An Open Letter To the FCC, Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97:
We, the members of the World Community, write to you with concern and urgency. By now, news of the repeated airing of the so-called “parody” entitled “The Tsunami Song” by The Morning Show staff, as well as their destructive comments around it, have spread. We come to you as a community wounded by your discord at a time when unity and solidarity are so desperately needed. We believe this is a time of global tragedy. While hundreds die in a war overseas, thousands more in our own streets struggle from poverty, miseducation, and need. Meanwhile, the impact of this natural catastrophe has affected over 5 million people across the globe in the most personal of ways, and all of us as part of the human family. The devastation wrought upon the countries in South Asia and Africa is incomprehensible, and will take years to rebuild, we hope, in the spirit of justice and peace.
Just as New York and the people of the United States would not tolerate similar comments after 9/11, neither will we tolerate the verbal assault lashed out at the victims of the tsunami. The world community has suffered the loss of 9/11 five million times over; whole families have been swept away, children are left alone, millions are hungry and homeless. The deplorable chance that human slave-trafficking, rape, and child recruitment into dangerous living situations can happen is a very real threat. We do not feel this is a laughing matter.
Words are weapons when wielded maliciously and with purpose. Your comments and so-called “parody” were laced with racial slurs, ethnic stereotypes, violent threats, and discriminate hostility.
Our reply is not a racial one, it is a human one. We believe your actions have offended not only the South Asian, Asian-American, African, and African-American communities; they have offended the World Community.
While the “week’s worth of pay” given to the relief efforts from The Morning Show staff will do much good for the victims, we are saddened that the donations themselves were the consequence of negative actions, and are seen as punishment instead of a sincere, heartfelt contribution. We do not think this is enough.
We will not accept generic and insincere apologies. We will not accept the sudden disappearance of the song from your web page as if the problem can silently be dealt with and covered up. We will not accept hush money donated to appease the crowd, and save your public image. We demand change.
In your own words, “making light” doesn’t even begin to address the underlying issues that emerge when a radio station with the scope and reach that yours does allows programming filled with hate speech like this to hit the airwaves. It is a reflection of the people who work "The Morning Show," it is a reflection of the people who run the station, it is a reflection of the people who own and sponsor the station, and it says something about what HOT 97 stands for and represents.
We are troubled by the continued content of your programming. Time and time again you have proven to be irresponsible with the substance of your shows. The ignorance portrayed is not only cruelly offensive and disrespectful; it is a reflection of your continued disregard and indifference to the suffering of others, it is an example of the debilitating discrimination and stereotyping that continues to hinder efforts for peace, it is offensive to the alliances and solidarity that different communities are working to build and support each other, and it is proof that your commitment to “community involvement” is a farce.
Hot 97 has continuously played a key role in promoting this kind of hatred to your listeners. Because your station attracts a wide range of listeners; from young to old, and of all different races and cultures, we feel that you have a responsibility to make sure that these kinds of incidents do not occur. Not only must you ensure that these incidents not take place, you must be held accountable when they do.
And, although we are enraged by the actions of your employees and consent of your management, we come to you in the spirit of the possibility of understanding and resolution.
Our demands are as follows:
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97
should air a public apology
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97 be involved in continuous relief efforts
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97 go through formal anti-bias and diversity training provided by the Anti-Defamation League.
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97 should implement and maintain a public education awareness campaign around racism, discrimination, prejudice, and hate crimes.
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97 implement, maintain, and support programs that unite communities across race, ethnic background, gender, religion, sexual orientation.
Our demands seek to not only heal the pain that has been inflicted, but to acknowledge what we believe to be the source of the problem. We feel that stereotyping and negative jokes about people’s race, class, gender, religion, or sexual identity add fire to the fuel of hatred and prejudice. Racism, discrimination, and bigotry will continue to be a problem in our society until we are all willing to recognize and repair them. By agreeing to our demands, you are agreeing to build with us a better community where tolerance, respect and empathy are valued and promoted.
Signed,
DJ Kuttin Kandi
Allison Faelnar
P.S. If you would like my original e-mail response to John Dimick (Program Director of Hot 97) apology please e-mail me or click on this link posted on Davey D's website (daveyd.com): http://p076.ezboard.com/fpoliticalpalacefrm57.showMessage?topicID=32.topic
-------------------------------------------------
Dear Mouther friend,
Hot 97's morning show, hosted by miss jones, featured a horrifying song mocking the victims of the thailand tsunami, with these lyrics: "All at once you could hear the screaming chinks and no one was safe from the wave. there were africans drowning, little chinamen swept away. you could hear god laughing, 'swim bitches, swim!' so now you're screwed, it's the tsunami. you better run or kiss your ass away, go find your mommy. i just saw her float by, a tree went through her head. and now the children will be sold to child slavery...". In addition, Miss Jones reportedly also made fun of a Korean-American who refused to partake in the song. Miss Jones has repeatedly personally made similar comments herself before.
It's not clear to me why the misery of children or racist epithets are funny in any way, but this was apparently offered as humor. In addition to evoking a strong nauseous feeling, it just depresses the hell outta me that it's a *black* radio station that aired it.
We have a long, long way to go if other minorities can so casually air on FM radio racial slurs like this, without any thought whatsoever of repercussion. (Thank God, I did not have to wake up to this, but I'm sure many others did, who actually lost their loved ones in the tsunami).
And get this: after Miss Info said that this song was offensive, her co-host, Todd Lynn, said: "I'm gonna start shooting Asians."
Please sign this petition to tell Hot 97 that this goes so far beyond offensive. If you don't want to offer a real name or email, just make one up in the email form, but please DO take a minute to sign your name and send the petition. Clearly, Hot 97 needs to hear from as many people as possible that this kind of "humor" is simply obscene.
http://www.asianmediawatch.org/missjones/index.html or http://www.citizenspeak.org/campaign/5728.php
Yours as ever,
JT.
Mouther Media
www.mouther.com
keepin' it real for asian america
We, the members of the World Community, write to you with concern and urgency. By now, news of the repeated airing of the so-called “parody” entitled “The Tsunami Song” by The Morning Show staff, as well as their destructive comments around it, have spread. We come to you as a community wounded by your discord at a time when unity and solidarity are so desperately needed. We believe this is a time of global tragedy. While hundreds die in a war overseas, thousands more in our own streets struggle from poverty, miseducation, and need. Meanwhile, the impact of this natural catastrophe has affected over 5 million people across the globe in the most personal of ways, and all of us as part of the human family. The devastation wrought upon the countries in South Asia and Africa is incomprehensible, and will take years to rebuild, we hope, in the spirit of justice and peace.
Just as New York and the people of the United States would not tolerate similar comments after 9/11, neither will we tolerate the verbal assault lashed out at the victims of the tsunami. The world community has suffered the loss of 9/11 five million times over; whole families have been swept away, children are left alone, millions are hungry and homeless. The deplorable chance that human slave-trafficking, rape, and child recruitment into dangerous living situations can happen is a very real threat. We do not feel this is a laughing matter.
Words are weapons when wielded maliciously and with purpose. Your comments and so-called “parody” were laced with racial slurs, ethnic stereotypes, violent threats, and discriminate hostility.
Our reply is not a racial one, it is a human one. We believe your actions have offended not only the South Asian, Asian-American, African, and African-American communities; they have offended the World Community.
While the “week’s worth of pay” given to the relief efforts from The Morning Show staff will do much good for the victims, we are saddened that the donations themselves were the consequence of negative actions, and are seen as punishment instead of a sincere, heartfelt contribution. We do not think this is enough.
We will not accept generic and insincere apologies. We will not accept the sudden disappearance of the song from your web page as if the problem can silently be dealt with and covered up. We will not accept hush money donated to appease the crowd, and save your public image. We demand change.
In your own words, “making light” doesn’t even begin to address the underlying issues that emerge when a radio station with the scope and reach that yours does allows programming filled with hate speech like this to hit the airwaves. It is a reflection of the people who work "The Morning Show," it is a reflection of the people who run the station, it is a reflection of the people who own and sponsor the station, and it says something about what HOT 97 stands for and represents.
We are troubled by the continued content of your programming. Time and time again you have proven to be irresponsible with the substance of your shows. The ignorance portrayed is not only cruelly offensive and disrespectful; it is a reflection of your continued disregard and indifference to the suffering of others, it is an example of the debilitating discrimination and stereotyping that continues to hinder efforts for peace, it is offensive to the alliances and solidarity that different communities are working to build and support each other, and it is proof that your commitment to “community involvement” is a farce.
Hot 97 has continuously played a key role in promoting this kind of hatred to your listeners. Because your station attracts a wide range of listeners; from young to old, and of all different races and cultures, we feel that you have a responsibility to make sure that these kinds of incidents do not occur. Not only must you ensure that these incidents not take place, you must be held accountable when they do.
And, although we are enraged by the actions of your employees and consent of your management, we come to you in the spirit of the possibility of understanding and resolution.
Our demands are as follows:
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97
should air a public apology
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97 be involved in continuous relief efforts
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97 go through formal anti-bias and diversity training provided by the Anti-Defamation League.
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97 should implement and maintain a public education awareness campaign around racism, discrimination, prejudice, and hate crimes.
-That the Employees, Management, Owners & Sponsors of New York’s Hot 97 implement, maintain, and support programs that unite communities across race, ethnic background, gender, religion, sexual orientation.
Our demands seek to not only heal the pain that has been inflicted, but to acknowledge what we believe to be the source of the problem. We feel that stereotyping and negative jokes about people’s race, class, gender, religion, or sexual identity add fire to the fuel of hatred and prejudice. Racism, discrimination, and bigotry will continue to be a problem in our society until we are all willing to recognize and repair them. By agreeing to our demands, you are agreeing to build with us a better community where tolerance, respect and empathy are valued and promoted.
Signed,
DJ Kuttin Kandi
Allison Faelnar
P.S. If you would like my original e-mail response to John Dimick (Program Director of Hot 97) apology please e-mail me or click on this link posted on Davey D's website (daveyd.com): http://p076.ezboard.com/fpoliticalpalacefrm57.showMessage?topicID=32.topic
-------------------------------------------------
Dear Mouther friend,
Hot 97's morning show, hosted by miss jones, featured a horrifying song mocking the victims of the thailand tsunami, with these lyrics: "All at once you could hear the screaming chinks and no one was safe from the wave. there were africans drowning, little chinamen swept away. you could hear god laughing, 'swim bitches, swim!' so now you're screwed, it's the tsunami. you better run or kiss your ass away, go find your mommy. i just saw her float by, a tree went through her head. and now the children will be sold to child slavery...". In addition, Miss Jones reportedly also made fun of a Korean-American who refused to partake in the song. Miss Jones has repeatedly personally made similar comments herself before.
It's not clear to me why the misery of children or racist epithets are funny in any way, but this was apparently offered as humor. In addition to evoking a strong nauseous feeling, it just depresses the hell outta me that it's a *black* radio station that aired it.
We have a long, long way to go if other minorities can so casually air on FM radio racial slurs like this, without any thought whatsoever of repercussion. (Thank God, I did not have to wake up to this, but I'm sure many others did, who actually lost their loved ones in the tsunami).
And get this: after Miss Info said that this song was offensive, her co-host, Todd Lynn, said: "I'm gonna start shooting Asians."
Please sign this petition to tell Hot 97 that this goes so far beyond offensive. If you don't want to offer a real name or email, just make one up in the email form, but please DO take a minute to sign your name and send the petition. Clearly, Hot 97 needs to hear from as many people as possible that this kind of "humor" is simply obscene.
http://www.asianmediawatch.org/missjones/index.html or http://www.citizenspeak.org/campaign/5728.php
Yours as ever,
JT.
Mouther Media
www.mouther.com
keepin' it real for asian america
posted by Sabrina Margarita at
1/25/2005 11:48:00 PM
