*Black clergy are calling for a boycott of the Word Network after the owner and CEO, Kevin Adell, was accused of racial insensitivity.
Over 100 clergymen have signed a petition noting that “Mr. Adell does not have regard for Black humanity.”
“Recently, his actions have shown that even though he has profited off of the Black community, Mr. Adell does not have regard for Black humanity,” the petition said. According to christianpost.com, the petition garnered more than 3,000 signatures in six days.
Bishop George Bloomer, 56, founder of Bethel Family Worship Center in Durham, North Carolina, is reportedly Adell’s loudest critic.
He claims he was one of the recipients of a text from Adell showing him in a photoshopped image dressed as a pimp surrounded by black clergy called “hoes.”
“When Bishop Bloomer stated: ‘This is not funny. This is not good. That pimp talk and hoe talk has racist connotations for Black people.’ Adell responded via text telling Bloomer that ‘it’s funny and he should get over it,’” the petition said.
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Word Network owner Kevin Adell, black pastor argue over racially-charged meme https://t.co/1f5iTsYqwj
— jamalbryant (@jamalhbryant) October 14, 2019
Bloomer confronted Adell in person over the offensive text and told him: “Don’t ever tweet that. You should get rid of it. This is not funny. Don’t play with this and don’t play with it with me.”
Adell responded by allegedly photoshopping a picture ofBloomer into the image, along with the caption: “The show last night was good, Tattoo (the dwarf from Fantasy Island who ran around calling Mr. Roarke ‘Boss’).”
“Kevin Adell was alluding to Bishop Bloomer being HIS Tattoo, and him being ‘Boss.’ Although Mr. Roarke on Fantasy Island was a good character, the term ‘boss’ in the Black community carries the connotation of ‘massa,’ and that is precisely what Kevin Adell was suggesting. The article that accompanied the photoshopped image of Kevin as a pimp and his hoes even refers to him as the ‘massa’ of The Word Network,” the petition said.
The disagreement over the image ultimately prompted Bloomer to leave the Word Network.
Here is the petition regarding the recent situation of racism from Kevin Adell, the owner of the Word Network in Detroit, Michigan. Be blessed!!! #JamesCBirdsongJr #WordNetwork https://t.co/Rsu354bRcx
— James C. Birdsong, Jr. (@TheRealJBOnline) October 13, 2019
“During these times of increased incidents of hate across our country, we as African-American clergy and allies of the African-American community cannot remain silent in the face of this blatant racism. Black-face, pimp and hoe imagery, boss aka ‘massa’ comments, all are connected to the historical trauma African-Americans have endured for 400 years in this country,” the petition explained.
“To ignore Bishop Bloomer’s respectful request to end this line of text and comments is to ignore the dignity of the African-American community. Kevin Adell may own The Word Network but it is the Black community that made the network a success. If the Black community is not respected by The Word Network then we should pull our support from this network,” it continued. “The actions of Kevin Adell prove that we can no longer trust The Word Network to bring the Gospel into our homes. We, as Black clergy, demand Kevin Adell publicly apologize to Bishop Bloomer and the African-American community. We also demand that cable companies drop The Word Network from their packages.”
Read the full report here, including the names of some of the petitioning pastors.
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