1999 "STOP RACISM" (CONCERT AND AWARDS) (1 hour)
Produced: 2000


This study guide accompanies Rock Against Racism: The MuchMusic Anti-racism Concert and Video Awards. The ideas in the guide appear in the same chronology as the items in the video. This MuchMusic program presents a concert and an awards ceremony dedicated to ending racism.

MuchMusic’s Juliette Powell and MusiquePlus’ Genevieve Borne co-host the program in English and en francais. During the program, 10 prize-winning anti-racism videos are shown, as are performances by Maestro, Les Colocs, Melanie Doane and Wide Mouth Mason. After each song, audience members ask the artists questions relevant to their art and issues of racism. All the ideas in the study guide need not be used. Choose only those that best suit the time frame and needs of the students. Repeated viewing, especially of the short winning videos, will improve the discussions.

1. Maestro sings "416" to "905," which openly celebrates rather than hides his being from Toronto. Maestro states: "It is important to learn about different ethnic groups." How can learning about different ethnic groups reduce racism?

He also states that his "...music touches many." Does his music's appeal to a varied racial audience help to reduce racism? How?

2. The first winning video is from St.George's School for Boys, Vancouver, BC. In it, we see a juxtaposition of colours and the faces of people of different races. What metaphor is being used in this video? [Using colours to represent different races.]
The video states that "Racists only see colour." What does a non-racist see? How might this video influence the thinking of a racist?

3. The second video is from CW Jeffreys CI, Toronto, ON. School children reveal the letters making the word "racism" on their hands, then wash the letters away. While they show their hands, we hear "If you're happy and you know it, clap your hands." The video ends with a statement: "Racism: wash it away."
What metaphor is being used in this video? [Using the cleansing of the word "racism" to symbolize the elimination of the idea of racism.]
How might this video influence the thinking of a racist? Would it have more effect on children than adults? Why?

4. The third video is en francais and comes from Polyvalente Clement-Cormier, Boucloche, NB. In the video, two girls, wearing gray shirts, eat white food, then accept the offer of a stir fry from someone in a bright-coloured blouse.
What metaphor is being used in this video? [Using the colours of foods to illustrate the difference between white-only and multiracial society.]
How might this video influence the thinking of a racist?

5. The fourth video is from Unionville HS, Unionville, ON. In it, we see morphing faces superimposed on a school hallway. The video uses words like "Freedom, dignity, pride, and breakaway."
"Like ripples in a pond..."
'Everyone will take care of everyone.'
What metaphor is being used in this video? [Using the morphing of the faces to represent the commonalities of people.]
How might this video influence the thinking of a racist?
Would it have more effect on high school students than adults? Why?

6. LL Cool J says:
"Put a blind white man and a blind black man in a room together. What colour would racism be then?"
What does this statement mean to you?
Is racism only about colour?
Can racism also be about culture? How?

7. Les Colocs
Les Colocs is a Quebec group that presents an interesting mix of blues, reggae, and African music. The song the group sings here has a French verse and an African chorus.
In what ways is Les Colocs and their song a good model of anti-racist behaviour?

8. The fifth video is from Blessed Trinity School, Grimsby, ON. It is a claymation school scene of a playground where a variety of students talk about the negative effects of racism.
How is the claymation action different from a real-life playground? How does the claymation enhance the anti-racist message? Does the claymation make the message seem more generic, applicable to playgrounds everywhere, rather than one specific playground?

The video states "Respect other people and you will be accepted." Is this true? Later in the program, LL Cool J states: "If you want to be respected, respect somebody the same." Is this the same statement as the one in the Blessed Trinity video?

9. The next video is from Polyvalente St. Jerome CEGEP, St. Jerome, QC. It is presented en francais. We see students in a street wearing makeup of different colours. The voice-over statements are echoed. What is the effect of echoing the voices? How does it strengthen or weaken the message?

What metaphor is being used in this video? [Using the different colours of the make up to represent different races of people. When all the colours are on one face, it might indicate that only the colours differ -- the person is the same.] Is this the same metaphor as was used in the video from St. George's School for Boys?
"Si on se tenait tous la main."
(If we would only extend our hand.)
What will happen "If we would only extend our hand?" How does this statement encourage people to act?

10. The next video is from Canterbury HS, Ottawa, ON. In the video, several valedictorian-like students of different colours announce the potential power to change racism.
The final statement is: "Use your knowledge to end racism."
How can knowledge be used to end racism?
One of the videographers, Anna, states: "In the 21st Century, racism will be behind us." Will the new century bring the end of racism? How?

11. Melanie Doane sings "Adam's Rib," a song about a rib that wanted to have its own independence from a man. The song is quite strongly discussing the oppression of women: "He has the whole world in HIS hand. He has you and me SISTER in his hand."

Is the oppression of women a racial issue? Why or why not? To learn more about Melanie Doane and her lyrics, visit www.sonymusic.com and type in her name. Explain how metaphor is used in the lyrics of "Adam's Rib."

12. Melanie Doane explains that she sees "...two types of racism: one - hatred and two - ignorance." She explains that maybe working on the second will reduce the first, but thinks that the first is terrible and almost impossible to eliminate.
Do you agree that there are two kinds of racism, or are these parts of the same racism? How can eliminating ignorance help to erase hate?

13. The next winning video is from the Kits District Venturers, Vancouver, B.C. In this video, we see a parody of a newscast. The anchor introduces a special report on racism, but no one will comment seriously to the reporter.
The final statement is: "Let's stop ‘changing the channel’ on racism." What is the metaphor being used in this video? [That people change the channel, or change the subject, rather than dealing with the issues of racism.] How might the video influence racists?
Could this video encourage people to get more involved in the fight against racism? How? What might this video be saying about the responsibility of news reporters in discussing important issues, such as racism? Is the accusation accurate?

14. The next video is from College Inter-Dec CEGEP, Montreal, QC. In the video, we see many faces: somewhere, everywhere. We hear many racist comments coming from a tape recorder that is playing from inside a dumpster.
The video finishes with the statement that there is "one race. The human race."
What is the metaphor being used in this video? [That racist comments are garbage, and should be eliminated.] How might the video influence racists? Which age or sex might be most receptive to the message in this video? Why?

15. The next video is from East Wiltshire Jr. High, Cornwall, P.E.I. In the video, we see and hear 'Stop Racism' presented in several languages and voices. The students make a peace sign with their bodies.
What is the metaphor being used in this video? [That racism is itself multicultural and that the remedy lies in people.]
How might the video influence racists? Is the message aimed at English-speaking racists, or does it suggest that racists can come from many cultures? Explain.

16. Dr. Hedy Frey, Secretary of State, (Multiculturalism and Status of Women) states that the... "national video campaign is the best tool we have had in this fight against racism."
This statement suggests that the government is using the video contest as a tool for fighting racism. Is the contest successfully reducing racism? How?
For more information on the activities of the Secretary of State, visit www.pch.gc.ca/fry/

17. Before performing, Wide Mouth Mason is asked why they ignore the fact that each of the three members comes from a different ethnic group. Their response: "To place an emphasis on it seems to be getting away from the path we want to take. We are a Canadian band."
How is Wide Mouth Mason contributing to anti-racism?
For more information on Wide Mouth Mason, visit their record label found @ www.warnerbros.com.

18. As well as the efforts of the Secretary of State and MuchMusic to reduce racism, Canada also has an organization called Artists Against Racism that seeks to raise awareness of the issue. Visit their website to see how they are contributing to anti-racism: www.vrx.net/aar/. What additional ways do you think Artists Against Racism might contribute to the anti-racist movement?

19. To learn more about these video winners and winners from past years, visit http://www.march21.com/m21_pages/1999win.html

Written by: Neil Andersen
Neil Andersen is an award-winning Curriculum Consultant with the Toronto District School Board. He is also a speaker and consultant in media and communications technology. His most recent work includes the Between the Lines CDs, the teachers' study guide for the award-winning Scanning Television, and study guides for Space, Bravo! and MuchMusic's Cable in the Classroom broadcasts of original media literacy programming.