By J.C. Brooks
*In 1999, the NAACP led a crusade to rid Hollywood
of its seemingly anti-affirmative action policies that keep
African Americans from in front of as well as behind the
cameras.
This war against Hollywood's "code" gave
notice to the nation's networks of the organization's
vision in reference to images on the small and
big screens.
As the 35th Annual NAACP Image Awards
is prepared to launch on March 11, their mission
statement is called to task. The NAACP states
in a press release regarding the event.
"The annual
NAACP Image Awards are given to those who strive
for the portrayal of positive images and meaningful
opportunities for African-Americans in motion
pictures, television, literature and recording."
Some find all of this disturbing as R. Kelly
is nominated for an Image Award this year. Our
Lee Bailey caught up with Kweisi Mfume, president
and CEO of the more than 90 year old organization
at the announcements of this year's Image Awards.
The civil rights organization leader gave insight into
the success of increasing the African American
presence in Hollywood.
"As we have chronicled in our report, [there is]
a significant measurable amount of progress on
television in respect to recurring and regular roles,"
explained Mfume. "But there's much more to do
there in terms of upper echelon management …"
Mfume continued by detailing his ideas on
why the action taken on behalf of the organization
is so important.
"Television and movies are the most dominant
mediums known to mankind. They shake people's
thoughts. They give ideas. They set the standards
and in many respects replicate and report on what's
happening," said Mfume. "So if there's not change
there or if there's bad images or incorrect images
as a group we all suffer from that."
The civil rights President and CEO then spoke
directly to what has become negative press
concerning the nomination of R. Kelly for
an Image Award.
"It is not he that is being nominated, it is the
album by him," he clarified. "It's a soulful album.
I think it's going to be accepted by people in
different ways."
He continued by saying, "One good thing about
this process is that it's not driven by myself or Julian
Bond. It's the members of the NAACP nationwide
that vote for the nominees in the categories and
has been the case in previous years."
"It's also important to note that just because
you're nominated does not mean, at the end
of the day, you'll win."
But now it seems that these views are contradicted
by those who see the nomination of R. Kelly for an
Image Award as negative. Today at Noon, the
organization will meet with heavy adversity as
a coalition of civil rights organizations and leaders
will hold a press conference at the NAACP Image
Awards headquarters on Wilshire Blvd in Los Angeles,
to announce their opposition to singer R-Kelly receiving
an NAACP Image award nomination. They are also
threatening to boycott and protest the upcoming
NAACP Image Awards.
The supporters of this action include: Civil rights
leader Min. Bamani Obadele of Chicago, Illinois; The
National Alliance for Positive Action; Project Islamic
HOPE; Core; and The National Action Network.
"Singer R- Kelly has been charged by the
federal government with 21 counts of sexual
misconduct involving minors. The purpose of the
NAACP Image Awards is to honor African Americans
who have a positive image. R-Kelly was videotaped
having sex with a 13-year-old girl and then urinating
in her face. Our coalition believes that R-Kelly does
not have the positive image that the image award
founders intended there nominees to have," said
Minister Bamani Obadele of Chicago, Illinois in
a written statement.
Along with these organizations, syndicated
columnist Mychal Massie spoke out about the
R. Kelly nomination to Bill O'Reilly on his show
the O'Reilly Factor, Wednesday, January 14.
Bill O'Reilly started the discussion with saying,
"I'm just shocked. I guess they feel that Kelly is
a victim of racism, even though we've seen the
videotapes of him with underage girls."
Mychal Massie, who is also a member of
a conservative African American group called
Project 21 responded to O'Reilly saying, "[R. Kelly]
has a propensity for having sex with teenage girls
and there allegedly is a long history of this going
on and for the NAACP to reward him with
a nomination is offensive on its face."
The columnist continued by saying, "I should
add that Hollywood professionals, industry professionals
across the country are involved in the nomination
process."
O'Reilly and Massie went on in this way
discussing the "sinister" intent of the organization
and how it is undermining the minorities it claims
to serve.
"The NAACP has got to see that it is becoming
radicalized in the view of many Americans," said O'Reilly.
"I wanna get inside their thinking. They haven't taken
a stand against gangster rap and everybody knows
what pernicious influence that has been on minority
children. And now, they're glorifying a guy who
very well may be guilty of child rape and who
is very well going to go to prison."
O'Reilly went as far as to say, "The message
[the NAACP] is sending to the children is 'If you're
black it's okay' or something like that."
Massie then countered with, "This is about image.
It's about positive images. It's about making meaningful
opportunities for minorities. And I don't see how taking
someone who has been allegedly involved in this type
of lifestyle, we have videotapes that are now selling
on corners across the nation for $10, for them to
take this and honor this gentleman as something
of substance for young people to look up to is
just offensive. It shows how far fallen the
NAACP is."
The two of them came to the consensus that
ultimately the NAACP is leading the nation's minority
children to their downfall. O'Reilly went as far as to
pose the question to Massie, "Why isn't there an
outcry from the black community? Certainly,
most African Americans cannot admire
a guy like R. Kelly. They simply cannot."
Massie concluded the discussion saying,
"That's an excellent question. I can only respond
to that to say there is an animus in the black
community -- the inner city black community-against
the white community or that which is viewed as the
establishment that defies understanding and allows
for the acceptance of that which is harmful to the
children, the family … which leads to a detrimental
lifestyle."
Supporters against the nomination for R. Kelly
will meet today, so we'll keep you abreast on
the developments of the proposed boycott
and/or protest against the award show.
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