Bill Cosby's Remarks About the African American Youth

I’m not black, and well I’m not poor but I’m far from rich. I grew up around all types of people. I have a diverse group of friends. A lot of people in my High School and College were black, I’d say about 50/50. One of my best friends in black.

Now I’ve been to a lot of places, and neighborhoods, met a lot of different types of people. I too played basketball for a long time, in a way it helped me out as well.

Bascially what I’m saying is I do know what I’m talking about, and trust me I’ve been in the grimiest of neighborhoods. The “ghetto” is of course bad, but so are a lot of other places.

I have plenty of friends that used to sell crack, be in gangs, robbing people etc. Doing the same thing the avergae “ghetto” kid does.

So really, yea more of the bad stuff is going on in the ghetto, but trust me, everyone needs to clean up their acts.

Where I live dude, is probably the most diverse place in the world man. I swear, there are about 30 nationalities living on my block alone. From the Asian kid to the Italian kid, to the Spanish kid, and to the Black kid, to the Arabic kid, guess what, they are all doing the same crap you shouldn’t be doing.

If you ask me the whole society needs to change, when it comes to crime, lack of education, etc. we are in a major downfall as acountry.

exactly…and especially since bill is on his perch saying this does not help either. I dont think you have to be black to share an opinion. But you have to be black to comment on the experience.

[SIZE=1]It always makes me wonder why people wanted to act black, if they only knew how hard it was to be black doubt they would want to do it.

Kinda reminds me of this quote from comedian Paul Mooney “Everyone wants to be a N!gga but dont nobody want to be a N!gga”
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:lol: That skit was great

Where did you grow up exactly ddd…?

9th ward New Orleans, Lousiana (the murder capitol years) and then in East Oakland, California (also the murder cap years). So I literally jumped from the “pot” to the “frying pan”

It’s about time somebody finally comes out and says what needed to be said. I think it’s even more of an impact because the man saying it was an african american himself, so if the blacks see the problem, then it’s obviously there.

i find it hilarious that you generalize his comments in a post in which you shun generalization. he didnt say that everything was THEIR fault. he said that most of them arent doing all they can to get ahead in the world. any dont kid YOURSELF, white people are also discriminated upon. affirmative action, in itself, is direct discrimination. the concept of giving a job to a black man over a white man or black woman over a white woman just to make things equal is purely that, discrimination. so i dont think that you are really giving our comments fair treatment by more or less saying they are stereotyped and racist. i have never been or intened to be racist. i grew up in a small neighborhood with both black and white children. most of them still acknowledge me when they see me and we usually talk about what is new with each other. the remarks bill cosby made were all valid and in my opinion, not hardly generalized. he didnt say that was the solution for every problem. all he said was that young black children (or white) might need to learn how to read a book and write a letter if they plan on crying racism later on in life when they get passed over for a job.

just my opinion.

Well if you read the first serious of posts, they say practicaly the same thing. And please don’t try to compare the ammount of discrimination someone of brown skin color faces compared to a white guy, many surveys have been done on that. While personaly, being white and an immigrant I have been descriminated against, I have not had my house TP’d like some of my freinds of diffrent skin color.

young black children (or white) might need to learn how to read a book and write a letter if they plan on crying racism later on in life when they get passed over for a job.

That is a genaralization if I ever heard one.

My point was, the topic is not that simple that it can be summerized by a comedian on a rant.

a comedian who was simply calling attention to a problem.

nowhere in his “rant” as you say did he ever say he had the answer. he just said that african americans should be trying harder than they are to get ahead.

by the way, i was not comparing. im simply saying that the amount of racism a white person might face amongst black people is equal to the amount a black person might face amongst white people. racism is a two way street.

also, most things we consider to be fact today were probably once a generalization.

i’m jamaican (african american) and what bill cosby said isnt anything that everyone dont already know…but alot of people dont really say or wont say …(there was a guy that basically wrote a paper a few months back and was stating sum of the same points as cosby) but back to the point… there is a difference between black folks and n!ggas… and the difference is in the upbringing… being from a island background i think we grew up totally different from blacks that grew up in the states… (that doesnt make me any better than anyone else dont get me wrong) but what im sayin it we need to have our youth read…that is the key …that has always been the key and until we realize it we will forever be doomed as a race…i know alot of white folks that have their kids reading from a young age and it made a huge impact on that individual and it seperates them from others by far…while i know alot of black folks that have their kids watching BET and all the newest videos…and not filling thier mind with knowledge… our past generation only did what they could do…the newer generation of blacks have more power and more knowledge at their fingertips to change this nation if they realize that we do need to read…but we tend not to because that’s how we were brought up…so it’s kinda hard to get used to pickin up a book and read when ur not conditioned to it…i can go on more but that was one of my points…READING…THE MOST POWERFUL THING WE OVER LOOK AS A PEOPLE…and i’m talkin from experience…

I think I must disagree yet agree. The answer is not that simple but yet it is. But it is a starting point and a sticking point. And I must say that n!ggaz is used more as a term of acceptance than it is a secret society, social group or a clan. But I am going to stay on topic and not drift off on that topic.

Honestly I can look back and see both sides of the coin. It is like a push pull type of thing. On one hand you got a kid out there doing what he can with what he got to survive in the Ghetto. And you really cant hate on that even if you dont approve. Then you have another kid using his God given gift to get out of the ghetto. And then you have those who are just ignorant but that is going to be expected in any group. But I think there is a missing link here and it has alot to do with the ones like me that make it out of the ghetto. We never (rarely) go back and give back or try to make it better for the next person. I look at the Asians I grew up around and the ones I know now. When one gets a foot in the door they kick it open for the rest. For the most part it from my experience Asians have to be the most tightly knit family oriented race as a whole. Now I am not saying people have to benefit from others hard work, but if Bill Cosby opens up a few reading and teen centers maybe that will help a lil more than Magic Johnson opening up Starbucks, Chicken Joints and movie theatres.

There really are no answers, it relies on individuals that are in the position to help and guide, that these people do so. This is parents, grandparents, athletes, business men/women. Anybody who has influence or the attention of a child or audience. We need to go back to the old school way of thinking. “It takes a village to raise a child”.

excellent points.

Now I am not saying people have to benefit from others hard work, but if Bill Cosby opens up a few reading and teen centers maybe that will help a lil more than Magic Johnson opening up Starbucks, Chicken Joints and movie theatres.

well said.

Thats bull. Basically if you knew anything about what Magic Johnson is really doing is that he is putting cutting edge facilitys in areas where other companys would not invest. For example the Magic Johnson Theater (movie) in atlanta is an area that NO company wanted to put a theater because they though that the “community” would bnot support it, and not only did he build a movie theater (that gives kids somthing to do even if for an hour it keeps them off the streets) he built one of the most plush theaters in the city. So yes if investing where other companys would not is wrong yes then he is wrong.

About “Niggas” any person really educated on African American culture knows that a main characteristic of African American culture is to take something negative and spin it into something positive. Read the book “Characteristics Of Negro Expression” by Zora Neale Hurston (famous Harlem Renaissance Writer) Any way my point is that Black americans took a word soo demeaning and redefined it. Turned it into a term of endearment. Thats awesome. Thats how the people were able to survive through all that was tossed at them. The word as used on the streets is dfferent totally.

I agree with Cosby simply because you should always start with self. IE his own people…start with self, its so easy to point the finger and say its “The Man”, its “The System” black people were outraged because it caused them to look in the mirror like it or not. What he said was true …learn the **** language…spend wisely…teach your kids…He should be applauded fro having the balls to say that.

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Thats bull. Basically if you knew anything about what Magic Johnson is really doing is that he is putting cutting edge facilitys in areas where other companys would not invest. For example the Magic Johnson Theater (movie) in atlanta is an area that NO company wanted to put a theater because they though that the “community” would bnot support it, and not only did he build a movie theater (that gives kids somthing to do even if for an hour it keeps them off the streets) he built one of the most plush theaters in the city. So yes if investing where other companys would not is wrong yes then he is wrong.

And that is helping educate our kids how? I am all infavor of urban development. But wouldnt a recreation center or little league facility be better? Wait no it wouldnt because he does not stand to make a mint off of that. And there is an ugly side to this type of venture. Believe me the last thing on MJ’s mind is the ghetto. I doubt any of his revenue will go back into the ghetto. None of the theatre proceeds will go to fixing the streets or painting classrooms. Nope. Its going into the pockets of the franchise owners and his. Matter of fact let those theatre stop making money, they will be gone as ast asthey were put there. So really while creating a handful of jobs it is not the best use of space, money and urban development.

About “Niggas” any person really educated on African American culture knows that a main characteristic of African American culture is to take something negative and spin it into something positive. Read the book “Characteristics Of Negro Expression” by Zora Neale Hurston (famous Harlem Renaissance Writer) Any way my point is that Black americans took a word soo demeaning and redefined it. Turned it into a term of endearment. Thats awesome. Thats how the people were able to survive through all that was tossed at them. The word as used on the streets is dfferent totally.

I think you misunderstood my statement “term of acceptance”. Meaning that, if I walk up and say “wassup my n!gga” that is a term of acceptance like saying wassup. Read my post carefully and you can see that here I am agreeing with you. Years ago people would not piss on us if we were on fire. Now people go above and beyond to mimick us. And our music has forever changed the music industry worldwide (the highest grossing music genre). So yes we take our lemons and make lemonade.

I agree with Cosby simply because you should always start with self. IE his own people…start with self, its so easy to point the finger and say its “The Man”, its “The System” black people were outraged because it caused them to look in the mirror like it or not. What he said was true …learn the **** language…spend wisely…teach your kids…He should be applauded fro having the balls to say that.

Once again I agree but disagree. Because I have experienced racial injustice and discrimination. So there is still a body or entity personified as “The Man”. So yes there is some resistance that other groups dont necessarily face. But do alot of my people use that as a cop out. Yes. I have never let that be the reason for any of my failures. Yet made that fuel for my drive to suceed. Butit is proven. When most of us get a lil change or a pass out of the ghetto, we leave and never look back. If more people held the door open for others who dont have it as easy instead of slamming it behind them. I think alot of our problems would go away. So Bill was right but he left himself out of the equation. Opening up a building at a black college was cool. But he only did that after his son was killed. Magic Johnson opening waffle houses and starbucks is not benefitting no one but himself. My grandfather always told me “That you measure man not by what he does for himself but what he does for others”. So the solution is way more complex than Bill laid it out as.

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As long as you realize that Affirmative Action was instituted to balance out an injustice that was prevalent in our society… Then I Think you have a handle on what you are saying…

True… Affirmative Action these days (in some cases) is reversing the intended use, However, it is still needed. but I think that more and more Organizations are finding there way around it.

If it was not for Afirmative Action I would not have got into and graduated from UC Berkeley. I think AA was a necessary evil. Anyone who does not see that is very ignorant. And it not only was for blacks but for women, other races and the handicapped. People often confuse AA with just benefitting blacks but it helped everyone.

it seems im being misunderstood. i am not saying that affirmative action is evil or wrong. i am just saying that no matter how some spin it, it is a form of discrimination. necessary evil is probably a good way to explain it. yes, it does bring forth a lot of opportunities for not only black people but also other ethnic races and also women. i do not want to be put on the record as opposing affirmative action. i would rather be quoted as saying affirmative action, in itself, is really not a pure concept.

I can understand what you are saying, but you are making it too “black and white”… you have to consider the grey area… in fact I think when you talk about affirmative action, you must consider the grey areas.
They grey area exist because AA was developed to give a single group of people an advantage. True it was a ‘good’ advantage, but an upper hand never the less. and it is because of this advantage that it has gotten out of control and is easily misconstrude.
example: Welfare… Welfare was definately a worthwhile program in its conception… now… it is a beast which it out of control…

I apologize for my strong comment on being ignorant fornot seeing the use for AA. I should not have said it that strongly, being that I can understand the argument against it. I did a lil study on AA in college and the conclusion was there was no other feasible way to balance out the obvious prejudiced when it came to getting into college for minorities (the key word being minority). If you do a little research and see statistics surrounding college entry before AA and after you will see more moniorities getting in and graduating and it really did not effect the majority as much as folks think it did. Almost all reparation/assistance programs are always going to be met with fierce opposition by the people that it is not benefitting. Example of welfare, yes it is viewed to be out of control because you may here about a few hundred people abusing it. But it pales in comparison to the thousands of immigrants, single mothers/fathers, disabled and the many others on it and benefitting from it. Bet you never heard about the people who used it correctly and sprung back into society because of it. We as a society hardly ever look for the good/benefit in a situation and we love negativity. Before you have such a strong opinion get intimate with subject matter. Go to your local government and ask questions, or go to city hall meetings. Instead of relying on politicians and news headlines for your information. You may find out like I have that alot of the time the matter has been sensationalized and alot of key info was left out.