AALIYAH DANA HAUGHTON FANS

On Behalf of the Haughtons
Posted Saturday, January 11, 2003 @ 03:25 AM



Dear Aaliyah fans,

Many times since the passing of Aaliyah we have encountered in the press headlines which were callous or disrespectful to her memory. Sadly, this situation is upon us once again and the level of disrespect has hit an all-time low.

The Jan. 3rd edition of "Entertainment Weekly" magazine (issue # 689) featuring Jack Nicholson on the cover reported the fact that Aaliyah's "I care 4U" cd debuted at number 3 on the charts, however, they felt the need to print "Better dead than defiant" next to her standings. This is simply appalling, and it's time that we, the public, let them know that we will no longer stand for it.

Sadly, a family friend of the Haughtons confirmed that they saw the article and were deeply disturbed by it. It's obvious that publications such as these choose to forget that the Haughton family deserves the same common courtesy extended to all families who have lost a loved one. We must stand up to the type of sensationalism that these publications use to sell their magazines.


(Pictured, the Entertainement Weekly article from January 3rd edition of Entertainment Weekly)


How dare they imply that Aaliyah's sales are due simply to her untimely death? How dare they place a human life on some numerical scale in which they alone determine the worthiness of an artist? Aaliyah was above all a human being....a mother and father have lost their daughter, and a brother has lost his sister and best friend. Just as any family would mourn a loved one, Aaliyah's family and friends also mourn her. An entertainer does not lose their humanity because of their chosen profession. Simply being an entertainer does not mean that every aspect of their lives, including their deaths, become a source of entertainment. We must act, and we must act now.

We ask that everyone e-mail, fax, call, and write to Entertainment Weekly magazine to express their displeasure. We ask that you not support Entertainment Weekly magazine in any way. We ask that you refrain from purchasing Entertainment Weekly Magazine for any reason. We ask that you not only cancel your subscriptions, but also inform them of exactly why you are doing so. We ask that you request a refund for the amount of any magazines you haven't yet received.We can even go so far as to boycott all publications distributed by the same company that distributes Entertainment Weekly Magazine. (AO Note: Time Inc).

A full scale Boycott must be implemented, and the word should be spread with great vigor. This information should be posted on every Aaliyah board and newsletter that we know of. Everywhere where there is not only a love for Aaliyah, but a love and respect for the spirit of common decency and compassion should be called to help this cause. This is not simply about one woman, it's about the terrible spirit in which this publication reported .

It is the obligation of any journalist to report the news without personal opinion or prejudice, unless it is in the form of a review or editorial. This was neither, it was the weeks' standings, and yet it became both a personal editorial and review of the validity and worthiness of this young artist. So now it's the public's turn. Now we must hold them accountable, and place the worthiness of their publication on a numerical scale. Then we must inform them that they have been deemed unworthy of our support. They hit us where it hurts....our heart....we should in turn hit them where it hurts them the worse...their wallets.


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