Sunday, July 26, 2009

CLEVELAND SECRET CLUB MEMBERS AND FRIENDS - IT'S DECISION TIME

Hey Members and Dear Friends,

Our friends and members are growing nationwide and we are even being recognized on a more global scale.

We've come to a crossroad and you're going to have to make a decision.

For the past year we have been focused on making our African American communities, and the larger community, healthier, safer and prosperous. We changed the balance of power in Congress, the Senate and the White House. We now need to keep pressuring Congress/Senate and the White House to do what is best for the African American community and the larger community.

What we will not do, is sacrifice the health and safety of our communities for monetary greed and corruption. That is why we have fully embraced a commitment to a "GREEN" economy, health care reform, and to financial reform (so we never again have a total economic melt-down).

Now there are special interest groups and lobbyists that are sending huge amounts of money to Congress and the Senate to stop reform legislation or to negatively influence legislation that would make quality, affordable, comprehensive health care available to every American.

There are outright lies being disseminated. For instance: Lie: If Congress passes this healthcare bill, it will get rid of Medicare and old people will lose their insurance.

Think Progress reports that lies about health care reform are not going to go away anytime soon.

In an interview with The New York Times, conservative pollster Frank Luntz admitted that he would continue raising the false specter of a ”Washington takeover” of health care—whether or not that was Obama’s actual proposal. “I’m not a policy person. I’m a language person,” Luntz said.

Click
here for a detailed look at the blueprint for the propaganda campaign against health care reform.
Read: Here Come the Big Lies About Health Care Reform

We will boycott and we urge you to stop doing business with any business or individual or group that is trying to negatively influence or stop us from moving forward with quality, affordable, comprehensive health care for every American, and a "GREEN" economy.


Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

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Our next project will focus on increasing the number of African American women (and women of color) in media.

We have, for the first time, an African American First Lady (Michelle Obama). We thought there would an immediate change in broadcast media, and that we would be seeing more African American women (and women of color) and especially attractive African American women in positive roles. It hasn't happened. For instance, if you watch the cable channel USA, you will notice that there are hardly any African American women, none in leading roles. In terms of featured or leading television roles in broadcast media, with the exception of Jada Pinkett Smith in "Hawthorne" (on TNT), and a few black sitcoms, there are very few African American women.
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WHAT IF NURSE HAWTHORNE WERE WHITE AND NURSE JACKIE BLACK
BLACK AMERICANS IN LOVE
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With the exceptions of broadcast media founded by Ted Turner (CNN, TBS, TNT), African American women are under-represented or absent altogether. The following scenario is what is prevalent: white female, white male or white male, white female, black male. These are the Hollywood formulas/models.

We want to change that formula; therefore, we will join with groups who want to change that model to include African American women and women of color. We will single out every network and every business that is advertising on a network or television show where there are no women of color or where women of color are under-represented.

We need you to get the word out and be critiquing to see what networks or television shows are under-representing women of color, and who the advertisers are. Ask your friends and family to critique these networks and television shows. In order to change the formula, we need to seriously stop the flow of money to these television networks. Money talks.

Once these networks, television shows and advertisers are identified, we will focus on boycotting these entities. You, of course, don't have to wait. You can do it on your own. Simply refuse to watch the television show or channel or refuse to buy the advertiser's product.

So you've got to make a decision.

1. If you want things to remain the same with rising health care costs, rising health insurance premiums, unequal access to health care and denial of health care, do nothing.

2. If you want to keep on seeing the same old Hollywood formula where women of color are under-represented or absent altogether, do nothing.

3. If you want things to change, then you have to change your behavior. Refuse to do business with a company who puts their interests (profits) first above your health and safety ... refuse to buy their product or use their service ... refuse to watch a television program or television station that has no positive roles for African American women or no positive leading roles for attractive African American women ... support movies and television shows that depict African American women in positive roles ... email or call your representative and voice your opinion on legislation ... use your vote to elect people who will do what you want (esp. on major legislation) ... don't vote for them again if they fail to do what they said they would do (the reason why you voted for them)

Thanks guys. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Clevelands Secret Club

new website:
Clevelands Place of Dreams (and Truth)
http://clevelands-place-of-dreams.org/

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

NBC has a new show that is fantastic - "Undercovers" starring [yummy] Boris Kodjoe and [beautiful and luscious] Gugu Mbatha-Raw; also liked "The Philanthropist" (lots of African American/African/Indian/Haitian female actors, etc.)

ABC - "Rookie Blue"

Finally, USA has more than Diahann Carroll (White Collar).. Marsha Thomason is finally back on White Collar

"Outlaw" with Jimmy Smits, I'm guessing, is trying to appeal to the Hispanic community; and "Outsourced" is trying to capture the Indian (from India) community.

Regina King in "Southland" ... were waiting for more episodes.

The daytime Soaps have always had a healthy dose of attractive African American actresses. Prime Time is where these networks need a lot of improvement.