From Media Violence Fast

On behalf of the So We Might See Coalition, we are supporting the requests of the National Hispanic Media Coalition and urge the Federal Communications Commission to open a notice of inquiry into hate speech in the media, and urge the National Telecommunications and Information Agency (NTIA) to update its 1993 report, The Role of Telecommunications in Hate Crimes. We are concerned about this issue because of the possible connection between hate speech and violent hate crimes and the lack of information for members of the public concerned about the issue.

In June 2006 four teenagers posed as federal agents and asked two Mexican men for their green cards. The teenagers then beat and robbed the two men, while accusing them of stealing jobs from U.S. citizens. This incident occurred after radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh called Mexican immigrants, regardless of legal status, “a renegade, potential crime element that is unwilling to work.”

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From The American Spectator

• The following religious denominations have agreed to sign on to the request to the FCC. They are: the United Church of Christ, U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops, the Islamic Society of North America, United Methodist Communications, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and “several other faith groups.”

• These religious groups are to convey the idea that talk radio and Fox News are guilty of “hate speech” as illustrated by links naming or presenting Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Bill O’Reilly, Lou Dobbs, Michael Savage in this fashion.

• The religious groups are to accomplish this objective in the following fashion, as explained, presumably by Reverend Guess, on the Grantmakers in Film and Electronic Media site:

In addition to on-line advocacy and learning (the So We Might See Media Violence Fast) will have elements that can be conducted by individuals or houses of worship directly. These elements will include:

- Sermon notes, children’s activities, and adult education materials, among others.

- Involving local clergy and lay leaders through an advisory committee. These local leaders will learn more in-depth about the chosen topics of the campaigns as well as create materials that other leaders and participants can use.

- Identifying which participant denominations require additional policy statement to support the work of the denomination in the media justice arena.

- Members of So We Might See will also issue joint press releases, letters and other documents to influence the policy process and educate the public.

Got that?