February 24, 2011
Dear Board of Directors at Life Always:
If you have received several letters and calls from African-American women and especially men, which I am sure you have it’s probably a good idea to consider that your organization has offended thousands if not millions of our community and to begin rectifying this issue. I demand that your Soho billboard be taken down and that you issue an apology to the African-American community.
At this point, anti-abortion and pro-choice is a moot issue. The issue is now respectful and disrespectful. These are the new issues at odds. As an “African-American” male, I was deeply offended by your advertisement with an African-American child being posted on a billboard with a sign reading “The most dangerous place for an African-American is in the womb.” That is disturbing and disrespectful. Not because of any statistics you created to shape your message, but, because I believe the womb to be a nurturing place for African-Americans. I have three young children, including one daughter which is probably around the same age as the one you have on your billboard.
What were the people in marketing thinking? No one raised an eyebrow? The fact that African-Americans are on the board at Life Always does not make it acceptable or any less racist and despicable.
I am not interested in discussing the contentious issues of anti-abortion and pro-choice, particularly the way you have cropped this unhealthy style of debate. I am in awe of African-American women therefore; I am more compelled to address the attack of the African-American womb and the people and civilizations that bore out of it.
Your marketing ploy could be the equivalent of calling me the N-word in a bold attempt to discuss gun violence in poor communities, because it will not receive its desired effect. However, it is far worse. Not only is this disregard for my people now placed for the world to see, it is ridiculing something sacred and precious that has given me life, my many mothers of generations. In an ironic twist, you have attacked, desecrated and criminalized life by posting a living human-being next to a disgusting text in a pathetic attempt to force us to revere it. African Americans love life. We love our wombs and will protect and defend them at all cost.
Yet, I sit and wonder if other communities would find similar marketing tactics geared toward them as life-changing and noble as you hoped them to be for African Americans. Better question is would you attempt such a thing in other communities attacking their womb regardless of outrage? There is nothing else to compare it to. Nothing else is comparable to the womb. Please respect it.
Most Sincere,
Omowale Adewale
2 comments:
I understand why people are offended by this. The image of the African American child, as well as the caption alluding to the "dangers" of the womb. The African womb is the original womb. The most offensive part of the billboard in my opinion is the sad reality of African American and abortions on display.
Our wombs are being raided and disrespected not only on this billboard, but in abortion clinics all over the world. Its like sterilization, or eugenics in my opinion. Racism to me has become a given to me. It doesn't need to be seen or heard overtly to exist.
I am also saddened at how Africans in America are taken advantage of for political reasons. In this case many may want to join this "cause" for religious reasons. Others may be against it for personal/liberal/feminist reasons.
The billboard is shocking, the statistics are grim, and racism is a given whether with or without this billboard.
The womb. African American wombs since when does my womb and any other Black women womb differ from any other woman around the world . The most dangerous place. The womb where the fetus is nourished and cared for and prayed over and polished with shea butter and almonds and the blessings of those who are here and the answered prayers of those who have passed on.
This billboard places Black American people once again in the other as the exotic other the 3/5 other and now or wombs are some exotic space of being , like black woman have babies unlike any other woman on the planet. Black women are not like the Greek God Zeus giving birth to his daughter from the top of his head. I and My mother and My mother Mother and so forth came through the Birth Canal and the only dangerous place that they emerged from was United States of America. I am waiting for a billboard to say that. USA an unhealthy place to raise your beautiful black baby from your awesome womb!
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