Posted on 04/24/2008 10:52:55 AM PDT by dr.zaeus
They called it "a Bill Cosby moment" when an Atlanta judge cleared whites from his courtroom to lecture black youth last month. Thursday evening, Bill Cosby joins that judge for an invitation-only "fireside chat" with at-risk Atlanta teens. WSB's Veronica Waters reports Fulton County Superior Court Judge Marvin Arrington asked white lawyers to leave, then dressed down the black defendants who were gathered in the courtroom when he emerged from his chambers.
"It was spontaneous," Arrington tells WSB. "I was sitting there literally with tears in my eyes."
Though some criticized him for excluding white people from the lecture, Arringtonwho is blackdenied any racist intent and explained he didn't want to appear condescending when he candidly urged the suspects to take a hard look at the way their lives are going before it was too late.
About three weeks ago, Arrington says, the comic, author and humanitarian called him in his office.
"When my secretary told me it was Bill Cosby, I actually thought she was saying it in jest," he says. "And I said, 'I'm extremely busy; I don't have time to play.' And she said, 'Judge, Bill Cosby's on the phone.'"
Picking up the call, Arrington says Cosby told him he'd heard His Honor's commentsand liked them. He suggested the two get together and do some type of forum to help young people.
Cosby and Arrington, who share a common concern and hope for today's young adults, conceived this invitation-only event for children identified by area juvenile courts and school systems as "at risk" of failure in school and in life. Cosby has spoken publicly about irresponsible parenting and its effect on black youth. He was criticized by some for "airing dirty laundry" of the black community. The two leaders and surprise guests will share what it took to reach the pinnacle of success and how, if these young people are willing to get an education, maintain their health and avoid violence, they too can be winners.
Arrington says the event will be a show-and-tell of those who overcame hardscrabble backgrounds with hard work, and went on to find success. Several will be those Arrington, who also grew up poor on Atlanta's streets, mentored himself.
"The point of it is, if you work hard and try to put your best foot forward, you in fact can be somebody," Arrington says.
A new initiative to advocate for the success of at-risk children will be announced at the conclusion of the evening, which will be held at Mays High School.
"If we do not stop, do an assessment, and turn this thing around, we're all doomed for failure," Arrington says. "I refuse to give up. I'm gonna stand on the wall."
If you say you care about the future of blacks in this country, you should loudly support this effort to promote black responsibility.
May God Bless them both with great success in this.
Cosby, gone on from doing comedy to doing the Lord’s work in the black community.
This is radical measure (by most standards) but is justified because these kids are being short changed in the mommy and daddy lottery. What is more, proper role models do NOT exist for them. Think about your own adolescence. Didn't you have positive examples at home and throughout your family, in the media, etc.? They don't. Their lives and futures are being forfeit by their irresponsible parents.
I think the program, and anything like it, that will bring the actual reality of adulthood home to them, is a great idea.
All I can say is that we need a few thousand more like these two heroes. Many of our minority youth have allowed the last generation to convince them that there is no hope of a future. That attitude must be put aside so this generation can succeed. Welfare, single parenthood, and poverty are not the only possibilities for these kids. They need every black mentor that can possibly attend.
I would love to see a lecture like this, but I think that it would be better off in a private setting for the full benefit of those the message is intended to influence.
Sorry, but the first time some black judge tells me to take my white ass outside, we’ve got a problem.
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