I love Quilters Newsletter magazine. Have a subscription to it - look forward to it each month. This month, however, I was shocked. Have a look at the December 2007 issue on page 10 - 11. There's an article in the "What's New" feature titled "Gee's Bend Suits Raise Concern." The article goes on to briefly describe the suits brought by Annie Mae Young, Loretta Pettway and Lucinda Pettway Franklin. Three different lawsuits. Then the article talks about a June 2007 meeting the Arnetts had with the Gee's Bend quilters. The article ends with a quote from the an attorney for Tinwood Alliance and a link to the Tinwood Alliance website.
There's not one direct quote from the side of the quilters or the attorneys for any of the three women who filed suit. Heck, there's even a sub-heading under the article's author that says: "The quilters are grateful for the money, respect, and praise they have received, and they feel that the lawsuits have weakened their community."
What bias! I expect better from QNM - I expect QNM to balance the article with quotes from the women who have filed suit. To blanket-ly say (no pun intended!) that "The quilters are grateful ...." is to dismiss the three courageous women who filed suit, in my opinion.
For those who are interested, the phone number for QNM at CK Media is 303-215-5600 or 1-800-881-6634. The email address is: Questions@qnm.com Type Letter to Editor in subject line.
2 comments:
Kyra:
I too subscribe to this magazine, and was surprised at thel ack of informative information regarding the case. It was more like an FYI and that everything is OK - just push it under the rug and we will not see it anymore.
I don't subscribe to this magazine, but now I'll have to go find it just to read the article. There is a lack of recognition of what is termed "white privilege" that allows reviews, articles, essays and other commentaries to be written in a manner that excludes the racism and bias that is acculturated behavior, specifically in the U.S., but also world wide. Everyone has an agenda and surely this much enjoyed publication has one that includes profiting from the "idea" of the Gee's Bend quilts but never never advocating for them or even being impartial. Or maybe I'm just being biased myself and none of plaintiffs or their lawyers had telephones or email. I mean...it is Gee's Bend, right? (I'm being sarcastic lest anyone think otherwise)
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