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AP photo
Bill Cosby spoke about his feelings regarding black people and education in his recent rant called We Cannot Blame the White People Any Longer.
Cosby is probably the only person who could get away with talking the way he does because he is well respected among people of all races.
“People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an education, and now we've got these knuckleheads walking around,” he says.
“They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English. I can't even talk the way these people talk….You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth. In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.”
Cosby is especially upset that we have millionaire football players who cannot read or write two paragraphs.
“We, as black folks, have to do a better job,” he stated. “We have to start holding each other to a higher standard.”
He believes that “Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person's problem. We have got to take the neighborhood back.”
For the entire rant, see:
For a related story, see: Should We Teach Our Children About Diversity?
Comments
He's an Uncle Tom, may as well be white. He lives in his wonderful world with no clue what some of us go through. And his remark about people not even buying Hooked on Phonics makes me laugh. Isn't he the owner and/or spokesperson for this company?
It's obvious that our own people will not stand beside each other. He's labeled an Uncle Tom, because he speaks the truth? Bill is right, we can not blame the white people any longer. We have to be held accountable for our own actions. An education is important. It's all most like we praise the ghetto and foolish talk.
Tell is like it is, Bill!
Amen!!!! Tell it Bill. I am so sick of the racist excuses spewing out of some blacks. YET, they turn the corner and assault their own kind.
Then their excuse becomes, " oh, i'm mentally sick ". break the chain Negroes!
While Mr. Cosby has a point to a certain degree, we cannot let anyone in this society off the hook when it comes to the educating of today's youth. If there is someone in our society who is not educated, it affects us all--crime, welfare, ill-prepared for the workforce, etc. Instead of blaming one race for the ills of another, let's do as they did in the 60's. We have to band together, all races, to stand up for what we want and need in education. As our constitution states, "We the people."
Do you mean, "We the government?" The people seems to be no longer acknowledged and it's obvious.
As a white person, I think it's EXTREMELY inappropriate for you to be writing about this. I've heard --in person--Bill Cosby and his discussion. He is on target with his comments, but this is an issue that is very sensitive frowned upon by the black community when white people step in and put their two cents in...it's cultural. And, it's cultural insensitivity on your part to cover this issue. As a black person, I'm offended!
As a black woman myself, I despise what the African American community represents. Some are straight buffoons. NO ONE CARES ENOUGH TO TELL THEM THE TRUTH ABOUT THEM . Bill is doing it and it is awesome. Stop being afraid of what blacks or the NAACP will say.
At the end the caricatures we have today on the forefront claiming to represent the black movement are simply media whores.
Spare the Rod and you are effectually destroying the child.
At gailk-
How can you possibly be offending that a white person is covering an article about a speech made by a black person? Are you that fragile that you get hurt when white people cover stories about black people? Cry me a freaking river.
@ Gail K
The author is not inserting her own criticism, she is merely covering a story about education that just happens to revolve around Bill Cosby and race.
People of all races cover the news, and people of all races make the news. Its called the world. Get used to it.
I normally do not speak with foolish people which includes the majority of blog posters regardless of the topic, but this one is irresistable. Those of you making negative comments about Bill's speech have not made any substantive points to refute his premise, but instead have resorted to racial bigoty, slurs and whinning about how difficult life is. You are likely the very people he refers to as having squandered an opportunity to receive an education. I'm not so much concerned about these individuals, but I'm very worried about just how many people like them actually exist in our society. Too many I fear.
YES!!! mark. SPEAK! :-)
Wow, James... you sure are a smart one. Do you know anything about Cosby, where he was born, or the circumstances he grew up in? Try born in South Philly (thing ghetto), got a scholarship (track and maybe football I think) to go to college, worked his butt off, joined the Navy... got an education. Yeah, he was really born with a silver spoon in his mouth. You are a credit to humanity, James. Well played.
Wow Gail, it's too bad that you are offended, but in all my 50 years, I have NEVER had anyone insinuate that I am racist.
I am stunned that you would agree with Cosby's comments, yet be so appalled that I would summarize them.
Personally, I am offended that you look at my skin color and disciminate against me. Why would you think that I have no right to cover a major celebrity's views on education, a topic that I write about daily?
Maybe next time I should tell my bosses that I don't want to cover Cosby's speech because he is black. But somehow I think that would offend you, too.
There is nothing people can do to NOT offend people who wake up in the morning and decide that they want to be offended.
Cheryl I like banning together. However, a wealthy person in our town wanted to give BILLIONS to Detroit to build new and functioning schools to replace that horrid public school system they have. The people in Detroit turned down the gift, and said they didn't want any whitey in their business. So now they have no new schools and are stuck with the old ones and it's the fault of everyone? I don't think so.
Why does it take someone like "Bill Cosby" to stir up a discussion like this? In fact talk is cheap...
Gret article. I ennjoyed reading his book "C'mon People," and he's absolutely right. I only wish he could have caused a stir like this during the Cosby Show years.
The truth is what hurts but must be dealt with.
As a black person, I am happy that people are brave enough to tackle this issue, despite the criticism by those who think this is some hidden secret.
Thank you Bill and thank you Donna.
And for those who would attack either one of these messengers, take your head out of the sand and help tackle the issues instead of running from them.
He's been doing this for years, and trust me... he didn't "get away with it". He was certainly scathed in the beginning.
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A "rant?" That sounds like something a narrow minded liberal would say... Oh, wait...
Wow, I have now been labeled liberal! That's also a first. I am combination Libertarian and Independent, as far from narrow minded liberal as can be. I don't get it.....
Bill Cosby is waaaaaaaaay off. People of all backgrounds are indeed responsible for, well, taking responsibility for their lives, especially by not blowing off school or indulging in crime.
But the education achievement gap does NOT rest entirely on the shoulders of individuals. We have a lot of work left to do to untangle and address the systemic reasons that their is a racial and poverty associated achievement gap.
I really wish Bill Cosby would talk to some educators, and stop spouting off. Due to his celebrity, he is really doing harm with his words.
Donna, WAY TO GO; you knew when you posted this you would be attacked by the Unicorn People. Racial Politcal Correctness silences most Americans and intimidates white people to the point that the only voices heard are Negro apologists and poverty pimps; but the First Amendment is still alive; keep using it. Furthermore, whenever responsibility is attached to some anonymous whole(like society), the true culprits escape retribution. This country reached collective greatness on the backs of INDIVIDUAL effort, sacrifice, and suffering. And for those of you that don't understand America's unique contribution to the world, I suggest you get out the house and visit some of these basket-case nations on other continents. Good work, Donna; I will probably post Cosby's text on my site as well.
It also seems that some of the 'Unicorn People' dont know Bill Cosby has a Masters and PHD degrees in Education.
It's so funny how people react the same way they do when I write about trafficking mentioning Japan. I also find it amusing that you are called a racist and I am called a Japanese hater just because I wrote about Japanese culture and human trafficking and you wrote about education and African American culture, which I think it needs to be addressed. It all shows how unwarranted their accusations are. Keep up the good work, Donna.
Bill hit on some valid points about the African American community. However, he is not a role model. He cheated on his wife. The daughter of the woman he cheated with tried to extort money from him and claimed he was her father. (All she really wanted was his time and attention.) He also made an out of court settlement with a young woman who accused him of groping her.
How does this qualify him to preach morality to others?
and you must have never ever made a simple mistake before PLorena. Bill is a great role model. Hey, maybe Lil' Wayne is your role model. LMAO
MLK cheated on his wife too. Would you like to revoke his yearly Holiday, to stay consistent with your personal moral code?
There is hope for the future because God has a sense of humor and we are funny to God.
I am an African American teacher in a high school. My rudest, most disrespectful students are African American. Not all AA students are that way. Those that are can shut a classroom down with chaos: talking loud, inside jokes, saying inappropriate thinks about Hispanics, pants on the ground, earbud in the ear. I take them to task and they call me a racist. I start giving them history lessons. Fortunately some change. They need to realize the blood sacrifice that was made for them to get an education and come off the "baby daddy/baby momma" crap that leads to kids in foster homes, starving families, jail, drugs, etc. Cosby....keep it real.
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