The House Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection began its unprecedented Congressional hearing on hip hop this morning. Deemed "From Imus to Industry: The Business of Stereotypes and Degrading Images," the hearing was scheduled to draw a witness list of music industry execs - including Viacom CEO Philippe Dauman and Universal CEO Doug Morris - and hip hop representatives, including Master P, David Banner, and Georgetown scholar Michael Eric Dyson. Faye Williams, PhD, Chair of the National Congress of Black Women, was also set to attend.
The hearing was spearheaded by Subcommittee Chairman Bobby L. Rush (D-IL), to examine and target "stereotypes and degradation" of women - black women in particular - in the media. The main topic is misogyny in hip hop. "
"I want to engage not just the music industry but the entertainment industry at large to be part of a solution," Rep. Rush told Variety. "I want to look at not only the problem caused by misogynistic content in some hip-hop music but also some of the pain that emanates from this degradation."
Enough is Enough, a national group campaigning for "Corporate Responsibility in Entertainment," held a rally outside the hearings this morning. For two weeks, the group, led by Rev. Delman L. Coates, Ph.D., has held peaceful demonstrations outside the home of BET CEO Debra Lee.
Both Rush and Master P have emphasized they are not trying to attack freedom of speech. Instead, they wish to convince corporations and artists to behave more responsibly for the images and messages they produce. "I respect the First Amendment," Rush told Variety, "but rights without responsibility is anarchy, and that's much of what we have now."
Keep VIBE locked for on-location reports from the rally and hearings.
del.icio.us
digg
Furl
Reddit
YahooMyWeb
Comments
1.
miamipipeline.com says:
Ms. L, thanks for your comment. I wish more people would be able to hear your point of view. Bobby Rush and others who say they are not attacking freedom of speech are doing exactly what they are denying or else they would have no need to deny it. These politicians want to keep people stupid because they feel we can't handle certain truths. Hip-Hop music puts everything out for all to examine and like Jesus Christ of the Bible said.."let those who have an ear hear". What the politicians really are afraid of is Judgment!!!!
October 14, 2007 at 5:17 pm
2.
Enough Really Is Enough says:
OPEN LETTER TO REVEREND DELMAN COATES REGARDING THE ENOUGH IS ENOUGH MEDIA CAMPAIGN
Rev. Delman Coates
4215 Steeds Grant Way
Fort Washington, MD 20744
------------------------------------
Mt. Ennon Baptist Church
9832 Piscataway Road
Clinton, MD 20735
pastorcoates@mtennon.org
Pastor Coates,
In light of the dual position you have assumed as Pastor and Activist, I am compelled to write and share a few things from the perspective of someone who sits in your congregation weekly. I agree with you and believe that we certainly should hold fast to our morals and stand for what is right at all times, but your stance on having zero tolerance is not scriptural and is really a self-righteous perspective. You may say you are proclaiming zero tolerance for a depiction, belief or even an action – but your rallying is directed at a person. If God had zero tolerance for anything, you, I and many others would have been wiped off this planet long ago. Some of us have been so deep in foolishness until we would have been wiped off TWICE! God has ordered us to love and have compassion towards one another and win the lost - not have zero tolerance. You cannot manipulate and flip the scriptures to accommodate and/or justify your vendetta, goals or desire to be the ‘kill hip hop and BET’ poster child.
The cancerous fanatical obsession that you now have for media conglomerates and leaders is beyond reason – and it is obvious that this matter exceeds a Pastoral concern or point of view. As a member of your church, we are uneasy of your leadership from the pulpit. It is sad that lately on Sundays you preach more about RadioOne, the FCC and BET more than you do about G-O-D! What has happened??!! Anytime you can get caught up and start whooping in the pulpit as you talk about your meeting with the FCC, something has gone haywire and the wires need to be checked (listen to the attached file). Why not fuel this campaign with those individuals and organizations that are like-minded? Why prostitute the church? It should be obvious that you are mixing oil with water when each Sunday you are preaching at a church that gathers 2,000 members a week – and then only 9 people follow the leader and show up to support your rally outside of BET’s Congressional Black Caucus Reception.
Our church is (or was) a spring of living water, and now we are being used as fuel. I am hurt and just really ticked off at who we have become. Pastor, before you joined us a few years ago, a legacy was put into building Mt Ennon. Now, all that we have worked for years to build up is being prostituted and we are in the public’s eye as being hypocritic fools.
I am not a fan of Radio One, BET, Universal or Warner Music, nor am I a fan of violent Hip Hop or videos that include profanity or too much skin. It is simply not my preference; but there is no need to provoke a moment on the cameras and in the papers because it is deemed offensive and not my preference. I can easily turn the station - radio or tv. We don’t call a protest if a restaurant sells bad food or if a store sells suggestive clothing for young girls to wear. What would make sense is that you simply choose not to patronize or engage in business there. In other words, turn the 'channel.' It's not that deep. So in this instance, why is there such a passion to publicly attempt to stab your own people and lead a revolt against one of America's most successful African American women? Two words - Media Coverage. We are so out of order and have crossed boundaries beyond measure by taking this matter to Debra Lee's home. It is wrong. Who are we as a church to hold signs and raise voices in HER neighborhood that basically translate into ‘Crucify Her!?" As a Christian African American Woman, I find this such a violation on the part of the Church. We're not successful or even effective in this whole rally process; we have only been labeled a professional and embarrasing annoyance! No prayer and extremely poor judgment went into planning these rallies.
As a church, too many of us at Mt. Ennon are NOT going to sacrifice Saturday after Saturday to ridiculously march at someone’s residence. The ones that actually attend are doing so because of the fascination with it being "BET" related and then others are just loyal to you - not to the cause. Especially since everyone is gathering at the church to assemble for these rallies, that time should be used to tutor children, enjoy quality family time, study God’s word, or even come up with a proposal to better our society. That money can be used to feed the homeless on Saturday or visit nursing homes. Instead, we are wasting resources on buses, and money going to signs and T-shirts. We are wasting precious time that we cannot recover by going to a residence where probably no one is even home to hear our played out weak repetitive chants. Why drag an innocent congregation through this foolishness? We are kicking and screaming trying to tell you Enough Really Is Enough! You should either work the pulpit or give it up - and based on what we are seeing, you have given it up.
Pastor, people come to church on Sunday because the Word is supposed to preach good news to the poor, bind up the brokenhearted, set the captives free and release prisoners from darkness. You have about 45 minutes to deliver someone from despair and make someone's life easier by giving them Jesus. You have no more than 45 minutes to keep someone from committing suicide, to help them make the right choices, to keep someone from getting a divorce, to keep someone from holding hate in their heart, to keep someone from giving up because they don't know if God is really there. Instead, the 45 minutes you are allowed is abused and being used to try and religiously support and fuel a campaign. At the end of service, most Pastors ask their members to stand to receive blessings in the benediction; but you have had the audacity to send us out with your final words being “Go to www.enoughisenoughcampaign.com and watch the ‘Read A Book’ video.’ Surely, the church, OUR church is in trouble.
It is apparent that your focus is off from directing the sheep and it is obvious that there is a vendetta. What else would have you leave your family at night and parade for hours in front of a restaurant (that you are not invite into) with only 9 faithful foolish people to picket BET's constructive and very successful reception for the Congressional Black Caucus? It is embarrassing and I believe in God’s eyes for some, even dangerous. I sure hope the rapture does not come while you and your few are outside hollering “Enough is Enough”
Pastor, we know you are enjoying the press (hence you have a page on your site dedicated solely to nothing but you in the press), but somehow you failed to include the story from the Washington Post that blew the whistle and shed light on your involvement with the sketchy mismanagement and spending of funds from the National Harbor (Prince George's County's biggest project).
At this point I believe Mt. Ennon owes Debra Lee, the woman, a big apology for the self righteousness displayed and the mockery we have made as alleged Christians.
Selah
Enough Really Is Enough!
Sincerely,
"Ms. L"
Maryland
A Mt. Ennon Congregant
October 5, 2007 at 8:56 pm
3.
BARISIMO.BIZ says:
RAP IS HERE FOREVER!!!
September 25, 2007 at 6:49 pm
4.
GlobalGrind says:
"No time to surf the web? On Sept. 26, let Global Grind bring the web to you all on one page. Put your favorite blogs, social network, news sites, video feeds, photos and any RSS feed on one customizable page. Your comments, ratings and usage patterns guide the editorial focus each time you visit the site. The more you use the site the better it becomes at recommending content to you. Global Grind is Your Web Filtered Fresh.
http://www.globalgrind.com
Launching Sept 26 "
September 25, 2007 at 4:19 pm