Image credit: NAACP.org
The backlash continues to grow against Blackfish star and Beneath the Surface author John Hargrove following the release of a video showing him engaged in a rant repeatedly using the n-word.
Scheduled book signings that were part of his publicity tour this week were canceled or received almost zero attendance in the wake of this news.
Martin Luther King, III has publicly condemned Hargrove and today the California State NAACP released a statement slamming the author.
NAACP-CA Statement On Former Whale Trainer John Hargrove’s Use Of Racial Slurs
SACRAMENTO, April 3, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — Today, Alice Huffman, President of the California State NAACP issued the following statement in response to the publicized release of a video showing former whale trainer John Hargrove’s repeated use of racial slurs. Hargrove is on a publicity tour promoting a book “Beneath the Surface” about the treatment of whales.
“Eight years ago, the NAACP officially laid to rest the “N” word in a symbolic funeral in an attempt to remove this word from not only our vocabulary, but our spirit. It is cruel and denigrating and has no place in society. Mr. Hargrove’s repeated use of this derogatory and hurtful word calls into question his judgment and his credibility. It is difficult to accept his authority on animal welfare issues if he does not treat fellow humans with dignity and respect.”
Founded in 1909, the NAACP – the nation’s oldest, largest and most widely-recognized grassroots–based civil rights organization – is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Its more than half-million members and supporters throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities, conducting voter mobilization and monitoring equal opportunity in the public and private sectors
We applaud Ms. Hoffman and the California NAACP for they’re comments and we agree that the hateful language John Hargrove repeated in the video calls into question his judgment and his credibility.
Meanwhile, Hargrove’s publisher, MacMillan Publishers, remains silent and continues to promote Hargrove amidst the outcry from the civil rights community.