Do you think apathy in the Black community -- Dr. Bill Cosby's main point -- is indeed part of the problem?

9 Comments

  • Jae - 11 years ago

    Wow. Wow is all that I can say. I am ashamed that the author of this article is a Howard graduate; they are usually much more intelligent, balanced, and certainly respectful of the people who have gone before them and fought the good fight FOR them. This would include Dr. Cosby who has done far more than simply state the hand chosen comments the author has "cherry picked" so that he can write a blog article which will bring him the much needed attention he intended to get by disrespectfully writing this article in the first place.

    The main building of Howard was built by the Freedman's Bureau. These men, just out of slavery did not act like the degenerates in this generation of men, and they had less education; what they did have was pride. Pride as men!!! The author feels that this generation is not apathetic. First, let us agree that neither Dr. Cosby, or I are speaking of the young men and women who are out there making it happen - and there are plenty which goes without saying! If the shoe does not fit, don't try to put it on. .... Now I have read every post on this blog including the comments here under the poll (by the way, doesn't the poll numbers -72% believe this generation is too apathetic vs 27% that do not-essentially shut down the author's nonsensical article?) and with the exception on one gentleman who works with a school in Atlanta, I do not see one single urban Educator's perspective on this entire blog. If anyone needs an expert's opinion, then you need simply to ask us - Caucasian, Black, Hispanic, Asian, Green or Purple!!!

    Heck yes, Dr. Cosby is right!!!! $250 prada sneakers and no damn pens or pencils!!! Who do they expect to give them a pencil? Teachers!!!. Do their parents go through their bookbags to look at their notebooks, or check the question why they have balled up assignments stuffed into it? How about this - do parents even know that their sons or daughters cannot read on grade level, do they work with them at night or on the weekends? Do the parents attend parent teacher nights or come to PTA meetings? The answer to these questions are a resounding no!!!!!! Certainly not near enough!!! Oh, my, but let that expensive phone get confiscated, or a peer fight take place, or a Teacher say something to the student that he/she doesn't like, and the parent will be up there to fight someone in five minutes.

    Those on this blog who are not directly involved in mentoring, educating, or coaching in urban or low income areas are not in a position to offer many facts, only opinions. Obviously Dr. Cosby does not live in a bubble, because he seems to know more than the author of this article.

    In order for ALL of us to become a strong economic force in America, the most struggling amongst us must do better - so yes, it is all about a "revolution at home." Make education a priority in the home, no new "sneakers" if you are bringing home failing report cards. If a child brings home a failing report card, parents should come up to the school or at least call to see how they can help versus waiting until it is time for the student to graduate and they cannot.

    I wonder about the author's age, he sounds simplistic. For example the statement - "If we’re going to talk about what’s hurting our people, let’s talk about economic inequality expanding at a rapid wait. Let’s get on cities like Philadelphia shutting down schools amid cries of budget problems yet they’re starting construction on a $400-million prison. We can also chat about half of the jobs created in the last three years being low-paying ones." Well young man, why do you think they have enough data to try to close the schools - because our youth study sooooo hard? Who is it that lives in a bubble?

    The author should write a blog to tell us about his community service efforts - is he simply disrespectful of his far superior elders, or is he out there in the hood changing lives?

  • B W - 11 years ago

    The writer of this article is part of the problem!

  • Words HavMire - 11 years ago

    Wow... all the commenters are so on point and the author of this article is so not. This is why I have a very low tolerance for these highly educated, europeanized negroes that are so above reproach. This author failed to give credit to Bill Cosby for being in the trenches and still concerned with black people even tho he made it out! I remember reading a racist post that forever changed my life. it said: Black People are incapable of FORWARD THINKING. They are the only group of people on the planet that will not think about thier grandchildren or even tomorrow. Black people all over the planet reside in the bottom of the barrells of societies because they are the easiest to misguide and take advantage of simply because they always staring at the tree when everyone else is thinking about the forest. I heard that comment and immediately became enraged... then... I lowered my head and let it sink in, it's true... Since then, I have devoted my life to raising the conciousness of the black man and the man I noticed is the hardest to help is... the EDUCATED negro.

  • Sandra A. Fields - 11 years ago

    The writer of the article said that Blacks out number their white counterparts at the polls. This only happens during presidential elections. If more Black people voted during the so-called off elections we would not have Tom Corbett as governor of Pennsylvania taking funding away from education, causing the city of Philadelphia to close 23 schools and laying off thousands of workers to build a prison. Yeah there are students and parents protesting in the eleventh hour. I wonder how many of these parents voted 3 years ago for a governor? If you didn't vote than shut up and deal with consequences. If you did vote good. Keep on voting especially in 2014 when Corbett is up for re-election.

  • David - 11 years ago

    I must add though that it doesn't help anybody to be too separatist and forget the other races that have helped black folks and risked a lot to do so. The dislike of gays by many blacks and the bad treatment of women is puzzling. If anybody should understand discrimination...

  • David - 11 years ago

    I am very impressed. For once on these blogs the comments are much more intelligent than the article itself.

  • Hank - 11 years ago

    WOW, both comments we excellent, I think the real problem is, we don't like ourselves, if we did we would support and take care of US. I agree with Brother Cosby in most of his comments. I didn't take it, nor have I ever taken it as if he's painting all of us with the same brush. I do a lot of work in the schools in Atlanta, I see it all the time, students coming to school with Jordan's on $250, True Religion Jeans $200 and a IPhone $300 and NO PAPER NO PENCIL. I see it all the time when the school request a parent teacher conference the parents don't show, but when the school takes their child's IPhone because their child is playing games on the phone during class an the school takes it, the parent will show up to raise HELL with the teach and the administration. We are loosing our children and we are looking them on our watch, we just had some crazy number of seniors not graduate in the second riches black county in the country. I really feel like we're on life support in our community. We as parents have got to be more committed to our family, our children, our community our people. A lot of our churches are failing us. A lot of our preachers are absent from the community, they are so busy writing books and travelling aboard that they are not in the church, and the very community that they serve. Dr. King said it best and it's also in the bible "If you want to be important wonderful, if you want to be great wonderful, if you want to be recognize wonderful, but recognize He or she whose greatest of among you shall be a servant" SERVICE. We pay athletes millions and they go and marry white women, You buy Dr. Dre cds and he give $70 million to USC while HBCUs are closing, we watched Oprah in the early 80s when she had a bad hair do and overweight, when she was up against Phil, and the others on morning talk shows and then she couldn't hire blacks to produce her show. I don't think we like who we are. We support Beyoncé and JayZ and they charge $150 a ticket but won't encourage the young girls and boys to get involved in the community we support everyone else but not our own. I have a large event in Atl every summer, we have it at a majority facility because there is NOT a venue large enough to houses our event. People come from all over the country so we need sleeping rooms, ballrooms etc. We always request a black account rep to manage our event, Our sound and lighting people are black, our caters are black, our graphic artist is black, our lawyers are black, the entertainment is BLACK and we pay them, printing is black, 90% of the checks we write go to black vendors. I AM THE CHANGE I WANT TO SEE. each and every one of the vendors do an EXCELLENT job and I would put them up against any majority vendor, I have a saying that I believe to be true "It's my time, It's my turn" Dr. King, Dr. Lowery, Dr. Abernathy, Mrs. Xernona Clayton, Mrs. Rosa Parks Mrs. King, Medgar Evers, and so many others died for me to have a better life, my family to have a better life, It's my time, It's my turn. Harry Belafonte have been on the front line in our community for decades and is also asking some serious questions about our religious Leaders, Our Community Leaders and of US. Thank you for allowing me to vent LOL, I hope it touch one person to do more :)

  • L L - 11 years ago

    Bill Cosby has said over and over when he speaks of Blacks to Blacks he doesnt five a flying F what white folks take out of it. He is talking to us. Anyone worrying about the image of Black folks being hurt by what Cosby says is obviously not paying attention. Our image has been under attack since we arrived on the shores of America. Tune into any media outlet dealing with African Americans (bet, mediatakeout.com, HOT97) and you will here and see real gratuitous attacks on Afri-Amer culture from African Americans. Cosby is saying things that need to be said. Not having to pander to oversensitive media members who can make a name for themselves by trying to cast Cosby as crazy, old or uninformed. I challenge the "black media" to go to the trouble spots in our community and actually spend time finding out what is going on, whos learning, whos gangbanging, whos hurting others, whos getting hurt, whos succeeding. Than write about what works and what doesnt. I would bet the report would sound alot like what Cosby is saying because what the people who live in those communities agree with Cosby. The fact is the family structure is important. The fact is the family is your first teacher.
    The fact is expectations help shape children.
    The fact is blaming others for personal failures is not a recipe for success.
    The fact is Bill Cosby is right!

  • Marilyn Perry - 11 years ago

    I agree with many of the points that Dr. Cosby makes. Why? What race of people in their right mind would see a billionaire (of the same race) would criticize this man who takes the time to come into inner city schools (in ATL) to give advise? Most people would welcome this. He's proven that he had enough intellegence to beat this racist system. He gives MILLIONS TO BLACK SCHOOLS! If a Black Billionaire knocks on my door to give me advise, I promise you that I'm going to accept it with open arms! Perhaps if we listened to him, he would contribute to our success!!! Oprah won't work with Blacks because of the very thing that you are advocating....we don't need to be critisized! That's why Blacks are at the bottom of the economic rung. If someone offers you poison, you have the power of choice...no excuses we're not stupid. EVERY PARENT SHOULD KNOW WHERE THEIR CHILDREN UNDER 18 ARE AND WHAT THEY ARE DOING! If an unsupervised child under 18 commits a crime (especially against his own race) the parents should be arrested! Yes I said it. Why? It's the parents responsibility to supervise their children, not the public. When parents are made responsible for knowing where their children are, the crime rate will go down because believe me they don't want to go to jail. ABSENTEE/HIDING FATHERS AND MOTHERS SHOULD BE FOUND AND FORCED TO AT LEAST PAY CHILD SUPPORT (even if they don't want to see their children). This is 2013 and African Americans have had hudreds of years to see how America treats us. Jews help Jews, Latinos help Latinos, Asians help Asians, Indians help Indians and BLACKS HELP THEM ALL! Do you look for Black businesses in your city for products and services...alarm monitoring, lawncare, skilled labor, restaurants, and other services? When you buy gas, food, dry cleaning, etc....who do you give your money to? How many Blacks make Asian nail salons rich. Now let's deal with this man we call the President. After getting nearly 100% of the Black vote he begs to speak (they didn't invite him he asked them to speak) at Morehouse college and have the nerve to tell these outstand men (at Martin Luther Kings College) that since they've graduated their responsibility is to go out and help Latino immigration and gay rights? What? When did MLK ever tell anyone that they should fight for gay rights and Latinos when our own communities are devistated? When do you hear any Latinos mention African American rights? We voted this second George Bush in, and now it's time to protest and tell him to get out of the White House before any more damage is done. Obama spoke to the Black Congressional Caucus and told these upstanding congress people to "take off your house shoes, get off your couches, stop begging" and a few days later tells Latinos he will do everything in his power to help them! The positive thing I can say about Bill Cosby is that at least he goes to the inner cities and tells us what he thinks. Barack just runs around to Newtown, Boston and other white suburbs crying and cooning to white people and they still hate him. With that being said what is my suggestion? Blacks need to ask wealthier Blacks to build large and small business in our communities that provide the products and services we get from Asians, Indians and Jews. This will provide jobs and more money circulation. All Blacks like other races should search to do business with their own! Mothers and fathers who are not supervising their minor children should be forced to know where they are at all times and if their child is arrested, parents should go to jail. Absentee/hiding parents should be forced to take care of their children! Barack Obama should be thrown out of office by Blacks. The one-trillion dollars that Blacks give to other races should be kept in our communities. African Americans must demand that the USA recognizes the negative mental, physical, financial and emotional effect of slavery on Blacks and pay (yes-pay) us for the free labor. Blacks

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