[Fwd: Fwd: [BRC-ANN] Statement on New York Festival Attacks]

[Katha Pollitt <kpollitt@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Dear Audre Lorde Project,

  I don't know much about hip hop culture, but "the struggle for women's
rights and feminist justice" isn't what comes to mind when I think of
it. More the opposite, actually--glorification of macho posturing,
brutality against women and misogynous  attitudes (women as
golddiggers,"hos" and "bitches"), with a few breast-implanted
dressed-to-the-nines divas  licensed to be "sassy" and the occasional
men-are-jerks song like TLC's "Dont Want No Scrub."  I would be
interested to know exactly what the statement below is referring to when
it claims that hiphop plays a "daily and historic" role in feminist
struggle.

Thanks for enlightenment,
Katha Pollitt

> >STATEMENT ON CENTRAL PARK & 116th St. FESTIVAL ATTACKS
> >
> >
> >We also reject current trends of public discourse that have
> >sought to single out youth and hip hop culture as somehow
> >inherently violent. Commentators and public figures who
> >attempt to scapegoat and criminalize youth and hip hop
> >culture as the root causes of violence against women ignore
> >the daily and historic role that young people and hip hop
> >culture have played in struggles for justice, including the
> >ongoing struggle for women's rights and feminist justice.
> >
> >Finally, as a Center committed to justice and liberation for
> >all of our peoples, we call on our communities to struggle
> >with the contradictions inherent in some of the recent
> >calls for increased policing, police presence, and enhanced
> >criminal penalties as a solution. While these incidents are
> >indeed examples of hate crimes, incarcerating more people
> >for longer periods of time in a racist, homophobic, trans-
> >
> >The Audre Lorde Project:
> >Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Two Spirit & Transgender
> >People of Color Communities
> >85 So. Oxford St.
> >Brooklyn, NY 11217
> >Tel: 718-596-0342
> >Fax: 718-596-1328
> >Email: alpinfo@xxxxxxx
> >
> >-30-
> >
> >