From: Trimtantre@aol.com Sent: Friday, September 24, 2004
4:05 PM To: Annotico@aol.com; Italiani2@yahoogroups.com;
information@ilpostinocanada.com; AmicidellaLinguaItaliana-owner@yahoogroups.com;
MasulloYankees@accessbee.com Subject: CARRES calls for BOYCOTT of
"Shark Tale" Marketing Partners The ANNOTICO Report
Each of you can do YOUR PART by encouraging everyone in your
"sphere of Influence" to BOYCOTT, The Film and ALL it's Marketing
Partners!!!!!!!!!!
Would it REALLY be such a SACRIFICE for ANYONE to AVOID, and
SUBSTITUTE, and Encourage ALL your Friends to AVOID Purchasing....
Coca-Cola,
Burger King, Krispy Kreme, General Mills, Hasbro Toys and
Activision.
And WHY are you doing this????
Because Bigotry vs Adults
is HURTFUL, BUT Bigotry vs Kids is INEXCUSABLE!!!! ==============================================================================
ITALIAN
AMERICAN COALITION ALERTS PARENTS TO SHARK TALE VIOLENCE AND
STEREOTYPING
CALLS FOR NATIONAL BOYCOTT OF "TALES" MARKETING
PARTNERS
Washington - September 24, 2004
- The Coalition Against Racial, Religious and Ethnic Stereotyping (CARRES)
today alerted parents to the violence and ethnic stereotyping in DreamWorks'
soon- to-be-released animated children's movie, Shark Tale and called for
a national boycott of all products that promote the film and its characters.
The movie is about a fish named Oscar, who gets involved with gangster
sharks and killer whales. The gangster-fish have Italian names and are voiced by
Robert DeNiro, Martin Scorsese and actors from The Sopranos. It premieres
nationally Oct. 1, the first day of Italian American heritage month.
Shark Tale is a production of DreamWorks SKG, owned by Steven
Spielberg, Jeffrey Katzenberg and David Geffen. To promote it, DreamWorks formed
partnerships with some of the nation's largest corporations, including Coca-Cola
and Burger King.
Since January CARRES has petitioned DreamWorks to
change the names of the gangster characters and remove Italian expressions from
the dialogue. It also has written to the movie's corporate sponsors asking them
not to promote the film.
"Since our requests fell on deaf ears, we are
calling for a boycott of Coca-Cola, Burger King, Krispy Kreme, General Mills,
Hasbro Toys and Activision, the movie's principal marketing partners," says
CARRES spokesperson Dona De Sanctis.
It is the first time that the major
Italian American organizations have called for a national boycott to protest the
defamation of people of Italian heritage.
Italian Americans represent
the fifth largest ethnic group in the United States, numbering 16 million
according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
CARRES is composed of more than 25
ethnic organizations, including all the major national Italian American
organizations:
· The Order Sons of Italy in America (OSIA) ·
UNICO National · The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF) · The
Columbus Citizens Foundation · The Italic Institute of America
"Shark Tale is a kid's version of GoodFellas," says
CARRES member John Mancini, chairman of the Italic Institute. "We are profoundly
disappointed in Steven Spielberg who chooses to negatively influence children
this way."
"Shark Tale will be translated into many languages and
reproduced on DVDs," says OSIA National President Joseph Sciame "The characters
will be in video games, on cereal boxes and fast-food meals all over the world."
Referring to the movie's corporate partners, UNICO National President
Michael Mariniello notes, "How could these otherwise socially responsible
corporations, whose businesses are sustained by American families of every
racial and ethnic background, be a party to such a reactionary movie based on
ethnic caricatures? It literally takes America back to the 1940s."
Lawrence Auriana, president of the Columbus Citizens Foundation,
targeted Spielberg's role. "Despite his enlightened statements about
stereotyping, Spielberg has allowed DreamWorks to produce the first children's
movie in at least 25 years that promotes bias. By supporting this movie,
Spielberg is being hypocritical." Auriana's foundation, which organizes New York
City's annual Columbus Day Parade, banned members of the cast of The Sopranos
from marching in the 2002 parade.
U.S Congressman, Bill Pascrell Jr
(D-NJ) contacted DreamWorks on Jan. 9 and again on Sept. 8, requesting a review
copy of the film before its Oct. 1 national premiere. "I am concerned that the
character images of this film do not meet a wholesome standard and will instill
societal prejudices in our children," he wrote.
To download the
CARRES boycott brochure Click Here . This
brochure may be copied and distributed.
For additional information and
interviews, contact:
·
Dona De Sanctis, CARRES spokesperson, 202/547 3833
· Rosario
Iaconis, president, Italic Institute of America, 516/488 7400