Monday, April 23, 2007

Rap Mogel Russel Simmons wants to ban some words finally

Is this real or just a stunt?

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Hip-hop's Simmons wants to remove offensive words
By Daniel TrottaMon Apr 23, 2:27 PM ET
Prominent U.S. hip-hop executive Russell Simmons on Monday recommended eliminating the words "bitch," "ho" and "nigger" from the recording industry, considering them "extreme curse words."
The call comes less than two weeks after radio personality Don Imus' nationally syndicated and televised radio show was canceled amid public outcry over Imus calling a women's basketball team "nappy-headed hos."
Simmons, co-founder of the Def Jam label and a driving force behind hip-hop's huge commercial success, called for voluntary restrictions on the words and setting up an industry watchdog to recommend guidelines for lyrical and visual standards.
"We recommend that the recording and broadcast industries voluntarily remove/bleep/delete the misogynistic words 'bitch' and 'ho' and the racially offensive word 'nigger'," Simmons and Benjamin Chavis, co-chairmen of the advocacy group Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, said in a statement.
"These three words should be considered with the same objections to obscenity as 'extreme curse words'," it said.
Ho is slang for whore and commonly used in hip-hop music while nigger, a derogatory term for blacks, is among the most highly charged insults in American culture. The slur "nappy," used by Imus, describes the tightly curled hair of many African Americans.
CHANGING STANCE
Monday's statement changed course from another one by Simmons and Chavis dated April 13, a day after Imus' show was canceled, in which they said offensive references in hip-hop "may be uncomfortable for some to hear, but our job is not to silence or censor that expression."
The Imus controversy stoked a debate in the United States about how to deal with inflammatory words that are widely considered highly offensive but at the same time commonly and casually used in youth culture.
U.S. black leaders such as Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson have led the charge to suppress offensive words while many artists have argued for freedom of expression. New York City declared a symbolic moratorium on the so-called N-word in February.
"Our internal discussions with industry leaders are not about censorship. Our discussions are about the corporate social responsibility of the industry to voluntarily show respect to African Americans and other people of color, African American women and to all women in lyrics and images," the statement from Simmons and Chavis said on Monday.
The network recommended the formation of a Coalition on Broadcast Standards that would consist of leading executives from music, radio and television.

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Is there anyone in Austin planning a Kitchen Remodel?

I want to do a series in the paper about a remodeling project. I prefer it to be a kitchen. If you know of anyone who is looking at getting this done and is willing to have their kitchen featured in the paper, let me know. Post a message out here or call me at 773.622.3863 and let me know.

Predictions on the New City Council

Wow! So many new people going into the city council. What will the new faces bring? Will Daley ride all over them, or will there actually be some questions and discussions going on? Let's watch and see!

Nappy Headed Hoes - Don Imus

Of course I had to write about Don Imus' ignorant comment. But as usual, it is always from a different perspective. So if you're brave, walk up to a black woman and ask her what would happen if you called her a "nappy headed hoe". But be careful, the physical reaction may be swifter than the verbal response!


http://www.austinweeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=3&SubSectionID=3&ArticleID=1177&TM=73309.6

Congratulations Alderman Elect Sharon Denise Dixon

Micheal Chandler was defeated. The 24th ward now has a bright, young and articulate alderman in Sharon Denise Dixon. I heard her on WVON and she had the correct message. Reaching out to the community. None of the 'I did this all by myself" routine.

I hope all the candidates who didn't win in the 24th ward will reach out to this sista and help her address and resolve all the issues going on in the ward.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

TIF MEETING AT LAFOLLETTE PARK ON TUESDAY APRIL 24

Yup, while the average property owner and taxpayer will be at work on Tuesday April 24, 2007 at 9:00 am, Alderman Emma Mitts will host a meeting about the TIF for this neighborhood. Guess she'll get the seniors and the unemployed. The majoirity of taxpayers will be working to pay all the new taxes that we will get hit with come this fall.

Death of Two Traffic Aides in under 2 months

We had had two traffic aides killed in the past month. What they both had in common was the drivers were Hispanic and neither driver had a license. Who is buying (other than our State Rep like Deborah Graham, LaShawn Ford, Art Turner) that giving Illegal Aliens licenses will make our streets safer? I hope to not see the day where one gets the special Drivers Certificate and commits a Drive By shooting. In fact if you check out the Houston Chronical, you will see where Mexicans are shooting up and down the expressways as they fight over who gets to bring groups of illegals into the country.

Virginia Tech Shooter

That young man was a genuine nut case. His innocent pictures that were posted all over the web are now being replaced by the tape he sent NBC where he rants about a whole bunch of mess. The saddest part in all of this was the lost of Ryan Clark a young African American who had so much potential.

It is amazing that in the black community we don't have a lot of mental cases just shooting for no reason. Perhaps the reason for that is that we have enough folks with guns to shoot back?

Aldermanic Special Elections

I was very sorry to see that Dorothy Tillman lost. Let us be perfectly clear. Those who are now hooping and hollering in support of Pat Dowell had better make sure that the BLACK COMMUNITY will benefit from the change of leadership.


It was very interesting to see on the news reports how the 3rd Ward has some of the most VALUABLE LAND IN TOWN. I was reading on another web site that the University of Chicago may now do their thing and begin to take the land.

We as a people must remember that our community doesn't receive a lot of investment that will benefit us. If there are those investing in our communit, you can be guaranteed that they are planning on making lots of money off of us and giving us little to nothing in return.


So let's keep a close eye on the 3rd wall for the next four years to see who the real winners and losers are.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

A FILTHY COMMUNITY -

Why are some parts of Austin so filthy? Why is garbage and trash on so many side streets? When do we take ownership of not just our homes, but this community?
What needs to be done to start a campaign to end the litter too many people place on our streets?


Read my column at:

http://www.austinweeklynews.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=1&ArticleID=1152&TM=79737.49