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Non Gaming Discussions => Off-Topic => Topic started by: GmanJoe on June 29, 2005, 05:20:38 PM
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Comedian Talks About Personal Responsibility and His Own Lapses in Judgment
June 29, 2005 -- It came as a shock to many last year when Bill Cosby, one of America\'s top TV dads and comedians, strongly criticized low-income African-Americans, and then took that message on the road.
In a series of "Conversations with Cosby" held in cities with large urban and poor populations, Cosby has said African-Americans are not "holding up their end of the deal" and need to take more responsibility for their families and communities.
(https://psx5central.com/community/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fa.abcnews.com%2Fimages%2FGMA%2Fabc_gma_cosby_edit_050629_t.jpg&hash=bcac19bd2c56b43ed888619cff2caf53216fe212)
Bill Cosby believes some African-Americans are "not holding up their end of the deal." (ABC News)
During these events, Cosby has been tight-lipped with the media, often talking only to columnists in order to promote his advocacy. But the entertainer invited "Nightline\'s" Michel Martin to sit down for an exclusive interview during his latest event in St. Louis. Martin shared a preview of the piece, which airs in its entirety tonight, with "Good Morning America."
Cosby calls his town meetings "call outs" and has traveled to 12 cities so far, spreading his message of personal responsibility.
He has lambasted "lower-economic people," parents who spend more on athletic shoes than education, and children who use poor English and curse constantly. He has said blacks need to stop blaming whites and take control of their children and their communities.
"Nine hundred kids enter many of these high schools, and 35 walk out with diplomas," Cosby told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "The rest are in prison, pregnant or wandering around doing nothing."
Critics have dubbed it the "Blame the Poor Tour," and blasted Cosby\'s remarks as hurtful and stereotypical.
Martin asked Cosby about those criticisms.
"I would say they are trying to move away from the problem," Cosby said. "They\'re trying to deal me some cards other than the hand that I\'m talking about. I don\'t talk about the television set that works. I call the mechanic about that one that\'s broken."
However, his outspokenness has made him a target due to his own conduct, including current allegations of sexual misconduct. Prosecutors have declined to press charges, although a civil suit is pending. Cosby has publicly acknowledged that he had an inappropriate relationship outside of his marriage.
Martin asked Cosby if his own failures of judgment disqualify him from speaking about others.
"No," Cosby said flatly. "I couldn\'t care less what you think of me as long as you begin to execute that which will save your children."
He compared speaking out to warning others against mistakes he had made himself.
"You don\'t have to listen to me," he said. "But you\'re going to be very, very sorry."
Cosby grew up in a poor Philadelphia neighborhood, seeing little of his father who was a mess steward in the Navy. Cosby himself left high school in 10th grade to join the Navy, and later received his diploma from a correspondence course while still in the service. He attended Temple University on a football scholarship, and received a master\'s and doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts.
Cosby is the creator of Fat Albert and played Heathcliff Huxtable on "The Cosby Show." He has won four Emmy Awards, eight Grammys, the NAACP Image Award, the Kennedy Center Honors Lifetime Achievement Award and is a member of the Hall of Fame of the Academy of TV Arts & Sciences.
Cosby and his wife, Camille, had five children. In 1997, their son, Ennis, was killed by a single gunshot to the head while changing a tire on his car.
Cosby has already taken his "call outs" to Atlanta; Springfield, Mass.; Newark, N.J.; Baltimore; and Dallas, among other cities. He plans to continue his conversation in Cleveland, Kansas City and other urban areas.
The story can be found at http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=891845&page=1
Hmmm....so they wanna be like Asian kids and Asian parents, eh? ;)
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OLD HE SAID THE SAME THING 2 YEARS AGO :gman: :gman:
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Originally posted by QuDDus
OLD HE SAID THE SAME THING 2 YEARS AGO :gman: :gman:
So what. He\'s coming to your city. You should listen and you better stay out of trouble....you....young negroid. ;)
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He speaks the truth, but I don\'t think that goes just for black people thats every poor person in america.
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thank god it\'s bill cosby saying it, and not dr. phil or some other whitey
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Originally posted by mm
thank god it\'s bill cosby saying it, and not dr. phil or some other whitey
A white guy would be thrown into the lion\'s den with NY Strip Steaks tied to his limbs.
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Originally posted by mjps21983
He speaks the truth, but I don\'t think that goes just for black people thats every poor person in america.
wow wtf?
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i\'d say it\'s just about every person in america
we\'re all lazy and have it too easy
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Its a vicious cycle really, but somebody has to start breaking out of that typical black mold. Its sad and true to an extent. I wont lie. I easily think that you\'re most likely to get messed with by young black kids than white kids for the most part. Its sad and annoying when i can almost literally stereotype a group of kids on a semi regular basis.
I dont care what most say but some things like this are just better left up to the people of that culture/ethnicity. Sure it shouldnt matter who says it but lets get real, it just doesnt go that way for the most part.
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Cosby is pissed that the suffering endured during the Civil Rights movement for equal rights is being squandered by their children. Instead, immigrants (like me) are benefitting from the equal rights that many African Americans fought so hard for.
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Originally posted by GmanJoe
Cosby is pissed that the suffering endured during the Civil Rights movement for equal rights is being squandered by their children. Instead, immigrants (like me) are benefitting from the equal rights that many African Americans fought so hard for.
Don\'t you mean immigrants like Mystiq?
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Well...we\'re all immigrants. Aren\'t we? :)
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yes, why yes we are
unless Giga can come up with a link that states otherwise... ;)
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JBean,
LOL...
that cracks me up there.
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Originally posted by JBean
yes, why yes we are
unless Giga can come up with a link that states otherwise... ;)
As far as being a immigrant to the US - no I am not. Don\'t give me the politically correct bullshit about Native Americans either.
This country did not exist before them and would not exist if Europeans did not colonize North America. White Anglo Saxon Protestants founded this country and from which I can trace my family heritage. From the Mayflower and Lexington and Concord I have ancestors that helped create this great nation. Excuse me if I don\'t subscribe to the PC/white guilt that some of you do.
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Just playin\' with you Giga. :) But I thought you knew I\'m not from here.
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Originally posted by GigaShadow
As far as being a immigrant to the US - no I am not. Don\'t give me the politically correct bullshit about Native Americans either.
This country did not exist before them and would not exist if Europeans did not colonize North America. White Anglo Saxon Protestants founded this country and from which I can trace my family heritage. From the Mayflower and Lexington and Concord I have ancestors that helped create this great nation. Excuse me if I don\'t subscribe to the PC/white guilt that some of you do.
:wave: I know youre proud but uhm *Clears throat* I believe "we" kinda helped you build it buddy :p.
;)
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You aren\'t an immigrant Nicon - I wasn\'t directing my comment at ya black folks. ;)
Gman - no I didn\'t know you weren\'t from here and see that is what makes you role model - you have embraced American culture unlike some.
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Hells yeah! When in Rome...speak it, live it, learn it. :D
My parents shake their heads at Asians and Hispanics who\'ve lived here for decades....and still barely speak English like a 3 year old. Why should there be a bi-lingual language in the United States? There are people from HUNDREDS of different languages and they all speak English just fine. Why the hell can\'t a lot of Hispanics do the same? Jesse Jackson was enraged at the "Ebonics" excuse. He said there\'s no excuse a black adult can\'t speak above 5th grade level in ANY city.
"English mutha fuka! Do you SPEAK IT?"--- Samuel L. Jackson just before blowing the face off some dimwit who kept asking "what?" :D
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To be fair, america doesnt really have its own culture....were a mix of every other culture so if you got rid of all those people who can\'t speak american that would take away from our culture.
Although it would make everything a lot easier.
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Originally posted by GmanJoe
My parents shake their heads at Asians and Hispanics who\'ve lived here for decades....and still barely speak English like a 3 year old. Why should there be a bi-lingual language in the United States?
That really can be said for all immigrants not just Asians and Hispanics. There are plenty of Italians/Greeks/Russians/etc. how have lived here for years and speak little to no english.
I think its more a factor of them living in communities where they never really HAD to speak english. I mean you can go to Chinatown or the North End here in Boston and get everything you need without speaking a lick of english. It is all about necessity. The same reason why school children in foreign countries learn their native language AND english. They want to be global players and in order to do so they must be able to function in the global english-speaking market.
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Originally posted by GigaShadow
You aren\'t an immigrant Nicon - I wasn\'t directing my comment at ya black folks. ;)
Gman - no I didn\'t know you weren\'t from here and see that is what makes you role model - you have embraced American culture unlike some.
For some odd reason i thought you were going to go on some patriotic tirade. :p jk.
Black Sam is right, though it does seem more likely to see hispanics/asians with a more smug attitude towards adopting american culture etc. Id add certain middle eastern peoples but im not trying to pick people out because it happens with all kinds of people. What is really bad is when their kids have the same problems that their parents do.
Its a rarity but it happens. You\'ll find it here (Chicago) just because the city is so culturally segregated.
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I didn\'t realise bill cosby was still alive, he disappeared off our screens in the early 90\'s, I haven\'t heard anything of him since now.
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thats cause you live in a cave and havent read a newspaper in 10 years
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Giga, big whoop.
o no the Natives didnt have a strong organized government o nooo. GUESS IT WASNT THEIR COUNTRY THEN FUCKERS!!!
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Originally posted by Deadly Hamster
Giga, big whoop.
o no the Natives didnt have a strong organized government o nooo. GUESS IT WASNT THEIR COUNTRY THEN FUCKERS!!!
No, the Natives didn\'t have the disregard for human respect and the value of life. Also they didn\'t have infected blankets to offer to the new comers in an attempt to wipe them out. Also, they were way to damn nice.
And, I\'m not an immigrant Giga, geez. I was born here, that makes me a citizen! My parents are immigrants. And even illegal! Just to let you know.
And guess what else! I got federal aid for college!
Oh no! Some white kid with parents who where born and raised here has just lost that money to a child who was raised in Mexico for eight years and then brought back and learned English in order to succeed in school!
Meh, what can you do?
Hispanics are pretty damn smug to adopting American Culture. I for one don\'t really know anything about American Culture? Fourth of July maybe and I know somethings I know about wars and what not. Other than that, I speak Spanish everywhere I go, I use it and love it all the time. I got a job at Bank One just because I can speak Spanish! Too bad I have to quit soon though b/c of school :(
So, how can anybody get in tune with "American Culture" if nobody teaches it to us!?
Cosby is a rich SOB. Too old to be making any kind of statements regarding todays black youth. Many are impressionable and care only about bangin\' bitches. Then again thats all the youth. So, Cosby should just go back in the hole hes been hiding in and stop trying to catch some glory from his days.
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You know, i never really say this at all and ive never really had a problem with you, but please,
shut up.
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well as far as all of us bein immigrants, we are...native americans were here before any of that christopher columbus crap...and let\'s not paint a sugar coated picture on how they basically "traded" fairly with the indians :rolleyes:....fast forward hundreds of years later...america is thee best place to live (imo)...built on the backs of many hardworking people and slaves alike....but at the end of the day we are all immigrants. sorry giga i know you may not like to hear that but we are...
as far as bill cosby goes, just like in that other thread giga posted about black people,..he speaks the truth on alot of s**t he speaks on...how the hell you\'re gonna be driving a 2005 top of the line benz, but still livin\' in the ghetto? that is bulls**t...don\'t get me wrong, i understand how the drug game works (alot of those cats make thier money in quick short bursts) but still, if you\'re makin money like that, at least put it towards a business or house, which some do but not alot of them..
and i\'ve seen alot of chickenheads talk about how they were gonna buy their kids the latest g-unit sneaker or sean john sweatsuit, but can\'t pay their rent or electric bill...i tell you it\'s all bulls**t....
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^Exactly! And what\'s insanely silly is watching a young couple with baby roll up to the ghetto\'s laundromat in a new SUV with $1200+ rims and an expensive stereo system when they could have used that money to buy a washer and dryer instead.
Sorry, just seen it happen before. :hold:
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Originally posted by Black Samurai
That really can be said for all immigrants not just Asians and Hispanics. There are plenty of Italians/Greeks/Russians/etc. how have lived here for years and speak little to no english.
I think its more a factor of them living in communities where they never really HAD to speak english. I mean you can go to Chinatown or the North End here in Boston and get everything you need without speaking a lick of english. It is all about necessity. The same reason why school children in foreign countries learn their native language AND english. They want to be global players and in order to do so they must be able to function in the global english-speaking market.
That\'s bull. If they\'re too afraid or too prejudiced (not the same as racist, BTW) to be with people outside their ethnicity, they should go back to their country.
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Talking in a specifically Asian context:
For Asians, life is much easier if they cloister themselves in ethnic communities. Racial discrimination is strong, not just against blacks, but against all races. Case in point: my mother was recently denied a tenure position in the hospital she works at despite the fact that she has obtained 3 of the largest national research grants and has papers published in some of the country\'s best scientific journals. Numerous whites with much fewer credentials have been granted tenure. I\'m NOT blaming this entirely on her ethnicity. But from observing the ratio of Asians (and especially Asian women) getting tenure, what white doctors say about Asians becoming faculty, and how secretaries mock my mother\'s accent, I can at least say racial discrimination plays a noticeable part in my mother\'s life. Now, my mother attended one of the best universities in Korea and is a professor in one of the United States\' leading hospitals. If she faces such discrimination with her education, I can only imagine the hardships that poor Asian immigrants must face, all of which can be largely avoided by being in an Asian community like Chinatown or Koreatown. I do NOT approve of this, and I know it is deterimental for them in the long run, but don\'t be too hard on them. Rest assured, they may be hindered by their accents and isolation now, but these people KNOW the value of a good education and spend all they can to bring up their children right, showcased many times by the large numbers of Asians in the nation\'s top colleges like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, MIT, and Stanford.
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People will make fun of anything. My teammate was made fun of because he had a speach problem, but it wasn\'t because he was white.
I think one reason racism is still alive is because people are always willing to make it a hot topic. Im not saying its always the case, but I think some people just use it as a way to play the victim and seek sympathy.
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Nice post vivi. It\'s getting harder and harder to play the race card anymore.
If that\'s true about what you say hyper then that\'s f*cked up, but you are in TX. ;) It\'s definitely not uncommon to see an Asian hold a position of high tenure or authority in major cities around here. Though the old ones usually have horrible interpersonal skills. Mostly because of a hard upbringing and they can\'t speak engrish right
sorry just had to say it