WHCHC [White House Conference on Hate Crimes] - Press June 1997 to Present

PHOTOCOPY PRESERVATION [The Washington Blade, Friday, November 7, 1997, page 20] 20 THE WASHINGTON BLADE November 7, 1997 HC National News BET stands by its plans Darryl Cooper of the Washing- to air controversial song ton, D.C. anti-violence organiza- tion Gay Men and Lesbians Op- posing Violence will attend the White House Hate Crimes Con- by Rhonda Smith episode in question. She explained that in ference. Cooper and other Gays also met last month with U.S. Numerous Gay viewers have contacted addition to addressing homosexuality, Justice Department officials to Black Entertainment Television (BET) to "Not Natural" contains lyrics about discuss hate crimes. express disapproval about the cable net- black-on-black violence and unmarried work's plan to air a contemporary gospel youths who have children. song with anti-Gay lyrics on a show "It has become a political issue [be- geared toward teen-agers. cause of] the Gay community," she said. But a BET spokesperson said Nov. 5, "[But] I didn't hear from the Gay com- that the show, which features Angie and munity about Janet Jackson's song about Debbie Winans performing "Not Natur- a Lesbian love affair," Tang added. al," will be aired at noon Saturday, Nov. "There's a double standard here." 8, on Teen Summit. The 90-minute show In response, Boykin said that Jackson's by Clint Steib is pre-recorded and airs weekly. song does not denounce a group of people In a related development, Matt Ander- or call into question their existence based son, the program director at WPGC-AM on the Bible. "Heaven 1580" told the Washington Post Boykin sent a letter via e-mail to nu- that the local radio station has reversed its merous Gays nationwide and their sup- porters on Oct. 30, offering four actions 'A place at the table' they could take in response to BET and the Winans' song. In addition to suggest- At least 20 Gay activists will participate in ing that they contact Tang at BET head- quarters in Washington, D.C., to voice White House Conference on Hate Crimes their opinion about "Not Natural," Boykin said BET might host a town hall by Peter Freiberg bully pulpit." meeting on homosexuality "if they re- Fifteen years ago, activists had trouble At the same time, Quinn said, it re- ceive encouragement from our communi- getting anyone to pay attention to anti- mains to be seen whether "this will be ty." Gay violence. More recently, grassroots something that will transcend the bully A BET spokesperson said the network and national organizations have persuad- pulpit" and actually bring about signifi- reaches 51 million predominantly African ed law enforcement agencies, govern- cant legislative, law enforcement and American households nationwide. ment officials and the media to focus cultural changes. That will depend in Boykin also suggested that Gays con- more on the problem. President Bill Clin- part, she said, on what specific commit- tact Angie and Debbie Winans and Capi- ton condemned anti-Gay assaults in a ments and proposals Clinton makes. tal Entertainment, their Washington,/ radio address last June. "The conference is a really good first D.C.-based publicist, about the song. by Clint Steib And on Monday, the issue of anti-Gay step," Quinn said, "but now we need to "Angie and Debbie Winans continue to violence is expected to get an equal "seat put the meat on the bone and make profit from this controversy," Boykin at the table" with other bias-motivated [changes] happen. Clinton must do said. Boykin said that Capital Entertain- violence at what activists are calling a that...." ment, which was co-founded by Bill Car- hate crimes "summit"- the first-ever This weekend, Clinton is scheduled to penter and Vincent Young, a former re- White House Conference on Hate unveil several plans aimed at beefing up The Rev. Rainey Cheeks: "We need porter at the Washington Post, continue to Crimes. law enforcement and prevention efforts to respond at some level, but are we profit from a media campaign about the The 350 civil rights, law enforcement, targeting bias-motivated violence. "The supposed to hop every time...?" song. anti-violence, youth, education and reli- president is going to get tough on hate "Before the controversy had even gious leaders attending the conference crimes," Socarides said. decision not to air "Not Natural." The sta- begun, the publicists sent out a news re- will include at least 20 representatives of While Socarides would not release de- tion began airing the song on Oct. 24. lease saying 'Angie and Debbie Winans Gay groups and could reach 40, ac- tails on Clinton's announcements, he said In a written response to a college stu- Denounce Homosexuality With Contro- cording to Richard Socarides, Clinton's there was widespread recognition that "to dent who complained about the song, An- versial Gospel Song' (Sept. 18, 1997)," openly Gay liaison to the Gay communi- tackle this problem, you have to have a derson said, on Oct. 6, that WPGC-AM Boykin said. They claimed the Gay ty and chief organizer of the conference. federal, state and local partnership" with would not broadcast songs that are offen- community started the controversy, when Sheila Kuehl, the openly Lesbian members of affected communities and sive to any person or group of people. in reality the publicists started it by send- Speaker Pro Tem of the California As- with community organizations, such as Anderson, who did not return a call ing out this inflammatory news release sembly, will be among eight speakers on the Gay anti-violence projects that have from the Washington Blade this week, re- before anyone had ever heard of Angie hate crime issues who will address a sprung up across the country. cently told the Washington Post that the and Debbie, or their song." panel chaired by Clinton. At least one Activists said that among the proposals station reversed its decision because lis- In the Washington area, black Gays Gay hate crime victim is expected to be made to the Administration was for Clin- teners began requesting the song based on have various views about the best way to at the conference, Socarides said. ton to ask federal prosecutors nationwide its controversy: "The way the song was respond to the Winans and BET. One "The president has indicated an un- to convene task forces on hate crimes. presented initially was as if it was a song longtime leader suggested that they be precedented willingness to address these These task forces, which would include of bashing," Anderson said in a Post arti- pro-active instead of reactive. issues (of anti-Gay violence) head on," local law enforcement and government cle on Oct. 31. "Once we heard it, that "We need to respond at some level said Socarides. "It certainly won't be to officials as well as community represen- was not the case. It was [a song] that did- but are we supposed to hop every time the exclusion of other communities af- tatives, would focus on hate crime pre- n't approve of several different lifestyles, something like this is said, or do we set fected [by hate crimes], but certainly... no vention and penalties as well as the way but it was one where we thought our lis- an agenda for ourselves and move for- one else will have a better seat at the hate crime victims are treated. teners should decide." ward?" asked the Rev. Rainey Cheeks, table." Gay activists were also hoping Clinton Keith Boykin, executive director of the pastor at Inner Light Unity Fellowship Christine Quinn, executive director of would announce proposals to make it National Black Lesbian and Gay Leader- Church, which has a mostly black Gay the New York City Gay and Lesbian easier for the federal government, includ- ship Forum, said he has shared his con- congregation. "This is a dangerous time." Anti-Violence Project, who will attend ing the FBI, to get involved in combating cern about the song with Deborah Tang, Cheeks said affirmative action policies the conference, called it a "turning point" bias-motivated crimes. BET's vice president of news, sports, and are being challenged nationwide and that in the fight against anti-Gay violence. Gay activists would like to see the fed- entertainment. this has implications for all women and "For years. we fought for national eral hate crimes statute amended to in- "I'm opposed to censorship but I don't people of color. Welfare reform policies leaders to include us publicly in the list clude sexual orientation, gender and dis- think they should air biased, negative are in motion, he said, and they will have of communities victimized by hate ability, but there was doubt whether Clin- views toward a part of the community an impact on single mothers nationwide. crimes," said Quinn. "In this case, with ton would endorse this in view of what when young people are going to be seeing "As community leaders, we must come the president, we were successful Socarides said were "constitutional ques- this and [BET] is not providing an alter- together and discuss what our approach "Having a summit on this topic a tions" and what Gay activists concede is native response," Boykin said. will be," Cheeks concluded, "because, topic most of us don't like to talk about uncertainty about prospects for passage Tang said recently that BET has never truly, the religious right is setting their is incredibly significant," she said. "It in Congress. considered not airing the Teen Summit agenda very clearly. speaks to the power of the president's Continued on page 24