hostility and animus and demonstrated a dislike of both black women and strong women in general.
Don Imus’ racist and sexist comments came from an ingrained sense of white superiority and black inferiority. Like Michael Richards’ (Kramer of “Seinfeld”) racist tirade in a comedy club last year, Don Imus’ comments were visceral and deeply held beliefs. This was not the first time Imus has used a racist term when referring to Black people. These comments were uttered from the same region of the soul that was responsible for hanging Blacks from trees down south and turning loose rabid dogs and racist mobs on Black people marching and struggling to be recognized as humans. A century ago, Don Imus could have conceivably been at the head of a lynch mob terrorizing Black communities or addressing a gathering of the KKK in a southern field at night with an illuminated cross burning in the background.
The use of “bitches,” “hos” and “nigga” in Hip Hop is another matter and one in which I am also opposed to. However, the history behind the use of these terms does not carry the visceral history that accompanied the comments of Imus. These terms, while degrading to men and women of conscious, are used by ignorant entertainers who are driven by profit. As modern day poets, troubadours and street prophets many of them are speaking the language of the streets and for better or worse, this is the terminology the streets are speaking. While there are some who find affection in calling each other “niggas” I am not one of them and I am opposed to its use as well as addressing women of any color in a derogatory way. As a “brotha off the block” I’ll admit I occasionally slip up and use the term particularly when discussing blacks I believe are sell outs and ventriloquists for white corporate America, but I have made a conscious decision to eliminate those words from my vocabulary because they are insulting and degrading to our people. The only way to eliminate these terms is through education and instilling self-respect in the youth. We cannot legislate or protest these terms out of existence. The rappers and entertainers who use their self-degrading terms are only ignorant “actors” laying out “roles” assigned to them by the same type of people, institutions and mindsets that created Don Imus. They are the puppets and one should not attack the puppets to only lose sight of the “puppet masters.”
After Imus was sacked, members of CBS Corporation and other media commentators called for a campaign against degrading language in the Hip Hop community. Out of the woodwork opportunists are lining up to take shots at the Hip Hop community through boycotts, protests and intimidation tactics. Kind of ironic that CBS Corporation and its paid ventriloquists didn’t take on the Mega-Music companies that are responsible for promoting much of the shallow Hip Hop that is dominating the airwaves. It is corporate music companies that are the reason “bling bling” and black women in thongs is dominating the Hip Hop biz. Who would they rather have on the airwaves: idiots extolling materialism or “Dead Prez” and Talib Kweli rapping about revolution, ending poverty, redistributing the wealth, freeing political prisoners, tearing down the prison walls, ending police brutality, empowering the youth and women, bringing the troops home from Iraq, building a better educational system, free health care, access to jobs, ending racism, sexism, oppression and painting the White House Black, etc.? These are the real issues. The real issue ain’t Hip Hop. Corporate America ain’t going to cut its own hand off, especially not for the sake of Black folks.
The attention being focused on Hip Hop in the aftermath of Imus’ firing is a diversion from the real issue and a “get back” campaign by right wing conservatives who want us wasting our time fighting Hip Hop and each other instead of fighting the mindset and institutions that enabled Don Imus to remain a fixture of the airwaves in America for over 30 years. That’s the real issue, the issue we should be fighting and challenging. Not the Hip Hop community. Don’t fall for the diversion or – in the words of the street commentator, Chuck D – don’t believe the hype!