wfn.org | ELCA Communication Services Joins '2009 Media Violence Fast'

[<NEWS@ELCA.ORG>]

Title: ELCA Communication Services Joins '2009 Media Violence Fast'
ELCA NEWS SERVICE

>October 19, 2009  

ELCA Communication Services Joins '2009 Media Violence Fast'
09-230-JB

CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's
(ELCA) Communication Services unit, along with a diverse coalition of
faith communication organizations, is part of the 2009 Media Violence
Fast. The Fast is a movement of thousands of people across the United
States who work to abstain from violence on television and radio, at
least for one week.

This year's seven-day emphasis, Oct. 19-26, asks interfaith
participants to consider the affect of anti-immigrant speech in the media.

"For one week we are asking people to be deliberate in choosing non
violent media sources for entertainment, especially programming promoted
as unbiased news that is, in fact, hate speech against immigrants," said
Kristi S. Bangert, executive director, ELCA Communication Services.

"Our participation in the Media Violence Fast can help focus
attention on the possible connection between hate speech and violent hate
crimes while providing a platform for increased public engagement with
this pressing issue," she added.

The anti-violence fast is sponsored by the So We Might See
Coalition, an interfaith group formed earlier this year with support from
ELCA Communication Services, U.S. Catholic Conference of Bishops Office
of Communications, Islamic Society of North America, United Methodist
Communications, United Church of Christ Office of Communication Inc.,
Presbyterian News Service and other faith groups.

During the week, participants may sign a petition to the Federal
Communications Commission asking that it open a notice of inquiry into
hate speech in the media. The coalition is also urging the National
Telecommunications and Information Agency 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," said
the Rev. J. Bennett Guess, executive director, United Church of Christ's
Office of Communication, Inc. Guess is helping to staff the coalition's
work.

The coalition is expressing particular concern about the frequency
and tone of anti-immigrant remarks made by several TV and radio
commentators, such as Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Michael Savage and Lou
Dobbs, it said in a news release.

According to the most recent FBI hate crimes statistics, while hate
crimes against all other groups have been holding steady or declining,
hate crimes against Latinos have been increasing over the past four
years, the release said.

The So We Might See Coalition's decision to focus its third annual
fast on anti-immigrant hate speech comes in support of the Latinos
Against Hate Speech campaign organized by the National Hispanic Media
Coalition.

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More information is at http://www.MediaViolenceFast.org or
http://www.SoWeMightSee.org on the Web.

For information contact:

John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@elca.org
http://www.elca.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.elca.org/news/blog