14 J. POLISH nation libel

August 16, 1997

Re: BOYCOTT of The Drew Carey Show et al

To the Polish-American News Media, - submitted for publication.

Regarding:

A) BOYCOTT of ABC TV, "The Drew Carey Show" and its sponsors;
B) DEMANDS of ABC TV and the sponsors;

C) Frank Milewski, Polish American Congress Anti-Bigotry Committee "agreement" with ABC TV as published in a recent Press Release.

The following abbreviations will be used throughout this article:

Polish-Americans -- Pol-Ams;
Polish American Congress -- PAC;
Polish-American Public Relations Committee - PAPUREC;
Frank Milewski, Polish American Congress Anti-Bigotry Committee -- FM-PAC;
"The Drew Carey Show" -- "Drew Carey".

Following the most offensive to Polish-Americans episode on March 19, 1997 ABC TV "Drew Carey", PAPUREC instituted a BOYCOTT of ABC, the show and its sponsors. The BOYCOTT was decided upon after consultation with various Pol-Ams alarmed at the ongoing anti-Polish hate propaganda in the U.S. through all possible media. An accord was reached respecting the multiple purpose and steps of the BOYCOTT:

a) The BOYCOTT is primarily a rallying call to Pol-Ams rather than an economic threat to ABC or the industrial giants which sponsor "Drew Carey". The reality of a united Polonia is more threatening to our enemies than any economic losses a BOYCOTT would cause;
b) The BOYCOTT is a vehicle through which Pol-Ams can present themselves as a cohesive ethnic group and vent their outrage directly towards those who offend their heritage and demean Poland;

c) Once a substantial number of Pol-Ams protested in writing to ABC and the sponsors, PAPUREC was to issue DEMANDS towards rectifying the wrongs done to the community. This has already been done, and the BOYCOTT changed to BOYCOTT/DEMANDS.

d) The offense on "Drew Carey" is to be used as a vehicle with which to forward numerous examples of published anti-Polish propaganda to U.S. Attorneys General, anticipating that the evidence will meet provisions of Hate Crime in the Penal Codes of various States. Additionally, the same information is to go to U.S. Congresspeople, Senators and 100 of the largest school districts to put all "On Notice" to the extent of anti-Polonism in the U.S. This step is currently in preparation.

On June 25, 1997, by Certified Mail, PAPUREC sent DEMANDS to Bob Iger, President of ABC, excerpted as follows:

" ... 1. ABC will fund the production of a video presentation of at least one hour in length which will depict Poland and Polish Americans in a true light and graphically debunk the most prevalant anti-Polish stereotypes, all of which are manufactured by the mass media. This TV special will be broadcast during prime time by ABC and distributed free of charge to school systems throughout the country. PAPUREC will have total creative control over this presentation, and make use of experts within the Polish-American community to staff the project.
2. The CEO of ABC will offer a public apology to the Polish American community. This short statement will be re-broadcast at the beginning of at least 10 future Drew Carey episodes.

3. Any reference to Polish ethnicity expressed in any way, shape or form will be deleted from all future episodes on "The Drew Carey Show" and existing episodes carrying said references will not be re-broadcast. ..."

On July 8, 1997, PAPUREC sent the following DEMANDS to each of the sponsors of "Drew Carey", excerpted as follows:

" ... By financing the biased message "The Drew Carey Show" sends, sponsors become co-culpable with the Networks as to the damage done in this case to those of Polish heritage. Bearing in mind the amount of dollars that sponsors have paid to enable "The Drew Carey Show" to do its damage, the sponsors are dutybound and honorbound to allocate appropriate amounts of dollars to help undo said damage. We demand that each sponsor places said appropriate amounts into a special account for PAPUREC to administrate to Polish-American organizations with a proven track record of constructive community advancement. ... "

From the onset, the PAC Head Office in Chicago was informed of the BOYCOTT by every document issued by PAPUREC. When an indication suggested that PAC also considered a BOYCOTT (joining the ongoing or initiating a new one) PAPUREC forwarded to PAC Head Office an already researched list of sponsors including names, addresses and telephone numbers. All regional offices of PAC received the BOYCOTT flyer and other initial information. To date, no communication from PAC has been received respecting the BOYCOTT.

The call to BOYCOTT was joined by several Pol-Am newspapers and radio which contributed immeasurably to its spread and encouraged personal contacts as well as financing. The BOYCOTT became a nationally supported project as well as a responsibility and an obligation on the part of PAPUREC to pursue a just resolve. As a side issue, a revelation surfaced of widespread dissatisfaction of Pol-Ams at PAC for its lack of meaningful action to combat anti-Polonism.

On June 18, 1997, PAPUREC received by fax a copy of a published article informing that FM-PAC was meeting with ABC with proposals as follows:

" ... the Polish American Congress proposes that ABC not repeat the March 19th episode or put into syndication and stop identifying "Mimi" as Polish" ... ... [FM-PAC] asked Iger, [ABC Pres.] "about the intentions the script writers may have regarding references to our ethnic group in future segments.""

The article informed that by then (circa June 15 or earlier), ABC received "many letters of protest" by Pol-Ams in response to the call to BOYCOTT which FM-PAC considered "a big help to the committee and strengthened its position". The article gave no indication that the BOYCOTT was at all mentioned by FM-PAC in his meetings with ABC.

On June 18, 1997, in reaction to the news in the faxed article, PAPUREC faxed a critical letter to FM-PAC for undermining the ongoing BOYCOTT and wishy-washy "proposals". to ABC

On June 26, 1997, another critical letter by PAPUREC was faxed to FM-PAC, a copy of the letter with DEMANDS to Bob Iger, President of ABC dated June 25, 1997 WAS INCLUDED. In a telephone conversation, FM-PAC was criticized for PAC's ineffective defense of Poland and Pol-Ams over many years.

On July 21st, FM-PAC mailed to PAPUREC a copy of a letter from ABC to himself DATED JULY 2, 1997. The letter informs of "an agreement", "resolution", reached by Chris Hikawa of ABC with the producers of "Drew Carey", and asks that FM-PAC communicate said "resolution" to PAPUREC.

Ending a reactive note to Edward J. Moskal, President of PAC, respecting the inaction by PAC in the defense of Poland and Pol-Ams, I stated: "Mr. Moskal. Pol-Ams are justifiably angry. I foresee that unless the PAC takes some courageous action, the anger will descend onto the heads of the leaders of PAC."

On July 31st, PAPUREC received by E-mail a copy of a Press Release issued by FM-PAC announcing his "agreement" with ABC. Here it is in pertinent part:

" ... Chris Hikawa, Vice President for Broadcast Standards and Practices at ABC, advised Milewski that she "reached an agreement with the producers of the 'Drew Carey Show' to have the episode entitled 'Two Kings and a Queen" edited before rebroadcast. The character of the King of Poland will be eliminated from the program."

Polish Americans were also disturbed by the loud-mouthed, clown-like female character called "Mimi", who was depicted as being Polish on this particular program. In response to the concerns of the Anti-Bigotry Committee, Ms. Hikawa stated, "in the future there will be no further mention of Mimi Bobek's Polish heritage."

The P.A.C. commended all Polish Americans who took the time to contact ABC and complain. "It gave us the leverage we needed", said Milewski. He also cited the willingness of New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney to join the community's effort. Special mention of Dana Alvi's PAPUREC from California was made by Ms. Hikawa herself.

Concluding his discussions with Ms. Hikawa, Milewski told her it would now be appropriate for ABC to do some positive portrayals of Polish Americans "to equalize the balance sheet.""

This FM-PAC's "agreement" verifies why the demeaning of Poland in U.S. runs rampant and has been intensifying unchecked for years.

To date, PAC has not issued any written statement regarding the offense on "Drew Carey". The Head Office simply ignored it. PAC has not gathered wishes of Pol-Ams on ANY nationwide sample on how to react to the offense. PAPUREC has, - thus the BOYCOTT/DEMANDS resulted. In telephone calls to PAPUREC, Pol-Ams from FM-PAC area, New York, together with New Jersey, have been the most vocal in their disapproval of PAC record of combatting anti-Polonism.

PAPUREC, honoring its obligation to the cause and to all Pol-Ams who support the BOYCOTT/DEMANDS will continue its utmost to reach the established goals.

Apart from being duplicitous and disingenuous, the FM-PAC "agreement" sends a loud and clear message to our assailants that Polonians are push-overs and easy targets for victimization.. This "agreement" can not even be termed as such since it has not been specified in writing. It was reached by Chris Hikawa, an ABC employee with the producers of "Drew Carey" and transmitted as a vague message to FM-PAC. Ms. Hikawa is dutybound to protect the interests/agendas of ABC, not any Polish sensitivities.

The (most) offensive March 19, 1997 segment, would not have been repeated by ABC anyway, because THE SPONSORS have:

i) a record of protests by Pol-Ams who wrote to them resulting from the call to BOYCOTT;
ii) PAPURC's DEMAND letter dated July 8th;

iii) PAPUREC's flyer re BOYCOTT wherein is a mention of taking this matter to U.S. Attorney General Janet Reno and all State Attorneys General.

Some sponsors, in their contacts with PAPUREC, expressed concern over the offense to Pol-Ams. ABC would have simply withheld this particular segment from re-runs or syndication. Besides, it is very expensive to re-make a segment.

It is not clear whether the episode, now called "Two Kings and a Queen" is the March 19, 1997 one which caused the BOYCOTT. There might be another offensive episode. According to all reports, only one "King" and one "Queen" were featured on March 19th. If the "character of the King of Poland" is "eliminated from the program", is the "Queen", "Mimi," going to talk to herself ? In this epiode, she is dressed in a Polish folk outfit. She is in the bar "Warsaw Tavern" decorated with Polish national emblems. Is it acceptable to FM-PAC that treasured Polish emblems remain a regular set in an, at best, utterly stupid show ? How did New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, "join the community's effort" in this embarrassing conduct by FM-PAC ?

Having made his presence at ABC as the representative of the POLISH AMERICAN CONGRESS, FM-PAC should have USED HIS POSITION as "the leverage" to insist that ABC meets the demands sent to them by PAPUREC.

We request the Polish-American media to denounce the shameless behavior by FM-PAC; to support the BOYCOTT/DEMANDS as well as the subsequent, planned actions presented above, and; - to appeal to its audience for finances for PAPUREC to facilitate its efforts in the battle against the annihilation of Polish Culture.

signed Dana I. Alvi

P. S. The cataclysmic Flood which inundated vast regions of Poland caused loss of life and immeasurable loss of property. It is outrageous that the PAC did not have any impact on the general news media, - either in gaining coverage or in having its leaders issue appeals to the general U.S. population for humanitarian aid. Spokespersons for other ethnic groups are always given a public platform in times of disasters. Polonia is tired of its leadership constantly asking an economically marginalized population to even further impoverish itself in the interest of humanitarian activity, while other groups target more ample sources of aid. How can the PAC go on calling itself THE representative organization of American Polonia, when its lack of effective action in the face of such a monumental crisis as the present Flood is proof of its utter lack of competence ?