Bill Cosby's Comments about Black Community

[BlessedMan]

Do you agree with what he's saying or not?

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/07/01/cosby.comments.ap/index.html

 

[Miss Mayberry]

I don't know WHY he's saying what he's saying. But, I don't think he's making fun of them.

 

[renegade pariah]

Bill is making a valid attack on a situation that causes much consternation for the Black community and America in general. Unfortunately speaking from his "ivory tower" having reached a success that only a handful of people will ever attain it is doubtful that the problems will get fixed. He has done much to present a likeable "image" to white America, but is himself far removed from the community from which he drew his early material.

 

[InnerPhyre]

Bill isn't saying that anyone can be a successful as he is, but he's saying that anyone CAN be successful at SOMETHING if they take the time to get an education.

 

[Skymon]

Bill isn't saying that anyone can be a successful as he is, but he's saying that anyone CAN be successful at SOMETHING if they take the time to get an education.

Cut and print.

 

[Larry]

Do you agree with what he's saying or not?

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/07/01/cosby.comments.ap/index.html

I agree with his sentiments.

 

[Lotuspetal_uk]

"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?"

Yep, I agree with what he said too. Though it may seem harsh from the outside, it's some food for thought for those kids who weren't there during those times.

 

[Suzannah]

I agree with him. The black community in America is facing in modern times, what the Irish faced at the turn of the nineteenth century and are still facing: The Irish were white trash then, and they still have a long load of garbage and baggage. And he's right.

(And before I get beaten about the head and shoulders for this, let me say I am Irish born and bred. My family still whines about the English and what they did eight hundred years ago, and its sickening...)

 

[GMRELIC]

I agree with him

 

[Vylo]

I am a bit iffy on this. Cosby may be unwittingly promoting resignation in black people. Saying "I made it, why cant you?" can foster a feeling that there is something inherently wrong, or flawed with you, when in reality you got dealt a bad hand, and are shuffled into a system that does not favor your success. People then become resigned to the fact that they are flawed, and therefore cannot achieve their goals.

Many simply say that hard work will get you ahead in life, this is refered to as "pulling one's self up by the bootstraps". Nice idea in theory, but some people pull on those bootstraps until they break off, and still have little to nothing to show for it. Cosby's arrogance in this situation is only serving the needs of those in power (including himself), it makes people work harder in a system that will still not let them advance, except for the rare few picked to be "examples" to others of how to get ahead. These few exceptions are held over the heads of the oppressed to convince them that it is within their reach, when in reality their chances are slim to none of ever obtaining their dreams.

 

[2001MustangGT]

Play the victim, and you will be a victim.

Play the victor, and you will be victorious.

-2001MustangGT (LOL Im quoting myself!)

 

[burrow_owl]

in reality you got dealt a bad hand, and are shuffled into a system that does not favor your success. People then become resigned to the fact that they are flawed, and therefore cannot achieve their goals

I think Cosby's point was that the black community is also flawed, and reinforces characteristics and habits that preclude their achievement of goals.

 

[vwthecatholicboy]

I really didn't get to see the whole thing with Bill Cosby, But what little I did see, I just want to say, I'm tired of all this ethnicity and racist crud. We're in a time and age where that all should be no longer an issue. Even though, what it seems that the black community is trying to become better than the white community or whatever. The way I look at it there should only be one group...."The Human Race". Don't we have better things to worry about, like poverty, hunger, diseases or troubled teens and family issues, the war that's going on in the middle east or how about this great spiritual war this world is dealing with. Who cares if I have white skin or you have dark skin or I'm American and you're Canadian or Japanese or what ever. I understand that that black people need support groups just as well as white people or any others do, but there should be a line somewhere. Things shouldn't be based on how many black or white or asia people are in a work place. I mean what if a company goes on a hiring spree, and only 5 white or 5 black people apply, the way it is now a company is forced to look for and hire a so called minority group and hire someone from it, and sometimes they may be forced to hire someone less qualified for the position. I don't believe in racism, and as far as calling Black or Hispanic or females or any other ethnicity goes a minority group, well I think we're all pretty much equal here. whether you're black, white, asian, middle eastern, handy capped, male or female, we all are human beings here on Gods green earth. God is God, the ultimate creator, he's not black or white or male or female, or middle eastern, alien or Mexican, he Is God, he is who we all are. He created us in his own image "ALL OF US!"

Well that's my opinion, wether you agree or not
Thanks

 

[kdet]

I agree with him and he is also voicing the opinion of other Afro-Americans..such as Alan Keyes. Afro-Americans, especially the males need to hear this message.

 

[praying]

I agree with his sentiments I do not agree with calling teenagers "dirty laundry". I do not agree with any terminology that only serves to dehumanize.

 

[vwthecatholicboy]

We all need to learn how to stand up and take responsibity for our own actions and stop pointing the finger at everybody else. As far as Teenagers go, we need to stop making excuses for them and start forcing parents to take responsibility, and to start teaching these troubled teenagers and youth how to have self value, and respect for self and others. And it shouldn't matter who they are or where they're from. People we all need to take action here. These children are tomorrows leaders, and parents, co-workers, voters and lawmakers.

 

[vwthecatholicboy]

I agree with him, too! On some of the issues. But, when are we all going to stop, just agreeing and start doing.

 

[hyperborean]

From what I read, I would agree. Mainly about the part of blaming parents.

and this:

"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?"

 

[renegade pariah]

The bog of racism creates unique problems. Overcompensating for discrimination produces new problems. The imballance in black communities, between those who pay for services and those who own the services has been a major hurdle in progress. While there has been much progress in advancing black communities since WW2, parity still does not exist in terms of opportunity or economy. Simularly to the problem of integrating third world cultures into more prosperous modern systems, one finds there is no quick fix, but rather a widespread need to deal with a multitude of hurdles. Simply maintaining pride, or reflecting the hate and violence in the arts does showcase the dilemma of a damaged culture which still has not healed from generations of repression. The hopes of the Martin Luther King generation are to keep the focus on positive change which still needs to occur, not just in the rest of America, but within the black community in particular. Bill is keeping that dream alive by giving his brothers and sisters the admonishment we all need to keep the dream alive. Unfortunately life is too short for many to want to join the ratrace in order to attempt to achieve that progress...and there are not enough niches for black comedians to solve the problem that way.

 

[Sailor's Wife]

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