November 1 8 ,1992...The Portland Observer...Page 7
MALCOLM X w h e re do w e go fro m
Forget Act III
Act Black
For the Record
Some unfortunate communications mistakes were
made which Act III deeply regrets.
BY JIMI JOHNSON
In the wake o f A ct I l l ’ s refusal to
show Spike Lee’ s film M alcolm X at
the L lo yd Cinemas and the L lo yd
M a ll, many folks in the African Am eri
can Com m unity have called for a
boycott o f all A ct III theatres. A fter
hearing threats o f a boycott, the man
agers at A c t III decided to release the
film at L lo yd Cinema during i t ’s na
tional debut on November 18th. H ow
ever, the damage has already been
• Steps have been taken w ith com m unity leaders, the
press and Warner Bros, to make sure that it
doesn't happen again.
We regret not having brought the comm unity
into the discussion w ith Warner Bros. Warner and
There was nothing racial in o ffe ring The Fox 1 heatre;
rather, a sincere desire to accommodate the greatest
number o f people during the first week o f the run.
A ct III got into a dispute and as a consequence
sufficient consideration was not given to
the m ovie going public.
done.
A c t III Cinemas has a history o f
insulting A frican Americans and the
Northeast Community in general when
their managers pick and choose which
movies they deem are appropriate to
be shown in our community.
As an A frican American citizen
liv in g in Portland, I believe it ’ s time
we stopped asking white owned the
atres, shipping malls, grocery stores
and educational facilities for equal
and fa ir treatment. These institutions
have failed to understand and respect
the needs o f the African American
Com m unity since the Emancipation
Proclamation .As long as we depend
on white run institutions to look out
fo r our needs we’ lj be insulted time
Act III will be happy to play "Malcolm X" at the
Lloyd Theatre as early as the picture is released
to us. At this time the film is scheduled
to open on December 2, 1992.
i Since being informed o f com m unity concerns in late
1 99 1, A c t III has shown 9 4% o f all black-oriented
film s released in 1992 at our L lo yd theatres. As a
base o f comparison only 57% o f all. film s released in
1992 have opened at our L lo yd theatres.
The recent facts give no credence to such a
perception, and we had no awareness o f such
We have been made aware o f a lingering perception
among the A frican-Am erican com m unity that black-
oriented film s were not being played at our L lo yd
mis-understanding.
We regret that perceptions have created a
divisive issne in our community and that a
cloud was cast over the opening of
"Malcolm X."
We hope you agree with us and with Spike Lee's
spokesman who stated that "the film maker (Spike
Lee) is satisfied a controversy here in Portland over
the showing of his new film has been resolved."
- KXL Radio 11-12-92
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ish in this foreign land.
The merchants o f this city/coun-
try have shown us in many ways that
they are not interested in what the
African American C om m unity thinks
as long as we buy their products. C om
mercials are constantly aired on tele
vision that insults the A frican A m e ri
can Com m unity. However, as long as
the comm unity buys the products the
insensitive marketing strategy is ig
nored by Madison Avenue.
Conversely, A ct III Cinemas be
lieves that there is no reason to be
sensitive to the needs o f the A frican
American Comm unity because we w ill
spend our money in their theatres no
matter how bad we are treated. And
the sad fact is that history have shown
them to be correct most o f the time.
We must demand fair treatment from
A ct III, A ct IV , A c t V and any other
A ct (place) where we spend our d ol
and time again.
A ct I l l ’ s actions and insensitivity
should come as no surprise to the
African American Community. H ow
ever, until there are some drastic policy
changes in the way A ct I I I does busi
ness w ith the African American C om
m unity our dollars should be directed
elsewhere. We also must create an
alternative were there would be little
need to go to A ct III theatres to watch
a movie. We have the resources right
here in this comm unity to own and
operate Cinemas such as A ct III. By
doing so, we’ ll give young African
Americans opportunities for em ploy
ment, entertainment and the k n o w l
edge that they to can own and operate
high profile businesses.
These theatres can also be used as
a training ground fo r a future genera
tion o f talented Black writers, actors,
producers and filmmakers. This w ill
be a place where young Black energy
a perception. The lack o f awareness on our
part certainly contributed to the present
Theatres.
can flo w in a positive manner.
In the sp irit o f M alcolm X and
others before him , Black N ational
ism, Black Enterprise, C ultural and
Educational awareness and Spiritual
awakening are the only solutions for
African Americans to grow and flo u r
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lars.
I f M alcolm were alive today, I
believe he’d say “ To H ell W ith A ct
I I I . We Need T o Act- up And Get B usy
Creating A Future For Our Young
People. To H ell W ith Begging The
Whiteman For Anything Because We
Can And M ust Do For Ourselves’
“ The Best T hing Y oung A frica n
Americans Could Do Is Go T o The
Library And Read M y Autobiogra
phy. Go To The Library And Read
A n yth in g Because Know ledge Is
Power And The Key To Your Suc
cess” !
As we move into the 21st cen
tury, we can no longer depend on a
system o f inequality to give justice to
the African American people. We must
demand justice and respect by creat
ing economic opportunities in busi
ness, education and the political arena
in order to control our own destiny.
Instead o f A ct III, we must A ct
Black!
-.'"-5
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(SJditór
To The Editor:
The African-Am erican leaders and
people o f the Portland, Oregon Com m u
nity are faced w ith another opportunity
to bring about a change in our comm u
nity. O ur com m unity has a serious gang
problem in general. This problem has
also attacked and grown in other com
munities and cities! It ’ s like a grapevine
that has been allowed to germinate and
develop into small vineyards. Just imag
ine, a neighborhood vineyard! Whether
the apprehension is greater than the re
a lity does not matter. The fact is that tear
exists in our comm unity. Yet, fear w ith
out know ledge can perpetuate ignorance,
and ignorance can perpetuate racist pat
terns o f thought.
W e have all read, seen on te levi
sion, or have been told by someone that
we have a gang problem. The images
that have so long depicted gang mem
bers is one o f young African-Am erican
men w ith little education, aspirations or
social values. This dppiction is totally
inaccurate: the assumption that the ma
jo rity o f young African-Am erican men
are a ffiliated w ith or members o f gangs
is stereotypical and unfounded. Obser
vations reveal that gangs are not exclu
sive to African-Am ericans. In fact, sta
tistics show that gang membership
among Europeans, Asians and Hispan
ics are just as com pelling as those that
arc portrayed bv the media pertinent to
Letter to the Editor:
I am w riting this letter in response
to cinema III not showing the film M a l
colm X on opening day.
There is a group o f African A m eri
cans here in Portland that is tired o f the
so-called African American leadership
always begging, crying, and boycotting
white businesses for their decisions.
W hy not use this stage as an oppor
tunity to buy, lease, or rent a building in
our community to show Malcolm X or
any African American movie that we
time we start using our collective buy
ing power to bring about a change in our
comm unity. It is time that we the con
sumers demand what we want, and not
accept what our capitalistic society says
that we should have as a product or
service. We live , generate income and
spend money here-thc U.S., and these
businesses are located in our comm uni
African-Am ericans.
Do African-Am ericans manufac
ture guns utilized to k ill fellow human
beings? Do A frican-Am ericans own
major airlines and other transportation
instruments utilized to traffic illegal
drugs? No, African-Am ericans in the
United States (U.S.) don’ t manufacture
these products or own these services; we
increase the owners (I.E., stockholders)
return on in vestment by purchasing them.
Various communities have success
fu lly and unsuccessfully attempted to
w in the war o f equality. They have
encouraged and supported small, me
dium and large corporations gro w th an d
operation w ithin their boundaries. Some
times never seeing a return on their
investment. I believe that it is tim e that
we demand a return on our investment
as a com m unity and as a people! To
assume that screening “ M alcolm X ” a
socially conscious m ovie depicting a
strong, respected, dynamic and profound
human being (who just happens to be an
African-Am erican) w ill insight violence
and hatred is a fallacy, and based on a
racist pattern o f thought. It was this
same pattern o f thought that allowed
B allot Measure 9 to be voted upon. It is
lim e that we put a stop to social and
ties generating a p ro fit from our mar
kets, yet not supporting the com m uni
ties they operate w ith in via the appro-
private commercial license. This is an
insult to all people. I t ’ s lim e that we go
back to boycotting businesses, products
and services whose sole motivation is
the deprivation o f the environment or
the culture in w hich they operate w ithin
in search o f the m axim ization o f the
“ alm ighty d ollar.” We the people have
the right. In 1962, President John F.
Kennedy, in a special message to Con
gress, outlined what he saw as the four
rights o f consumers:
“ 1. The rig h t to safety:
2. The rig h t to be informed:
3. The rig h t to choose:
4. The rig h t to be heard:”
I t ’ s time to exercise our rights be
fore i t ’ s to late. I am in support o f protest
and boycotts targeted at the A ct III
theater chain.
Dennis Payne, II is a Youth M in is
ter, and Com m unity A ctivists. He re
sides in the N. E. Portland Area.
economic bigotry!
A ct III Theatres “ tolerates” our
money but not our movies, now i f that’ s
not bigotry I don’ t know what is. It is
To the Editor:
A fter reading a recent article in the
Oregonian, I, as a young black in d i
vidual, am utterly sickened by the whole
M A L C O L M X /A C T III Cinemas to in
sult our intelligence any longer w ith
their poor exc uses for not showing black
interest film s. I find it sadly disappoint
ing that we as a comm unity and as a race
have bowed down and accepted the
hand outs o f a blatantly racist organiza
tion. I truly believe w ith a little unity we
could do far more to bring to our com-
munity/neighborhood the movies that
illustrate our daily struggle as a people.
I am ashamed that we are not doing
all that we can do to help ourselves. I am
secure we all know by now that nothing
is going to be given to us, and that we
w ill have to keep pushing and making
personal sacrifites until our needs, not
to mention our wants, as a people are
met. I surely hope there are not any o f us
out there who s till believe in the A m eri
can way (it doesn’ t exist), for we have
been labeled Afro-Am ericans, in other
words not quite white, only tolerated. I f
we are not going to come together as a
people and support one another in busi
ness, fa m ily, comm unity and in love
who is going to rescue us. I f we do not
look out for each other no one else w ill
sec us, because no matter how ligh t or
dark
our
s k in
is
we
are
invisible,disposable. I do believe we
need to come together and earn our
m illionaires that could help us in this
endeavor, even Spike Lee could help us.
When are we going to do some
thing for ourselves. Lets show the people
in the State o f Oregon that the African
American community arc truly the de
scendants o f the pyramid builders in
Africa, and i f you marvel over the pyra
mids, what w ill your reaction be when
we get this theater going in the commu
desire to show.
Asians, Hispanics, and other ethnic
groups hi this city have theaters, restau
rants, and other decent places to social
ize. They have yet to cry and beg white
people for good treatment. They have
pooled their resources, gone out and
purchased those wants and needs.
Black man, stop crying and stop
begging people for those things you arc
able to provide for yourselves. It is a
shame, that we have African American
basketball players in this city who arc
respect, demand it. I f that means renting
a commercial bus or two to see to it that
our youth get to the movies that cel
ebrate the black culture then do it. It is
terribly important fo r our youth to see
themselves/their race in the lime light,
to have role models, to have hope. What
do you think M alcolm would have done,
how about M artin. W ill we let it just
remain a dream or w ill we begin to
make it become reality.
It is about time for another uproar,
it is time to stand up for our rights. I am
enraged that we as a people continue to
coast on the graces our forefather begot
us. The Rodney King thing was not
enough we need peaceful, organized,
demonstrations in order to bring about
positive change and we need them now.
I personally want to challenge our com
m unity and our community leaders to
come together and demand change. I do
not mean a boycott that lasts for a week,
what I mean is a boycott that lasts until
change follows. A C T III Cinemas would
have us believe that i f we took away our
support it w ould not hurt them bit, that
simply is not true. I frequent the L lo yd
Cinemas m yself and I see many black
faces every time I am there. I f A C T III
Cinemas does not want their establish
ment to be a black com m unity theater,
then take it out o f our community.
Although the problem manifested
in the bookings at L lo yd Cinemas, the
problem began in the heart o f the man-
We as Black Men are tired o f the
African-Am erican Com m unity being
insulted by A ct III and believe that we
should not economically support any
A ct III Theater.
This issue goes back toa year ago
when representatives from the Urban
League and the Black United Front
met w ith A ct III. A t this time A ct III
agreed to end it ’ s practice o f not
nity.
Sincerely your Brother
Ahmad
.
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as a people.
Respectfully,
Brandi W illiam s
Coalition Of Black Men / Act III Press Conference Statement:
screening controversial film s w ith
black themes. This practice has con
tinued up to the present day w ith the
failure to show the film M alcolm X at
it ’ s L lo yd Cinemas or L loyd M all
Cinemas.
We therefore ask that members o f
the Black Com m unity and our friends
and supporters not attend film show
ing at any A ct III Theaters until their
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policies are changed to include the
showings o f Black film s in our N orth
east community.
Furthermore in reference to the
showing o f M alcolm X. Wc encourage
A ct III in their efforts to chance their
policies and open up their doors at no
charge to members o f our comm unity
at their first L lo yd Center Theaters
showing o f M alcolm X.
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agement o f all o f A C T III Cinemas and
therefore we should boycott a ll A C T III
Cinemas. I have noticed that A C T III
Cinemas is even beginning to segregate
the blacks and whites by playing pre
dominantly black interest film s in the
L lo yd M all Cinemas, and the predomi
nantly white interest film s in the L lo yd
Cinemas across the street. I have also
noticed, and I am sure you have too, that
L lo yd M a ll Cinemas are In fe rior to the
L lo yd Cinemas across the street. I am
afraid this second class citizen treatment
cannot be tolerated any longer. I plan to
boycott all A C T III Cinemas myself,
even i f a film comes out that I really want
to view and A C T II Cinemas are the only
ones in town showing the film . I think the
rest o f the black com m unity needs to
begin sacrificing in the same manner
until we get the respect our dollars earn
us, after a ll our money is green too.
I cannot, in good conscience, allow
this issue to die, it sim ply must be ad
dressed. 1 f we let th is one si ide we let our
future slide, this isn’ t about a m ovie it is
about respect. It is about human rights. It
is about segregation. It is about racism,
and I guarantee you it w ill not stop here.
Our forefathers fought hard to get us
where we arc today, le t’ s not allow the
process to begin regressing. W E should
continue forward until we arc respected
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