Statement from The Brokaw Company: Bill Cosby Responds to Media Criticism

The Brokaw Co. ^ | May 22, 2004

[sidewalk]

Los Angeles, May 22 /PRNewswire/ -- Bill Cosby says that media rumors that he has abandoned the African American lower economic community are grossly exaggerated. A report in the "Reliable Source" column of the Washington Post (5/19/04) reprinted in many newspapers across the country left out an important piece of information from Cosby's remarks at a gala in honor of the 50th anniversary of Brown V. Board of Education organized by the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in Washington DC last Monday.

The article in the Post failed to mention that Mr. Cosby's remarks were specifically in context to addressing the epidemic of an estimated 50% of African American males in the inner city that are dropping out of school. The Post article inaccurately characterized Cosby's remarks as a general criticism of the black lower economic classes.

Mr. Cosby explains that his comments were intended to be a call to action, to "turn the mirror around on ourselves." "I think that it is time for concerned African Americans to march, galvanize and raise the awareness about this epidemic to transform our helplessness, frustration and righteous indignation into a sense of shared responsibility and action."

"I travel the country and see these patterns in every community-stories of 12 year old children killed in the cross fire between knuckleheads selling drugs, the 14 year olds with a sealed envelop as their first step into the criminal justice system, the young males who become fathers and not held responsible, the young women having children and moving back in with their mothers and grandmothers, and the young people who choose not to learn standard English."

"My question: Is Bill Cosby hoping that the drop out rate will reach 70% soon and teenage single parenthood will grow to 80% in the lower economic neighborhoods? Or is he clanging a bell and warning that this is an epidemic that has to be stopped? Are we so worried about what others think about us that we are unwilling to address this disease that is inflecting our people more and more every day?"

Mr. Cosby points out that media critics such as Christopher Farley at Time Magazine are flawed in their argument that African American literary greats such as Langston Hughes and Zora Hurston honored the dialects that Mr. Cosby criticized as a lack of language proficiency that further denies opportunity to inner city blacks. "Clearly, Mr. Farley did not speak in dialect on 'Good Morning America' nor would he probably have been hired by Time if he spoke that way. Secondly, someone should question Mr. Farley whether Mr. Hughes or Ms. Hurston knew standard English and chose to write in dialect."

"I feel that I can no longer remain silent. If I have to make a choice between keeping quiet so that conservative media does not speak negatively or ringing the bell to galvanize those who want change in the lower economic community, then I choose to be a bell ringer."

Source: The Brokaw Company

[Darnright]

Cosby is quoted, ""I feel that I can no longer remain silent. If I have to make a choice between keeping quiet so that conservative media does not speak negatively"

Why is it, when the conservative media agrees with Cosby, it's "negative"? Most conservatives I know would like nothing more than to see young urban people take advantage of the educational opportunities available to them, and to start taking responsibility for their own futures.

What's the difference?

[John Thornton]

If the elite doesn't like what Cosby said then it must be because they don't want blacks learning English -- or think they can't learn it, they don't want to see them graduating, they're saying they don't want personal responsibility in the lower class black population.

As long as blacks are able to read and recognize the word "Democrat" in the polling place, the civil rights establishment is happy. That's the only word they believe blacks need to know.

[Atlas Sneezed]

First step: Drop "ebonics" from all curriculums.

---

It never was in any.

The scam in Oakland wasn't that they were teaching it, or using it to teach other things, they just wanted it to be qualified as a "second language" so that they could get double the per-pupil funding for those who spoke it, like they get double for those for whom Spanish is the first language, without competence in English.

It is about disability classfication, and big taxpayer bucks.

[mhking]

Black conservative ping

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[Atlas Sneezed]

Thomas Sowell hassaid that an effective way to oppress people is first to flatter them. The Nazis flattered their "Master Race." And liberal black leaders flatter blacks into thinking that they are honoroable because they are victims, unresponsible for their own plight, and deserving of special treatement.

Cosby, for all his past political faults, is doing the right thing to change all that. More power to him. Maybe he has reached the point in life where he realizes the importance of doing the right thing. Maybe this could be the turning point for a dysfuntional culture. Maybe he sees schools named after him someday. We can only hope it will get an audience.

Could you imagine a tour of the nation by inspirational black speakers like Cosby, Chris Rock, and whatever others young blacks might admire who could speak to issues of personal achievement? Fill stadiums, no charge, and start a revolution for the betterment of a culture. Sort of a "Promise Keepers" thing, against the tide of a dysfunctional culture.

[RobbyS]

Such behavior as you describe is boorish. In Texas if he behaved like that someone would knock him in the side of his head. Ann Richards won her governorship because the Republican candidate acted like a jackass, refusing to treat her in a gentlemanly manner.

[jocon307]

"And this festering is what some on the left really want."

I have started to wonder about this stuff too. From the way some of these elites act, people like John Kerry, etc. with their complete hypocrisy, saying they hate SUVs, but then owning several, saying they support Public Education when they wouldn't let their own kids near a public school, I have really started to wonder what kind of society they want.

Maybe they actually want a society like those that exist in South America and parts of Europe and in Asia, a society where most of the people live in poverty and the elite upper-class live lives of luxury. Maybe this is why they do not care that our country is being flooded with third-worlders and why they feel no need to live as they preach.

Cosby has really been a tremendous jerk, however, he is right in what he said the other day, but it is indicative of his total jerkitude that he cannot divine that those on "the right" who have been commenting on his remarks actually agree with him and would like to see black schoolchildren do well.

[Piranha]

Sound like, instead of abandoning them, he is deeply engaged in finding ways to help pick them up.

It's a shame that he has to be put on the defensive for this.

[faux_hog]

The man has always been a huge favorite of mine and has, for the most part, managed to keep his political views out of his stage work. (I had no idea his views were so strongly left-leaning, in fact; and I usually have pretty good radar for that sort of thing.)

Perhaps this brush with the knee-jerk press will spark some insight, maybe even a shift rightward.

[ride the whirlwind]

There was a Roll Call article at the end of March which described Cosby snubbing Condi Rice.

There was quite a bit of chatter in the Capitol on Wednesday about some unexpected fireworks flying at a ceremony honoring civil rights pioneer Dorothy Height after comic Bill Cosby snubbed National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice.

Cosby decided to voice his opposition to the Bush administration’s foreign policy by refusing to sit next to Rice, as organizers had planned, at the event in which Height received the Congressional Gold Medal from President Bush and Hill leaders.

“It’s too bad that Mr. Cosby couldn’t cross the partisan divide, especially at an event for a great civil rights leader,” griped one senior Congressional aide.

Not sure if I heard about Laura being snubbed by him somewhere or not.

[faux_hog]

Amen... I'd love to see it. Whatever happened to Marva Collins? I always thought she was on to something. But you never hear of her anymore...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

If the elite doesn't like what Cosby said then it must be because they don't want blacks learning English ...

If there were no black underclass, Queezy and Jesse et al would have to get real jobs.

The last thing they want is anything that would actually help black people better themselves.

[Old Sarge]

THAT was it - I got my ladies crossed...

So, it was the "house girl" treatment for Dr. Rice, eh? Hmmm...

[winodog]

So I dislike cosby, jackson, sharpton, etc, etc but I love Walter Williams, Thomas Sowell, Mike Wilbon, etc tec.
I believe that makes me a racist.

[bandleader]

What a REFRESHING change!It brings to mind that story about Harry Truman.When urged to"Give Em' Hell",he replied:"I Don't Give Em' Hell,I Just Tell The Truth On Em' And They Think It's Hell"!!!!!Bill Cosby is TELLING THE TRUTH ON EM'!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[M-cubed]

I think you mean the "elite democrats"....with the blacks voting with them 90-98% of the time...it's in their best interest to keep them on the "plantation"....The democrat elitist always know whats best for SOMEONE ELSE!...Thats what makes them elite!

[bandleader]

Naturally"The Elite"don't want blacks(and other minorities)to do well in school and advance themselves economically,they want to keep them"On The Plantation"so that they will forever be dependent on"The Largesse"of The Government!!It is so OBVIOUS!!!!!!!!!!

[bandleader]

I have noticed more and more that they(The Rats)are"Eating Their Own"!!!!!!!!!!

[bandleader]

I thought there was more to Chuech(religious services)than just"showing up"!I still remember those videos of BeelzeBubba(after he confessed to us that he lied re"Lewinsky),attending church with The Holy Bible in his hand.I guess when he was sworn in(Grand-Jury),he just figured it wasn't Sunday so all bets are off!!!!!!!!!!!

[JimRed]

"My question: Is Bill Cosby hoping that the drop out rate will reach 70% soon and teenage single parenthood will grow to 80% in the lower economic neighborhoods?

What a stupid question! Cosby's politics are leftist, but he is honest and he CARES! Not the usual leftist feelgood "caring" but out of his own pockets and time caring.

In other words, he "walks the walk".