for those who are arguing on the past ideas and quotesd from Bill Cosby here is an actual quote from his new book.
Quote about "gangta rap" from Cosby's book
"Gangsta rap promotes the widespread use of the N-word to sell CD's among people of all ethnic groups. In fact, the audience for gangsta rap is made up predominantly of white youth, who get a thrill from participating in a black thug fantasy, including the degradation of women. Black youth, as well as some misguided adults have defended the use of the N-word, suggesting they are somehow making it a positive term.
Don't fall for that nonsense. The N-word is a vile symbol of our oppression by slave masters" Pg. 144
finally, relevancy.
also relevant is that people are not putting Cosby's message in the right context. it really is like he is speaking to a captive audience that is a) 100% black, and b) working together to try to find a solution to obvious problems. dyson and others echoing his dissent have always rubbed me the wrong way because they continue to criticize Cos for "picking on" the black underclass. that is bullshit. He lead off that MTP interview by qualifying his book with the fact that racism is the overwhelming reason why these problems exist today. he's not saying blacks don't have valid reasons/excuses for their problems, he's just calling out for people to rally people in response to a crisis.
cosby is preaching positivity and responsibility, and gangster rap is not so much a problem as it is a distraction. 20% of kids grow up with fathers, an overwhelming % of young black men are in jail or on parole, etc., and its like, if the goal is to do something dramatic, then lets start by getting rid of all the negative influences on kids. again, he is speaking like a father, not like Tipper Gore. its not about censorship, but trying to raise THIS generation in a way that will DRAMATICALLY effect those awful statistics.
So if he used Frazier Boy and Souljah Boy you'd agree 100% percent with Bill Cosby? Whether music sales are in the shitter and/or not as good as they once where people are still making money off of music, largely execs who in turn are largely wealthy white folks and lizard people.
And also dwindling sales doesn't mean it's influence is shrinking, it likely means more people are burning, buying bootlegs, or downloading.
One of the biggest pieces of news was the whole kanye and 50 beef, which brought in a shitload of sales, so really sales figures is not an accurate gauge of influence.
Also, it is easy to be ignorant of the stuff that young people *are* doing out there (for young issues)... a lot of folks are out there fighting the good fight but going up against major media and (yes) the entertainment industry is like yelling at an airplane.
when children grow up impoverished, being an "active" parent isn't enough...
Working a 9-5 leaves your child vulnerable to the streets.
Collecting welfare and staying home still leaves your child vulnerable to the streets.
And I don't deny any of that, and that's why my hat is off to so many parents in those situations who have raised kids who reject the bullshit, and manage their families in spite of the system being stacked against them.
So if he used Frazier Boy and Souljah Boy you'd agree 100% percent with Bill Cosby? Whether music sales are in the shitter and/or not as good as they once where people are still making money off of music, largely execs who in turn are largely wealthy white folks and lizard people.
but are they making money off the same lyrics that Cosby was referencing that were so prevalent in hip-hop today. The fact is, for his argument to hit home, he has to use examples like "f*ck the police" and the like.
And to me, that's kinda a dirty trick when talking to a forum that knows very little about hip-hop. Now, sure, i bet he could find examples of degrading rap lyrics coming out today, but again, i just continue to find it odd how the argument against hip-hop and it's content continue to cite songs that are 5-10 or 20 years old.
that same debate tactic can't work in many other arenas (i.e. you don't see people referencing 1988 data when talking about global warming and suggesting that its current) but yet no one cares to criticize it when it comes to hip-hop.
and i realize this is a petty complaint, given the underlying issues Cosby is trying to discuss, but unless someone calls people out for this type of stuff, then more and more people will continue to just assume that there is little to no value in rap music. and i don't believe that's right.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
Phonic's how-can-I-be-down conclusion/rule that only black people should be addressing black problems is about as little dude as it gets when you consider that white people have a whole lot of changing to do in order for black problems to ever be properly addressed...let alone that race simply isn't as cut and dry as dude thinks people should be treating it as a source of identity/community.
Bill Cosby's heart is obviously in the right place. That doesn't mean his criticism can't in turn be criticized.
My only problem with Bill Cosby is he's a goddamn hypocrite.
has he ever explained his bankrolling of Sweetsweetback? Not exactly family fare...
Dude, talk about taking shit out of historical context. C'mon now, don't even go there.
why not? that movie is borderline porn that he obviously saw artistic merit in...he does not see artistic merit in G Rap, would like to hear his explanation of the difference.
Let's put aside the actual content of the film - especially since your description of it as "borderline porn" is - no pun intended - a bit hard to swallow to anyone who's seen the film (and especially compared to actual porn from the era). Try to explain to anyone how bankrolling one of the first Black independent films, especially in the early 1970s, is comparable to making a rap album in 2007.
Phonic's how-can-I-be-down conclusion/rule that only black people should be addressing black problems is about as little dude as it gets when you consider that white people have a whole lot of changing to do in order for black problems to ever be properly addressed...let alone that race simply isn't as cut and dry as dude thinks people should be treating it as a source of identity/community.
Harvey,
It may help to watch the interview. Cosby stressed that black people stop with their apathy and do things like playing a stonger role as a parent, get out and vote, and take care of their own.
Within the interview they discuss the idea of ending cover and overt racism but it seems to be more about taking control of what you can in order to improve the next generation.
PS your white guilt is showing
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
It may help to watch the interview. Cosby stressed that black people stop with their apathy and do things like playing a stonger role as a parent, get out and vote, and take care of their own.
In other words, Cosby told a bunch of people who are more or less already doing what he prescribes, to do what he prescribes. Thanks, Bill.
PS your white guilt is showing
You say this every 2 weeks. Now for once, explain what you mean by it.
he looks at the leaders today and nobody is talking about shit.
False...some would say too much talking is going on.
Bill Cosby is an old man ...talking to old people....about old issues.
Ed P:
With all due resect, A)who should be talking B). To which age group C). And on what issues
Cosby is speaking the truth...but Cosby has too many personal issues...
Does that mean Martin Luther King's message was flawed because he liked to fuck groupies on the side ? NO.
but Bill Cosby isn't offering any solutions....he's pointing too many fingers ...he's 15 years behind in the discussion.....maybe he should call Oprah and they can build a fuckin school here.
Bill Cosby isn't offering any solutions....he's pointing too many fingers ...he's 15 years behind in the discussion.....maybe he should call Oprah and they can build a fuckin school here.
"White guilt" refers to a controversial concept of individual or collective guilt often said to be felt by some white people for the racist treatment of people of color by whites both historically and presently.[1] The term is generally used in pejorative way, usually by those who criticize efforts to assist non-whites, particularly with policies or decisions the critics believe give advantages or benefits to them unfair to whites. Many on the left have rejected the idea that guilt is the motivating factor for these efforts."
"White guilt" refers to a controversial concept of individual or collective guilt often said to be felt by some white people for the racist treatment of people of color by whites both historically and presently.[1] The term is generally used in pejorative way, usually by those who criticize efforts to assist non-whites, particularly with policies or decisions the critics believe give advantages or benefits to them unfair to whites. Many on the left have rejected the idea that guilt is the motivating factor for these efforts."
Yes, the behavior of many whites embarrasses me as a fellow white.
"White guilt" refers to a controversial concept of individual or collective guilt often said to be felt by some white people for the racist treatment of people of color by whites both historically and presently.[1] The term is generally used in pejorative way, usually by those who criticize efforts to assist non-whites, particularly with policies or decisions the critics believe give advantages or benefits to them unfair to whites. Many on the left have rejected the idea that guilt is the motivating factor for these efforts."
He asked what you meant by it, not how wikipedia defines it.
"White guilt" refers to a controversial concept of individual or collective guilt often said to be felt by some white people for the racist treatment of people of color by whites both historically and presently.[1] The term is generally used in pejorative way, usually by those who criticize efforts to assist non-whites, particularly with policies or decisions the critics believe give advantages or benefits to them unfair to whites. Many on the left have rejected the idea that guilt is the motivating factor for these efforts."
He asked what you meant by it, not how wikipedia defines it.
wikipedia's definition is the same one i seem to carry.
I find that Harvey has a lot of white guilt about racism towards blacks. I wonder if he feels a guilt towards Asians, Latino's, Jews, & Arabs?
"White guilt" refers to a controversial concept of individual or collective guilt often said to be felt by some white people for the racist treatment of people of color by whites both historically and presently.[1] The term is generally used in pejorative way, usually by those who criticize efforts to assist non-whites, particularly with policies or decisions the critics believe give advantages or benefits to them unfair to whites. Many on the left have rejected the idea that guilt is the motivating factor for these efforts."
He asked what you meant by it, not how wikipedia defines it.
wikipedia's definition is the same one i seem to carry.
I find that Harvey has a lot of white guilt about racism towards blacks. I wonder if he feels a guilt towards Asians, Latino's, Jews, & Arabs?
This is your world, player...and by the definition that you pulled up...you might want to spend some time looking at why you are trying to criticize me for advocating for "black" causes.
And dude, did I grow up in a predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab metro area? Am I married to an Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my daughter Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is the neighborhood I live in predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my favorite music Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Etc...
Earl Hutchinson is not having any of it. He tore Cosby a new one when he went off at the NAACP a couple of years ago and this is his reaction to the book:
Bill Cosby's New Book Full of Racial Stereotypes
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson October 15, 2007.
Cosby's new book continues to tar black communities and the black poor as dysfunctional, chronic whiners, and eternally searching for a government hand-out.
Comedian Bill Cosby is the walking and now writing proof of the ancient adage that good intentions can go terribly awry. That's never been more painfully true than in Cosby's latest tome, Come on People.
Cosby and his publisher boast that the book is a big, brash, and provocative challenge to black folk to get their act together. That's got him ga ga raves, and an unprecedented one hour spin job on Meet the Press.
In the book, Cosby harangues and lectures, cobbles together a mesh of his trademark anecdotes, homilies, and personal tales of woe and success, juggles and massages facts to bolster his self-designated black morals crusade. Stripped away it's the same stock claim that blacks can't read, write or speak coherent English, and are social and educational cripples and failures.
Since Cosby's much touted tirade at the NAACP confab a few years back, and on countless talk shows, and at community gatherings, he has succeeded marvelously in getting the tongues of blacks wagging furiously and their fingers jabbing relentlessly at each other's alleged mountainous defects. They stumble over themselves to hail Cosby as the ultimate truth-giver.
He isn't. While Cosby is entitled to publicly air black America's alleged dirty laundry, there's more myth than dirt in that laundry. Some knuckleheads in black neighborhoods do kill, mug, peddle dope, are jobless untouchables, and educational wastrels. They, and only they, should be the target of wrath. But Cosby makes a Grand Canyon size leap from them to paint a half-truth, skewed, picture of the plight of poor blacks and the reasons and prescriptions for their plight. The cornerstone of Cosby mythmaking is that they are crime prone, educational losers, and teen baby making machines.
The heart wrenching and much played up news shots and specials of black-on-black blood letting in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and a handful of other big cities and the admission that blacks do have a much higher kill rate than young whites tell a tale of out-of-control, lawless blacks. The truth: homicides and physical assaults have plunged among black teens to the lowest levels in the past two decades. The rate of drug use among young blacks is no higher than among young whites. Blacks are more likely to be arrested, convicted and imprisoned than young whites who if arrested at all are more likely to get drug rehab, counseling, and treatment referrals, probation or community service. This horribly distorts the racial crime picture.
Then there is the black teen girls as baby making machine myth. The truth: The teen pregnancy rate among black girls has sharply dropped during the past decade. And they continue to fall.
The biggest myth that young blacks empty out the public schools, fill up the jails and cemeteries, and ridicule learning as acting white has risen to urban legend rank. The truth: The U.S. Dept. of Education found that in the decades since 1975, more blacks had enrolled in school, had improved their SAT scores by nearly 200 points and had lowered their dropout rate significantly. It also found that one in three blacks attended college, and that the number of blacks receiving bachelors and masters degrees had nearly doubled. A survey of student attitudes by the Minority Student Achievement Network, an Illinois-based educational advocacy group in 2002 and confirmed in other surveys, found that black students were as motivated, studied as hard, and were as serious about graduating as whites.
Cosby publicly bristles at criticism that he takes the worst of the worst behavior of some blacks and publicly hurls that out as the warped standard of black America. Cosby says that he does not mean to slander all, or even most blacks, as derelict, laggards and slackers. Yet that's precisely the impression he gives and the criticism of him for it is more than justified. Even the book title, Come on People: On the Path from Victims to Victors (a hint they're all losers) conveys that smear.
He did not qualify or provide a complete factual context for his blanket indictment of poor blacks. He made the negative behavior of some blacks a racial rather than an endemic social problem. In doing so, he did more than break the alleged taboo against publicly airing racial dirty laundry; he fanned dangerous and destructive stereotypes.
This is hardly the call to action that can inspire and motivate underachieving blacks to improve their lives. Instead, it further demoralizes those poor blacks who are doing the best to keep their children and themselves out of harm's way, often against towering odds, while still being hammered for their alleged failures by the Cosby's within and without their communities.
Worse, Cosby's blame the victim slam does nothing to encourage government officials and business leaders to provide greater resources and opportunities to aid those blacks that need help. Come on People, intended or not, continues to tar the black communities and the black poor as dysfunctional, chronic whiners, and eternally searching for a government hand-out. Come on Cosby.
___
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation between African-Americans and Hispanics (Middle Passage Press and Hispanic Economics New York) in English and Spanish was just released.
nobody's talking about the reality on the ground which is supposedly inspiring the music... and which has deeper root causes that I don't think anyone really knows how to fix.[/b]
YUP.
HarvC actually talks about shit like this a lot but he gets clowned.
nobody's talking about the reality on the ground which is supposedly inspiring the music... and which has deeper root causes that I don't think anyone really knows how to fix.[/b]
YUP.
HarvC actually talks about shit like this a lot but he gets clowned.
A lot of people find it convenient not to engage with his ideas, which is unfortunate because when he's not talking about Project Blowed or lizard people, he's pretty on-point.
nobody's talking about the reality on the ground which is supposedly inspiring the music... and which has deeper root causes that I don't think anyone really knows how to fix.[/b]
YUP.
HarvC actually talks about shit like this a lot but he gets clowned.
A lot of people find it convenient not to engage with his ideas, which is unfortunate because when he's not talking about Project Blowed or lizard people, he's pretty on-point.
But doesn't the point of his belief in "lizard people" and them ruling the planet supersede anything to do with the struggle of anyone? Except for maybe humans?
Plus, with how he professes sometime and past use of a certain name (EX- Your jokes on a name he used) I could see why one would point out his so called "White guilt".
Also. Harvey, is your wife black? From the point
"And dude, did I grow up in a predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab metro area? Am I married to an Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my daughter Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is the neighborhood I live in predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my favorite music Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Etc..."
Would it make a difference if you were white and all the above things were true? Does that somehow give you some special rights or make you "down" somehow?
You could have grown up next to a reserve, listening to native rap marrying someone who was Ojibway and have a kid together living on the reserve. That doesn't mean the struggle of native rights needs you to "save them" or even speak for them.
HarveyCanal"a distraction from my main thesis." 13,234 Posts
nobody's talking about the reality on the ground which is supposedly inspiring the music... and which has deeper root causes that I don't think anyone really knows how to fix.[/b]
YUP.
HarvC actually talks about shit like this a lot but he gets clowned.
A lot of people find it convenient not to engage with his ideas, which is unfortunate because when he's not talking about Project Blowed or lizard people, he's pretty on-point.
But doesn't the point of his belief in "lizard people" and them ruling the planet supersede anything to do with the struggle of anyone? Except for maybe humans?
Plus, with how he professes sometime and past use of a certain name (EX- Your jokes on a name he used) I could see why one would point out his so called "White guilt".
Also. Harvey, is your wife black? From the point
"And dude, did I grow up in a predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab metro area? Am I married to an Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my daughter Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is the neighborhood I live in predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my favorite music Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Etc..."
Would it make a difference if you were white and all the above things were true? Does that somehow give you some special rights or make you "down" somehow?
You could have grown up next to a reserve, listening to native rap marrying someone who was Ojibway and have a kid together living on the reserve. That doesn't mean the struggle of native rights needs you to "save them" or even speak for them.
What an idiotic, dick-riding post if I've ever seen one.
Two things...
1. When did I ever say that I actually believe in lizard people?
2. Is it okay for me as a white man to speak for my 2 year old black daughter? Or should I stop doing so right away because some idgit on the internet can't think of the world as anything but one's and zero's.
Comments
finally, relevancy.
also relevant is that people are not putting Cosby's message in the right context. it really is like he is speaking to a captive audience that is a) 100% black, and b) working together to try to find a solution to obvious problems. dyson and others echoing his dissent have always rubbed me the wrong way because they continue to criticize Cos for "picking on" the black underclass. that is bullshit. He lead off that MTP interview by qualifying his book with the fact that racism is the overwhelming reason why these problems exist today. he's not saying blacks don't have valid reasons/excuses for their problems, he's just calling out for people to rally people in response to a crisis.
cosby is preaching positivity and responsibility, and gangster rap is not so much a problem as it is a distraction. 20% of kids grow up with fathers, an overwhelming % of young black men are in jail or on parole, etc., and its like, if the goal is to do something dramatic, then lets start by getting rid of all the negative influences on kids. again, he is speaking like a father, not like Tipper Gore. its not about censorship, but trying to raise THIS generation in a way that will DRAMATICALLY effect those awful statistics.
And also dwindling sales doesn't mean it's influence is shrinking, it likely means more people are burning, buying bootlegs, or downloading.
One of the biggest pieces of news was the whole kanye and 50 beef, which brought in a shitload of sales, so really sales figures is not an accurate gauge of influence.
False...some would say too much talking is going on.
Bill Cosby is an old man ...talking to old people....about old issues.
Ed P:
With all due resect, A)who should be talking B). To which age group C). And on what issues
And I don't deny any of that, and that's why my hat is off to so many parents in those situations who have raised kids who reject the bullshit, and manage their families in spite of the system being stacked against them.
but are they making money off the same lyrics that Cosby was referencing that were so prevalent in hip-hop today. The fact is, for his argument to hit home, he has to use examples like "f*ck the police" and the like.
And to me, that's kinda a dirty trick when talking to a forum that knows very little about hip-hop. Now, sure, i bet he could find examples of degrading rap lyrics coming out today, but again, i just continue to find it odd how the argument against hip-hop and it's content continue to cite songs that are 5-10 or 20 years old.
that same debate tactic can't work in many other arenas (i.e. you don't see people referencing 1988 data when talking about global warming and suggesting that its current) but yet no one cares to criticize it when it comes to hip-hop.
and i realize this is a petty complaint, given the underlying issues Cosby is trying to discuss, but unless someone calls people out for this type of stuff, then more and more people will continue to just assume that there is little to no value in rap music. and i don't believe that's right.
Let's put aside the actual content of the film - especially since your description of it as "borderline porn" is - no pun intended - a bit hard to swallow to anyone who's seen the film (and especially compared to actual porn from the era). Try to explain to anyone how bankrolling one of the first Black independent films, especially in the early 1970s, is comparable to making a rap album in 2007.
Harvey,
It may help to watch the interview. Cosby stressed that black people stop with their apathy and do things like playing a stonger role as a parent, get out and vote, and take care of their own.
Within the interview they discuss the idea of ending cover and overt racism but it seems to be more about taking control of what you can in order to improve the next generation.
PS your white guilt is showing
In other words, Cosby told a bunch of people who are more or less already doing what he prescribes, to do what he prescribes. Thanks, Bill.
You say this every 2 weeks. Now for once, explain what you mean by it.
Cosby is speaking the truth...but Cosby has too many personal issues...
Does that mean Martin Luther King's message was flawed because he liked to fuck groupies on the side ? NO.
but Bill Cosby isn't offering any solutions....he's pointing too many fingers ...he's 15 years behind in the discussion.....maybe he should call Oprah and they can build a fuckin school here.
"The Black Crusaders are after me!"
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_guilt
"White guilt" refers to a controversial concept of individual or collective guilt often said to be felt by some white people for the racist treatment of people of color by whites both historically and presently.[1] The term is generally used in pejorative way, usually by those who criticize efforts to assist non-whites, particularly with policies or decisions the critics believe give advantages or benefits to them unfair to whites. Many on the left have rejected the idea that guilt is the motivating factor for these efforts."
Amen.
"Now can you build us a school Mr.Cosby ?"
Yes, the behavior of many whites embarrasses me as a fellow white.
The sky is also blue.
The term "White Guilt" is some pretty racist shit....but thats a whole nother bag -o- shit.
He asked what you meant by it, not how wikipedia defines it.
I'm curious.
Are you willing to explain your view on the term?
wikipedia's definition is the same one i seem to carry.
I find that Harvey has a lot of white guilt about racism towards blacks. I wonder if he feels a guilt towards Asians, Latino's, Jews, & Arabs?
No.
well then why talk about it?
anyways I'm not going to jump in this cosby hate-off/ sympathizer-fest
back to reading the buy/ sell area of the board
This is your world, player...and by the definition that you pulled up...you might want to spend some time looking at why you are trying to criticize me for advocating for "black" causes.
And dude, did I grow up in a predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab metro area? Am I married to an Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my daughter Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is the neighborhood I live in predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my favorite music Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Etc...
Friggin figure out the obvious already.
Bill Cosby's New Book Full of Racial Stereotypes
By Earl Ofari Hutchinson
October 15, 2007.
Cosby's new book continues to tar black communities and the black poor as dysfunctional, chronic whiners, and eternally searching for a government hand-out.
Comedian Bill Cosby is the walking and now writing proof of the ancient adage that good intentions can go terribly awry. That's never been more painfully true than in Cosby's latest tome, Come on People.
Cosby and his publisher boast that the book is a big, brash, and provocative challenge to black folk to get their act together. That's got him ga ga raves, and an unprecedented one hour spin job on Meet the Press.
In the book, Cosby harangues and lectures, cobbles together a mesh of his trademark anecdotes, homilies, and personal tales of woe and success, juggles and massages facts to bolster his self-designated black morals crusade. Stripped away it's the same stock claim that blacks can't read, write or speak coherent English, and are social and educational cripples and failures.
Since Cosby's much touted tirade at the NAACP confab a few years back, and on countless talk shows, and at community gatherings, he has succeeded marvelously in getting the tongues of blacks wagging furiously and their fingers jabbing relentlessly at each other's alleged mountainous defects. They stumble over themselves to hail Cosby as the ultimate truth-giver.
He isn't. While Cosby is entitled to publicly air black America's alleged dirty laundry, there's more myth than dirt in that laundry. Some knuckleheads in black neighborhoods do kill, mug, peddle dope, are jobless untouchables, and educational wastrels. They, and only they, should be the target of wrath. But Cosby makes a Grand Canyon size leap from them to paint a half-truth, skewed, picture of the plight of poor blacks and the reasons and prescriptions for their plight. The cornerstone of Cosby mythmaking is that they are crime prone, educational losers, and teen baby making machines.
The heart wrenching and much played up news shots and specials of black-on-black blood letting in Philadelphia, New Orleans, and a handful of other big cities and the admission that blacks do have a much higher kill rate than young whites tell a tale of out-of-control, lawless blacks. The truth: homicides and physical assaults have plunged among black teens to the lowest levels in the past two decades. The rate of drug use among young blacks is no higher than among young whites. Blacks are more likely to be arrested, convicted and imprisoned than young whites who if arrested at all are more likely to get drug rehab, counseling, and treatment referrals, probation or community service. This horribly distorts the racial crime picture.
Then there is the black teen girls as baby making machine myth. The truth: The teen pregnancy rate among black girls has sharply dropped during the past decade. And they continue to fall.
The biggest myth that young blacks empty out the public schools, fill up the jails and cemeteries, and ridicule learning as acting white has risen to urban legend rank. The truth: The U.S. Dept. of Education found that in the decades since 1975, more blacks had enrolled in school, had improved their SAT scores by nearly 200 points and had lowered their dropout rate significantly. It also found that one in three blacks attended college, and that the number of blacks receiving bachelors and masters degrees had nearly doubled. A survey of student attitudes by the Minority Student Achievement Network, an Illinois-based educational advocacy group in 2002 and confirmed in other surveys, found that black students were as motivated, studied as hard, and were as serious about graduating as whites.
Cosby publicly bristles at criticism that he takes the worst of the worst behavior of some blacks and publicly hurls that out as the warped standard of black America. Cosby says that he does not mean to slander all, or even most blacks, as derelict, laggards and slackers. Yet that's precisely the impression he gives and the criticism of him for it is more than justified. Even the book title, Come on People: On the Path from Victims to Victors (a hint they're all losers) conveys that smear.
He did not qualify or provide a complete factual context for his blanket indictment of poor blacks. He made the negative behavior of some blacks a racial rather than an endemic social problem. In doing so, he did more than break the alleged taboo against publicly airing racial dirty laundry; he fanned dangerous and destructive stereotypes.
This is hardly the call to action that can inspire and motivate underachieving blacks to improve their lives. Instead, it further demoralizes those poor blacks who are doing the best to keep their children and themselves out of harm's way, often against towering odds, while still being hammered for their alleged failures by the Cosby's within and without their communities.
Worse, Cosby's blame the victim slam does nothing to encourage government officials and business leaders to provide greater resources and opportunities to aid those blacks that need help. Come on People, intended or not, continues to tar the black communities and the black poor as dysfunctional, chronic whiners, and eternally searching for a government hand-out. Come on Cosby.
___
Earl Ofari Hutchinson is an author and political analyst. His new book The Latino Challenge to Black America: Towards a Conversation between African-Americans and Hispanics (Middle Passage Press and Hispanic Economics New York) in English and Spanish was just released.
YUP.
HarvC actually talks about shit like this a lot but he gets clowned.
A lot of people find it convenient not to engage with his ideas, which is unfortunate because when he's not talking about Project Blowed or lizard people, he's pretty on-point.
But doesn't the point of his belief in "lizard people" and them ruling the planet supersede anything to do with the struggle of anyone? Except for maybe humans?
Plus, with how he professes sometime and past use of a certain name (EX- Your jokes on a name he used) I could see why one would point out his so called "White guilt".
Also. Harvey, is your wife black? From the point
"And dude, did I grow up in a predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab metro area? Am I married to an Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my daughter Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is the neighborhood I live in predominantly Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Is my favorite music Asian, Latino, Jew, or Arab? Etc..."
Would it make a difference if you were white and all the above things were true? Does that somehow give you some special rights or make you "down" somehow?
You could have grown up next to a reserve, listening to native rap marrying someone who was Ojibway and have a kid together living on the reserve. That doesn't mean the struggle of native rights needs you to "save them" or even speak for them.
What an idiotic, dick-riding post if I've ever seen one.
Two things...
1. When did I ever say that I actually believe in lizard people?
2. Is it okay for me as a white man to speak for my 2 year old black daughter? Or should I stop doing so right away because some idgit on the internet can't think of the world as anything but one's and zero's.
Regardless of how old, hip, or "down" Bill Cosby is, if what he is saying has validity then that's all that should matter.
Arguing whether or not someone has the perceived "right" to make a statement shouldn't overshadow whether or not the statement is accurate.