MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims

Subject: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 10:14 PM

For the next 17 hours, from 10pm Mudcat time, MTV is running nothing but the names and circumstances of hate crimes victims. No ads, no videos, no music, no celebrities, just ordinary peoples' voices reading the information on each victim.

This is their kickoff for a year long campaign called Fight For Your Rights - Take A Stand Against Discrimination. Just before they started the 17 hr thing, they showed a movie called "Anantomy of a Hate Crime" which was about Matthew Shephard.

This is the first time in their almost 20 year history that MTV has essentially gone off the air; this is an awesome and heartwrenching tribute to victims of all kinds of discrimination. They are including information, with 800 numbers etc. for people who want to know what they can do to help.

As many of you may know, this issue is near and dear to my heart, something I've worked on, in Wyoming, for the past 6-7 yrs. Just wrote an article this week about the extreme prejudice which still exists against blacks, let alone gays, etc. An elderly gentleman who read my article, called to let me know that back in the 1950's, when the Mills Bros. came here to perform in WHITE hotels, they were refused rooms. My caller and his wife, both of whom are white, found them lodging with a well known African-American restaurant owner.

I salute MTV and applaud them for their educational efforts, esp. in reaching young people. Please tune in, even if just for a few minutes.

Thanks,

kat

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: little john cameron
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 10:25 PM

Ah don't mean tae be saucy Kat,bit how come the man never took them in hisel. ljc

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 10:27 PM

I'm sorry kat, but I have been watching the PBS Jazz series but have been convinced by other Mudcat scholars that it is a complete waste of time as it doesn't cover everything in the known world and gives no credence to the great influence of the Irish and Lithuanians on jazz. I suspect that the MTV program will not show enough detail on the Irish either and may even focus its energies in some way that doesn't cover every hate crime in the past 200 years. I am therefore watching "Austin Powers; The Spy Who Shagged Me" which constitutes a viewing experience even more fulfilling.

I'll be there at MTV as soon as its over, but I just KNOW I'll be disappointed that there isn't enough IRA bashing going on there and its simply a ploy to increase their ratings.

Spaw (Thanks for the posting;I saw this earlier and read a synopsis which is indeed remarkable....quite a move on the part of MTV)

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: kimmers
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 10:43 PM

I don't have cable (it was cable versus the DSL line, and guess which one won?) but I'm more than pleased to hear about this. Kudos to MTV for promoting tolerance and diversity, especially to the younger generation.

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: little john cameron
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 10:44 PM

Spaw,ye want irish figures.Here they are
http://www.irelandstory.com/past/troubles/index.htm
ljc

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 10:45 PM

What? White Male Supremacy in the Jazz World, too? Oh, my heavens!! (It's a joke, everybody! Don't get yer skivvies in a twist!)

Thanks, Spaw, anyway.

ljc, I don't know, as I didn't ask, although his wife worked as a maid at one of the posh hotels, so maybe they didn't have the room, or maybe they were afraid of what would happen to them if they did, which wouldn't surprise me. Crosses were burned here in the 1950's and my editor at the paper had one placed on her lawn last year after she wrote an op/ed piece on Juneteenth that someone didn't like.

When I was researching hate crimes in Wyoming for a magazine article, I found all kinds of terrible things: a man was castrated and left for dead along the highway in the 80's because he was gay; a bar in a small town has a noose hanging up with a sign which says it will be used on any gays who come in there; heck, even Tom Horn was involved, hired as he was to go after sheepherders as a class, way back when. Someone chalked a *dead body* outline on the sidewalk in front of my brother's apt. a few years ago.

The scenery and critters are gorgeous, but what the fuck am I doing here, eh?

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:09 PM

You and me both, kat, but I don't think I have a choice at this point.....and I wouldn't know where to go or what to do after I got there to make it better for those in Wyoming. Thre ARE alternate lifestyles here, and somebody has to try to make it better......thanks for the info on MTV, I never ever watch that dumb channel. If I watch at all it is Discovery or History. Will try to tune in for a bit.

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:22 PM

You are right, Sorcha, we can't just leave the bigots to it. Don't watch, it'll just get you down, darlin'...just so damn sad and senseless.

And, there ARE loads of good people here; it just brought it all to mind, tonight. Sorry, phoaks.

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: Rich(bodhránai gan ciall)
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:36 PM

That is really cool!!!!!!!!!!

Rich

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: Sorcha
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:51 PM

Sometimes, kat, I think the whole damn state is senseless, then I take a drive, and see anew the beauty of the place. I guess, sort of, that is why "I" am here...my dad was so excited about Luke growing up in "the Mountains". I am still not really sure why that meant anything to hime.......it certainly has not made a difference to Luke or his parents. (total Wilderness might have, LOL!)

I really would like to know just what the mystique of Wyoming is........because for those of us who live here, it certainly is not "Wilderness", except in the cultural sense......

I live in a "town" of 6,000, you live in a "city" of 50,000......I am a 3 hour drive from any "mountain" at all; your Casper Mountain looks more like a Colorado ski resort than wilderness......just what is "Wyoming" anyway? I wish I knew......maybe then I could leave.

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: blt
Date: 10 Jan 01 - 11:53 PM

I don't believe Wyoming has the patent on hate crimes--Oregon has been struggling with anti-gay and lesbian ballot initiatives from something called the Oregon Citizens Alliance for at least 10 years and the result has been a corresponding increase in all kinds of violence, not only against gay men and lesbians, but against anyone perceived by the perpetrators as gay or even sympathetic.

Hatred of any kind, the act of hating, seems to be, for the most part, acceptable yet unmentionable. Perhaps because I work with young children who have been abused by parents, step-parents, and foster parents, I am continually aware of how routine abuse is, and what is abuse if not a hate crime?

I tend to think of Bush's tax plan as a hate crime, as it will do nothing for poor people but fatten the already fat wealthy.

In Lakota, there is a word for white person: wasi'chu, meaning, the one who eats the fat. The Lakota people couldn't help but notice that when meat was available, the ravenous whites ate everything, even the fat. Sort of a prophetic gesture, as it turns out.

blt

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: Sorcha
Date: 11 Jan 01 - 12:13 AM

blt, I know that, and I think kat probably does too. There is Idaho, the Aryan Nation, Ruby Ridge and Randy Weaver. It just seems like sometimes the Rocky Mountain West is not really part of the USA.

We (liberals) often wonder out here what happened to the Constitution......equal rights under the law, Miranda, Brown vs. Topeka Board of Education, Roe vs. Wade.....even though Wyoming was the first state to grant women the right to vote. Huh.

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: blt
Date: 11 Jan 01 - 01:04 AM

Well, Sorcha, there was a very deliberate attempt to carve out a white homeland in the west, which you may also know of, and Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Washington (maybe Utah) were all considered part of that territory. I think it seems more intense when one is living in the place where Richard Butler had his compound, or where Matthew Shepherd died--but there have been similar atrocities in every state, so I guess I don't distinguish Wyoming from the rest.

I also believe the Constitution has been greatly attacked where civil rights and social justice are concerned. Just the changes in sentencing laws alone accomplished that. That's why I tend to believe that hatred and violence are currently seen as acceptable ways of behaving--or, maybe many of us are simply numb to the degree of bullying we put up with on a daily basis, and think it's normal.

Either way, it's as though we're all traumatized by it, and frozen out of fear, or guilt, or denial...I would like to think I've escaped, but alas, I'm as colonized as everybody else.

blt

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: katlaughing
Date: 11 Jan 01 - 02:18 AM

Yes, blt, thanks for bringing it up. I do know, as Sorcha pointed out, that other places have hate. I am one of the early members of the Wyoming Grassroots Project, founded under the auspices of the Northwest Coalition Against Malicious Harassment, which has since changed names, but the new one escapes me at the moment. We've had fantastic speakers in, shown many videos and other things to educate people about the movement for a NW *Homeland* of the white supremacy. I've studied and read and watched and talked about the "movement" for the past seven or so years. My SO's and my best friend is a gay man who was born and raised in Oregon and who keeps us up to date on what is happening there. The WGP also works, in general, on human rights issues, teaching about and demonstrating diversity and tolerance.

I think you are probably right about the violence; we hear so much, everyday, via media of what has happened, news is so instantaneous, there's no time to take a breath between disasters. I think we may not be frozen so much by fear or guilt as by a feeling of impotence. That's why, for me, belonging to an org. that tries to combat hate crimes makes my daily life more positive.

There is a film we like to show and it's been on tv, too, called NOt In Our Town. It is about how the town of Billings, Montana rallied round a Jewish family when bricks were thrown through their windows and a campaign of hate crimes ensued when they had their menorah in the window for Chanukah. The newspaper published a full-page, full color replica of a menorah and asked everyone to hang one in their window, so the criminals wouldn't know who was Jewish and who was not. It worked. The town banded together to help out other minorities who also were experiencing hate crimes; went on to be featured in the film. Since their inspiring action, many places have done simillar things, so that there is now another, second video avaiable which chronicles what other towns have done.

When Mathew was murdered, I made a symbol on my computer with the no symbol over the word hate and then the words "Wyoming the Equality State" were positioned around the circle for our organisation to use and distribute. Our local newspaper printed a different one which came from the University where Mathew went to school, but through our efforts, we had thousands of our design up, too, all over the nation, as I had faxed the image to literally hundreds of people who contacted us through other grassroots' networks. We had all taken a page from Billing's book and while the time was sad, it was deeply gratifying to see most of Wyoming band together to protest such a heinous crime.

The daily slogging is what gets to people; they are genertally great when something terrible happens and they all rally round. It's the day to day work to make a change which can get discouraging.

Sorcha, I was never so surprised in my life than when I went to my first board mtg for Planned Parenthood, here. I started badmouthing the GOP and their assault on Roe vs Wade, until my friend gave me a kick and let me know she and I were the ONLY Democrats in the room. Sometimes that OLD Wyomingite comes through, and they will fight for individual rights come hell or high water, even a women's right to choose. That was the year we defeated an anti-choice proposition brought about by the Unseen Hands Prayer Circle.

Phew, didn't mean to go on, sorry! Thanks for listening,

kat

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: Amergin
Date: 11 Jan 01 - 11:44 AM

Actually, most of the locals detest Butler and his cronies....we all hate the fact that our region is known more for the hate of a few, than for the beauty which is it's real teasure....I'm not just talking about the beauty of the hills and such, but also the beauty of the regular folks who have made North Idaho their home...

Butler lost his compound in a court case not too long ago....then he decided to move into town...his neighbors are not too happy about it....

Randy Weaver and Ruby Ridge.....The ridge is only a few miles (as the crow flies) from my hometown....and yes he and his wife and Harris (?) are/were racist bastards, but they wanted to be left alone more than anything else....Weaver was nothing more than a common thief....he would send his kids into Naples and have them steal whatever they could from the store....what the whole thing was about was that he sold a sawed off shotgun to an undercover officer....then a bit later he jumped bail...now I think that whole escapade up there was a bit of an overkill, especially since the feebs (short for feeble minded) were watching his place for eight or so months before they stormed his place....they would watch him go into town and come back out day in day out....they could have arrested him at any time in those months....but no an example had to be made, and people died.

Amergin

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: jayohjo
Date: 11 Jan 01 - 07:19 PM

See, this is when I feel ignorant - all this history from America, I understand it roughly from what you've said, but don't really know it - any chance of a quick precis?

jayohjo

PS - am so impressed by the mtv deal though, it's not at all what you'd expect of them to be honest, and is therefore even better - surprises, even little ones, shake up how you think and how you look at the world, and so are good for us all.

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: blt
Date: 11 Jan 01 - 10:13 PM

jayohjo - I can give you some basic history (although not very brief) on the White Supremacist Movement. The US has a long history of far right terrorism, including the Ku Klux Klan, the Minutemen, the John Birch Society, the American Nazi Party,and the Aryan Nation, to name just a few. These groups and people who support these groups typically draw their beliefs from several sources: the William Turner Diaries (far right "novel" urging race war); fundamentalist Christianity; "Historical Revisionism" (beliefs that the Holocaust never occurred), and various other racist, anti-semitic, homophobic, sexist tracts.

Groups and individuals with this ideology blow up abortion clinics and assassinate doctors who perform abortions, blow up buildings (such as the Oklahoma federal building), burn down African American churches, commit lynchings, and justify a whole range of hate crimes, from tacking up flyers with hate messages in high schools to beatings and arson.

The Northwest US - Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, and Montana - were declared, at one point during the 1980s, to be a prime location for a "white homeland," and followers were urged to moved to the rural areas in these states as a way to band together. Richard Butler became the head "pastor" of a community in Hayden Lake, Idaho called the Aryan Nation. His followers appeared to combine the ideologies of the KKK, Christian Patriots, and the National Socialist Party (Nazi). Several of Butler's followers have been arrested for crimes such as bank robbery, arson, assault and homicide, typically in the Northwest region, but also in California and Colorada. A popular radio talk show host in Denver who was Jewish and activily engaged the far right in strident debates on his show was assassinated by followers of Butler. As Amergin said above, very recently, Butler was sued and basically bankrupted (one legal strategy that was developed by the Southern Poverty Law Center when fighting the KKK).

There is also a far right branch of the environmental movement called the Wise Use Movement, although some might not place it alongside the KKK. However, it represents similar thinking. One view of the spectrum of the US right wing is that the very far right organizations, such as the Nazi Party and the KKK, allow the less virulently right wing groups to flouish as "moderates."

This country has always struggled with itself and its combination of Christianity and violence. That dates back to the 1500s and the pope declaring the taking of Indian land a divine act, as Indian people did not have souls. It's codified in the US Constitution, where it states for all to see that Africans represent a percentage of a human being. An interesting study is how the US (and who in the US)helped various Nazis to escape Europe after WWII. And,a great book to read about all this is Howard Zinn's classic, "The Peoples History of the United States."

Sorry, this is too long and rambling. I worked for a few years as a member of Communities Against Hate in Eugene, Oregon, and this stuff was what I lived and breathed.

blt

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: Amergin
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 01:10 AM

One more thing....those in North Idaho who hate are the outsiders....yes, there is some racism among the locals, but they do not hate....they do not go around beating people who are different up or kill them or anything...they are prejudiced more from lack of proper exposure than anything else...

Amergin who misses his home

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: jayohjo
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 10:33 AM

Aha! Many thanks (if this is appropriate in light of the alarming info I asked for...but you know what I mean) - I kind of knew much of that, but didn't know it 'properly' as, I imagine, most Americans would.

Why does all this happen though? How can people possibly think like this? (Don't worry, just rhetorical - I would imagine, and indeed hope, that noone on the Mudcat can really explain it)

jayohjo XX

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: Amergin
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 10:53 AM

jayohjo, I think the reason people act this way is because of the insecurities they see in themselves....I think they see what they are afraid about themselves in the faces of others....fear quickly turns to hate....

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: SINSULL
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 11:07 AM

Kat,
A few years ago, a gay man was bludgeoned to death in my neighborhood. His eyes were pried out with a claw hammer among other things. A shameful nightmare! Then it got worse. One of the murderers was a friend of my son. A brilliant student who had gone to drugs and then skin head activities. The legal maneuverings are a scandal. Countless lives have been ruined. I know the family - they are good decent people who raised their children to respect everyone.
Every time I allow myself to think that we have progressed past this sort of hate, it hits me in the face again. My idealistic niece is in the middle of a battle with her employer - a ski lodge - because she objected to fellow employess using "nigger" in front of her in the locker room. She is the bad guy in this. Incredible.
The Southern Poverty League fights and wins these battles despite death threats and recalcitrant courts. If you are not familiar with their work and success against groups such as the KKK, check them out. I can't understand why a parent would teach hate to a beautiful innocent child. I just can't understand. It's like pissing on a field of clean white snow just because you can.

Subject: RE: MTV-17 hrs -no ads - tribute to victims
From: katlaughing
Date: 12 Jan 01 - 11:38 AM

Mary,

That is terrible and I know what you mean, the Sothern Poverty Law Center's Teaching Tolerance program is a good one. I had the honour of having dinner wiht Morris Dees this past year when he came here to speak.

For some reason, my latest column seems to have struck a chord with a lot of people on this subject; I've received a lot of positive letters about it, more than any other column I've written and I don't consider it one of my best. Anyway. I've put it on my website, here if any of you would like to read it. It is called "When only the victim is named."

Thanks,

kat