Hey everyone,
I noticed an lot of coverage regarding Bill Cosby’s comments regarding the problems many African Americans face today. He is pointing a lot of blame on the parents for being irresponsible, and the children for perpetuating some of the problems he sees African American face. Here is one of his most recent comments from his speech at the Rainbow/PUSH convention:
“Let me tell you something,” Cosby, one of America’s most admired men, told the group. “Your dirty laundry gets out of school at 2:30 every day, it’s cursing and calling each other [the N-word] as they’re walking up and down the street. They think they’re hip. They can’t read. They can’t write. They’re laughing and giggling, and they’re going nowhere.”
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I’m not black nor grew up in a lower-income neighborhoud so I don’t really have any background, but most stereotypes have some basis of truth. And regardless, every class of americans should do better parenting and raise better kids.
I really agree with what he’s saying. My family isn’t the richest, so I’ve had the, erm, opportunity to see exactly what Cosby is talking about first hand many times. It really is like what he’s saying, and it’s all due to the parenting. If Afr. American parents would get their act together and watch out for their kid, everything would be better. Certainly that makes it sound like it’s all the parents fault, and it mostly is, but not all. The same thing that is happening to thier children happened to them when they were children, so that’s the only way they know how to live. And they can’t pull out of it by themselves uless they can get a good job with the education they have.
Of course though not all Afr. Americans are like this, and it’s becoming more and more that way (blacks are moving up in society as opposed to down).
I agree with what he’s saying. In my opinion, the “ghetto” people, white and black, who don’t even speak proper English are where they are now because of their lack of education.
i just think he was speaking what we all know is true. he wasnt saying black people are useless. he simply said they are not taking advantage of all the opportunities they have been given through the years. things like education, jobs, and affirmative action. its true what he said in most cases. too many young african american kids run up and down the street screaming and fighting all day and sleep all day at school. not to say that all of them do it, but i have seen it myself. maybe bill cosbys comments will inspire the african american nation to realize that they are neglecting what was accomplished in the 60’s.
I think that both white and black are too much into this commercialized nonsense. They listen to all these rich rapers and celebs and try to “keep it real”. :lol: I mean their idols are ex drug dealers who are now making millions, talking about stuff they don’t even do. It’s all a gimmic and that’s why both white and black’s are in the position they are.
Lack of education is a load of crap. You can get a good education anywhere for free if you apply yourself. I agree that parents don’t push their children like they should. But once your a certain age you should have the brane’s to get yourself together.
Psh, mannnnn. This Cosby kid ain’t know whose turf he be trippin on mannnnn. All we be doin is keepin it real - it ain’t matter who you be sonnnnnnn. He just trippin cause he ain’t in this hizzy for shizzy
I have to say though - I totally agree with Mr. Cosby. I go to a private school and I even see it there too, a lot of it is because kids think it is cool to use ebonics, cuss, ect.
Another problem that I see a lot today is that as kids it’s becoming harder and harder to find an idol who didnt grow up in the Projects and peddle crack as a kid. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it can show a great sucess story, but the problem is that their message kind of shows that anyone who peddles crack on the street corner can end up like them, making millions and living the high life. It’s also becomming harder and harder for you to trun on the radio and not hear the “n-word” or constant cussing. I am a fan of rap but even I am becoming a bit sick of it.
Anyone has the potential to go far in life - its whether or not you utilize that potential. I used to go to school with a kid of Afr. American dessent who worked hard in school and wanted to be something when he grew up (his father is an amazing man) but at the same time wanted to live like his idols that he sees every day do. It was almost as if he was trying to fight the fact that he was going to go somewhere in life and try to make it cool to not be going anywhere.
Don’t catch me wrong it’s not just the Afr. American population that I see this in, i see it in whites such as some of my friends, asians, anyone. I dont think that we can souly blame it on parents becaues like i said, look who we as kids have to look up to, Snoop Dogg and 50 Cent arent exactly model citizens…
In my opinion I would place the blame on the school system as well as the parents it is the parents responsibility to teach there children dicispline and right from wrong such as cussing Also it is esential for the parents to get their kids to school. However when it comes to writing and reading that is mainly the schools responsibilty I dont know about everywhere else but the school system here is in absolute shambles.
some people should watch out, there are some borderline racist stereotypes around here… And I’m not pointing fingers, but please just watch out. My girlfriend was reading that yesterday night and was quite offended by some comments… I feel I’d let you know what SHE felt, since I’m not black myself (nor American for that matter…)
Oh yeah, she also knows some “screwed up ****s” (that’s her words…) but MOST black people she knows just want to (well, wanted…, most have jobs now) have good grades in school.
ps: we decided that we’d use the words “blacks” and “white”, when talking about “african-descent and european-descent people”. We got around the politically-correct BS quite smoothly.
Sorry, your girlfriend is a bit touchy. Nothing is racist on thif thread, so far all I see is people pointing out how both races (white and black) have issues
This thread isn’t about all blacks. It’s primarily about blacks living in America - hence the reason I mentioned African American in the subject title. Statistically speaking, blacks in America are among the more economically depressed of minorities. The status of blacks in other countries are probably different
Us non-black people are trying to imagine whats its like to be black and living in a ghetto, so to speak, and we are already judging that its their own fault(in nutshell)
I guess only Ethan had the common sense to say that he is not black or poor, so he admmits dosnen’t know. I think its unfair for the people who havent faced that kind of discrimination to tell them its their own faults.
While what Cosby says is not completle wrong, he over-simplifies and over generalizes the problem. Its not as simple or exacly the way he puts it. While he does make some point, saying that from east to west coast the problems can be listed in 5 min rant, is not incorrect, its wrong. Saying that calling each other N— is the problem, is just plain ignorant of the fact of where the problems come from. Over simplifing, I notice has been dont alot in the thread.
I know that the discrimination is alive and well today. I’ve seen reports of CBS that according to studies, it is harder for people of a diffrent skin color other than white to get the same job or other opportunities. Discrimination is there, and lets not kid ourselves it makes problems. Plus we are not realising that there are economic factors beyon your control that sometime are hard to change or even due to bad luck impossible. Its hard to say what exacly causes these probles there are large economic and cultural factors, but over simplifing is dosent help at all.
Not sure if this has been touched on but; I am black and grew up in the meanest of mean streets. And I will say that he is partially correct. My grandmother and aunt raised me to have respect, honor and obey laws and such. Not to say that I was not one of the ones walking around thinking I was cool blurting out the N word because I was. But I knew when to turn that behavior off and there were consequences if I did not. I had a friend that we idolized as youths because he could do anything anytime and had no rules. The older I got he remained my friend but his ways and lack of guidance strayed him onto a different path. He stayed in trouble and ultimately ended up doing a large bid in prison. But he remained my friend and we talk about the past and he wishes now he had the guidance that I did. Also I think the parents have a responsibility to not only provide guidance and the essentials of life but also to show ambition and provide a good example. Now I grew up pretty poor but my grandparents and aunt and uncle bust their buns to get ahead and provide. And I saw this, so this ambition and work ethic has rubbed off on me. So it is also important for the parents to show hope in a hopeless situation.
Now in defense of the wayward youth. The ghetto is weird in that it is almost like the Darwinian rule “the strong survive”. You almost have to become your habitat in order to survive. And it is not always as easy as most think to pick up and move from the ghetto. So most of the kids have to display the characteristics that are synonomous with the streets. I have seen situations where a certain person had to sell your drugs to get to a certain point in life or pay their bills. Or had to run in a gang because if you did not you would not be safe from either side. I was lucky and had basketball so that was my ticket out of the ghetto but I was fortunate, not many have that ability. Now while there is a proverbial fork in the road as to what is right and what is wrong. Sometimes your survivial depends on what is wrong. So the answers to the problems that plague the ghetto and black-teens is not always as simple as not listening to rap. Or sit down and talk to your children. But on a whole scale I think more can be done to curb these problems if more parents took the initiative to do so and provide a good example. I can go deeper but I will just throw this out there.
heh