The stately D.C. pad of Debra Lee, Black Entertainment Television's chief executive, got a few house calls yesterday afternoon and no, it's wasn't Girl Scouts selling cookies.
Over 500 people, demanding that BET stop airing what they call demeaning and offensive portrayals of African Americans, decided to throw a block party. Lee, however, chose to get her groove on elsewhere.
Members of the Enough Is Enough Campaign said they will return every weekend until the cable network addresses their grievances. Their present objective is to get corporations to divest from popular culture that portrays black men as "pimps" and "gangsters" and sexually objectifies black women.
A sistah herself, you know Lee was truly outdone! While not making any concessions, she did state in a letter that BET plans to launch 16 "balanced" shows by year's end.
According to the Washington Post, joining protesters from Mount Ennon yesterday were members of the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority Foundation, the head of the National Congress of Black Women and Maryland Del. Justin D. Ross (D-Prince George's).I
Although BET was founded by now Black billionaire Robert Johnson some 27 years ago, the cable network is presently owned by Viacom and has many incensed that there concerns are falling on deaf ears. We applaud the proactive steps being taken. The goal, however, is for those organizing protesters to now offer counter-programming that is viable, entertaining and profitable.
If that doesn't happen, then this was just a waste of time.
Over 500 people, demanding that BET stop airing what they call demeaning and offensive portrayals of African Americans, decided to throw a block party. Lee, however, chose to get her groove on elsewhere.
Members of the Enough Is Enough Campaign said they will return every weekend until the cable network addresses their grievances. Their present objective is to get corporations to divest from popular culture that portrays black men as "pimps" and "gangsters" and sexually objectifies black women.
A sistah herself, you know Lee was truly outdone! While not making any concessions, she did state in a letter that BET plans to launch 16 "balanced" shows by year's end.
According to the Washington Post, joining protesters from Mount Ennon yesterday were members of the National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority Foundation, the head of the National Congress of Black Women and Maryland Del. Justin D. Ross (D-Prince George's).I
Although BET was founded by now Black billionaire Robert Johnson some 27 years ago, the cable network is presently owned by Viacom and has many incensed that there concerns are falling on deaf ears. We applaud the proactive steps being taken. The goal, however, is for those organizing protesters to now offer counter-programming that is viable, entertaining and profitable.
If that doesn't happen, then this was just a waste of time.
So family, what's the plan???