Jan. 19, 2016

Celebrate Dr. King by Following His Example
By Jesse Jackson

NAACP Blasts Academy Awards After it ‘Severely Overlooked’ Racial Diversity – Again
Civil Rights Organization Calls for Viewers to ‘Switch the Channel’

By Hazel Trice Edney

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – The NAACP has suggested that television viewers ‘switch the channel’ - effectively boycotting the Oscars this year - after the Academy once again ‘severely overlooked’ diversity in its top nominations.

The live airing of the premiere celebrity event on ABC Feb. 28 will unveil a vastly White slate of performers. This same issue drew blistering criticism from the NAACP and other organizations last year.

“With the announcement of the nominees for the 88th Academy Awards, the contributions of people of color to the movie industry—both in front of and behind the cameras—have once again been severely overlooked.  Of the 20 acting nominations, including Best Actor and Actress and Best Supporting Actor and Actress, the Academy failed for a second year in a row to consider a single actor of color for this distinguished award,” said a Jan. 14 statement issued by the civil rights organization. “Diversity is not just good business, it’s the only business, and the 2014 ratings numbers show that.  It’s time the Academy recognizes the value and the voice of people of color and until they do, we should switch the channel until that old guard can reflect and respect what people of color bring to the table.”

The 2014 Oscars, which had the most diverse slate of movies by filmmakers and actors of color, is what caused the ratings increase, the NAACP points out. That year the broadcast “boasted the most-watched telecast in 10 years with 43 million viewers.”

But then last year, not one African-American was nominated for acting or directing. The highest awards to African-Americans last year were to John Legend and Common as they received Oscars for the Best Original Song, "Glory" from the movie, "Selma".

In its 87-year-history of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, only 15 Oscars have gone to Black actors.

They are Lupita Nyong’o, 2014, 12 Years a Slave; Octavia Spencer, 2012, The Help; Mo’Nique, 2009, Precious; Forest Whitaker, 2006, The Last King of Scotland; Jennifer Hudson, 2006, Dreamgirls; Morgan Freeman, 2004, Million Dollar Baby; Jamie Foxx, 2004, Ray; Halle Berry, 2001, Monster’s Ball; Cuba Gooding Jr., 1996, Jerry Maguire; Whoopi Goldberg, 1991, Ghost; Denzel Washington, 1989, Glory, and 2001, Training Day; Louis Gossett Jr., 1982, An Officer and a Gentleman; Sidney Poitier, 1963, Lillies of the Field; and Hattie McDaniel, 1940, Gone with the Wind.

This year, The Revenant leads with 12 nominations, including Leonardo DiCaprio for best actor. The acting categories are filled with all White performers.

Because of a lack of racial diversity in the Academy Awards, the NAACP, 47 years ago, created the NAACP Image Awards, to be aired Feb. 5 on TV One. Ironically, Academy president Cheryl Boone, an African-American woman, is a 2014 recipient of the Image Awards. In response to the vastly White nominees this year, she too has been critical.

"Of course I am disappointed," Isaacs told the Huffington Post. "You are never going to know what is going to appear on the sheet of paper until you see it…We have got to speed it up." She added, "But this is not to take away the greatness [of the films nominated]. This has been a great year in film, it really has across the board."

Though Isaacs is credited for inviting Chris Rock to host the ceremony this year and for seeking to diversify the members of the Academy, the NAACP blames the continuing lack of diversity on a membership that it describes as “a private, invitational club of artists that lacks diversity by race and gender.  While a sprinkling of filmmakers from varied populations have been invited to join the Academy ranks, this organization neither reflects the global diversity of the world, or the many moviegoers who support the industry.”

The NAACP cited stats from the 2013 Motion Picture Association of America’s Theatrical Market Statistics Report, saying that “people of color represented 51 percent of the frequent movie going audience - 32 percent of that audience was Latino, while African Americans represented 12 percent.”

The civil rights organization concludes, “These numbers alone reflect the unbalanced relationship people of color have with Hollywood.  Our brothers, sisters and friends love and support film and art, yet the Academy Awards seldom recognize the numerous and notable contributions by people of color making and appearing in entertainment today.”

The statement indicates the NAACP will continue to fight by pressing the Academy membership to revisit “how it can play catch up to reflect a 21st century world”. The organization also indicates it may apply economic pressure by questioning “advertisers who support the Awards show.” 

Jan. 19, 2016

Attorney General Lynch: ‘We Still Have a Long Way to Go to Reach the Promised Land’
By Hazel Trice Edney

(TriceEdneyWire.com) - U. S. Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, giving one among thousands of speeches commemorating the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this year, says, when it comes to racial justice, America Has a ‘long way to go to reach the Promised Land’.

Pulling from Dr. King’s “I See the Promised Land” speech, delivered in Memphis April 3, the day before he was assassinated, Lynch – America’s chief law enforcement officer - told an audience at the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) salute to King what the DOJ is doing to bring racial progress. She called for everyone to “recommit ourselves” to do their part.

“This is all vital work and the scope and the pace of our efforts on behalf of justice and civil rights demonstrate how far we’ve come in the last half-century.  But it is clear, even now, that we still have a long way to go to reach the promised land that Dr. King described,” Lynch said. “And that every one of us must be committed to do our part.  After all, as Dr. King knew well – and as all of you here in this room understand – there is nothing inevitable about progress.  There is nothing foreordained about our advancement.”

In that speech, Dr. King reflected on the nonviolent struggle to win the Civil and Voting Rights Acts and he marveled at the people around the world who were continuing to demand freedom.

In the famous ending to the speech, he said, “I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the Promised Land.”

Lynch, America’s first Black woman attorney general, succeed the first Black Attorney General Eric Holder on June 17, 2015 – only seven months ago. She took office during a tumultuous period marked by protests against police for shootings of unarmed Blacks, a struggle to maintain voting rights and continuing economic inequalities.

Honoring Dr. King, she listed actions by the Department of Justice, dating back to the beginning of the Obama administration, that have been aimed to further Dr. King’s vision for justice. She said:

• We are vigorously defending every citizen’s right to vote, using every legal tool available to us to enforce the Voting Rights Act in the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision in Shelby County.
• As well – since 2009, our Civil Rights Division has filed more criminal civil rights cases and prosecuted and convicted more defendants on hate crimes charges, than at any other point in the department’s history.
• We’re working to ensure civil rights in criminal justice, in part by promoting trust and strengthening relationships between law enforcement and the communities we serve.
• And we’re playing a leading role in this administration’s drive to reform our criminal justice system, especially through our ongoing work to reduce recidivism and improve reentry outcomes.
• We’ve also joined with the Departments of Education, Labor and Housing and Urban Development to launch innovative programs in a number of areas, from making Pell grants available to some incarcerated individuals to helping local jurisdictions with record-cleaning and expungement, so that every American returning home has the chance to contribute to their communities and make a new life for themselves.

But, the DOJ is only building on the successes of others, Lynch pointed out. A guest of the attorney general, civil rights pillar Dorie Ann Ladner, a stalwart in the Freedom Riders and SNCC - who helped to organize the March on Washington and marched from Selma to Montgomery - looked on as she spoke.

“The progress that we celebrate today was made possible because of brave Americans like her.  I am able to stand before you here because she marched there,” Lynch said. “Because the heroes of the Civil Rights Movement were willing to raise their voices, to risk their safety and even to lose their lives, we live in a nation where segregation no longer receives the sanction of law and where no person can lawfully be denied the right to vote simply because of their race,” she said. “The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 continue to stand as landmarks in our nation’s history – monuments to our values and to the extraordinary progress that we have made together.”

She concluded that in order to truly honor the legacy of Dr. King all year long, their example must be followed by never giving up until the “Promised Land” is realized.

“We must recognize that their words and their deeds are not relics of history, but living challenges – calls to action that still echo in our hearts, urging us to continue their journey, to extend their cause and to realize their vision of a more just society – and a more beloved community,” Lynch said. “His challenge – a challenge to a nation to live up to its defining principles – still echoes today.  Indeed, it is the challenge of every generation to realize that the price of freedom is constant vigilance; to understand that while we cannot erase every dark prejudice from the heart of man, we can work to ensure that the angels of our better selves win the day.”

Jan. 17, 2016

Resurgence of Hate Speech Rebuked on Anniversary of South Africa's ANC 

Special to the Trice Edney News Wire from Global Information Network

(TriceEdneyWire.com) – President Jacob Zuma delivered the annual January 8 address marking the birth of the African National Congress movement launched in 1912.

Speaking at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, he opened with some ANC history. “We are celebrating that which brings us together as South Africans – the ANC and its undying commitment to this country and its people.. The ANC has worked hard to earn its special place in the hearts of South Africans.

“Since 1912, it has worked consistently to rid South Africa of colonialism, oppression, apartheid, racism, tribalism and sexism.”

But the clock seemed to have stopped on racism, judging by the proliferation of recent comments and behaviors characterized as racist. During the week, several prominent South Africans were punished for perceived racist outbursts, with celebrity DJ Gareth Cliff being booted off the Idols South Africa judging panel and Standard Bank economist Chris Hart being suspended. President Zuma took the opportunity to rebuke all outspoken racists, saying that they had no place in the country and were "living in the past".

Deputy Minister of Justice John Jeffery said the government was already working to add hate speech and racist behavior to the current bill on hate crimes, which will now be redrafted and released for public comment.

"The original intention was not to criminalize hate speech, which can already be dealt with as a civil matter in the Equality Courts ... but in light of the current developments we felt, as justice, we need to look at that.

"Obviously with a crime there are various forms of punishments ... fines, restorative justice ... [that] may be more appropriate, but those things will have to be looked at . . . but not excluding jail," said Jeffery.

This week, the ANC in parliament said it was considering the German example of criminalizing the promotion of Nazism and Holocaust denial.

"We have travelled a long way to finding each other as South Africans,” Zuma said in his address. “The ANC calls on all people of this country to work together and defeat the demons of racialism and tribalism.

"It is clear that there is a tiny minority that still harbors a desire for separate amenities and who idolize apartheid-era leaders who made our country the skunk of the world. These people do not represent the true character of the new South Africa. They are living in the past."

The reference to those idolizing apartheid-era leaders was a veiled swipe at the opposition Democratic Alliance party following MP Dianne Kohler Barnard's sharing of a Facebook post praising apartheid leader PW Botha.

Other remarks that were widely derided were a reference to black people as "monkeys" by former KwaZulu-Natal estate agent Penny Sparrow, a tweet by white economist Chris Hart, who wrote that "25 years after Apartheid ended, victims are increasing, along with a sense of entitlement and hatred towards minorities".  Hart's statement resulted in his suspension by his employer, Standard Bank.

Idols judge Cliff was fired from the show after his tweet on the Sparrow saga upset many. Cliff retweeted a poll that asked if racist social media utterances should be criminalized, adding: "People really don't understand free speech at all."

Elsewhere, the Gauteng sport, arts, culture and recreation department suspended an employee, Velaphi Khumalo, for his Facebook post calling for black South Africans to do to white people what "Hitler did to the Jews".

And eNCA news anchor Andrew Barnes was castigated for mocking Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga's English pronunciation.

Even though Zuma did not refer to these incidents directly in his speech, he made it clear that such behavior would not be tolerated.

Currently, racist and offensive speech falls under crimen injuria, which is less punitive.

Meanwhile, ANC caucus spokesman Moloto Mothapo said jailing racists would be an effective tool in dealing with the issue. He pointed to "the prevalence of racism and apartheid denial 22 years after democratization" and said: "Yet no one has been criminally charged or has served jail time." This, he said, showed "that current legislation is not sufficient".