Bill Cosby has done it again...

Cosby could just sit at home and rest on his laurels being fat, rich and happy. He obviously cares enough that he wants to go out speak about what he sees as issues in his community. By doing so he has drawn a lot of heat to himself. I give the man props for trying to use his 'bully pulpit' for positive change. I will say I do see irony in white folks knocking him but in reality that is neither here nor there. Hopefully his work has reached people and created positive change.
 
cawacko said:
To my understanding Cosby has gone to those type of areas. You take someone with his stature within the community and his words hold weight. He alone isn't going to change everyone but the fact that he cares enough to try and make a difference is what's important and hopefully he has reached some folks and helped foster positive change.
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I've been in Los Angeles for over +20 years and I have family in gangs. Cosby has never been to any of those areas. If anything Cosby has spoken in areas adjacent to those areas but not IN THOSE AREAS. Hell Denzel Washington when he was filming Training Day was in the Black P Stone gang area (A notorious Blood area) and all the Bloods there loved Denzel. A lot of Black Celebrities take upon this idea that going into these areas put them at risk when they don't realize is that a lot of the Black Youth identify with some of these celebrities.
 
cawacko said:
Cosby could just sit at home and rest on his laurels being fat, rich and happy. He obviously cares enough that he wants to go out speak about what he sees as issues in his community. By doing so he has drawn a lot of heat to himself. I give the man props for trying to use his 'bully pulpit' for positive change. I will say I do see irony in white folks knocking him but in reality that is neither here nor there. Hopefully his work has reached people and created positive change.
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Yeah I can also sit at home on my ass and watch judge Mathis. The point is which is a philosophy I live by, Talk is cheap. Anyone can make a speech about what's wrong with the world. I could write a book about what's wrong with the traffic light up the street from my job. the point is, life is about doing not about saying. Telling people what's wrong with them is ineffective as opposed to showing them. Remember the Jesus parable?
 
Sun Devil said:
He can't.....

As you obviously know through my writings (I think) I'm black and I think what Cosby is saying (although I agree with some of the things he is saying) is not something he can say with experience. I'm not sure about people from Philly but Cosby doesn't know what its like growing up in Watts, Compton in the 90's where you couldn't walk to certain areas wearing certain colors. I remember there was a time where you couldn't wear British Knights tennis shoes (because the 'BK' stood for Blood Killers). I remember you couldn't wear Calvin Klein. During the 90's when the Bloods and Crips brokered a peace treaty, Bill Cosby wasn't a part of that nor did her encourage it even though his shows were going on in those times.
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I did not know you were black. What I remember my black friends saying at the time is what they appreciated most about the Cosby Show is that it show (white) America not all black people are poor and live in the inner-city ghettos. It showed there are educated and successful black families. Especially at a time when most TV shows portrayed blacks as poor and gangsters on TV.

But to say one had to be involved in the gang truce or else you can't speak about black America I strongly disagree with.
 
cawacko said:
I did not know you were black (1). What I remember my black friends saying at the time is what they appreciated most about the Cosby Show is that it show (white) America not all black people are poor and live in the inner-city ghettos. It showed there are educated and successful black families. Especially at a time when most TV shows portrayed blacks as poor and gangsters on TV.

But to say one had to be involved in the gang truce or else you can't speak about black America I strongly disagree with.
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Responding to (1) Of course you didn't. I actually did it on purpose because I don't want my ethnicity to be a determining factor in how people engage me.

Cawacko as for the rest of your post you are absolutely right. The Cosby show depicted a very intelligent, articulate, funny, well engaged family. In the media there are so many stereotypes that good family shows like the Cosby Show or the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air show become drowned out by movies like "Menace II Society" or "Boyz In DA Hood." Although the previous two are realities in America, most non-black Americans see Black America in the eyes of those previous movies--unfortunately. But yes, when I used to watch the Cosby show, for a moment I felt like I was apart of that family.

I am also not saying Cosby had to be a part of the gang truce but my point was is that if you are going to challenge the attitudes and minds of black adolesence, perhaps it is good to be an observer of the attitudes of those whom you intend to target. Gang violence was at a high and in the 90's Compton, Watts, Los Angeles county was the murder capital of the world.
 
Sun Devil said:
If you cared to read, my post was referring to the inner cities where the people there need the most help. the very target group he is making his speeches about....Reading FAIL
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Are you now asserting that none of those charities or causes ever provide anything for the inner cities?
 
Sun Devil said:
Responding to (1) Of course you didn't. I actually did it on purpose because I don't want my ethnicity to be a determining factor in how people engage me.

Cawacko as for the rest of your post you are absolutely right. The Cosby show depicted a very intelligent, articulate, funny, well engaged family. In the media there are so many stereotypes that good family shows like the Cosby Show or the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air show become drowned out by movies like "Menace II Society" or "Boyz In DA Hood." Although the previous two are realities in America, most non-black Americans see Black America in the eyes of those previous movies--unfortunately. But yes, when I used to watch the Cosby show, for a moment I felt like I was apart of that family.

I am also not saying Cosby had to be a part of the gang truce but my point was is that if you are going to challenge the attitudes and minds of black adolesence, perhaps it is good to be an observer of the attitudes of those whom you intend to target. Gang violence was at a high and in the 90's Compton, Watts, Los Angeles county was the murder capital of the world.
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I went to USC in the fall of '91 and it was during my freshman year in the Spring of '92 when the Rodney King riots went off. I'll never forget that of course because 1) they made finals optional and 2) they had the national guard on campus (at University Village if you are familiar with the area.) I say this only because I remember the gang activity at time.

In offering my opinion I'm not saying I'm 100% right because I have been wrong many times before but to me someone like Mr. Cosby could sit back and say I don't need to get involved. The fact that he cares enough to get involved and start a discussion is great. I understand not everyone will agree with him. What I hope is his message hits some folks and that causes a positive change that will build upon itself.
 
cawacko said:
I went to USC in the fall of '91 and it was during my freshman year in the Spring of '92 when the Rodney King riots went off. I'll never forget that of course because 1) they made finals optional and 2) they had the national guard on campus (at University Village if you are familiar with the area.) I say this only because I remember the gang activity at time.

In offering my opinion I'm not saying I'm 100% right because I have been wrong many times before but to me someone like Mr. Cosby could sit back and say I don't need to get involved. The fact that he cares enough to get involved and start a discussion is great. I understand not everyone will agree with him. What I hope is his message hits some folks and that causes a positive change that will build upon itself.
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Yeah I'm familiar with the University Village. It's still there. Not sure if you've seen the campus now but they have a big fence around campus it looks like a prison now (in a matter of speaking). As far as the gang activity during the Rodney King riots, well you probably as a college student know better than me. I was a little pup in the 90's but I know near campus you have gang activity still there. Glad to know another trojan is here.
 
cawacko said:
Well Fight On sir! USC graduate of '95. Have had my football season tickets since I graduated. I will have to buy you a beer when I come down next season
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Indeed.....

I went to the recent UCLA vs USC football game. I took several nurses out and we tail-gated. I bet $200 that USC would win that game....big mistake.
 
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