Posted on 09/08/2004 9:54:55 PM PDT by Former Military Chick
Comedian Bill Cosby returned to Washington this week to tell black policy-makers and activists that they must join together to lead a new social movement to help strengthen black families.
"Parenting needs to come to the forefront. If you need help and you don't know how to parent, we want to be able to reach out and touch you," Mr. Cosby told reporters during a special session of the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation's 34th annual legislative conference, which began yesterday and ends Saturday.
Mr. Cosby, whose bold comments in May created a foundation for this new social-values movement in the black community, said his goal is to create a "better America." The comedian is being praised for taking a stand and motivating an open national discussion about the internal social ills of black communities, whereas before, such issued often were discussed only behind closed doors.
"I think [my comments] have created a sea change. I think the frenzy came from white people because I even heard whites say to me that 'the same things are happening in our house,' " he said.
Programs discussed by the panel include: parental assistance, youth empowerment through education and a large component of activities for young black males.
The Rev. Al Sharpton, former Democratic presidential candidate and speaker alongside Mr. Cosby, said he wants to focus on removing stereotypical perceptions of urban black culture from the mainstream and working with young black males to develop mentoring programs.
"We are working on a plan to deal with problems of inner-city behavior, this life of excess ... we will no longer allow our community to be slandered as one of thugs and hoodlums, hos and bitches, that is not our culture," he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
Well they should be! (listening to him)... I listened to his speech and it makes so much sense.. he was talking about parents listening to rap and not even thinking about what it does to their kids --soooooo true -- last weekend we were at the boat ramp here in town and this WHITE family came in on an expensive boat with six kids and two men and two women and they had this horrible rap turned up full blast with "f" this and "f" that... I couldn't help but remark that this family, for all their money, were a horrible influence on their kids; and we wonder why so many girls are promiscuous at a young age.
Exactly. I wonder what's the chance of Bill Cosby endorsing President Bush?
Wouldn't that be something! I'd love to see him endorse the Pres and then have Bush give him some sort of special job in the administration where he could really give more of these speeches.
He did lose his son and i think it was a big wake up call.
Nobody but us. The people that need to listen are so certain of the righteousness of what they have done to the black community that they are deaf to anything but their own shrill rhymes.
Slim to none.
Speaking as a black, Cosby has enough money and clout not to have to worry what anyone in the black community says about his being a race traitor or Uncle Tom for endorsing a Republican president.
However, so many blacks, even if they agree with the Republican platform on every point, just can't bring themselves to publicly identify with what they perceive to be the party of the oppressor.
It would be great if Cosby would come over to the 'dark side,' but he won't, even if he is increasingly sounding like Darth Vader, if you get my drift.
True, but from everything in the news at the time, his son was a very fine young man, which made the loss all the more difficult given he wanted a career path that would allow him to give back to the world.
Yep to everything you said. Add to it the Nixon Administration's record (not Kennedy's) on Civil Rights and you have even more reason for people living today to be Republican.
Some people are just stupid. I hear a few black 'leaders' call out the Dim party for not paying enough attention to blacks, but I don't hear them say blacks should consider voting any other way, so what difference does it make? Looks like some blacks may just sit out the election rather than vote anything other than Dim.
Ping
The most ludicrous thing I've seen lately: In the Los Angeles area that has twice been affected by riots, businesses that weren't burned out, left.. so for many years people have complained their problems are due to 1)lack of jobs and 2)they have to travel so far for shopping -- so someone comes in and wants to put in this large development, with shops, a SuperWalmart, resturants, you name it... and it comes up for vote -- ALL the prominate Blacks from California ---PLUS Jessie Jackson -- show up to march and encourage these people to vote NO!!!!! Guess, what THEY DID vote it down!! I have no sympathy if people of any color can't think for themselves any better than that!
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