Mekhi Phifer - excusing the inexcusable

Sometimes celebrities and entertainers just need to shut their mouths. They need to stop speaking and think of what they are saying. This isn’t personal, but I think that Mekhi Phifer just had one of those moments.



Phifer was at the World Poker Tour Invitational tournament, to raise money for Vine Group USA – a charity that provides funds for educational programs in Africa. I always admire when entertainers do things for good causes, helping people in need. But I wish he just stopped at that.

Of course being a Black celebrity, plus having been in a film with Chris Brown, there had to be a question asked about what he thinks of Chris Brown allegedly beating Rihanna (possibly with a gun). Phifer could have said nothing. He could have said he was unaware of the details. He could have said that he deplores violence against women, though he was not present at the incident in question.

Instead he said,

“People make mistakes—and while I don't condone what happened that night, you know, what Chris did to her—I remember being young, 19, and at that age it seemed like everything was so over-the-top, and everyone's so passionate about things at the age.”

He may not condone what happened, but he sure as hell seems willing to excuse it.

A mistake is when you write the wrong date on a check. A mistake is when you take a left turn instead of a right. A mistake is even telling the nation that “I did not have sex with that woman” though a blue dress exists to prove otherwise.

But to actively lift your arm, with or without anything in your hand, and to bring down your fist with force against the face and body of a woman is an active conscious thought. He did not trip and beat her face. He did not walk past her and his arm convulsed repeatedly striking her. Chris Brown made a decision to abuse Rihanna (allegedly), there was no mistake about his actions.

I too was 19 once. I too have had volatile relationships. And life was difficult at 19 for me as well, perhaps more so as I did not have the money or resources of a Chris Brown. Yet there has never been a day in my 40 years of life where I had a need to beat a woman. Neither has any true man.

Chris Brown made a stupid, violent, reprehensible decision. Were I the D.A. I would be looking for any way in which I could arrest Chris Brown for this action. Because Chris Brown is a symbol, whether he likes it or not. Young fans are aware of what he has done, and if he walks away without consequence what are we telling those kids?

If Mekhi Phifer does not want to publicly chastise Chris Brown, fine I can respect that. But don’t excuse his alleged actions. Make a statement that a man would make. State clearly that this was wrong, that the concept of abusing a woman is wrong. Because I truly doubt if this was his mother, (sister, and/or daughter if he had them) he would be stating this was a mistake.

I don’t know Phifer, nor what he was thinking at that moment. But as I said at the beginning, sometimes celebrities and entertainers need to understand when to just shut up.