Time for action?

Recently I wrote a post which in part said, that we in the African American community pretty much know what problems we face as a group. It seems that over the past few years we have spent a lot of time listing the problems we or at least a significant number of us face.

So since we are aware of the problems I feel it's up to us to Begin to identify solutions. Well I have an idea. It's one that I've mentioned several times on this blog.

This idea involves making an effort to deal with the demeaning and stereotypical images we see on Television and in particular on cable.

On Saturday I placed a poll on the blog asking if you would be willing to give up you cable for six months to protest the negative portrayals of African Americans. I chose six months as opposed to leaving it open ended for a couple of reasons.

First; I think if a vocal group of African Americans ( like bloggers) decide to cancel their cable, large news organizations will pick up on that story. And in order for the protest to work, it must garner attention.

Second; I think that when you are dealing with any sort of negotiations it's important to be reasonable. If the party you are dealing with thinks that negotiating will be futile, than you have defeated yourself. A six month protest is reasonable.

How would this work?

It's very simple, if a significant number of African American bloggers are willing and do cancel their cable TV service and then blog about it. That will get the attention of cable companies and by extension media outlets that own cable channels such as BET.

I believe that the cable operators will fear that the protest might spread to the general African American populace. That for them would be a nightmare scenario, so I believe at that point they would be open to talking about making changes.

One more thing; it does not matter if you don't watch BET or VH1, if you have cable some of your money goes to Viacom which owns BET and VH1.



What do you think? Do you think this would be effective? Would you participate?

Related post: Electronic Village - Enough Is Enough campaign Protests BET Honors Awards

5%

During the civil rights movement of the 1960's many African Americans did not want to rock the boat. Many thought not only that Malcolm X (El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz) was a loud mouth and wished he would shut up but thought the same of Martin Luther King,Jr.

Those people of the sixties who did not understand the need to fight for civil rights, today would be the people that embrace ghetto culture. They are the people who embrace rap music and the minstrel show that it has become.

So it would be imprudent for those of us who understand what must be done to better our lives to wait for the masses of people to get on board, they will never get on board. However they will benefit from the victories and changes that will happen.

Money Talks (And Bullshit Runs A Marathon)**

We also cannot expect corporate America to change for the sake of change. Those corporations that make their money destroying the images of African Americans will continue to do so until an economic impediment is put in their way.

For instance; to protest a company such as Viacom is a waste of time. Viacom will continue to exploit the images of Black people for as long as it is profitable to do so.

The job of those who choose to try to make a difference is to take the profit away.

Elaine Brown, Huey P. Newton, c1971

In this New Year, we must use new strategies to make change. We must finally let go of the protest methods of our grandparents and move fully into the new century.

Marches don't work anymore, no matter how many choose to march.

Asking people to simply do what is right will not work, some people either do not have a conscience or choose not to engage it.

In a capitalist nation like America the war must be fought with our wallets. We must put economic impediments in the way of anyone who chooses to attack us; whether it is an individual or a multi-national corporation.

We Are On The Clock

As 2008 begins we must acknowledge that only about 5% of us will not only understand that there is work to do but are willing to participate and make sacrifices.

At this point whatever the problems are that effect African America are known and have been recited over and over. We don't need to spend another year identifying problems.

We need to spend this year fighting the good fight. We know what needs to be done. It's time to act.


Do you agree? What do you think should be the first step?




**Quote from the film New Jack City.

Why I Decided To Blog

I've thought about blogging for quite some time. But for some reason I never took the step. I just kept putting the thought aside. Then over the last several months I began to read more blogs. I read them almost every day and over time those blogs inspired me.

Blogs like What About Our Daughters and Why Black Women Are Angry. Those particular blogs really impressed me. I have been continually amazed at What About Our Daughters has been able to do, by alerting all of us who read the blog to important issues. But I've been even more amazed at the accomplishments made. Just recently after derogatory comments by a supposed writer at XXL magazine's website about the woman who was brutally attacked at Dunbar village, What About Our Daughters contacted sponsors and alerted them. The result was several pulling their advertising!

The thing I really like about Why Black Women Are Angry are the words of inspiration. Like a post reminding us all not to give up no matter how bad things get.

I was also inspired by blogs such as Lisa C Writes, Home Girl and Los Angelista's Guide To The Pursuit Of Happiness. I enjoy reading their thoughts on various subjects. Like a post from Los Angelistia's Guide To Happiness about her experience standing in line at a post office. Or the braveness of the blogger TranGriot to post about her experiences as a Transgendered woman.

All in all these blogs and others have added to my life in very real ways. A while back when What About Our Daughters was protesting BET's Hot Ghetto Mess aka We Got To Do Better, for the first time in my life I wrote my Congressperson asking her to support ala cart cable. (Back when I had cable)

I'm not sure if anyone will actually even read my blog and if anyone does I certainly don't expect to inspire people the way other bloggers do on a daily basis. But I hope that my words will at least, sometimes, cause a few people to think.