12.22.2014

BLACK FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES UNITE FOR BLACK DIGNITY AND CALL FOR BLACK OUT MONDAY AND TUESDAY ON VH1

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

 Hello All:

 We are truly living in interesting and intense times.  And, as Alice in Wonderland once stated, "Things are getting curioser and curioser!"  Indeed when a Black woman, who is trying to make a name in the meanstream media, decides to betray and denigrate Black organizations in order to make a buck and impress white folks, by deliberately portraying them as other than the principles for which those organizations stand, it's another form of assassination - back stabbing writ large.
SISTERS UNITED
The Black Greek Letter Organizations, most of which are now 100+ years old, originated on primarily Black college campuses around the turn of the 20th century, and have flourished throughout the world as organizations that have stood for education, social service, political involvement, charitable funding, community service, among other high principled endeavors.  While the pledge period generally begins on the undergraduate level, and appears to be fun and games, by the time they have evolved to graduate level, it is clear that these organizations have always maintained a high level of quality throughout their adult lives, forged with bonds that have withstood the tests of time.  

 The core group, or the DIVINE 9, as they are affectionately known, have each distinguished themselves, individually and collectively throughout history, and have much to be proud of.  In fact, it is the very essence of these fraternities and sororities to be the role models in their communities - and maintain ethical, moral, cultural, spiritual and social images that Black young men and women can look upon with pride.

 Tradition, handed down through the ages within these Black Fraternities and Sororities have been maintained and held sacred - and have been the hallmark of their traditions.  

 As a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., I am as outraged as the other members of my sorority and the other sororities whose reputations have been sullied by a wannabe white mediocre writer/producer.  The program is not only an insult to our Black Greek Letter Organizations (BGLO), but it is an insult to professional Black women world wide, who make up the majority of these organizations. 

In response to this egregious, outrageous, ignorant, insipid program, we have coalesced and made it known to the producers, sponsors, and other supporters of this program that we are over 5 million strong nationwide, and we are not going to sit silently or idly by while  VH1 continues to air this swill on television in front of impressionable young children, who have already been jaded by other substandard television programming.

 Since VH1 has stated that they are not going to pull the programs, we are asking all of our supporters to contact the sponsors and supporters listed below, using Twitter, Facebook, and other forms of Social Media, to express your intention to not use their products. The companies, their email addresses and phone numbers are listed below.

 Additionally we are calling all to BOYCOTT AND BLACK OUT VH1 MONDAY, DECEMBER 22 and TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23 - when the shows are supposed to be aired - contact friends, neighbors, relatives, and all whom you know - elicit their cooperation.  Basically, please don't watch the channel at all for those two days.


Per Reynoir Lewis, who spearheaded the petition against the airing of the shows:

"If possible block the VH1 channels using your parental guidance locks as they send a red flag message straight to the FCC who we have filed an official complaint with. "Once we have won this battle we would like to take on the bigger one of removing shows like this in general from the air waves.  We do not simply just want to remove all of this negative content, we would like to replace it in the future with positive examples as well.  In particular, we urge anyone involved in media, production, editing, writing, actors and actresses to PLEASE submit all the content you have for our future proposal to change the image of African Americans and ALL minorities on TV.


Operation Black Dignity is designed to let #‎SororitySisters advertisers know that VH1 doesn't like black people, and that advertisers need to prove they DO by dropping their #SororitySisters ad. Please follow these directions to the tee. NO FREELANCING.
1. I need you to take a picture. If you're Greek, wear your letters. If you're not, no problem.
2. In the picture, you need to make sure that both your FACE and the SIGN are highly readable.
3. The sign should say: "VH1 Hates Black People. Do You (insert advertiser's Twitter handle)? Drop Your #SororitySisters Ad"
4. Tweet that picture, along with this phrase: "Do You Hate Black People, (insert advertiser's Twitter handle)? Drop Your #SororitySisters Ad!"
5. Put that phrase and picture on your own Facebook page, ALONG WITH THESE INSTRUCTIONS so that others can follow suit.
6. Share with as many people as possible.
7. Put this on the advertiser's Facebook page. SWAMP IT.
8. Search Yelp, Instagram, Google Plus, and send it there too.
9. Retweet any tweets you see in the #‎SororitySisters hashtag stream. That has a multiplying effect.
10. Send pictures of yourself to as many BGLO forums as possible, along with instructions.

That's it. Ten different steps. You can create 30 different pictures for 30 different advertisers. Just make sure to include their NAME. It's important because a specific picture with the advertiser's name is MUCH better than a generic picture. It means you took time to KNOW who advertises and who didn't.

The key is to also spread this Operation Black Dignity to as many as possible.
You are NOT a faceless demographic group to be exploited. You have a FACE. You have a HUMANITY.

You have a DIGNITY that must be respected. Let those advertisers who have their ads on #SororitySisters know this.

SHARE. SHARE. SHARE!!!
 Thank you for taking a stand on this important issue."  -Reynoir Lewis

"...But, soon or late, the ones who win, are the ones who think they can."

NB: One major piece of instruction, however, in contacting the sponsors, please refrain from name calling or hurling insults.  There is a standard of conduct that we must maintain, even though we're furious and outraged at the affront we are being subjected to one who is supposed to be a "black" woman.  We are ALL angry, but our discipline and code exhorts us to be the example we wish to see - that is obviously lacking in the women who are part of this insult.  

As one soror puts it:  "Is it in the name of Delta NO! This is bigger than those broke women with low self esteem and a lack respect for themselves and us. This is for Rosa {Parks} who sat on the bus and because of her courage became an Honorary AKA. This is for my Soror Dorothy Height who was an advocate for ALL women until her death. This is for Zora Neale Hurston whose literary works changed the way that our country thinks. This is for Dr. Myeisha Taylor THE REAL DR. MCSTUFFINS. When you get angry and want to lash out, open your rituals and review your history. " 

 Don't go after them personally, or use hostile language, or profanity in your communications - but make sure they know that you, as a Black man or woman, whether you are part of a Black Greek Letter Organization, or not, consider it a racist affront to support a program that is an insult to Black traditional organizations. 
 
 
Combined distribution list for emailing. You can just copy and paste
jeff@amazon.com,
karic@amazon.com,
Lindsay@amazon.com,
llarue@amazon.com,
hwester@fiatgroup.com,
attica_jaques@gap.com,
jamie.gersch@oldnavy.com,
john_demming@comcast.com,
Katherine_finn@comcast.com,
Katie_Lubenow@comcast.com,
Brian_Roberts@comcast.com,
Meghan_martel@cable.comcast.com,
mpekin@oasislegal.com,
kevin.tsujihara@warnerbros.com,
info@usell.com,
Nehemiah_Campbell@paramount.com,
Michael.Lynton@spe.sony.com,
jeff.bewkes@timewarner.com,
Rodolfo.rodriguez@genmills.com,
mwege@hersheys.com,
Rich.matteson@pizzahut.com,
Kurt.kane@yum.com,
Robin.clark@pizzahut.com,
Consumer.Relations@wendys.com
Craig_bahner@wendys.com,
Bob_holtcamp@wendys.com,
Tim_sullivan@wendys.com,
Smz2@chrysler.com,
berkshire@berkshirehathaway.com,
jsalter@authenticbrandsgroup.com,
gerry.killeen@revlon.com,
fjpollak@tracfone.com,
Kevin.Gulbranson@tracfone.com,
Steve.Ritter@tracfone.com

 After receiving letters from the National Black PanHellenic Council, several advertisers have vowed to pull out from VH1’s airing of Sorority Sisters.  So far, Coca-Cola, Crayola, Carmex, Honda, T-Mobile, Hallmark and JBL (a subsidiary of Harman International) have all pulled the plug on advertising during the show.  Walmart has also recently pulled their support, amidst a growing number of sponsors who had not been aware of the content and its affront to Black organizations. 
Letter From the Black PanHellenic Council - Sorry I couldn't enlarge it folks


Many have questioned why the BGLOs have not said anything about other shows that are also insults to Black women, and while I can't answer for them personally, I can only put forth my own opinion on this:  We do not hold ourselves out to be the final arbiter of what Black people's tastes and choice in TV viewership in general must be. People definitely have the right choose what they wish to see on TV - be it comedy, reality, sports, political, adventure, etc.  Some people enjoy scuzzy shows, and being around rude people, and hearing profanity - for whatever reason.  Some people like to watch melodramas, even if they're contrived.  Some people enjoy escapism, and pseudo reality shows - that have no real basis in reality at all.  Fine - they are definitely free to enjoy those programs. 

However, when it comes to pulling our Black Greek letter organizations down into the gutter with them, as their way of distorting who we are, and what we've accomplished as a people, it's totally off limits.  We will not countenance the ignorant trying to denigrate or destroy what we have so valiantly maintained as part of our cultural heritage collectively for an aggregate of 900 years.  We continuously work to set positive examples and be positive role models for our children and our community, and hope that we are an inspiration to those who want to continue to progress - however, it's an individual's choice to not follow our example; but not their right to try to destroy what we've built in the process.  

 To the sponsors who have withdrawn their support, we applaud and appreciate and will continue to patronize and support you; to those who have not, we hope you will realize this is not a frivolous concern, but one that strikes deep at the heart of Black Culture and Dignity.  And we will not relent until this show is removed. 

Now that you know, what are you going to do to help?
  
Thank you for your cooperation and support: 

REMEMBER Monday, DECEMBER 22, AND Tuesday, DECEMBER 23 BLACK OUT VH1
 
Stay Blessed & 
ECLECTICALLY BLACK 

Gloria Dulan-Wilson
 

  

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