Eddie Griffin Joins Ministers Boycott of Comedian

A Public Statement

Thursday, June 14, 2007

I am moved and touched by all the emotions surrounding the controversy of D. L. Hughley, an African-American comedian who has struck a nerve in black communities around the world.

We were alerted a few weeks ago about the offensive behavior and slander of this entertainer, which reached above and beyond all other offenses. This is why, I have chosen to take a personal stand, in joining with Pastor Tatum and the Ministers for Education of Tarrant County, to publicly condemn this infamous celebrity for his disgraceful remarks.

I am compelled, by conscious, to defend the defenseless and the innocent- especially our youth. Being among the first in line to defend the honor and virtue of our African-American women on the Rutgers University baskball team against the verbal assault by radio shock jock Imus, I have found these young ladies had done no wrong in trying to achieve the crowning glory of a national basketball championship. Almost at the height of their thrilling achievement, they were downcasted by a callous and senseless sexist remark. In my eyes, they were innocent as girls, undeserving of these insults, though no one seemed to care or pay attention to the fact that they also received hate-mail and death threats by Imus defenders.

After these well publicized events, Mr. Hughley seized upon the opportunity to add injury to insult by going on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show, where he again assailed these poor girls by declaring them to be “some of the nappy-headed(est) and ugliest whores that he had ever seen” in his life.

God forbid that the innocent should be offended and disgraced like this.

About the author:
Eddie Griffin has been recognized as an Adult Friend and child right’s advocate by the World’s Children’s Prize for the Right of the Child, based in Mariefred, Sweden, now representing 11 million children worldwide. Also, he is a Sunday school teacher with a 23-year bible study and teaching career in the Church of Christ.

In service to the Fort Worth community, Griffin serves as a member of Congressman Michael C. Burgess Economic Summit advisory on the Workforce of the Future. He serves on the Subcommittee for Ex-Offender Reentry organized by Tarrant County Commission Roy Brooks.

Eddie Griffin is also an advisor to State Representatives like Marc Veasey and Jerry Madden on children rights legislation, and advises select members of the US Congress, including Kay Granger and Michael C. Burgess.

DECLARATION
“In all of my affairs,” says the former Black Panther, “I have advocated the change of our youth culture,” noting how young African-American youth are destroying themselves by selecting the wrong role models to emulate, wrong social values, poor life choices, and immoral lifestyles."

Eddie Griffin says: “People like Mr. Hughley are part of the problem." In this instant, it appears that Hughley's style of humor is malicious and irreverent in intent.

A Hughley fan and old school days in California cried when she learned of his public condemnation. “This is just who he is,” she sadly pleaded. Here was a young lady herself, a semi-hip-hop mother of another generation, with teenagers. “Where do we draw the line?” she repeated question. “Where do we draw the line?”

Thinking aloud, Griffin laments the painful dilemma: Lord, help us. I know that condemning D. L. Hughley will open up the floodgates… Not that I am not insensitive to our children’s mode of entertainment. Help me, because I know that I’m going to hear it from my own children and grandchildren. Some of them want D. L. Hughley and all the nasty talking that comes with him.”

It was recently reported that Mr. Hughley “taped a new special for HBO, entitled Unapologetic. Can you imagine- Unappologetic? It goes almost without saying, coming from a Sunday school teacher, “To be unremorseful for sin is blasphemous.”

It was also reported that Mr. Hughley “will be a reality-show host on BET’s new series, S.O.B. (Socially Offensive Behavior). "Obviously, the SOB is intentional and purposely divisive and abrasive,” says Griffin. “A reality-show of socially offensive behavior like Jerry Springer- Isn’t this exactly what America has been trying to get away from?”

“Nasty” is an understatement of the word for what comes out of the mouth of D.L. Hughley. Out of the mouth come the issues of the heart

I am not entertained, nor amused, by so-called black humor, nor turned on by any degrading, insulting, and irreverent form of entertainment. Point blank, with that said: The Line, as far as I’m concerned, is drawn in the sand here in Fort Worth, Texas, because this is our house. We determine what is quality and class. Mr. Hughley’s kind of trashy humor might work for L. A., but not here- not in our house.

“The greatest of Mr. Hughley’s sins,” according to Griffin, “is his irreverent mockery of Jesus in his comedy acts.” Indeed, in it online Bass Hall marquee, promotional clips show the black comedian ghettoizing the name of Jesus for the sake of humor.

To paraphrase Dr. Martin Luther King, Mr. Hughley is not being judged by the color of his skin, but by the content of his character, according to Griffin. That Bass Hall would bring Hughley to Fort Worth against the better wishes and respect for a proud African-American community- that the Star-Telegram newspaper would sponsor such an event in lieu of and disregard for our community values. For all intents and purposes, they may as well celebrate Juneteenth on their own terms and conditions, not as an African-American holiday, if they shape all the policies, programs, and entertainment for African-Americans. It would be no more than an alter egotistical mimic of a black holiday.

“We cannot fix the world,” says Eddie Griffin, “without at least first trying to fix our own house. This is why I have taken my hand and drawn the line in the sand with other ministers- here and now- to turn back the tide of lewd, sleazy, and abhorrent behavior and speech.” The campaign for decency begins at home.

Signed:
Eddie Griffin (BASG), author of “Breaking Men’s Minds”
Member of the international AfroSpear and Editor-at-Large, Literafeelya Magazine Online (coming to magazine racks nationwide in July 2007)
Adult Friend, World’s Children’s Prize for the Right of the Child

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Write or email:

Bass Performance Hall
Paul S. Beard, Managing Director
4th and Calhoun Streets
Fort Worth, Texas 76102
pbeard@basshall.com

NOTE: Insist that patrons be given a refund for this sordid and disgraceful promotion

Letter to the Editor
Star-Telegram
letters@star-telegram.com

Bob Ray Sanders
VP/Associate Editor
bobray@star-telegram.com

NOTE: As a sponsor of Bass Hall, the Star-Telegram should make a public disclaimer or editorial in disassociation with the D. L. Hughley promotion.

Related D. L. Hughley’s planned BET series S.O.B. (Socially Offensive Behavior):

BET is owned by Viacom

Debra Lee, Chairman and CEO of BET

Write or call:

Viacom
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 258-6000

MTV Networks
1515 Broadway
New York, NY 10036
(212) 258-8000

BET
One BET Plaza
1235 'W' Street, NE
Washington DC 20018
(202) 608-2000

D. L. Hughley recently taped a special for HBO entitled Unapologetic. At the very least, he should be made to apologize for heaping further insult upon the young women of Rutgers basketball team. Just as Imus was forced to make amends through a public apology, Hughley should be required to do the same.