SILENT PROTEST OF R. KELLY IN WASHINGTON, DC. - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PROTESTERS TO GREET R. KELLY ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY NIGHT DURING D.C. CONCERT AT DAR CONSTITUTION HAL


WASHINGTON, D.C. - November 20, 2009 - When popular R& B crooner R. Kelly hits the stage at the DAR Constitution Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday night he may hit a sour note with a group of protesters fed up with his racy lyrics that they say objectify and degrade black women and girls. Some concerned citizens of the Washington, DC metro area have their own song to sing to Mr. Kelly: stop objectifying and degrading black women and girls.

“R. Kelly is no stranger to controversy. He is most infamously known for being tried and acquitted for several felony child molestation and child pornography charges. He’s also known for very sexually suggestive lyrics and continues to degrade black women and girls by making his music.” says Vicki Bleus, a protest organizer.

The purpose of this protest is to call attention to the fact R. Kelly’s sexually suggestive lyrics disrespect black women and girls. The protest organizers believe that silent demonstration is one of the most effective methods for voicing opposition to the continued victimization of black women and girls by popular music. “The hypersexualization of the black feminine aesthetic is based on revolting and destructive stereotypes that originated with the institution of slavery”, adds Shane Johnson, a local blogger-turned-community activist. “As a man I find R. Kelly’s music dehumanizing and disgusting. Instead of lifting black women and girls up, he is complicit in their continued objectification.”

The protest will occur each night of the concert on November 24 and 25, 2009. Protesters will assemble with picket signs at 5:45 pm and will remain outside of the concert hall until 10:30 pm. The Protest will take place on the 17th Street NW sidewalk bordering the main entrance of the DAR Constitution Hall.

“This protest is a call to arms for anyone who cares about black women. This was a crime against humanity and I am surprised at the level of apathy and lack of outrage from our self-appointed black leaders.” said Johnson.

For more information, please contact Shane Johnson at sbjatlanta@yahoo.com.

Sounding the Alarm... AGAIN! PROTEST AGAINST R. KELLY IN WASHINGTON, DC

So it been a few months since my last post and ironically the 2 year anniversary of a Counter Protest I launched in response to Al-Sharpton's do-nothingness about the Dunbar Village Rape tragedy. The theme of the protest was so much bigger than Al's fat ass though. I, like many of you who read this blog (or used to but stopped because I haven't written anything in AGES), became infuriated with how the self-appointed coalition of black leaders (used loosely) are no where to be found when it comes to protect the lives of black women. Equally important is the fact that black leaders and theblack community in general are even more absent than normal when the victimizers of black women are black men. In fact, many black women vociferously defend the actions of those implicit in their degradation, humiliation, and dehumanization.

The protest only drew a modest group of supporters, but they were there nonetheless. It received national coverage and began a conversation that some black folks had been having in the blogosphere, but that had not quite been acknowledge by the greater mass of the black collective. For the amount of people we had and the nationwide coverage, I'd call that a success.

To that end I find it necessary to take to the streets once again next week. For many of you who have forgotten, serial child rapist and pedophile, Robert Kelly BKA R. Kelly will be in Washington, DC in concert. I haven't forgotten and niether should anyone else that this is the same man who brought us "Half on a Baby", "Feeling on yo' Booty", JEEP, and others like it. He is the same man who raped Aaliyah Houghton, pissed on a 14 year-old girl and was acquitted for those charges because of the silliness that exists in Chicago. If he had done any of that stuff to even ONE white girl, he'd be under a jail. Even black people would consider him a deviant because black folks have a tendency to treat white victims with the same deference as white people do... but I digress.

The fact remains that this protest is about the same thing and I'll be out there even if I have to be alone. Someone has to call attention to the fact that black folks need to drop a DAISY CUTTER on R. Kelly and industry that supports and compels him to continue making music. I have decided that the someone will be me. I'll post the assembly instructions and status updates here. In the meantime, if you care about black women and girls, DO SOMETHING!