Faith in Action

Last week which began on Wednesday for me started with a visit to a local transitional organization I support called Caring Through The Spiritual Eye, Inc.  The organization was started by Shirell Tyner who by the grace of God overcame drug use and incarceration to start this organization - while in prison - to support women in recovery. 

From there I was supposed to go to Community College of Baltimore County (CCBC) to hear Dr. Michael Eric Dyson speak about his book on the Hurricane Katrina tragedy called Come Hell or High Water, but I think that he - and Bill Cosby - may have lost their minds.  Dyson because he published one of the weakest arguments that I’ve read to date opposing Dr. Delman Coates and the Enough is Enough Campaign.  His position wreaks of personal allegiance to Debra Lee (you have noticed an increase of his appearances on BET haven’t you?) and attempts to distract readers from the central issue at stake - corporate responsibility in American media.  Cosby because his latest book Come on People bares his behind and exposes him for the well meaning, yet disconnected elitist that he has become - Come on Bill! - if you gotta problem with poor Blacks, challenge institutional racism, help to finance the creation of institutions in the ‘hood AND lovingly teach the least among us to do their share to resist their own oppressive conditions.  Don’t just beat people over the head with the negative stats, facts, and figures, that we’ve heard over and over again.  Well, as you may have guessed by now - I passed on the opportunity to hear the rhetorical revolutionary whoo the crowd with his loquacious oratorical presentation and verbose verbage devoid of any sincere and/or strategic solutions for systemic change. (Didn’t know I could speak Dyson did you?)

So that night - Wednesday night that is - I spoke at the NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet after marching for 3 1/2 hours in the March for Jobs and Education organized by the Baltimore Algebra Project, as previously mentioned.  I didn’t have a chance to change so I walked into the banquet damp with the wet of hard-earned “justice sweat.”  I kept my stickers and pins on my jacket and put a “No Education No Life” t-shirt on over my clergy collar. I thought the ”banqueteers” would enjoy visual encouragement to do less meeting, greeting, and eating and do more bleeding, sweating, and serving.  I was right. 

While at the march I ran into so many people who I have come to know as comrades in the struggle. 

Freedom Writer was there in support of the students.  FW, pictured above with his son, is 1/2 of the dynamic duo, Precise Science, who spit conscious Hip Hop designed to educate Afrikan people.  It’s been a year since I blogged about them.  I’m glad to see they’re still doing their thing.

Another comrade that went hard for the full 3 1/2 hours was Rip The Ruler (left).  Rip chanted at the top of his lungs the whole time, urging passing motorists to honk in support of the students.

“WE DON’T WANT NO PITY, WE WANT FUNDING FOR OUR CITY!”

And that was just Wednesday my friends.

This past Tuesday night I attended an event at the 5 Seasons (Guilford Ave.) that was billed as a Townhall Forum for Baltimore’s Hip Hop community (Teens and Young Adults). C Love (pictured above with her “right hand man”, Ike) moderated the discussion.  The aim of the night as I perceived it was to organize this powerful and passionate community behind shared objectives - the main one being challenging WERQ 92.3FM - currently the biggest Hip Hop“Hip Pop” mouthpiece in town.  Talks of protest and marching was heard throughout the night - the kind of stuff that always perks my ears.  But in addition, more nuanced and “sophisticated” strategies were discussed like organizing money and coming to the negotiating table not with a beggar’s mentality, but with big bargaining chips.

Not only was Hip Hop issues discussed, but other community groups like Baltimore Algebra Project and Baltimore Education Network were welcomed to the mic as well to speak to issues important to them. Even, Brandon Scott, a representative from City Council President, Stephanie Rawlings-Blake’s office was welcomed to the mic.

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At a recent congressional hearing, artists and other concerned parties were invited to testify about the state of Hip Hop.  Most notably David Banner and Master P spoke on the second panel.  Below you’ll find both of their testimonies from the hearing.  Interestingly enough, the Enough is Enough Campaign was outside the building protesting the continued broadcast of demeaning, disrespectful, and objectifying lyrics that are played 24/7/365 on urban radio stations across the country. 

Here is David Banner’s testimony:

Here is Master P’s testimony:

Who do you think makes the most compelling argument? What are your views about Hip Hop today? And if you have problems with it, how are you committed to changing it?

While driving to work one day this week, I happened to turn on the radio and came across a song that was simultaneously playing on both WERQ 92.3FM and WKYS 93.9FM.  I was immediately disturbed by the lyrics of the chorus and further disgusted by the verses.  The song was “Freaky Girl” by an artist called Gucci Mane.  Here’s the chorus which was repeated over and over in the song: 

“She A Very Freaky Girl  / Dont Bring Her To Mamma
First You Get Her Name / Then You Get Her Number
Then You Get Some Brain (oral sex) In The Front Seat Of
The Hummer

Then You Get Some Brain (oral sex) In The Front
Seat Of The Hummer”

I have ceased to be amazed at how low corporate-backed mainstream media will go to demean, disrespect, stereotype, and objectify African people (especially women of African descent) in the name of profiteering.  Further, I am convinced that no other people group on the planet would allow such dehumanization to go unchecked and unchallenged.  I think we have much to do in the way of strategically combating this media injustice which I’m sure all of us have similar feelings about.  I think the IMUS situation really shed light on one way in which corporate media can be held accountable for its support of such disturbing lyrics and images. (The sisters of Spelman College chose another way to hold the “artist” - Nelly - accountable back in 2004)

I wanted to bring your attention to another way that a dear brother of mine is pressuring mainstream media - and in this case BET - to produce quality content devoid of demeaning images/messages.  Dr. Delman Coates, pastor of Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, has mobilized his church on this issue.  He has convened a coalition of organizations called “Enough is Enough” and has begun protesting outside the home of Debra Lee - CEO of BET Networks.  Dr. Coates has committed to leading protests outside the home of Debra Lee every Saturday until BET agrees to a clearly defined set of goals as outlined on the “Enough is Enough” website.  In the short time that the protests have begun; Dr. Coates has received tremendous support from other organizations, churches, and community leaders.  Last week, 6 charter buses pulled up in front of Debra Lee’s house filled with people ready to rally and protest.  This past Saturday, September 22, 2007 - 7 buses pulledup out front Debra Lee’s home.  I had meetings all morning Saturday, but I sped down to DC and arrived just in time to catch the last 10 minutes of the rally.  (A priceless 10 minutes considering that I got the chance to meet and interview Dick Gregory who also is a supporter of this campaign. )

Check out the pics at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hb3/

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My brother, Dr. Delman Coates from the Mt. Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, MD, just informed me about the wonderful success that the Enough is Enough Campaign is experiencing already in regard to their efforts to influence what is broadcast on Black Entertainment Television. The demeaning, disrespectful, and derogatory videos are well known. It’s time that African Americans do something substantive to address this issue.

Please visit the website of the Enough is Enough Campaign and consider how you can support their efforts. For those in the PG/DC/Baltimore Metro area, please consider attending the Saturday rallies there OR think about extending the campaign to where you live. We’ve got to put the pressure on multiple places in this pipe if we’re going to bust it up.

Councilwoman Helen Holton has introduced a resolution in the Baltimore City Council that would encourage dialogue around the issue of youth wearing sagging pants that sometimes reveals their underwear or worse. 

Resolution 07-0329R seeks constructive dialogue on this issue by asking the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office, the Police Commissioner, Dept. of Recreation and Parks, and the Baltimore City Youth Commission to provide reports on this issue on October 20, 2007.  At that time, the public will be invited to share their opinions on this as well.

As this Examiner article reports, other cities like Atlanta, Trenton, New Jersey and Delcambre, Louisiana are attempting to address this issue with legislation as well.  So far, the punishments for wearing your pants in this way ranges from a fine and meeting with a life development professional all the way up to 6 months in jail.

As Baltimore will soon be engaging this issue in the public policy arena, I’m curious to know what you think about it.  Should elected officials submit legislation to ban this behavior?  If so, what should the punishment be?  If not, who should address this issue? Finally, with all of the other issues going on in the world, is this issue even worth the general public’s time? 

500 Gather at Executive’s D.C. Home to Protest Stereotypes

 By Marissa Newhall / Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 16, 2007; Page C03

More than 500 people demonstrated peacefully outside the Northwest Washington home of Debra Lee, Black Entertainment Television’s chief executive, yesterday afternoon, demanding that the network stop airing what they call demeaning and offensive portrayals of African Americans.

Led by the Rev. Delman L. Coates of Mount Ennon Baptist Church in Clinton, members of the Enough Is Enough Campaign said they will return every weekend until Lee addresses their grievances.

Lee was not home yesterday but said in a telephone interview she was disappointed that several attempts last week to arrange a meeting with the group had failed. Also, in a letter, she said BET plans to launch 16 “balanced” shows by year’s end.

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I’ll be a panelist at this event.  Click the graphic for a larger view.  I hope to see you there.

In the latest CityPaper you’ll see an article about my brother, Eze Jackson and Soul Cannon.  They’re finally getting the type of recognition that they deserve.

Eze is the TRUTH like Lebron in the 4th quarter or Tyson in his prime.  He is a true MC who understands and lives authentic Hip Hop inclusive of an uncompromising commitment to his community. 

I’ve been following his music for years now.  While starting out as a solo MC;  Eze joined with a few others to create the group Soul Cannon.  They just released their demo project: Soul Cannon EP. My favorite song off of the new project is “What’s Real“.  Over dancing keyboard chords and a hard baseline, Eze proclaims with divine confidence: “Whether its now or later it don’t matter to me/Ain’t a devil in HELL badder than me!”

I wouldn’t necessarily call Soul Cannon a “local group” because their message is global.  I’m just blessed to know them and you’ll be blessed to support them now before they launch into the stratosphere.