January 10, 2008

Enough Is Enough Campaign Protests BET Honor Awards

Jan 12th Update - The show goes on. Here is an article that summarizes the BET Honors Award show. The protest did take place, however, the show was still taped.

Jan 10th Update - Click here to read about WAOD call for action against the corporate sponsors that fund BET.com and their foolishness that exploits our Black women.



Since mid-September 2007, the Enough is Enough Campaign has demonstrated each Saturday outside the Washington, DC residence of Debra Lee and the New York City home of Viacom CEO, Philippe Dauman.

Drumbeats from WAOD informed us that hundreds have agreed to protest peacefully yet persuasively outside the Warner Theater where the BET Honors award show is scheduled to be taped on Saturday, January 12, 2008 @ 7:00 p.m. EDT. The protest rally starts at 6:00 p.m. with assemblies on the corners of 13th and E Street and 13th and F Street N.W.

Enough is Enough Campaign supporters regard the BET Honors as a red herring – an attempt to mask the offensive musical content that is being aired on BET Networks by spotlighting the achievements of prominent African Americans. In a December 17, 2007 Washington Post article entitled, "Positively Honored", BET Networks CEO, Debra Lee, said, "People are clamoring all the time for positive images."



In point of fact, what the Enough Is Enough Campaign and others have been clamoring for is for BET to address the negative music video images and messages that degrade women and glorify violence and criminal activity. In a September 12, 2007 letter to Rev. Coates, Ms. Lee stated that BET does not air programming or music videos that endorse or condone illegal drugs, gratuitous violence, or contain graphic or excessive sexual activity.

Despite these written guidelines, BET continues to air music video content that does not conform to these guidelines on video shows geared towards youth and teens. Enough is Enough Campaign Organizer, Rev. Delman L. Coates, said that BET can best honor Black History Month by removing those videos that do not conform to BET’s own programming guidelines.

Citizens, students, Villagers and activists are encouraged to come out and let their voices be heard at the Saturday, January 12th protest outside the Warner Theater. For more information you can reach by Enough Is Enough folks via their website or email.

25 comments:

Miriam said...

drumbeats! very nice! I got to your blog from Mes Deux Cent. Where can I get info about the rank, I'd like to know where I rank. lol

Thanks.

PurpleZoe said...

Fantastic work by Enough is Enough.
I had no idea they were holding these protests every Saturday. I'm in awe of their perseverance.
I'll be blogging about this when I log into post entries next.
Thanks for the heads up.

Much Respect.

PZ~~~~~*

Mz.Bria2U said...

Villager, is there a badge us bloggers can post on our blogs??

thanks and Tara Smith (knows u outside of the afrosphere) told me to give u her love.

Liz Dwyer said...

The idea of a badge is a great idea. It might be interesting to ask black bloggers that can't attend to post about this and then tag the post with the same thing. and about why they won't be

Unknown said...

Miriam - I post the Black Blog Rankings on the first day of each month. Two of your blogs have been added to the BBR.

1. Live From Israel is BBR #216

2. Black Fire, White Fire is BBR #279

Unknown said...

Purple Zoe - The power of our drumbeats ... from one village to another. I hope that your readers find the information useful.

Bria - Tara was a client for a minute when she was in Cincinnati running a Black advocacy group. She is in Detroit now doing some good work. As for a badge ... do you mean one for the Enough is Enough campaign?

Unknown said...

Liz - I'm not aware of a badge. Is it something that you can create for us?

Blu Jewel said...

It's a shame that BET conintues to promote the negative and harmful images through music and television. I gave up watching BET years ago as I found the station to be less than entertaining and gave me nothing to stimulate my mind/intellect.

I commend those who are able to protest BET's programming.

Shelia said...

I'm glad to see that large sects of the community are not playing with BET any longer and want them to clean up their act. It really is unfortunate that BET hasn't responded in any positive form to these complaints. Perhaps this will shake them up a bit. I'm impressed.

Unknown said...

Shelia & Blu Jewel - BET is part of the basic channels that I get ... and it is located directly next to USANetwork, ESPN and such ... which means I frequently pass by it when I channel surf. I'm struck by the fact tht BET rarely, if ever, has anything worth watching at all.

BET was such a good show back in the day...

Miriam said...

yay! Thanks so much!

Liz Dwyer said...

I wish I had the html know-how to create something. I'm working on learning html to that level but not there yet. You have badges on your site, like your "Thinking Blogger" award is a "badge".

Maybe I'll experiment and see if I can modify something I already have.

Unknown said...

Liz - Those 'badges' were awarded to me by others. I didn't create them. Perhaps one of the others reading this thread will reach out to provide assistance with your idea.

peace, Villager

Mz.Bria2U said...

@Villager, sorry for not clarifying..yes 'enough is enough' badges. I do have a banner that says "ban bet" at the bottom of my page..but it's too big to put in my sidebar.

Interesting about Tara...she's in my neck of the woods, and I didn't know it???? goodness...small world indeed.

Anonymous said...

I am tired of Hollywood altogether. What happened to morals and image in entertainment. I was just blogging about Phylicia Rashad and how poised and elegant she was (and still is). I miss that...It's getting harder and harder to find positive things to blog about, I feel like I am constantly questioning the choices made in Hollywood.

Unknown said...

Mrs. Grapevine - It may be difficult to find the positive stories in Hollywood or in the entertainment industry ... but, they are there ... as you discovered with your post on Ms. Rashad. Don't give up....

Eddie G. Griffin said...

And the beat goes on. Don't forget the parent company of BET. Viacom persists.

Unknown said...

Eddie - Methinks that the Enough is Enough Campaign is picketing regularly in front of the home of the Viacom CEO...

msladyDeborah said...

I am anxious to see what impact this is going to have on BET. The other media will be present to report on what happens. Hopefully they will give the protest air time.

Unknown said...

Lady Deborah - I will be on NPR News & Notes Blogger Roundtable later today (1/9/08). One of the topics is the Enough Is Enough campaign. Should be interesting...

msladyDeborah said...

Excellent!

I will be listening.

Anonymous said...

Enough IS Enough!! It's ABOUT TIME!!

Unknown said...

Jon - I wonder if there are ways that those of us who do not live in the New York or Washington DC area can support the Enough Is Enough campaign?

SheCodes said...

Villager,

I will be posting about how we can help Enough is Enough shortly. I went to see one of their rallies myself in NYC... check my blog for video of it.

http://www.blackwomenvote.com

Anonymous said...

http://www.nationalexpositor.com/News/898.html

Ron Paul will pardon all blacks in prison for victimless crimes.