On Friday, August 31, 2007, African-American comedian/actor Eddie Griffin headlined a sold-out show at Black Enterprise's 14th Annual Golf and Tennis Challenge in Miami. Approximately 10 minutes into his n-word-laced act, publisher Earl Graves cut the mic.
Moments later, Graves appeared on stage with a cord and plug in one hand, a working microphone in the other. He told the posh Doral Golf Resort audience that Griffin's microphone was turned off because he repeatedly used the n-word, an offensive and degrading term. For this action, Mr. Graves received a standing ovation. He unapologetically, yet professionally, confronted and successfully combated a gross contempt of the African-American community: "We at Black Enterprise will not allow our culture to go backward," Graves said. "Black Enterprise stands for decency, black culture and dignity." These outright displays of Lilliputian, regressive mentality, such as Griffin’s, will not be tolerated across any class of people.
H. Lewis Smith, Founder/CEO of the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc., states that regardless of the messenger’s race, the response to any sort of disrespect must be the same—totally unacceptable. The n-word is the most infamous word in the English language, with justifiable reason. The n-word was used to justify dehumanizing, brutalizing, raping, maiming, boiling and the burning alive of African-American ascendants. All things equal, terrorist acts of today are diminutive compared to the heinous and atrocious radical activities that plagued the black communities for more than 300 years. African-Americans were lynched and terrorized all because they refused to be treated inferior and referred to as a “n**ger.”
To adopt this word in a self-imposing nature and browbeat the African-American community with it is comparable to a self-loathing, tyrannical state of existence. Eddie Griffin demonstrated that his mindset is no different from those of yesteryear who wielded the whips and looked upon all blacks as “n**gers.” He has thumbed his nose to the sacrifices and struggles that were endured by his ancestors. These ancestors prayed without ceasing, kept the faith, and fought hard for freedom, dignity, and respect so that, today, no African American has to suffer the indignation of being treated as though he is inhuman, or “three-fifths of a man,” which is the true definition of a “n**ger.”
“No man, woman or child alive fits such a description—nor has there ever been,” says Smith. “For any African-American person to allow him/herself to be duped into being defined by the n-word is a classic case of a mental health disorder.”
The commanding ignorance of Eddie Griffin must not be accepted. The brown hue color of his skin must no longer serve as a free pass to continually pull the black community down into a quagmire of self-hate and self-debasement. As a result of his impertinence and in honor of African-American ascendants, the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc., hereby inducts Eddie Griffin into its Benedict Arnold Hall of Shame for his mockery, transgressions and the desecration of African-American ancestors’ sacred memories. Names of other “honorees” inducted into the Hall of Shame can be viewed at < http://www.theunitedvoices.org>
Pending inductee is the Prince of Darkness, Machiavellian Aaron McGruder, creator of the Boondocks. McGruder plans to release myriads of videos this October laced with the n-word. Returning from a sabbatical leave, Mr. McGruder—through a premeditated, diabolical scheme—plans to saturate America with heavy doses of the n-word. The n-word self-destructs the spirit. McGruder will prove to be a true emissary of the Prince of Darkness, becoming the most dangerous and greatest threat—psychologically—to the black community in all of America.
H. Lewis Smith, along with being the founder and CEO of the United Voices for a Common Cause, Inc., is the author of Bury that Sucka!: A Scandalous Love Affair With the N-word. Mr. Smith’s goal is to expose the magnitude of negativity the use of the n-word imposes on the subconscious, one’s self-perception, and lifetime success; promote the benefits of education; increase mind power; and end the use of the n-word. He has been a guest on numerous radio shows, some of which include Dennis Snipes’ 'FOCUS'; XM 169 The Power; and What’s the 411 hosted by Sharon Kay.
