Memo to NAACP: Draft Bill Cosby
By _Michael Reagan_
(http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles...rs.asp?ID=1440)
_FrontPageMagazine.com_ () | December 3, 2004
Kweisi Mfume is leaving his job as president of the National Association
For the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) and his resignation should be
a source of rejoicing for not only the membership of that civil rights
organization, but for all Americans black and white.
For all of the nine years he has served as the NAACPıs head, Mfume has been
one of the nationıs most divisive voices. Under his leadership the NAACP
Has become nothing less than a rabid race-baiting group. During his
presidency I have heard little else from Mfume other than his incessant
repe ion of the canard that every problem plaguing the world, and the
black community in particular, can be blamed on white America.
Along with Jesse Jackson, Mfume has refused to face the real problem from
which their African-American brothers and sisters are suffering, and it
isnıt solved by blaming everything on slavery. The issue is fatherless
homes. And their failure to speak out about children being born out of
wedlock should not be surprising; neither one of them has the credibility
to discuss it, both being guilty of fathering children out of wedlock.
So rather than talk about that burning issue, they rant and rave about the
white manıs guilt for slavery, an issue settled over a century and a half
ago, when hundreds of thousands of white men died to put an end to it.
If the NAACP has any hope of really advancing the prospects and the welfare
of the black community, it has to stop blaming white America and start
Facing the problem of kids growing up without the love and guidance of a
father in their homes. And they need to have a leader who has both the
credibility and the courage to tackle that issue head-on, one who wonıt
blame whitey. One who will tell black America to look in the mirror and ask
what they can do to help their own people. One who will be honest about the
issue of fatherless homes much in the way as Bill Cosby has been honest
with his fellow African-Americans.
Cosby chastises the African-American community for its rates of juvenile
delinquency, its parenting, the coarse language of its youth. You can do
better, he tells his fellow blacks. Don't let yourself be victims, and
especially don't let the poorest in the community let themselves be
victims.
"This is about little children ... and people not giving them better
choices," he told Paula Zahn in an interview for CNN's Paula Zahn Now.
"Talking. Talking. Parenting. Correctly parenting. That's what it's about.
And you can't blame other things. You got to -- you got to straighten up
your house. Straighten up your apartment. Straighten up your child."
Getting this across is not an easy job, as the courageous Cosby has
learned. None of us wants to face reality, to look at ourselves as we really
are. Itı s easier to play victim, and the Mfumes and the Jacksons have been
all too ready to help convince black America of their victimhood. And it
keeps the money rolling in.
The victimıs mantra goes like this: ³Itıs comforting for us to avoid taking
responsibility for our self-created problems by proclaiming that that we
are the way we are because of you. We are way we are because of what
happened in the 19th century. Itıs not because we lived in a fatherless
home and there was no strong hand to help raise us. We are what we are
because somebody to whom we might be related to was once enslaved.²
And what Mfumeıs NAACP has done is to foster that lie. Itıs time to do a
makeover and replace the "blame whitey" chorus of the Mfumes and Jacksons
and Al Sharptons with the Bill Cosbys and get people who understand what
Bill Cosby is saying and act on it.
If the NAACP really wants to empower the advancement of African Americans
theyıll find leaders who have the best interests of their fellow blacks and
are willing to raise their voices to help the black community face and
solve their own problems.
I have a couple of candidates. How about replacing Mfume with Bill Cosby,
or Jesse Lee Peterson from BOND, or even Colin Powell whoıs about to be at
large. They have the credibility and the guts to face the problem head-on.
"If you guys are serious about getting out of this ghetto you gotta focus, you gotta stop blaming white people for your problems, and you've gotta learn......how to rap or play basketball or something, you are trapped, either do that or sell crack that's the only options."
What Bill Cosby said has extreme merit, if taken IN CONTEXT. The problem is that the right saw it as a huge opportunity to say "Look Look, there's no problem but what you make for yourselves". And that quite frankly, is a crock of .
The current economic situation we have is a direct result of the inequality that minorities have suffered begining with slavery and going through the civil rights acts.
To break it down for you, White People have had a godamn headstart in a race, and just because a lot of the barriers are down for minorities, that doesn't mean we've caught up.
I'm not down with reperations and I do believe that reforms must start from within these communities. But go take a look at a school on the eastside or in the edgewood district then go take a look at Churchill or Clark.
You tell me, are we equal?
Yep, there is no such thing a as a poor white person.
I think there are one or two somewhere, User. Now, please follow Manny's instructions, and check those schools.
I guess I had better. Me being white and having the great advantage of graduating from Roosevelt, I have no idea how lucky I had it. How come my silver spoon tastes like lead?
.
Last edited by Jekka; 12-06-2004 at 07:34 PM. Reason: because I'm stupid and didn't log in under my name, see next post
When did I say there were no white people?
The fact that there are poor white people somehow invalidates the arguement that hundreds of years of inequality has not be equalized?
The fact is that I think racism is at an all time low, and what we have now is classism, based on how much money you have. The thing is, because of the opression minoritiys have endured in this country, they aren't on the same level as most anglos. If you were a poor white person, then you are in the same boat,but the fact remains that the ruling majority of this country are dispraportionatly white men.
Do you dispute that?
Oh and btw, compair those Edgewood schools with Roosevelt and you'll see a HUGE difference.
There is no shame in being poor.Hard working people that are "poor" can not help it in most cases. This does not, however, release those parents from practicing good parenting. I know of many in that situation who have risen to better things through hard work. It is called applying ones self. The opportunity is there for those who want to venture out of the "neighborhood". It is not easy by any means but family values is a must. I know of a lot more "poor" families that have better family values than those who went to Churchill. Sure, most white people have a "headstart", as you put it but if you use that as an excuse, then you're just letting yourself down. If you live a life of resentment, you will probably never succeed. Example: Jim has way more than I have. Should I have a chip on my shoulder for Jim? No. I could have chosen to follow the path he did but I did not. Why? It was easier not to. I call bull on your thinking.
Hook, poverty leads to problems. It's a fact. There is nothing wrong with being poor except that it leads to rises in crime, teenage pregnancy, and all around social problems.
So yes, other than that, it's no big deal.
You can "call bull " on my thinking, but then I'd like one person to explain why the high crime areas coincide with the POOR areas?
Why?
It doesn't take a godamn sociologist to break that down and discover why, but they HAVE.
Minorities have a godamn right to walk around with a chip on their solider. When I listen to my grandfather tell stories about how he wasn't allowed in places because he was brown, then yes, I have a chip.
I don't hate white people, most of my friends are white and my girlfriend is white. But overall, I hate the white man's history of keeping my people down. I hate America that TOOK my ancestors land in an unjust war. I hate the america that ended slavery yet took another 75 years before it decided that yes, blacks were equal.
Most of all, I hate the America that loves to tell my people that it's all their fault and that it's all up to them.
When I think about all the dope I smoked back in my high school daze, I have to say, I went above and beyond the call of duty to level the playing field.
White's make up 8.2 of the percentage of people under the poverty line.
Race/Ethnicity
White, not Hispanic 15,902 8.2
Black alone or in combination* 9,108 24.3
Black alone 8,781 24.4
Hispanic origin+ 9,051 22.5
Asian alone or in combination* 1,527 11.8
Asian alone 1,401 11.8
And you think this has nothing to do with things Hook and User?
http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/irp/faqs/faq...vtab03-one.htm
I don't think all Americans are telling your people that its your fault. I certainly am not. I'm just saying that it does not eleviate the responsibility of raising children with family values and pride. I understand that distant relatives were in slavery but not too many are still living. I don't think that gives decendants the right to carry the chip. If it were still going on, I could understand that. Some of my very best friends are mexicans and I hold them in high regard. That being said, I do not hear them telling me that they are handicapped because they are mexican. They have pride and it is a good thing. Some of them live on the west side and yes, I see the things you are talking about. The only way to escape that is to escape the "neighborhood". Either that or become an activist and try to better the neighborhood. There are a lot of good people who do just that. I praise them. It is a normal thing to want better things and living conditions. Want and Do are two different things. A good example of good is what you are doing with Elf Louise. I hold you in high esteem for doing that. God Bless you man!
I think you have to look beyond the numbers Manny. I'm no sociology guru, nowhere close, but I think much of the unpleasantness in the numbers you post are endemic to the South. I can empathize with you to the extent that is broke and it ought to be fixed, but honestly, sometimes things are ed-up beyond repair.
Seriously, money and good intentions will not fix everything.
That's the first really truth-filled, well-thoughout statement I have ever read from Hookdem!
, now I know anythings possible!
So what? We just throw our hands up and tell our kids, sorry? Education first should be stressed in lower-class neighborhoods schools, and that includes participation in extra-curricular activities like Football, basketball and all other sports if need be. Get the school boards, the adminstrators, the activists, and the 'moms' out of the classroom and let the teachers do their job, but hold them accountable for their 'product' with a semi-annual standardized test that progressively gets tougher in do-able steps, and not just all at once. Teachers aren't miracle workers, although many are angels.I think you have to look beyond the numbers Manny. I'm no sociology guru, nowhere close, but I think much of the unpleasantness in the numbers you post are endemic to the South. I can empathize with you to the extent that is broke and it ought to be fixed, but honestly, sometimes things are ed-up beyond repair.
Seriously, money and good intentions will not fix everything.
Now that is the first logical, well-thought-out post I've seen from you.
Yes, all things are possible.
One of the years I spent at Roosevelt it was by percentage, the most racially diverse school in NEISD or maybe even SA. We had the largest Native American student body at the time. Maybe Roosevelt was a good school. Ask people from the supposed silver spoon schools you listed if they thought so at the time and see what answers they give you. Sure there were and are worse schools. Sure it is easier for people who are born to well off families to get ahead in life. But if you really put forth the effort, you are the only one who sets limits on yourself.
By the way, my mom was born in Germany. My dad comes from immigrants of mostly Italian origin, 4th generation US born. Since I'm white I'm automatically characterized as having slave owning, indian land stealing ancestors, which could not be farther from the truth.
Bill has a way of pudding things in a straight forward way in a different world than where we come from.
I never catagorized you as anything. I simply stated facts that the race group you belong to is in control.
Do you deny it?
And it is easier as you pointed out for well to dos to get ahead in life. Why should minorities have to struggle so much harder than non minorities (i'll use this more pc term since aparently white is no longer kosher) to get to the same point?
You know, everyone complains that they have nothing to do with their ancestors acts of slavery and discrimination, but I haven't heard one person complain about the benifits they now reap from it.
That's my post above, forgot to log her out again.
So what's your solution? Punish anyone who makes more money than you (or your parents) do?
All I've heard from you so far is "you make more than I do so you're a bad person" bull .
Um, my post was not aimed at you. My ancestors had nothing to do with slavery in this country, so that is why I don't comment on it. I don't see how anyone in this day or age either benefits or suffers from slavery as much as the direct result of being poor and living in a poverty region. These factors may have been a direct result of slavery and or social caste systems from the past. I know people who were born privilaged that have blown it and people that were born dirt poor and have had very succesful lives. The funny thing about all these cases is that race or ethnicity made NO difference whatsoever. Maybe it is harder foor a poor hispanic than a poor cracker, I don't know. My point was simply that you can do whatever you want with your life. It's up to you.
Absolutely correct. My in-laws are Hispanic and quite successful...and didn't start that way. They did it themselves.
The solution is an equalizing of the situations. The origional reason I posted in this thread is because Bill Cosby's remarks have been, and continue to be taken out of context.
Yes, Anyone can make something out of themselves if they work at it. That has never been debated. That does not mean that we do not have a responsibility to people out there who are suffering now as a direct result of the actions of the majority of this country while the majority continue to benefit.
If you turn a blind eye to this situation and simply go with the at ude that it's up to the impovorished alone then you will continue to see the ill effects that poverty has.
Before we even get to the solutions why isn't there a general acknowledgement that discrimination and slavery directly contributed in large part to the socio-economic situation we have today?
Or maybe many people out there simply do believe that Mexicans, Blacks, and other minorities are simply lazy?
I'm not here to advocate outrages solutions such as reperations or nonsense like that. I do want to see added government money to school districts and neighborhoods that actually need it. The robin hood act is such a crock. It simply pisses me off that Northside has the money to build a brand new football stadium when Edgewood and SAISD are having extreme problems getting by with age old schools and equipment.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
