Bill Cosby gives another enlightened rant

[mabus]

I agree totally with Cosby. This time, so did Jesse Jackson, it seems:

Cosby Has Harsh Words for Black Community
By DON BABWIN

CHICAGO (AP) - Bill Cosby went off on another tirade against the black community Thursday, telling a room full of activists that black children are running around not knowing how to read or write and ``going nowhere.''

He also had harsh words for struggling black men, telling them: ``Stop beating up your women because you can't find a job.''

Cosby made headlines in May when he upbraided some poor blacks for their grammar and accused them of squandering opportunities the civil rights movement gave them. He shot back Thursday, saying his detractors were trying in vain to hide the black community's ``dirty laundry.''

``Let me tell you something, your dirty laundry gets out of school at 2:30 every day, it's cursing and calling each other n------ as they're walking up and down the street,'' Cosby said during an appearance at the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition & Citizenship Education Fund's annual conference.

``They think they're hip,'' the entertainer said. ``They can't read; they can't write. They're laughing and giggling, and they're going nowhere.''

In his remarks in May at a commemoration of the anniversary of the Brown v. Board of Education desegregation decision, Cosby denounced some blacks' grammar and said those who commit crimes and wind up behind bars ``are not political prisoners.''

``I can't even talk the way these people talk, 'Why you ain't,' 'Where you is' ... and I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk,'' Cosby said then. ``And then I heard the father talk ... Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth.''

Cosby elaborated Thursday on his previous comments in a talk interrupted several times by applause. He castigated some blacks, saying that they cannot simply blame whites for problems such as teen pregnancy and high school dropout rates.

``For me there is a time ... when we have to turn the mirror around,'' he said. ``Because for me it is almost analgesic to talk about what the white man is doing against us. And it keeps a person frozen in their seat, it keeps you frozen in your hole you're sitting in.''

Cosby lamented that the racial slurs once used by those who lynched blacks are now a favorite expression of black children. And he blamed parents.

``When you put on a record and that record is yelling `n

this and n----- that' and you've got your little 6-year-old, 7-year-old sitting in the back seat of the car, those children hear that,'' he said.

He also condemned black men who missed out on opportunities and are now angry about their lives.

``You've got to stop beating up your women because you can't find a job, because you didn't want to get an education and now you're (earning) minimum wage,'' Cosby said. ``You should have thought more of yourself when you were in high school, when you had an opportunity.''

Cosby appeared Thursday with the Rev. Jesse Jackson, founder and president of the education fund, who defended the entertainer's statements.

``Bill is saying let's fight the right fight, let's level the playing field,'' Jackson said. ``Drunk people can't do that. Illiterate people can't do that.''

Cosby also said many young people are failing to honor the sacrifices made by those who struggled and died during the civil rights movement.

``Dogs, water hoses that tear the bark off trees, Emmett Till,'' he said, naming the black youth who was tortured and murdered in Mississippi in 1955, allegedly for whistling at a white woman. ``And you're going to tell me you're going to drop out of school? You're going to tell me you're going to steal from a store?''

Cosby also said he wasn't concerned that some whites took his comments and turned them ``against our people.''

``Let them talk,'' he said.

 

[Dave2112]

I completely agree with him. It takes guts for him to go public with his views like this, in this day and age of unbelievably anal political correctness.

However, I think that his comments, while adressed to the black community, could cover a lot of other communities as well. While not having to deal with the reverse-racism problem, white kids and hispanic kids are getting into more and more serious trouble at an alarming rate. They are exposed to so much crap that glorifies gangsta culture, laziness, anarchistic rebellion and just plain old vapid "entertainment" that some of them really think that this is what gets you ahead. It's the adults capitilizing on this shit that are just as much to blame.

We are so concerned over our precious "freedoms" to do whatever the hell we want...that we never stop to think if excercizing those exteme rights is benefitting or hurting us as a society.

Just two days ago, an 18-year-old and a seventeen-year-old were arrested after robbing an elderly couple of thier safe, stabbing them to death and then burning the house down. This was in Isle La Motte, on Lake Champlain, right where I live. Two years ago, a local boy (18 at the time) robbed, killed and hid the bodies of an older couple 40 miles from my house. (He spent the next day with his friends, spending the couple's money on a shopping spree at the mall.)

The point is...NOTHING EVER HAPPENS HERE! And this is twice in two years! It's everywhere and it encompasses all races. Parents...raise your damn kids!!! If you let TV and the media raise them, what do you think you're going to get? By the way, in the case of the two boys in the recent killing, both sets of parents had to be tracked down to inform them of thier sons' arrests...they were all found at the local bar.

 

[tommytikl]

Here Here!!

To both Bill and Dave!!

I am amazed more people in the black community aren't appaled that the previous generations worked and died so that their kids could vote, and live free and yet this generation has squandered all of that sacrifice!
And that goes for other races as well...for the exact reason that Dave mentioned.

 

[the_Baron]

up until now, i never cared for mr. cosby.

he has shown himself to be a concerned prophet.

 

[qjakal]

Groups...

Now what we need is someome to kick the rest of the countries nationalities in the keester. Thinking this issue is confined solely to one demographic is naive. Most of the next generation looks ill prepared to take responsibility from my POV. They excel in using a computer to plagarize work and whatever other methods alow them to "get by". Not speaking correct English is the tip of the iceberg in society. Good news is I'll be long dead by the time the wheels come off...and it's depressing to consider that to be good news...lol.

Q

 

[natural tickler]

Well, speaking as a black man, I am really getting tired of hearing his mouth. He has made his point already. How many damn times does he have to say it?

 

[Neutron]

Until..

Well, speaking as a black man, I am really getting tired of hearing his mouth. He has made his point already. How many damn times does he have to say it?

Until people start acting on his message. He's dead on and should preach this till the day he dies.

Tron

 

[venray]

And ALL of us should listen. The meesage of parents taking charge and teaching their kids right from wrong and how to succeed in this world
are not to be confined to one group as Q suggests.

We can ALL learn something from Mr. Cosby and Mr. Jackson as well from what I saw on his CNN interview on the subject.

Ray

 

[Knox The Hatter]

Sounds like Cosby actually cares. It's more than caring, it's a passionate love that's speaking there...and he's definitely not afraid of voicing his concerns.
Not enough of that. Too much of what I hear from anyone nowadays is demonization of whatever boogeyman may be different from you. Or us. He can keep on talking, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Mitchell]

I agree with his comments 100%. To me, along with Oprah, Cosby is probably the consummate example of success for the African American community. He is intelligent, wealthy, is an example of a fine husband and father, as he is in a long marriage with his first wife, and his original family in an age where famous people are so often married many times. Also, as most of us know, Dr Cosby has endured the ultimate tradegy for any person or any parent with the cold blooded murder of his son, Ennis.
As I recall, Bill Cosby's father was a doctor himself, so he had a childhood that was perhaps a bit more privliged than many in the African American community. I most agree with his comment that one cannot and should not engage in abuse of one's family due to improper education, a job or profession that doesnt pay as you would like, or such. One needs to attempt to do their best, and overcome such things. Granted, Dr Cosby is speaking from the point of view of a billionaire with a stable family, so at this point he personally is not enduring what many in the black community, or many in the country for that matter, endure. His most important point I think is that everyone has adversity, but they need to face that, and overcome. I feel that Bill Cosby is a perfect example of a great man, for any community, African American or White. While we will not all be billionaires like he is, taking a lesson from how he lives his life, and attempting to follow some of his lessons and patterns of how he lives his life, can serve well and as a good example for us all.

Mitch

 

[sincerity]

Again...Bill Cosby is getting to that age. If he continues to be so tactless and offensive, self respecting black people will stop asking for his "opinions" and he'll be at home preaching to Camille.

The only way in which i find his comments remotely acceptable, is that he's a comedian, and is supposed to cut the formalities and keep things light at speaking engagements. However, that does not include cutting down the work of proud black people who are committed to unifying their race.

 

[kis123]

Well, speaking as a black man, I am really getting tired of hearing his mouth. He has made his point already. How many damn times does he have to say it?

I never knew I'd live to see the day I actually agreed with Tron on anything, but the message needs to get out until severe change takes place.

Many people sacrificed and even died so our race can have the benefits we can take advantage in life. Is that actually taking place? I'm aware that there are still systems in place that can hinder the climb to success. But, you got to remain in the struggle. Kids nowadays don't even have the incentive to fight. They expect everything to be given to them on a platter. If things don't go their way, then it's someone else's fault.

We have to get to and remain on the cutting edge of things. Finish high school, go to college, get a decent job, and get married before you start having babies please. I say that as a single mom who was not married to the father of her first child. So I come from experience. If I had someone tell it like Cosby took the nerve to do, maybe I wouldn't be finishing college at my age with a grown child and a teenager to raise. Maybe I would've done it sooner when it was a whole lot less expensive.

 

[kis123]

Again...Bill Cosby is getting to that age. If he continues to be so tactless and offensive, self respecting black people will stop asking for his "opinions" and he'll be at home preaching to Camille.

The only way in which i find his comments remotely acceptable, is that he's a comedian, and is supposed to cut the formalities and keep things light at speaking engagements. However, that does not include cutting down the work of proud black people who are committed to unifying their race.

I would love to agree with you, however;

Cosby's not talking to proud black people who are committed to unifying their race. He's talking to black people who are committed to never rise above anything. The ones who make the excuses as opposed to using the tools in front of them to make a good life for themselves. I'm not talking about the ones who try and have the occasional setaback. I'm talking about the ones who think "thug life" rules. The ones who won't take the time to get a minimal high school education. The ones who think having broods of children without having fathers for them is okay. Those are the people Cosby is talking about.

In addition to that, it is not okay for parents to think the school should take care of their kids. Take it from someone who's going through this with her own children. Schools and teachers, for the most part, DO NOT CARE!!! If a parent does not take a stance on their children's behalf for education, the school has no problem shoving your uneducated child through the system. If you think it's okay for your child to watch filthy videos and listen to music that glorifies sex, violence, degradation to women, and self-degradation, then you ARE the problem ("you" being hypothetical).

It is difficult for me to have sympathy for folks when I can drive through the city anytime of night to find our underage children wandering the streets like they don't have homes. Some of them are small kids with their brothers and sisters in the streets. My kids are always accounted for and have never wandered the streets at 1am. Where are these kids' parents at while this is happening? Some of them are at work trying to put food on the table, but not all of them are at work.

Someone needs to force the bar to be raised and stop excusing mediocrity in not just our race, but anyone that the "shoe" fits. People can get mad at him if they want, it's still the truth anyway.

 

[kis123]

Re: Until..

Until people start acting on his message. He's dead on and should preach this till the day he dies.

Tron

Just a point to remember;

This problem is not restricted to the black community, even though we are the ones Cosby was speaking to. I live in a very diverse community, and there are some equal opportunity knuckleheads represented in every race in my neighborhood.

 

[venray]

Well spoken!

Ray

 

[mgctouch]

Bill Cosby is 100% right. In my view, the only people who should feel any sence of shame are those who have failed thier children (by not pushing for a proper education) and those who have failed themselves (by squandering their own opportunities).

Anybody who has followed Bill Cosby through the years knows that Bill Cosby has championed the "black cause" through positive example, generous contributions to the NAACP (and other programs to help educate the blacks) and always putting himself in a position which showed that he was a successful, educated man. Just because he never voiced his disappointment as he has done recently doesn't mean that he hasn't been out there trying to help people to succeed. He has been an advocate for education for many years now.

When I read those comments, I automatically blocked out the word "Black" from it and I replaced it with "Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, European..." because what he said applies to all races. If you sound uneducated, you don't command the respect that you are entitled to and people will look down on you. It is just a fact of life - poeple discriminate against "lesser" people based on impressions instead of fact. If that "lesser" person was educated and spoke proper grammer then he/she would face much fewer discrimination obsticals and have a much better chance at success.

I fully support what Mr. Cosby said. His track record shows that he is pro-education and pro-oppertunity. he is also pro-family. If you notice, all of his later shows promote family values. He is a positive role model and he spoke the truth.

 

[tickleboynyc]

As I recall, Bill Cosby's father was a doctor himself, so he had a childhood that was perhaps a bit more privliged than many in the African American community.

'Perhaps a bit more privileged'.
That has to be the understatement of the year. do you really believe there is ANY comparison to a kid growing up with a single parent on welfare in one of our many ghettoes?
please!
I didn't know that about Cosby, i am now a lot more sceptical about his comments. it is always very easy for someone who grew up in wealth and privilege and then did well for themselves to criticize people who grew up with nothing.🙄

 

[sincerity]

Again, what he said was highly crass, and is over the very fine line between folksy and offensive. There's a way to present yourself at these things, and cutting down black pride is exactly what he did. I don't even nessecarily agree with anything he said (he is a dillousional old uncle tom), but if he really felt the need to get up there and list the ways his community disgraces him, there needs to be a subtler way to do it, or he just makes an ass out of himself. I mean no intellegent person could take those comments seriously. And, we all know from interviews (recent AND old) that his thinking is a bit shaky.

I would love to agree with you, however;

Cosby's not talking to proud black people who are committed to unifying their race. He's talking to black people who are committed to never rise above anything. The ones who make the excuses as opposed to using the tools in front of them to make a good life for themselves. I'm not talking about the ones who try and have the occasional setaback. I'm talking about the ones who think "thug life" rules. The ones who won't take the time to get a minimal high school education. The ones who think having broods of children without having fathers for them is okay. Those are the people Cosby is talking about.

In addition to that, it is not okay for parents to think the school should take care of their kids. Take it from someone who's going through this with her own children. Schools and teachers, for the most part, DO NOT CARE!!! If a parent does not take a stance on their children's behalf for education, the school has no problem shoving your uneducated child through the system. If you think it's okay for your child to watch filthy videos and listen to music that glorifies sex, violence, degradation to women, and self-degradation, then you ARE the problem ("you" being hypothetical).

It is difficult for me to have sympathy for folks when I can drive through the city anytime of night to find our underage children wandering the streets like they don't have homes. Some of them are small kids with their brothers and sisters in the streets. My kids are always accounted for and have never wandered the streets at 1am. Where are these kids' parents at while this is happening? Some of them are at work trying to put food on the table, but not all of them are at work.

Someone needs to force the bar to be raised and stop excusing mediocrity in not just our race, but anyone that the "shoe" fits. People can get mad at him if they want, it's still the truth anyway.

 

[sincerity]

I would love to agree with you, however;

Cosby's not talking to proud black people who are committed to unifying their race. He's talking to black people who are committed to never rise above anything. The ones who make the excuses as opposed to using the tools in front of them to make a good life for themselves. I'm not talking about the ones who try and have the occasional setaback. I'm talking about the ones who think "thug life" rules. The ones who won't take the time to get a minimal high school education. The ones who think having broods of children without having fathers for them is okay.


So you're saying those are the people who attend Rainbow Coalition conferences?

 

[kis123]

Again, what he said was highly crass, and is over the very fine line between folksy and offensive. There's a way to present yourself at these things, and cutting down black pride is exactly what he did. I don't even nessecarily agree with anything he said (he is a dillousional old uncle tom), but if he really felt the need to get up there and list the ways his community disgraces him, there needs to be a subtler way to do it, or he just makes an ass out of himself. I mean no intellegent person could take those comments seriously. And, we all know from interviews (recent AND old) that his thinking is a bit shaky.

His thinking is dead on and it's about time someone said what needs to be said. Our race is 11% of the general population, but over 50% of the jailed population. I don't know the statistics involving how many of us are in college, working productive careers, or other things that are reasonable to accomplish in other cultures, but are struggles in mine.

Why can't people just be accountable? If his comments don't apply to you, fine. But if they do, don't get mad, change your circumstances. And don't bother telling me that they can't be changed because they can with work. Once again, you can get angry about it and call him "uncle Tom" all you want. It doesn't stop him from being right and I hope he shouts it from the rooftops until folks start radically changing their situations. Quit passing that mess from generation to generation and making excuses for squandered opportunities and torn up lives. It's time out for that.

The only thing I think he could afford to change is the fact that it doesn't apply only to African-americans. There is plenty of ignorance and mediocrity to go around.

 

[kis123]

I would love to agree with you, however;

Cosby's not talking to proud black people who are committed to unifying their race. He's talking to black people who are committed to never rise above anything. The ones who make the excuses as opposed to using the tools in front of them to make a good life for themselves. I'm not talking about the ones who try and have the occasional setaback. I'm talking about the ones who think "thug life" rules. The ones who won't take the time to get a minimal high school education. The ones who think having broods of children without having fathers for them is okay.


So you're saying those are the people who attend Rainbow Coalition conferences?

If you go back and read my posts, I said "If the shoe fits." Now if you want to be sarcastic and attempt to turn this away from what I said, that's okay. You wouldn't be the first one on this board who did that.

No one said not to have black pride, and Cosby never said that either. Don't confuse black pride with wanting to pursue better for yourself. Many people accuse blacks who are educated and speak with appropriate grammar of being "too white" or Uncle Tom's. That's garbage if I'd ever heard of it. I'm an educated black woman with two educated black children and there's nothing wrong with that at all!!! I love my race and out of that love, I know we can do better than we have in the last thirty + years.

It's been long overdue time out for excuse making and time for growing up. These comments will probably dismissed and nothing will change in the community. Then things will remain the same and we'll still be behind in achievements than other cultures. I want us to do better and the tools have been made available from the efforts of many that fought the fight ahead of us. Let's pick up the tools and build something positive that can help our plight.

We have some serious problems to combat in our race. Now is the time to correct those problems. More of us can attend college, get married, raise families, and have productive lives than ever before. We have laws in place and programs that benefit and protect us. They allow us to pursue lifestyles and careers we never could before. If people continue to squander those opportunities, they could be taken away. That's the only point I'm making and if you add or subtract anything else from what I've been saying, you've totally missed it.

 

[kis123]

I don't know about Cosby's upbringing, whether he was poor, middle class or even wealthy. But that has nothing to do with what he was talking about. He is talking about people instilling pride and discipline within themselves so they don't continue a cycle that is not only killing Black America, but America as a whole. Being poor doesn't mean you are excused from acting decently. Being poor doesn't excuse you from raising your kids right. and the fact is, he is right.

I wish you were around when I was trying to find words that properly expressed my feelings. What hurts Black America does hurt America as a whole. Many people who should be more productive in society are out of the "loop" for one reason or another.

Like I said several posts ago, parents are responsible for the upbringing of their children, regardless of race. But I believe Cosby concentrated on the "black" race because he is also a black man who just may be a little frustrated over how things are as opposed to how they should be.

Poorly raised children have no self-pride. If those children are black, how can they have black pride if they have been raised to have no pride at all?😕

 

[primetime]

as an African American male, i found no problem with what Bill Cosby said. exactly WHAT did he say that was untrue or ignorant? like others have said, you can take "black" out of it and apply what he said to ALL races. i deal with the general public and believe me, there are MANY MANY morons out there. what pisses me off is that no one thinks about personal responsibility anymore, it's always someone else's fault. grow the hell up and become a responsible human being. people expect handouts and when they dont get it, they cry and whine. again, it is never their fault and the world should cater to them.

to the poor people who complain that nothing is being done to help them. in some instances that is true, but then again, ask yourself: "am i doing anything to help myself out?". are you willing to work hard, get an education and apply YOUR OWN skills and resources to become successful? if not, stop whining if you're not getting a handout. we all probably know people who are lazy as hell, but cry and complain that the "white man" is holding them down. that may be true in some instances, but c'mon people, is that really preventing you from becoming successful as you gang bang or sell drugs, or hang out in liquor stores, or dropping out of school?

now before i continue my rant, i will say there are instances of racism and people can be held down. i am not ignorant of that fact. i am directing my post to those that Cosby is talking about. the lazy people (not black, white, latino, asian, etc, but PEOPLE) who arent even trying to become successful, but want to blame their misfortune on something else. everybody understand where i am coming from? good, i will continue.

the funniest thing i have come across is when i was telling this person (who happened to be black) that paying a bill on time is a PERSONAL responsibility. she countered by asking me if i paid my bills on time. i said "yes, but if i dont i understand the consequences of not paying." her response? i am a "house nigga" because i pay my bills on time. stupid huh? i can talk slang, or i can talk normal (or educated), depending on my audience. yet, some people think i act "white" because i speak well. those are the kind of people Cosby is directing his comments too. i am not rich, i didnt grow up rich, but i plan to be rich in my future. at a very young age, i realized the value of money and knew nothing was going to be handed to me on a silver platter (although i wish it was! 😛 ) and figured i would have to earn it. silly concept huh? i was raised to be a responsible person and not everything is someone else's fault. it is time for ALL communities that are struggling to do their part in overcoming their situation instead of placing the burden on someone or something else. as long as they work at it, perhaps they will see some success in their life. the poor, hard working people that are doing the right thing, that are trying to survive as best as they can should be commended. it is those dummies out there that are doing the wrong things that should be ridiculed. Cosby is directing his comments to the people who are not doing anything to better themselves. Cosby is correct in what he is saying......

okay, rant finished. it does seem wierd that i actually agree with someone like Neutron. i guess anything can happen in this world!

 

[kis123]

as an African American male, i found no problem with what Bill Cosby said. exactly WHAT did he say that was untrue or ignorant? like others have said, you can take "black" out of it and apply what he said to ALL races. i deal with the general public and believe me, there are MANY MANY morons out there. what pisses me off is that no one thinks about personal responsibility anymore, it's always someone else's fault. grow the hell up and become a responsible human being. people expect handouts and when they dont get it, they cry and whine. again, it is never their fault and the world should cater to them.

to the poor people who complain that nothing is being done to help them. in some instances that is true, but then again, ask yourself: "am i doing anything to help myself out?". are you willing to work hard, get an education and apply YOUR OWN skills and resources to become successful? if not, stop whining if you're not getting a handout. we all probably know people who are lazy as hell, but cry and complain that the "white man" is holding them down. that may be true in some instances, but c'mon people, is that really preventing you from becoming successful as you gang bang or sell drugs, or hang out in liquor stores, or dropping out of school?

now before i continue my rant, i will say there are instances of racism and people can be held down. i am not ignorant of that fact. i am directing my post to those that Cosby is talking about. the lazy people (not black, white, latino, asian, etc, but PEOPLE) who arent even trying to become successful, but want to blame their misfortune on something else. everybody understand where i am coming from? good, i will continue.

the funniest thing i have come across is when i was telling this person (who happened to be black) that paying a bill on time is a PERSONAL responsibility. she countered by asking me if i paid my bills on time. i said "yes, but if i dont i understand the consequences of not paying." her response? i am a "house nigga" because i pay my bills on time. stupid huh? i can talk slang, or i can talk normal (or educated), depending on my audience. yet, some people think i act "white" because i speak well. those are the kind of people Cosby is directing his comments too. i am not rich, i didnt grow up rich, but i plan to be rich in my future. at a very young age, i realized the value of money and knew nothing was going to be handed to me on a silver platter (although i wish it was! 😛 ) and figured i would have to earn it. silly concept huh? i was raised to be a responsible person and not everything is someone else's fault. it is time for ALL communities that are struggling to do their part in overcoming their situation instead of placing the burden on someone or something else. as long as they work at it, perhaps they will see some success in their life. the poor, hard working people that are doing the right thing, that are trying to survive as best as they can should be commended. it is those dummies out there that are doing the wrong things that should be ridiculed. Cosby is directing his comments to the people who are not doing anything to better themselves. Cosby is correct in what he is saying......

okay, rant finished. it does seem wierd that i actually agree with someone like Neutron. i guess anything can happen in this world!

Well, I couldn't have said it better (although I tried)🙂 . There's very little else to say here so I'll be going on my merry way. I'm sorry there are people in the African American community (of which I am proudly a part of) who believe that Cosby's comments were wrong. Oh well!

Oh yeah Primetime, I said the same thing about Tron too!😀 What is this world coming to?😉

 

[BigJim]

Didn't I make a post in this thread? Did it get removed or something?