 |
||
|
||
| Advertise with us! |
|
|
For Immediate Press Release
AHADC Efforts Leads to Sony Apology to Hindus : Offending CD Cover to Be
Withdrawn Immediately
-----------------------------------------
American Hindu Anti-Defamation Coalition
Convened By Vishwa Hindu Parishad (World Hindu Council) of America
E-mail : ahadc@hindunet.org
Phone : (619) 484- 4564 or (619)674-7470 Fax : (619) 674 7471
Web : http://www.hindunet.org/anti_defamation/sony/
------------------------------------------
The American Hindu Anti-Defamation Coalition (AHADC), is pleased to
announce that on April 16, 1997, the senior lawyer for Sony Music &
Entertainment, Inc., New York, (Sony), Mr. Joseph Salvo, contacted the
attorney for AHADC, Mr. Chetan P. Tanna, and issued an apology on behalf
of Sony/Columbia to the entire Hindu community for the offensive cover of
the CD "Nine Lives" by a rock group, Aerosmith.
The cover of the CD "Nine Lives" portrayed a distorted and offensive
picture of Hindu God, Shree Krishna, which infuriated thousands of
Hindus around the world. Over 10 Hindu organizations, representing
thousands of Hindus had joined the AHADC in its protest against the
Sony/Columbia/Aerosmith trio.
The AHADC had set up a protest site,
(http://www.hindunet.org/anti_defamation/sony/)
which was visited by about 10,000 people in two weeks, and over 1,400
persons signed individual on-line protest letters to SONY, Columbia and
Aerosmith, and several stores selling this CD.
Sony's senior counsel said, "Sony could not ignore thousands of messages
from the Hindus around the world, and had decided to immediately stop
the production of said CD.
AHADC and SONY Corporation, have verbally agreed that :
1. As of today, SONY will stop manufacturing the CD, until the cover is
changed.
2. SONY will try to recall the CDs from the market as much as possible.
3. SONY will provide the AHADC with the new cover for AHADC's approval
before publication. SONY will not use any Hindu religious symbols in any
form.
4. SONY will issue a public apology to the Hindus in the Hindu/India
related publications, in the U.S., as well as in India, and also on the
SONY website called SonyOnLine. (www.music.sony.com.)
The AHADC appreciates SONY's decision in response to the protest by the
Hindu community around the world. The AHADC would especially like to
thank Blockbuster Music for assuring us earlier that they will not sell
the CD, unless the offensive cover was changed.
The AHADC believes that SONY's actions are the due to the unity,
determination and hard work by the Hindu community. We thank the Hindu
organizations, who joined the AHADC, and all individuals who signed the
online protest and/or sent e-mail and letters to SONY/Columbia/Aerosmith
and to the stores selling this CD. A notable aspect of this protest
movement was that we received support also from our non-Hindu friends
and well-wishers!
The AHADC was convened by VHP of America (World Hindu Council of
America), represented by Ajay Shah, Chetan P. Tanna, Vaani Chawla, and
Rajiv Dutta.
|
||
|
||
| Advertise with us! |
|
|