Defending the First Amendment…For Everyone

IMUS: So, I watched the basketball game last night between — a little bit of Rutgers and Tennessee, the women’s final.

ROSENBERG: Yeah, Tennessee won last night — seventh championship for [Tennessee coach] Pat Summitt, I-Man. They beat Rutgers by 13 points.

IMUS: That’s some rough girls from Rutgers. Man, they got tattoos and –

McGUIRK: Some hard-core hos.

IMUS: That’s some nappy-headed hos there…

Within a week of these comments we Rutgers students flooded from buses toward a normally peaceful grassy knoll.   We stood in a massive semi-circle hoisting homemade signs in the air.  We raised our voices and pumped our fists in unison -protesting against racism and sexism.

A panel of speakers delivered impassioned speeches urging the student body to reject not only Imus’ statements, but all forms of racism and sexism in society.  Their words spread through the crowd like a strong breeze through a forest, lifting the heads and spirits of those that had been weighed down by Imus’ invective.

Tables lined the perimeter armed with the names, numbers, and addresses of the advertising companies that endorsed Imus.

We called.  We wrote.  We signed.  We made them accountable.

This controlled chaos, this organized moment of anarchy, was what I had waited for my entire college career.  Students, faculty, and administration of all genders, races, and ages joined together to fight this injustice.  Finally something mattered enough for us to shrug off the stereotypical apathy said to plague my generation – to gather together and make ourselves heard.

And heard we were.  Within the next week several of Imus’ advertising sponsors pulled their support from the on-air personality, fearing that too much of their core audience would link them to his deplorable remarks.  Following the televised protest he was suspended from the radio station, slapped with a lawsuit, and eventually forced to make an apology to the women’s basketball team.

During the months that this situation unfolded the words of passionate students, sympathetic editorials, and neutral news analysts flooded the Rutgers community. The First Amendment was under attack. Why was the government tolerating racist and sexist ideas?  Why couldn’t freedom of speech apply to just the “good” ideas?  Why couldn’t anyone just shut this guy up?

Let’s face it, the First Amendment is a dangerous and antagonistic concept.  It makes space for all ideas regardless of whether they are rooted in truth or falsehood.  Anyone with eyes, a mouth, or hands can announce their opinions to the world (much like this column) and very little recourse can be taken against them.  Or can it?  Despite the overwhelming desire to just shut a person up, it remains true that mere words – facts, information, debate – have more impact than a roll of duct tape ever will.

It is the protection of the right to express these ideas that improves the cultural conversation about the social politics of race, sex, religion, gender, tradition, and life.  So as frustrating and antagonistic and dangerous as it may seem, this amendment affords us the right to turn instances like the Imus debacle into teachable moments. Just as Imus was protected in expressing his prejudice, we were protected in rising up against it.

As a free and progressive society it is essential that we give all ideas, no matter how base or inflammatory, the opportunity to be expressed and challenged.  The amendment helps us question our core beliefs, search for our own definable truth, as well as dispel myths by seeking out the facts.  Unfortunately this process includes wading through the bigotry and prejudice of people like Don Imus.   Nevertheless you’ll also find that it provides you with rational thought, enlightenment, and intellect-based support for your thoughts.

The First Amendment may seem like a nuisance or a cheap soapbox for any “shock jock” looking for attention, but upon closer inspection you’ll see that it is so much more than that.  It’s a vehicle for enlightenment, a sound stage for justice, and often a creator of communities.

Psychologist Weighs In On Handling Holiday Separation

The holidays are traditionally a time for families to be together. That message is in the songs, the movies, and even displayed in storefront windows. What happens when your family is separated by more than distance but by the physical and psychological barriers imposed by incarceration? How then do you cope with the holidays?

We recently sat down with Dr. Harland Kessaris to talk about how to cope with the absence of a loved one during the holiday season and other questions asked by you. As a psychologist who specializes in re-entry of incarcerated individuals back into family and society, he was able to provide some insight into handling this potentially alienating time of year.

Dr. Kessaris stressed the importance of open communication between children, the incarcerated, and those caring for the children, “As much as you can you should include them [the incarcerated],” said Kessaris. “I think people need to be reminded, encouraged, and assisted in doing that.” For Kessari, the key is to make a sincere effort to connect personally.

Click here to listen to audio excerpts of the interview with Dr. Kessaris.

Racists React to Obama Victory

[Disclaimer:  This article was e-mailed to me in the hopes that we remember that although we have come a long way there is still a long way to go.  Hopefully the deplorable acts of a few will not spoil the progressive acts of the many]

By David Knowles
Nov 13th 2008 9:40AM

It should come as absolutely no surprise that, despite the historic election of the first African American president of the United States, the scourge of racism has not been magically wiped away from every nook and cranny of the country. Just dip your toes into the comment section of this, or any other blog that deals with politics and you’ll encounter plenty of it. Despite that regrettable fact, for those who lived through or have studied the milestones marking the advancement of blacks throughout our nation’s history, the seeming lack of racially-motivated clashes has been a noteworthy marker of how far we have come.

That said, just as many of us can feel proud of a country so enlightened that its majority can elect a minority to the highest office of the land, we must not shy away from the uncomfortable fact that a significant number of Americans dislike Obama based, first and foremost, on the color of his skin. By the way, that’s not the same as claiming that if you criticize Obama you are, by definition, a racist. I’m talking about that proud band of citizenry who’ll tell you openly of their disdain and fear of darker skin tones.

Now that the rush of excitement is starting to wane, a spate of media stories is shedding light on those people who wish history had not been made, would never be made, when it comes to black equality. So then, via Editor & Publisher, here’s a rogues round-up. An up-to-the-minute cataloging of that which we all know is out there, alive and well.

1. Yesterday, Tommy Christopher detailed the story of a bus load of Idaho elementary school tots chanting “Assassinate Obama! Assassinate Obama!”

2. In a suburb of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, a high school teacher’s aide berated a bi-racial 16-year-old Obama supporter, with the following predictions:

“…[the aide] said that Obama was going to be shot and killed,” Mara Gilligan told KDKA News. ” And that our flag is going to be the KFC [Kentucky Fried Chicken] flag and that the new national anthem will be ‘Moving On Up’–and that all my daughter’s beliefs were wrong and her children’s lives were going to be ruined because Obama was elected.”

3. The Associated Press reports several cars in Long Island, New York, vandalized with anti-Obama messages, including promises to kill the president-elect.

4. At North Carolina State University, four students face expulsion for spay painting the phrases, “Let’s shoot that (N-word) in the head” and “Hang Obama by a noose.”

5. In Texas, Baylor University students awoke the morning after Obama’s victory to find a noose hanging from a tree in front of Morrison Hall.

6. In Maine, several black figures were found hanging from nooses on Mount Desert Island the day after Obama won.

7. California vandals went on a spray painting binge in Torrance, targeting cars with Obama bumper stickers. On one house the words “Go Back to Africa” were inscribed.

8. Of course, we all know of the Tennessee skinhead plot to kill random African Americans, and, with a wing and a prayer, Obama himself.

9. In Pennsylvania’s Apolacon Township, situated in an area known for KKK activity, an interracial couple looked out their front window to find the remnants of a burned cross.

10. Two men in the ironically named Friendsville, Pennsylvania were arrested for “racial intimidation and trespassing.”

These are but ten incidents. Thankfully, none resulted in physical violence.

incARceraTion: Lives in Focus Holds First Art Competition

By Sandeep Junnarkar

Solitude (click image to enlarge)

People who have an incarcerated family member naturally cycle through a range of difficult emotions as the years slowly pass. Some express their sadness, anxiety and fear or hope for the future through art, music or poetry.

To honor that great artwork, Family Life behind Bars is launching its inaugural Annual Arts Celebration & Competition.You are invited to enter the artwork you have produced that reflects the emotions you are feeling during your loved one’s incarceration.

The winners will receive checks for the following amounts: The first prize winner will receive $200; the second prize winner will receive $100; and the third prize winner will receive $50.

All the submissions will be posted on Family Life behind Bars. In the first round of judging, visitors to the site will vote for their top five choices. The top five vote-getters will move to the second round of judging. In this second and final round, visitors to the site will vote for their top three choices.

Please spread the word about this arts competition to your friends and colleagues who might be interested. The competition is open to any and all ages since every family member–from infant to grandparent is affected by incarceration.

You may enter the following types of artwork:

* Paintings
* Tattoos (photos of tattoos NOT in OBVIOUSLY private places!)
* Artistic Photographs
* Written Poetry
* Spoken Word Poetry
* Graphic Art/Comics
* Music
* Performance Art Piece video (no more than five minutes)
* Short Video Film (no more than five minutes)

Please visit this site to enter the competition.

Time line for competition:

* December 1, 2008: Deadline to submit work.

* December 10-Jan. 10: First round voting.

* Jan. 15-Feb. 15: Second round of voting.

* Week of Feb. 23: Winners announced

Good luck!!

The terms: Family Life Behind Bars reserves the right to terminate or postpone the 2008 arts competition if there are not enough entries (a minimum of 20 people entering). So please spread the word about this arts competition to your friends and colleagues who might be interested.

Lives In Focus Project Gives Families of the Incarcerated Space

Lives in Focus is a project that uses video, audio, and photographs to present the voices and stories of those coping with loved ones being in prison.  The website (livesinfocus.org/prison) provides a space where families of the incarcerated can:

Connect with others going through similar situations and join our free social network
Watch our video blogs or express yourself and submit your own
Read the latest news articles on incarceration
Get info on upcoming events and workshops

The project also trains at-risk community youth in video and audio editing at the CUNY Graduate School of Journalism so they can tell their own story in their own style and learn valuable skills at the same time.  To find out more about the project or how to get involved visit the site.

Art Imitating Life: Tina Fey as Sarah Palin on SNL

The sexism that has completely consumed this election (on both sides of the campaign) is comically parodied by Saturday Night Live.  If nothing else maybe the mainstream media distributors can stand back and take a look at themselves in the mirror that the comedy sketch offers up.

Joe Biden Chosen as Obama’s VP

According to an article in the New York Times, Democratic Presidential Candidate Barack Obama announced that he has chosen Sen. Joseph Biden to be his running mate in the election for president of the United States.

Reports all over are rife with assumptions that Obama chose Biden on the basis of his age and sense of familiarity he will provide voters on election day.

The question that immediately comes to mind is who will be the marionette and who will control the strings? Since both are prone to saying things that are hard on the American ear (Obama’s speech on race and Biden’s blunt approach to politics) there can only be two possible outcomes:

1. They find a happy medium where they can convey their messages with impact without discouraging voters. An approach that displays cohesion, respect, and balance.

2. One will continuously have to apologize for the other, holding countless press conferences to state firmly that “well he didn’t mean what you thought he meant when he said that…”

It will certainly be interesting to see which path is chosen in this extremely historic royal rumble-esque election. This move by Obama may have leveled the playing field or just made it harder to play through.

Words, Words, Words!!

Words are one of the most powerful weapons in the universe. They are the making and unmaking of nations, the triumph and downfall of communities, and the cure as well as the disease of the human condition. Individuals have died, ascended to power, been imprisoned, and lived all by words and, more often than not, words alone. Since the naming of Sen. Barack Obama as the Democratic nominee, race has received a center stage platform for discussion. Unfortunately it seems that all anyone wants to talk about is the fact that it’s a problem. The next step however is taking responsibility, holding each other accountable, and truly thinking about the deconstruction of race as a way of life.

Recently the controversy on The View over the use of the n-word sparked a small skirmish of newsroom activity. For me, however it sparked yet another “head-in-my-hands-moment”. What was supposed to be a short segment on a mid-day talk show turned into a dialogue about race for the nation. It is extremely rare that women are seen speaking intensely about race, this conversation is usually reserved for panels of men scowling at rap videos on massive projector screens. This unexpected and heated debate unearthed a lot of confusion, misinformation, and perception than anyone really expected. Each side held valid points

• Children should not be taught hate-speech
• Everyone should be taught comprehensive history
• Cultural sensitivity needs to be apart of the societal conversation

No matter where you lie on the issue, it is more important to remember that one does not speak for all. This was a conversation between a handful of individuals and was the opening act to a fashion show. Not all of any kind of people uniformly think the same thing. That’s what makes debates like this so complex with shades of understanding that take so much more than the roughly 7 minutes The View spent on it. It would be irresponsible to take to heart everything heard on that episode.

Maybe you should go have your own conversation about race with your friends, your family, neighbors, coworkers, and most importantly yourself. Trust me, it makes the fashion show after a hell of a lot more interesting.

Mogul or Monster? The Legacy of Ike Turner

Ike Turner, 76, died of undisclosed causes in his suburban San Marcos home on December 12, 2007.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was credited with producing the first Rock and Roll recording (Rocket 88) and several chart topping hits. In the musical community he is seen as one of the primary architects of the R&B rock and roll genre. A prolific guitarist that had a way with words, Turner made a name for himself on talent and determination.

However, Turner was not only a legend for his music, but also the melody he played outside of the studio. His drug use and violently turbulent marriage to Tina Turner were documented in the 1986 autobiography “I,Tina” and the 1993 film “What’s Love Got To Do With It?” As reported in USA Today article published on December 13th, Ike Turner disputed his portrayal in both instances.

How is this man to be remembered? For his remarkable ability to move a nation through song, or his inability to keep a raging anger in check? An extensive article by MSNBC suggests that Turner had begun to reconstruct his image as of late, even winning a Grammy in 2007, but acknowledged that his reputation was still representative of the man who abused Tina Turner.

Reportedly Tina Turner declined to comment on Ike Turner’s death. Her spokeswoman, Michele Schweitzer said in a statement “Tina is aware that Ike passed away earlier today. She has not had any contact with him in 35 years. No further comment will be made.”

Fault and talent are two things that never fall far apart. However the overlap leaves only one able to prevail. Should the smooth bass line of guitar riff overshadow brutal domestic abuse? Should one’s character be defined in one period of their life? How will society regard this man in history?

The truth is that Ike Turner was both – an achievement and a disappointment, talented and flawed. Though to ignore that in the wake of his death would be a disservice to his memory no matter which way those remembering are swayed.

In his own words during an interview with the Associated Press “I know what I am in my heart. And I know regardless of what I’ve done, good and bad, it took it all to make me what I am today,”

Venus Williams Brings Sexy Back with New Clothing Line

Venus Williams, 4 time Wimbeldon winner, 2 time Olympic Gold Medalist, and owner of 36 WTA Tour Titles (6 of which are Grand Slams) is adding another number to her career: EleVen.

The accomplished tennis star launched her new clothing line – EleVen – today at a Steve and Barry’s press conference in New York City. According to Williams, the line combines her styles on and off the court and she hopes to attract women of all ages, interests, and tastes.

“Anyone who wants to be active, anyone who wants to look good, anyone who likes fashion, who likes style would be attracted to EleVen,” said Williams.

Consisting of a variety of outerwear, jewelry, and sneakers, the line’s manifesto “Be #1. Feel Like an EleVen” is emphasized by the overall theme of confidence, self-esteem, femininity, and power.

The 27-year-old athlete will join the ranks of television actresses Sarah Jessica Parker (Bitten) and Amanda Bynes (dear) , as well as basketball star Big Ben Wallace (BB) in the exclusively marketed Steve and Barry’s celebrity designed apparel.

Steve and Barry’s retail stores have become famous for their mission of “stripping away the gloss and giving consumers something real” by capping the prices of their merchandise at $20. The lure of affordably priced apparel, accessories, and footwear have proved hard to resist.

Venus Williams is scheduled to continue her EleVen promotion tour throughout the country with 12 more stops, next stop: Chicago, Illinois.