Violence in our country is a scandal worse than almost anything Hollywood could dream up. Variety, the magazine of the entertainment field, has launched an industry-wide conversation about the influence of media and entertainment on the appalling level of violence in our country.
I picked up a copy of Variety’s Violence & Entertainment issue at the Sundance Film Festival, and was encouraged by the thoughtful debate that Editor Tim Gray and his team inspired for the issue. His opening editorial is both a call for reflection and action. In an editorial opener called “A variety of voices looking for solutions,” he makes a three-point call to colleagues in media and entertainment.
1. Don’t wait for legislation.2. Be patient and persistent. Take action now.3. Be hypersensitive to content.
Blog
March 11, 2013 - 6:37pm
This month, students at Miami University are making the distinction between humor and discrimination. A student-created Twitter account called "Oxford Asians" attracted nearly 1,000 followers using language that some called "benign humor," while others found it a "form of cyber racial bullying."
In response, the university's Asian American Association turned the hurtful incident into an opportunity for learning by launching "The Real Oxford Asians," which rewrites offensive tweets, transforms them into positive messages and defies stereotypes. In this guest post, graduate student Suey Park discusses the impact of this atmosphere of intolerance and the need to speak up.
March 8, 2013 - 2:28pm
Not In Our Town Executive Producer Patrice O'Neill joined Southern Poverty Law Center's Mark Potok, Welcoming America's David Lubbell and Christian Picciolini, former hate group member, to discuss how to respond to the rise in domestic extremism on a HUFFPOST LIVE discussion earlier today.
Check out the conversation in this Huffington Post video:
According to a recent SPLC report, "The Year in Hate and Extremism," there are now nearly 1,400 'Patriot' groups, which generally believe that the government is conspiring to take away guns and destroy liberties.
March 8, 2013 - 12:54pm
FBI to investigate murder of Mississippi mayoral candidate as hate crime
CREDIT: Alternet
The FBI will investigate the brutal murder of Marco McMillan, an openly gay man who was running to become mayor of Clarksdale, MS, following an appeal from his family and numerous civil rights groups.
March 4, 2013 - 4:18pm
In BULLY, filmmaker Lee Hirsch graphically portrays the tragedy of bullying to catalyze everyone to be part of the solution. The BULLY Educator DVD & Toolkit, which includes Not In Our School videos and resources, is now available for pre-order.
Hirsch recently won the the Stanley Kramer Award of the Producers Guild of America. According to 2013 PGA Awards Chair Michael De Luca, “BULLY sparked a movement, sparked a shift in consciousness and rallied people of all ages to stand up against intolerance and hate. It’s a film that I believe Stanley Kramer himself would applaud and we’re thrilled to recognize it with this honor.”
By Lee Hirsch