Bill Cosby has more harsh words for black community

[disneyjunkie]

QUOTE]Originally posted by Robinrs
Bill Cosby is only saying in public what many of my people say daily in private....

I am, as Pongo69 pointed out, a black woman who has not just THOUGHT this for years, I LIVED it. I majored in Speech and English, I honor the way I represent myself by word and language and on a daily basis I see it destroyed and emulated by a society that holds up "hoodlumism" as the RIGHT way to speak.... Huh???

I grew up in Brooklyn, NY. I learned EARLY that the way you speak makes a difference in how you present yourself. In the 80s being a "gangsta" became more important than the representative shown every week on the Cosby Show. I was disgusted and saddened by this. I think Bill took time and money to depict another side of the Black Community, the side that was NOT shown regularly on television, and I think the popular music and videos took this vision BACK several steps.

Back in the 70s John Amos was fired from Good Times because he was disgusted by the depiction of JJ. He spoke out on it but JJ continued on acting the buffoon and continued being the star of the show. This is NOT a new issue in our community. It's just now entering YOURS.

I also agree with the others that there are class levels within every race. Mr. Cosby is bringing up his own because it affects him. It affects me, too.

Will it make a difference? I doubt it. The youngsters who live this will see him as a "father figure" who doesn't get it, the way they look at me when I grimace when they speak. The parents will ALL agree with him but heck, we've been fightng this fight forEVER.

BTW, I have a HUGE family and I can only name 2 people that fit this stereotype. I also believe they will outgrow it because of their ages. Thank God for that. [/QUOTE]


Excellent post Robin

People have been speaking about and working on this for YEARS. Since they aren't famous the media, hasn't paid much attention to them.


There are many agencies and youth groups in black areas here that are working to encourage people to improve themselves.

The youth council I grew up in has been working in Bed-Stuy for over 30 years. They have after school and summer camp programs for kids 6-13. They have a work experience program for 14 and 15 year olds. They provide summer jobs for 14-21 year olds. They have GED classes for young adults.

They offer college prep classes and SAT prep classes for 9th-12th graders. Every April they take student on a college tour. They visit historically black colleges and universities in Delware, Virgina, and North Carolina. They have been resposible for getting hundreds of kids from Bed-Stuy,(my sister and I included) Crown Heights, East New York and several other surrounding areas into college. Many never even thought about going to college.


The media doesn't report about these things but if a crime occurs, it's all over the news.

What Cosby said is true, but he isn't the first person in our community to speak up about it or to try to fix it.

 

[AirForceRocks]

This is NOT a new issue in our community. It's just now entering YOURS.

I would beg to differ on two points.

1) "Our community"? I thought we were all one community?

2) It is not just now entering "our" community. People of all races and backgrounds have been affected by the issues brought up by Mr. Cosby for years.

 

[LauraR]

He's absolutely right. I took my kids to McDonald's the other day, and there was a group of black, teenage boys hanging out there. They were dressed like hoodlums with the baggy clothes and stocking caps, and every other word was "N----r, this, and N----r that." My kids don't hear that word at home, but they saw a bunch of black kids calling each other that. What really amazes me is when these kids get offended at being treated like hoodlums (walk like a duck, talk like a duck...)

A few weeks ago, my neighbor's son (12 or 13) had some of his friends over (he's black, they were black and white) and they were listening to rap music outside. I finally had to tell him to turn it off because the lyrics were so disgusting. I didn't want my 7 and 9 year olds hearing it, but my guess is he listens to that garbage (which was very degrading to women) all the time.

 

[DopeyRN]

I admire him greatly. Add New Orleans to the list. We have one of the worst school districts in the nation, finally get a school board president who is trying to make positive changes, out of the blue a couple of weeks ago, the school board tries to fire him, then yesterday news breaks of more corruption within the school board...

 

[Robinrs]

Originally posted by AirForceRocks
I would beg to differ on two points.

1) "Our community"? I thought we were all one community?

2) It is not just now entering "our" community. People of all races and backgrounds have been affected by the issues brought up by Mr. Cosby for years.

Brenda: Our community means the African American community. What I was pointing out was the posts that mentioned over and io over that it "was about time" someone spoke up. Within OUR community it's brought up continuously. The INFORMATION is what I meant, not the actually problem.

ONE community???? Are you KIDDING?

I live in several communities. We all are in the community considered "human beings" but there are many MANY subdivisions within that community. The class struggle exists in ALL communities, the difference is "minorities" are usually lumped into the class that's most visual. This is not new, it's a stigma of society that works depending on one's views and comfort level.

disneyjunkie: I was involved in several different groups like the one in BedStuy for years also. I lived in Crown Heights, right next door. We formed a group called the UTCH, United Teenagers of Crown Heights, set up to uplift, educated and inspire the youth of our neighborhood. That was back in 1970. NO, this kind of stuff NEVER makes the NY news, but it's not a new concept.

What is NEW is it's made the national news and a post worthy of the CB....

 

[beattyfamily]

Good for him!!!!

:thewave:

 

[WeirdEyes]

There is a lady I work with that always says "axe" instead of "ask"

This DRIVES me nuts also!

Funny story..... One day at my DH's work, one of his employees went to the cafeteria and brought back dinner for himself & another co-worker. One of the other co-workers said, "Why didn't you axe me if I wanted anything?" He replied, "If I had axed you, you would've bled to death!"

 

[meandtheguys2]

Originally posted by WeirdEyes
This DRIVES me nuts also!

Funny story..... One day at my DH's work, one of his employees went to the cafeteria and brought back dinner for himself & another co-worker. One of the other co-workers said, "Why didn't you axe me if I wanted anything?" He replied, "If I had axed you, you would've bled to death!"

That seems rather rude to me.

 

[snoopy]

My lily white nephews have been speaking "gangsta" for years now, so do all their friends who are of all races. They also dress the part. Its not limited to black youth, at least not here in the melting pot of Washington D.C. I am glad someone as prominent as Bill Cosby spoke out about it, its truly a fad I wish would go away!

 

[kellyb2000]

I'm not a political person AT ALL but I do love Bill Cosby, not because of anything he's said recently, but because of the Cosby Show. Sorry - can't help it, I am a child of the 80's, grew up wanting to be one of "Vanessa's" friends so I could go to the Huxtable house to play. So when I read the article, all I could see was Cliff Huxtable saying this and I was laughing out loud. Especially this part -

"I can't even talk the way these people talk, 'Why you ain't,' 'Where you is' ... and I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk,"

That to me is too funny - VERY TRUE, but too funny.

 

[Bumbles]

Right on Bill!

And as far as "my people" goes, I'd like to think we are all each other's people

Maybe that's why we still have an issue with racism in this country

 

[Eeyore1954]

Originally posted by Robinrs
What is NEW is it's made the national news and a post worthy of the CB....

I believe the only reason this is newsworthy on a national level is because Bill Cosby said it. If anyone else said the same thing, they'd be labeled racist and run out of town.

 

[jipsy]

As long as people continue to separate themselves into black and white communities, or any other type of racial community, there will always be racism. It becomes a we vs. the rest of you type stance.

 

[WeirdEyes]

That seems rather rude to me.

It was a joke! When people work shift work, they become like a family and tease each other. And yes, the guy that said it has a twisted sense of humor. I happen to have one also. The lady he said it to didn't get offended and happens to have a good sense of humor also.

 

[minniepumpernickel]

"Stop beating up your women because you can't find a job"

Thats one of the first sentences in his speech. I kind of wish that he would have addressed some of these things to all communities instead.

Robin, brings up a good point that he is more concerned with the black community because it affects him more.

When I volunteered at an inner city shelter, I saw just as manny white and hispanic women who were abused.

 

[ILUVDXL]

I greatly admire Mr. Cosby for his courage in this matter. If all parents of all races would listen carefully to his message and proceed accordingly, it just might make a difference in our future generations. Sadly, the children do not hear the call.

 

[PCWizard]

I have always admired Bill Cosby and the way he used himself and his abilities to try to better others. He has been a good example to generations of children of all races, and will continue to be for years to come.

I hate to admit this, but I am afraid that I finally agree with Jesse Jackson on something - that is that Bill Cosby is right, and should be taken to heart.

 

[WeirdEyes]

When I volunteered at an inner city shelter, I saw just as manny white and hispanic women who were abused.

Abuse is widespread among all races and it doesn't matter how much money you have. I know some very weathly women that have been abused.

 

[meandtheguys2]

Originally posted by WeirdEyes
It was a joke! When people work shift work, they become like a family and tease each other. And yes, the guy that said it has a twisted sense of humor. I happen to have one also. The lady he said it to didn't get offended and happens to have a good sense of humor also.

Sorry misunderstanding! I thought it was cruelty not humor. Again I apologize.

Michelle

 

[minniepumpernickel]

Originally posted by WeirdEyes
Abuse is widespread among all races and it doesn't matter how much money you have. I know some very weathly women that have been abused.

It seems like the women who are married to abusive, but wealthy husbands tend to stay in the relationship because they are so afraid of losing their lifestyle.

I don't want to stereotype, but it seems like a lot of black women didn't put up with abuse as much as the others. They weren't afraid to stand up for themselves or be on their own!

disclaimer: If that stereotype is offensive to anyone, don't hesitate to tell me!