At the National Urban League conference last week Chuck D. said that, at his age, Cosby has a right to be cantankerous and that his message, over-all, was one that African America needs to hear.
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quote:Originally posted by MBM:
At the National Urban League conference last week Chuck D. said that, at his age, Cosby has a right to be cantankerous and that his message, over-all, was one that African America needs to hear.
quote:Question:
Do you agree that Cosby has earned the "standing" in our community to hold his views?
quote:Question:
Whatever you think about Cosby's words, what effect do you think they have had on African America?
quote:
Question:
Michael Eric Dyson criticizes Cosby by saying that he ignores the societal aspect of African America's plight. Do you agree with Dyson that Cosby's message is fatally flawed because it is only half the story or do you believe that Cosby was trying to push African Americans to make an immediate impact in those areas that it can most control?
quote:Originally posted by virtue/Khalliqa:
one classes crap is just well maintained and more covered up than the other..
quote:Do you agree that Cosby has earned the "standing" in our community to hold his views?
quote:Whatever you think about Cosby's words, what effect do you think they have had on African America?
quote:Michael Eric Dyson criticizes Cosby by saying that he ignores the societal aspect of African America's plight. Do you agree with Dyson that Cosby's message is fatally flawed because it is only half the story or do you believe that Cosby was trying to push African Americans to make an immediate impact in those areas that it can most control?
quote:Other than sparking a debate, largely amongst the Black middle-class, his words, just like anyone's/everyone's words, have little to no effect on Black America.
quote:Originally posted by MBM:
Do you agree that Cosby has earned the "standing" in our community to hold his views?
quote:Whatever you think about Cosby's words, what effect do you think they have had on African America?
quote:Michael Eric Dyson criticizes Cosby by saying that he ignores the societal aspect of African America's plight. Do you agree with Dyson that Cosby's message is fatally flawed because it is only half the story or do you believe that Cosby was trying to push African Americans to make an immediate impact in those areas that it can most control?
quote:Originally posted by Momentum:
ER
I was in the minority on the no impact part. I said - no impact.
Cultural behavior is entrenched over generations, Bill Cosby is just one man, it would have to be something much bigger than he to make a change and change is over time and attrition.
quote:I've been around the poor who actually work and try to care for their children. Who don't by $500 Nikes because they are busy working multiple jobs to put bread on the table. Who people would look up to if they actually knew their circumstances rather than judged them based on stereotypes.
quote:Originally posted by MBM:
At the National Urban League conference last week Chuck D. said that, at his age, Cosby has a right to be cantankerous and that his message, over-all, was one that African America needs to hear.
quote:Whatever you think about Cosby's words, what effect do you think they have had on African America?
quote:Michael Eric Dyson criticizes Cosby by saying that he ignores the societal aspect of African America's plight. Do you agree with Dyson that Cosby's message is fatally flawed because it is only half the story or do you believe that Cosby was trying to push African Americans to make an immediate impact in those areas that it can most control?
quote:I wholeheartedly agree with Brother Dyson, and I am shocked at the forum's poll results.
quote:As historian Robin D.G. Kelley argues, "All the self-help in the world will not eliminate poverty or create the number of good jobs needed to employ the African American community."
quote:Originally posted by Nmaginate:
Well, holding back the laughs at the "cantankerous" characterization... ( LMAO!! ) The poll results really reflect something else about the forum (the overwhelming numbers voting for Cosby), least of all any sort of shock here.
quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
Why do you say this? Judging from the responses made by folks in the politics forum, I thought the poll would reflect more diplomatic views.
quote:I didn't expect for members to be so conservative and apathetic in their responses.
quote:Originally posted by Nmaginate:
So, unless Black folks actually do have "the most control" over the most important of the things that impact our Life Chances (and that goes beyond our parents, that's Sociology 101... and most of our parents don't employ and aren't in the position to educate us from K-12) then this naive and very limited rhetoric about what "we have the most control" over (as if those things exist in a mono-control enviroment) can take it's place among the many a unexamined precepts that make their rounds.
quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
As far as I'm concerned, until the majority of Black students and teachers can safely walk into their schools without pieces of the infrastructure falling on their heads and into their laps, or having to keep their purses in the car for fear of discovering roaches and rats taking naps in them, I don't want to hear (or read) any judgements being made about Black people and their children.
When was the last time Bill Cosby visited a public school in D.C., or Baltimore City for that matter, where some of the worst public schools exist? When was the last time he sat in a classroom and interacted with some of the students that attend these schools?
Until our children have the SAME opportunities as affluent White children who are being educated in the most luxurious, well-equipped, and spacious elementary, middle, and high schools, simply because they reside in affluent communities, I don't want to hear it. It is like this in D.C, and it's the same deal all over the country. So either help us make things better for these children by making resources and opportunities more accessible to them, or shut the hell up. I don't mean to get upset about this, but that's how I feel about it.
And it's true, The Cosby Show was UNREALISTIC. Yes, I said it, Cosby's television show DID NOT reflect the real lives of the majority of African-Americans, and Bill Cosby knows that it's true. The Cosby show was nothing more than Cosby's idealistic view of how he feels every Black family should be. If he or anyone else doesn't like what I've said, then that's just too bad.
quote:As far as I'm concerned, until the majority of Black students and teachers can safely walk into their schools without pieces of the infrastructure falling on their heads and into their laps, or having to keep their purses in the car for fear of discovering roaches and rats taking naps in them, I don't want to hear (or read) any judgements being made about Black people and their children.
quote:"Instead of helping some kids beat the odds
why don't we just change the odds? "
...Canada has concluded that neither [a strictly Liberal or Conservative] approach has a chance of working alone. Fix the schools without fixing the families and the community, and children will fail; but they will also fail if you improve the surrounding community without fixing the schools.
Canada's... program combines educational, social and medical services. It starts at birth and follows children to college. It meshes those services into an interlocking web, and then it drops that web over an entire neighborhood. It operates on the principle that each child will do better if all the children around him are doing better. So instead of waiting for residents to find out about the services on their own, the organization's recruiters go door-to-door to find participants, sometimes offering prizes and raffles and free groceries to parents who enroll their children in the group's programs. What results is a remarkable level of ''market penetration''...
quote:Originally posted by EbonyRose:
My question is, would you say that this kind of behavior (which, if we were to be honest, is not uncommon in the Black community ... and regardless of whether you consider it good, bad or indifferent) is a matter of some type of societal/poverty-induced/result of racial discrimination type of thing?
quote:The cosby show was not meant to represent the majority of African Americans anymore than the brady Bunch represented white americans. Anyhow, how was it unrealistic ???
quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
[QUOTE]Originally posted by EbonyRose:
My question is, would you say that this kind of behavior (which, if we were to be honest, is not uncommon in the Black community ... and regardless of whether you consider it good, bad or indifferent) is a matter of some type of societal/poverty-induced/result of racial discrimination type of thing?
quote:Originally posted by Sweetwuzzy:
The cosby show was not meant to represent the majority of African Americans anymore than the brady Bunch represented white americans. Anyhow, how was it unrealistic ???
quote:Originally posted by Nmaginate:
Where was the show situated? What city?
When did the Cosby's venture out and encounter life outside of the Huxtable residence and/or family and friends who weren't in the same strata?
quote:Don't even trip. Because I don't trip over the Cosby show. Because there's only so much you can do with a sit-com and it shouldn't have to be "representative." But then, by the same token, folks should have no reservations or comments about the representativeness of Good Times, etc. and vice versa
quote:Originally posted by Rowe:
Obviously this woman's behavior is the result of poor socialization. She speaks to her son this way because her mom (or guardian) spoke to her that way when she was child. Now, as an adult, she has come to believe that this sort of language and interaction with her son is acceptable. But should her behavior be used as a standard by which we judge all African-American parents? Can we even reach the conclusion, based on this woman's behavior, that all Black mothers interact with their children in this manner?
quote:I (as I believe Cosby has been) was mischaracterized.
quote:But, my question was related to this particular mother and this particular child in this particular situation.
quote:My question is, would you say that this kind of behavior (which, if we were to be honest, is not uncommon in the Black community ... and regardless of whether you consider it good, bad or indifferent) is a matter of some type of societal/poverty-induced/result of racial discrimination type of thing?
quote:I certainly don't believe that it could be said that she's the only one, either.
quote:Originally posted by Nmaginate:
How?
quote:No, you've insisted on trying to say it's about more than just that one mother and child.
quote:So we have this silly game of one extreme (ALL Black parents) to the other (none or "only" one).
quote:Nmaginate ... how could you read what I just wrote and say something like that?? Are you drunk??
quote:Obviously this woman's behavior is the result of poor socialization. She speaks to her son this way because her mom (or guardian) spoke to her that way when she was child. Now, as an adult, she has come to believe that this sort of language and interaction with her son is acceptable.
quote:I (as I believe Cosby has been) was mischaracterized.
How?
Because I was not talking about ALL of anybody.
quote:Most accurately... that that behavior is representative of those "Lower Economic" folk which, by definition, aren't ALL Black folk. And by representative, the clear implication is a significant chunk, majority or most people in said class.
quote:Originally posted by Ras:
Dyson is a sell out.. he's an uncle Tom pimping his own people.. He needs to shut up and stop talking because he makes absolutly no sense..
quote:Originally posted by Ras:
Dyson is a sell out..
quote:he's an uncle Tom pimping his own people..
quote:He needs to shut up and stop talking because he makes absolutly no sense..
quote:Actually, he's pimping White America more, because they are the one's paying him to promote his "message." He's just using us to do so.
quote:quote:
he's an uncle Tom pimping his own people..
Actually, he's pimping White America more, because they are the one's paying him to promote his "message." He's just using us to do so.
quote:20 to 9 at this point for Cosby. Speaks volumes.