Cobb

Screw the theorists! To hell with Michael Dyson and the blabber bunch. Give me the straight dope. Tavis Smiley and his bunch like to talk for hours since they won't do anything BUT TALK. They are proactive talkers and seek other talkers as the "bullshit buttons" are switched on.

I had no problem with what Dr. Cosby said. Fine with me since I accept the truth.

I just saw a commercial last night that served as the perfect analogy for this post;

A man is sitting in a resaurant eating.

He begins to choke.

His companions at the table begin talking about the heimlich maneuver, it's benefits, what it accomplished, how to do it....etc.

Another man comes from another table and performs the maneuver, and dislodges the offending item from the choking mans throat.

The commercial ends by saying in essence "do" instead of "talk".

When will we find some political and culteral leaders who will follow this lead? In this age of 'victimology', I'm not holding my breath.

Dr. Cosby said what needs to be said to us a Black people. We cannot be empowered economically or socially until we get control of our families. To do that, we must eliminate taboo subjects like teen, out of wedlock pregancy, HIV infection, drugs, and smoking. We parents must also scrutinize media like rap music, videos, and movies that denigrate relationships or gender, and we must stop supporting the artists that produce these media; the recent action taken by the women of Spellman is exemplary, and we should all be so firm in our commitment to improving the emotional and social climate of our communities. Dr. Cosby (and others like him)are messengers and we need to listen.

Conversation is important. Communication is important. But there is more to it than that. We should not forget this. To use Jim G. commercial, who is the leader in the commercial? Is it the woman who talked? No. Is it the choking man? No. Is it the Guy who performed the Heimlich maneuver? No. Actually the leader is never seen. The leader is Mr. Heimlich, the guy who invented the procedure. Heimlich did his job. He invented the manuver and told people how to use it. He can't go from town to town, saving choking peoples lives, I don't think he is still alive anyway. Why am I saying all of this ? It is not that leadership is not leading, BUT that WE are not acting. No matter of your opinion of Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton or anyone who may call himself a leader. At the end of the day WE have to raise our own kids. And WE have to get our own education. And that is what Cosby was talking about.

The reason, I gather that Tavis said he could talk about this all day, is because he enjoys good conversation, AND knows that Cosby is a Wise man, and Tavis, in my opinion, values wisdom. Conversation is good. Communication is good. The problem with all of the think tanks, symposiums, conferences, meetings, gatherings etc.. is that usually there is no aftermath. Little or no fruit is reaped from them because we have no laborours.

This does not mean that Jesse, Al, Michael Dyson or anyone else conservatives villify, is saying is false. If there where no Black liberals and the only black leaders where Clarence Thomas, Ward Connelly, and the like. What would the state of Black america be if sat on our hands and did not raise our children? We know the answer to that. Because we are living it right now.

Cosby has my respect and he has proved he is a friend of the black community, but he is ultimately playing into the hands of white conservatives who like to publicize anything negative about blacks. He allowed himself to be used as a tool under the guise of "straight talk", and his exagerrations were offensive. Who the hell runs around stealing pound cake? It is obvious that the man has had a little too much of that pudding he is always advertising.

Blacks should not air their dirty laundry like this. Why does our pain and failures have to be held up to the world all the time? We are only encouraging contempt from people, brave protests notwithstanding. You know it and I know it. In the back of their minds, between the nudge and the wink, whites they see this dirty laundry and it confirms negative black stereotypes.

It seems like a lot of negroes are doing that these days, like author Debra Dickerson. They talk the talk and take a few swipes at the right, but in reality they are allowing themselves to be used as front-men and puppets so they can get some media attention and sell books. They know it too so they play a double game- decrying racism but helping racists with "straight talk".

I have to disagree, and I think Cosby understands well enough that there is no such thing as 'setting back the race'. I also believe you over estimate the influence of racists and racism on white conservatives. Not that anyone has to care.

"Cosby: I don't give me a blank about those right-wing white people! They can't do any more to us than they've already started with. They can't try to throw us back any farther than they've tried to throw us back."

I used to worry that if whitefolks wanted to, they could read all the books by all the best black writers and then undo everything we were doing. Then I realized that nobody cares that much, and that nobody needs an excuse.

As for Dickerson, I admit that she's got on my last nerve. I think she's out there to be a contrarian and stir up controversy but doesn't have enough black pride to fill a dixie cup. I say the jury is still out on her. I'm watching her website.

Dr. Cosby didn't have to say anything, because his point is obvious to all, Black, White, whatever. Plenty of rich white kids fail because of poor parenting and no parental support for their education. Sound familiar? That's not a racial thing, is it?

And I've worked my career shoulder-to-shoulder with Euros, Asians, African-Americans, native Africans, and Arabs who shared a common work ethic. Ditto the street I live on - It's unlikely there's a more diverse mini-community in America.

But Cosby did speak out, and the elephant in the room is finally acknowledged. While he stated the case in Black terms ("Black" is more concise than either "African-American" or "Colored", as in NAACP), he could as well have made it generic.
Yes, the problem affects a greater percentage of Blacks, but it's only a difference in degree, not in principle.

But when Cosby is excoriated by Black "Leaders" for speaking the obvious, the reaction of the mainstream-to-right White community is "So what's new? They can't see their hands in front of their faces!" Who can blame them for this reaction?

Nothing beats learning the persistence it takes to succeed.

Now, is it just me, or are people - Donna Brazille, Roland Martin, Baby Daddy Mfume that I've heard - just tiptoeing their ASSES off about Bill's comments?

My point is: When is someone gonna simply refer to Bill as what EVERY one of us has been referred to in the past 30, 40 or so years.........a F-in Sellout, Uncle Tom, House Nigger, Sambo, to name few.

You know, people like Justice Thomas, Star Parker, Dr. Williams - and Armstrong, too - Dr. Sowell, Dr. Rice, Dr. Swain, The Black Avenger Ken Hamblin, among others.

They're so #$%^in brave, but now that it's Coz talkin that Black Conservative "common sense" stuff - that any responsible adult knows - everyone's a friggin deaf mute. Say it!! Tell the man what he is. Man up!!

They're acting Acting like we REALLY talk about it in barber shops & amongst ourselves, blah, blah, blah. Then, do nothing for decades. (Brilliant!!) They need to shut their fat, stinkin pieholes and tellin it to some white boy that knows no better.

Welcome to the Runaway Slave Tribe, Bill. Slave catchers are comin to gitcha, Boy!! But don't worry, we are in fact the strongest & baddest Negros in the valley.

Take it light, Cobb.

I think what people are going to find out is that of the blacks that vote consistently, more of them are on Cosby's side than the other side.

That's real constructive of you, beau.

Now give me a plan.

And don't forget, white kids (some of them, anyway) got the same problem with Asians.

If you are a Republican in California, you may select from one of about 6 or 7 caucus organizations. Each is a different shade of right. If you are black anywhere in the country, you are assumed to be a Leftist Democrat.

Since this is a black Republican weblog, I think it should be obvious that there is more to 'black' than meets the eye.

Old School solutions are as old as Booker T. Washington. It simply takes a bit of discipline and discernment to look them up.

We're not particularly concerned with what white kids do.

"...We're not particularly concerned with what white kids do..."

That's a big part of the problem. Concern and empathy is a two-way street.

Let's have a plan.

Here's an article from National Review that tackles this topic.

"...Still, the issue of culture and education elicited a rare self-critical comment by (Tavis) Smiley, who decried the phenomenon of black kids teasing other black kids who were "getting their learn on" because, to their tormenters, doing well in school was "acting white." Jones echoed this sentiment, critiquing the mindset that holds that "failing at school is somehow a validation of your black heritage." Such a narrow concept of racial authenticity, the panelists concurred, was indeed deplorable.

Yet an hour later, when Guinier noted in passing, "We have a black person on the Supreme Court," Smiley responded, with mock incredulity, "We do?" By which he meant, of course, that Clarence Thomas — because he doesn't share the panelists' left-liberal politics — is not authentically black. He is, as Jackson explained, "an unrepresentative aberration."

So there you have it: Black kids who take a different view of schoolwork get teased by other black kids for not being authentically black — and black adults who take a different view of politics get teased by black leaders for not being authentically black."

I am authentically concerned. This has got to stop; We must be better role models.

I think you've forgotten what we're talking about here, which is how to elevate the educational system of poor black & latino kids by taking responsibility. That's part of a political program which takes more into account than just race, but economics and class. What Cosby is talking about is how people like Middle Class and Upper Middle class black liberals are making excuses for these failures. White kids are not part of this equation.

Very well. If you want to go beyond race, and include economics and class in the equation, you must include the parents (or parent, in an embarassing number of cases). Otherwise failure is assured.

And if you really want the support of the white community, how can you exclude anybody, any family, any child on a racial basis? Truth be known, there are an awful lot of mixed-parentage kids out there, and you'd go crazy (and make enemies) trying to sort out interlopers. Do you really need this?

A plan? Are you stupid? Or just naive?

What, reinvent the wheel that black and white liberals broke in the 1960s? The conservative glue that carried us from about 1865 - 1965?

You ain't AUTHENTICALLY concerned. Everyone knows damn well how to fix this.

A plan. Liberals and their hopelessly naive ideal world plans..........how bout know & do the right things, maybe treat other as you'd be treated for starters. And get over slavery. Act white in school. A good plan?

But, could be worse.........at least you don't call yourself a true intellectual. Bitch please.

You mean Brown vs Board was wrong? It's time to go back to SBE?

whats wrong with thomas sowell?

"If we really want the support of the white community". Well there's a hoot.

Does the white community support the military? Do they have just as many recruiting offices equally well staffed in poor black communities as everywhere else? Does the military allow recruits from substandard ghetto communities to fail?

No. The Army does not allow soldiers to fail. They get into the publicly funded program and they are guaranteed to get whatever they need to succeed.

Do white voters allow black inner-city highschool students to fail? Yep. It's called tax revolt. It's called NIMBY. It's called zero sum politics.

Here's the bug for your mind. The next time you hear a car booming some foul-mouthed rapper I want you to blame yourself. Blame yourself for keeping a few extra property tax dollars to yourself and not funding music classes in public schools. Everything you say about inferior and superior music is true, but if the public schools allow people to fail, then the public square will be full of inferior music. And guess what, you can't escape it. I'm going to bring this post to the top because it's what I've been thinking of recently.

There is no separate.

What's wrong with Sowell? He's a cranky old man who likes to piss people off, and economists make for unsympathetic social critics.

"...Here's the bug for your mind. The next time you hear a car booming some foul-mouthed rapper I want you to blame yourself. Blame yourself for keeping a few extra property tax dollars to yourself and not funding music classes in public schools..."

Well, perhaps some history will serve to enlighten. Before the massive infusion of federal green (= federal control) into public schools, standards were much higher. Great thinkers came from poor backgrounds, knew what the world was about, didn't worry about "getting their learn on", because achievement was expected.

They talked white to boot, because they knew that was essential to raising their standard of living.

The course over four decades has been more & more $$$$, less & less learning. There is a NEGATIVE correlation between learning achievement and investment per student. The paradigm is fraudulent.

You've probably seen bumperstickers proclaiming "If you can read this, thank a teacher". Don't know about you, but for me that's a LIE.

What makes the difference is the personal involvement of the parent. I learned to read from my mother, before I walked into kindergarten.

I only pray the Dept. of Education is dynamited within my lifetime. Then maybe those administrators can get two weeks retraining so they can find a productive job somewhere.

Music we'll talk about some other time. Let's just say when I hear offensive stuff, I take me & my money elsewhere. Personal shoice. Freedom to choose. LIBERTY.

While we're at it - Here's the bug for YOUR mind:
Public schools have always been regarded as a monopoly, although the parent still has (had) choices. If the local PS94 didn't meet expectations, one could always move to another district, or if money could be had, send the kid to private or parochial school.

The federalization ("standardization"- heh!) of schools has tended to remove the first option because the next district is more likely to be as bad as the old one. The degree of monopoly is increased, the degree of choice is decreased.

There are notable advantages to standardization, sure. But the sacrifice of free choice is a huge disadvantage; it's like any other marketplace, isn't it?

Right now we all being forced into educational Yugos.