A Call For Radios to Implement Measures to Screen and Minimize Disrespectful Lyrics

Everyday we must hear songs not only disrespecting women, but also fueling stereotypical images of women as freaks, hoes, Jezebels, and whores not worthy of respect and not valued as women. These songs also promote unsafe, promiscuous sexual behaviors, as well as drug and alcohol abuse. It is time that the community starts taking initiative to filter this music out of our radio stations, where children, men, and women have complete and easy access to the words and images that are stunting the growth of the community. The negative effects of this music are seen and heard in our children who are nonchalantly repeating these lyrics in school and during play, and growing up thinking that all women are like those depicted in these songs. It is also evident in men, young and old, who find it socially acceptable to refer to women as hoes and other insulting names. Lastly, the effects are apparent in women who attempt to live up to these images or succumb to them.

This petition does not wish to suppress our 1st Amendment Right of Freedom of Speech instead it calls for responsible measures to be taken to ensure that music which blatantly disregards and disrespects women and advocates promiscuity or irresponsible sexual relationships is not so easily accessed on popular radio stations. The petition proposes two solutions two the above named problems:
Songs that contain such lyrics be played at night during a specially allotted time so that mature adults may use better discretion when listening to these stations (for example, if they know that such lyrics are played at a certain time during the night, they will opt not to listen to said station), and so that adults can adequately control what their children listen to on the radio.
That a disclaimer as to the explicit and mature nature of the song be announced before a song containing such lyrics are played.

The radio stations that it hopes to target are those that specifically dedicate its musical lineup to Hip Hop and R&B songs. In turn, this will minimize derogatory lyrics in songs once artists realize that their music is being played less and less. This petition also does not realistically seek to provide solutions to all of the problems facing our communities, but it is a step in the right direction and hopes to be an impetus for change.