NSFW! RICKEY SMILEY TALKS ABOUT PERPETUATORS OF HATE CRIMES, AND TRUE TO FORM, HE DOESN’T MINCE WORDS!

By Michael P Coleman

The Sac Cultural Hub has been a proud community partner in California’s “Stop The Hate” campaign, designed to raise awareness of hate crimes throughout the state.

Over the last year, we’ve taken every opportunity to ask a variety of community members, as well as people in the public eye, about their thoughts on crimes committed against individuals based solely on who and what they are.

While you may know syndicated radio host Rickey Smiley as one of the most jovial people on the planet, he wasn’t joking when he shared his thoughts on how we can all protect ourselves against those who strike out in hate against others.

No amount of preparation would have positioned this writer to be ready for what Smiley had to say on the subject!

“There are a lot of racist people out here,” Smiley EXCLUSIVELY told THE HUB. “Right when we thought America was getting better, Trump came along and took the cover off of how [a lot of] people really feel. He has emboldened racists, and they’re nasty and they’re dangerous!”

Smiley’s comments reminded me of an interview I conducted with a prominent artist a couple of years ago. They had similarly damning things to say about Trump… until they saw their comments in print and asked me to redact them from the article. I did…but I wound up losing a little respect for that artist.

Unlike that artist, Smiley doesn’t have cold feet. He told me that THE HUB could print everything that he said.

“I hate racists,” Smiley continued. “Black folks built this country! And for someone to feel like we’re not supposed to be here, or we’re not good enough to be here…”

Smiley’s voice trailed off, as he gathered his thoughts before continuing with a few choice words that the FCC wouldn’t allow on his radio program. But here at THE HUB, we allow everyone to keep it real. Hell, we encourage it!

If you’re reading this aloud to one of the kids, or if you’re offended by “colorful language,” stop reading now. Don’t say you haven’t been warned!

“I don’t care how this sounds, and I mean this from the bottom of my ball sack,” Smiley said. “Everyone needs to take a situational training class, and a tactical training class, become a legal gun owner, and protect yourself. I wish one of them would try me.”

“I’d rather be judged by 12 than carried by six,” Smiley said. “If one of those mutherfuckers ever tried me, I promise Imma take him to the funeral home myself and put him in the drop box like a Blockbuster video!”

“I don’t play with racists, and I don’t play with thugs, either,” Smiley continued. “And I don’t care what race or color you are. If you threaten me, I am going to protect myself by any means necessary!”

Smiley added that his commitment to end hate-based crimes didn’t end with people of color, but rather proudly extends to members of the LGBTQ+ community.

“It’s wrong,” Smiley said of homophobia. “Everybody has a right to be who they are! I am a heterosexual male who loves tall, beautiful, black women, and other people don’t bother me because I am secure. It’s the insecure people who can’t stand it, because they don’t know who they are.”

“On top of that,” Smiley said, “gay people are out here adopting some of our [black] at-risk kids who can’t get adopted by anybody else, and they’re doing the best they can and serving our community!”

“LGBT people have also produced some of the best movies and the best entertainment in music, and everything else that we get to enjoy,” Smiley continued. “One of my all-time favorite artists is Elton John. If you mess with Elton, and I can’t hear my ‘Goodbye, Yellow Brick Road,’ my ‘Bennie & The Jets,’ or my ‘Funeral For A Friend,” you’re gonna have to deal with me! I promise you: somebody’s gonna have to get me outta jail!”

“I stand strong with the LGBT community,” Smiley concluded, “and I believe in loving everybody. The Bible says ‘Judge ye not.’ Nobody down here has a heaven or a hell to put anyone in, and we’re not in a position to judge anybody, so these racists and homophobes need to stop!”

Stop The Hate, Indeed!

Thank you, Rickey! I was a fan before we talked, but I’m a Super Fan now! n www.facebook.com/GSFLG18 www.gsflg.org

Greater Sacramento Financial Literacy Group (GSFLG) was created to educate, support and empower each other for the economic wealth and growth of our community and to help shape the future generation of wealth.

Financial literacy is the possession of the set of skills and knowledge that lets a person make informed and efficient choices with their financial resources. All people touch money and the manner in which an individual uses it is up to him or her but not being properly informed on how to make, save and invest can spell disaster.

Catch up on all things related to Rickey Smiley, including his upcoming tour dates, his radio show, and his upcoming August 11-13 Birthday Beach Blowout, at rickeysmiley.com.

For the Black community, it is necessary to change the habits of being consumers to becoming investors and entrepreneurs. Learning financial skills such as investing, stock trading, saving and what it takes to start a business, you are better preparing for the future and securing a financial legacy for your family.

Learn more about virtual meetings held via Zoom on the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of the month.