In 2006, Eric Graham along with his cartoon characters Bobbee Bee and Puerto Rican Jose' unofficially attempted to join forces with Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr’s Hip-Hop Caucus to protest the unjust WAR in IRAQ.
“My latest book entitled A SAD DAY FOR JOSE’ takes a personal look at the WAR in IRAQ from a child's perspective so I am hoping the HipHop Caucus can utilize this book in order to help a new generation of children deal with the psychological effects of WAR." stated cartoonist Eric Graham.
Rev. Yearwood Jr. was also the political grassroots Director for Russell Simmons’ HOP-HOP Summit Action Network in 2003 and 2004 and a Senior Consultant to Jay Z’s aka Sean Carter’s Voice for Choice.
The purpose of the Make Hip Hop Not War Campaign, however, is to get more people of color, college students and young people involved in the anti-war movement. The Hip Hop Caucus organized a national bus tour from March 19th to April 21st, passing through sixteen U.S. cities. Hip Hop Artists, Iraq War Veterans, youth leaders, peace and security experts and Members of Congress spoke to hundreds of people in each city about the need to take action against the war in Iraq and a possible attack on Iran.
The Make Hip Hop Not War National Tour is set to meet and/or exceed the following objectives:
1.Energize and mobilize 14 - 40 year olds in urban communities and on college campuses across the nation to take action against the war in Iraq and protest a possible attack on Iran
2.Connect students and young community organizers with veteran activists, community leaders and representatives from the anti-war struggles of the 20th century.
3. Create a new network of young people, primarily from low-income communities and communities of color, to respond to Calls to Action against war.4. Give new life and energy to the anti-war movement
5. Generate positive representations of hip hop culture for the nation and world to see!!
"I think, Rev. Yearwood is doing a excellent job, because Hip-Hop for the past 30 years has been the voice for the voiceless in urban communities across the globe explained Eric. "On a spiritual level, however, The Bible in the Book of Matthews Chapter 5 verses 9 simply states: "Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS for they shall be called the children of GOD."
5. Generate positive representations of hip hop culture for the nation and world to see!!
"I think, Rev. Yearwood is doing a excellent job, because Hip-Hop for the past 30 years has been the voice for the voiceless in urban communities across the globe explained Eric. "On a spiritual level, however, The Bible in the Book of Matthews Chapter 5 verses 9 simply states: "Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS for they shall be called the children of GOD."
"This is exactly what my brother and I are trying to do with our new series of therapeutic children's books featuring our cartoon character Bobbee Bee. We are trying to help children of this generation find different ways and avenues to solve their conflicts without fighting or resulting to senseless violence. Even though, there is a WAR in the "so-called Middle East", there are also several major WARS that are taking place in our hearts, in our minds, in our souls as well as in our homes, in our schools and in our streets between rival gangs that are tearing our communities apart."
I feel that our books address these real life issues in a clever yet humorous way that children can relate to as well as allowing them to express their feelings and emotions .
Please support the Graham brothers efforts to produce a new generation of peacemakers by purchasing "A SAD DAY FOR JOSE" at http://www.bn.com/, http://www.walmart.com/, http://www.authorhouse.com/ or e-mail graham_34_99_2000@yahoo.com
