# BREAKING NEWS: Protests Target Spring SkyFORUM



## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

Protests Target Spring SkyFORUM

Labor and African-American activists plan to protest Tuesday outside the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, site of the Spring SkyFORUM conference. They will be targeting EchoStar CEO Charlie Ergen, who will speak at the satellite industry gathering.

Members from the Communications Workers of America, the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, the National Action Network and other groups are expected to be at the demonstration, according to a press release. The demonstration is expected to take place in the afternoon.

Ergen is trying to merge his company with DirecTV in a pending $26 billion transaction.

Recently, James Hoffa, general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, wrote members of Congress expressing the labor organization's opposition to the pending merger. In his letter to lawmakers, Hoffa complained about EchoStar's "deplorable track record of customer and labor relations," and asked them for help in opposing the combination of satellite TV companies.

The National Action Network, led by activist Rev. Al Sharpton, has protested EchoStar and its lack of carriage of The Word Network, which delivers programming aimed at African-Americans.

There was no immediate comment from EchoStar on the planned protests.

Reposted from Skyreport with Permission


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## Richard King (Mar 25, 2002)

I wish I could be paid very well from the hard working paying member's dues to tour the country and pull this kind of crap. As for the other protesters, I hope Charlie proves that "EXTORTION" never works.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

This looks like and smells like "rent-a-mob".


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## Guest (Apr 26, 2002)

I believe they are trying to pressure both E* & *D to carry additional black independent and community channels. Sharpton protested outside of Charlie's house last year.


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## Mark Holtz (Mar 23, 2002)

Except that "The Word" TV is already carried on D*. And, the Sharpton protests occurred earlier this year, not last year, and Sharpton was violently sniffed by two-three neighborhood hounds.


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## markh (Mar 24, 2002)

It's ironic that Sharpton is protesting the merger, since The Word channel would probably be carried after the merger since it's on D* now.

Not sure about labor though. Does E* have problems with unions?


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## Guest (Apr 27, 2002)

> _Originally posted by markh _
> 
> *Not sure about labor though. Does E* have problems with unions? *


If the call centers are not unionized, the unions have a problem with E*.


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## Guest (Apr 27, 2002)

This kind of crap makes me sick.
For someone to cry DISCRIMINATION because a satellite or any provider for that matter doesn't carry all of the programming for a particular race, creed or religion.
AL SHARPTON and his followers make me sick that they would picket a persons house or business for something like that.

I know that all of the programming for every race IS AND CANNOT! be carried to suit everyones preferences. 
I only hope that as long as SHARPTON keeps his bullsh-t up that Ergen stands firm and refuses to ever carry the channel that SHARPTON is trying to force upon him........ STAND FIRM CHARLIE.

DISH does carry some programming to suit the black culture, or Afro-American heritage. They cannot carry every channel, so get over it.

As a side note to racial differences, why in the hell do they still want to refer to themselves as Afro-Americans or Black Americans any way.

Will not the term AMERICANS alone at that suffice. I don't feel that the term Afro or Black has to or should even be used as a prefix .
After all we are all AMERICANS. aren't we.

IMHO, and that is all it is, I feel that the ones who constantly have to hide behind the prefix and use it all the time are the ones who are alot more prejudice than anyone else. At least it seems to be in my own experiences. 
I can accept the fact that they are black, brown, yellow or polka dotted for he-l sakes and can accept any minority based on pure heart and pure actions alone. If they treat me decently, then I treat them decently. End of subject.

I don't feel that there is a continual need to draw lines and prejudices between ourselves and our fellow inhabitants of this blessed earth. But it seems that is all the prefix does.
Let us be proud of our own heritages but strive not to shove it down others throats no matter what ethnicity we are.
I am not writing this to p-ss anyone off, so please understand this while you read this.
Recently we had some posting on one of the boards where a couple of people appeared to be either ARAB or Muslim by nature where it appeared that their posts were written only to cause hard feelings or a flame war of sorts. And because of the recent events of SEPT 11 could well have caused a flame war.

I have friends of all ethnic backgrounds and do not base a persons worth on color. I have found that there is just as many A--holes in one race as there is in another.

As far as Hoffa's problem, I am not sure exactly what his complaints are or whether there is a need to protest or not.
As with most things there is good and bad things that can be said about UNIONS. there is pluses and minuses to each of the things that most unions in general try to accomplish.
You decide whether they are right for you or not.

IMHO if you approach things in the correct manner a number of things can be accomplished without any problems encountered.


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## Guest (Apr 28, 2002)

Al is not the only one doing this so is a ministry with their stupid petition to stop the merger based on the fact that dish has more porno channels then religous ones. (Even tho no one can see the pornos without a seperate subscription from the basic level programming, unlike the religous channels)


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## Scott Greczkowski (Mar 21, 2002)

I think Dish Network is totaly in the right about this one.

I also think that they showed great taste by adding the channel Colours (I think its spelled that way) This is a great channel with some very good programs, it is aimed at folks of varied races. I have enjoyed quite a few shows from this channel.

When Rev Al went to Charlies house they tried making a big thing out of the dogs, I saw the video and these little dogs did nothing but sniff Al's shoes then went running from the smell.

I would have laughed if they bit him.


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