"Practice for Prison," Cosby called ebonics.
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As Cos tells it, we ain't learnt nothin' yet
from The Washington Post
May 21, 2004
Bill Cosby was anything but politically correct in his remarks at a Constitution Hall bash in Washington commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. To everyone's astonishment, laughter and applause, Cosby mocked everything from urban fashion to black spending and speaking habits.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal," he said Monday night. "These people are not parenting. They are buying things for kids - $500 sneakers for what?
"And they won't spend $200 for 'Hooked on Phonics.' ...
"They're standing on the corner and they can't speak English," he said. "I can't even talk the way these people talk: 'Why you ain't.' 'Where you is.' ... And I blamed the kid until I heard the mother talk. And then I heard the father talk. ... Everybody knows it's important to speak English except these knuckleheads. ... You can't be a doctor with that kind of crap coming out of your mouth!"
When Cosby finally concluded, Howard University President H. Patrick Swygert, NAACP President Kweisi Mfume and NAACP legal defense fund head Theodore Shaw came to the podium looking stone-faced. Shaw told the crowd that most people on welfare are not African-American, and many of the problems his organization has addressed in the black community were not self-inflicted.
Copyright © 2004, Newsday, Inc.
Posted by colrus at May 21, 2004 02:47 PM | TrackBackI think he has a point. Eduction begins at home. If a kid doesn't read at home, he's not going to read at school. However, this isn’t entirely an urban (read: black) problem. It's lower income homes across the board - white, black, Hispanic, etc. I guess maybe it's understandable why he would be so critical of black parents. He's black and he's holding black families to a higher standard. Plus, he’s speaking at a predominately black university. I'm putting words in his mouth, but I'm trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. Regardless, if he's going to be this critical with his comments, he needs to put his money where his mouth is. Maybe support elementary schools as opposed to colleges. Hasn't he bought enough honorary doctorates? Anyway, my two cents.
Posted by: Pat at May 24, 2004 07:17 PMI regard what Mr Cosby had to say with high regard. When I was 15 I was living under bridges, and in homeless shelters, without a 10th grade education. At 43 I am still in school now working on my MBA I have the whole story several arrest,1 less than honorable discharge from the military, 1 trip to prison and drug addiction. Let us all stop blaming others (read that as the white man) and fix out problems. If I don't support my own children then who should? If I don't take responsibility for myself then who should? If I don't treat my woman with respect who will? The opportunities are there we just have to take them. Night and weekend schools are available and relativly inexpensive when compared with the pay back. we can choose to spend 150.00 on a dinner for 4 or pay for 1 semester of school and that is without grants or shcolarships. If you don't belive me call your local community college and ask. In ten years we will be 10 years older with or with education and that choice is ours and ours alone.
Posted by: earnest at May 27, 2004 02:01 AMThanks for your comments, Earnest...Mr. Cosby was on the Tavis Smiley show tonight, and was fantastic...Smiley didn't know what to make of it all...
Posted by: bill colrus at May 27, 2004 02:46 AMWhy is Bill Cosby bringing down these people's way of being? Was it not him who was at one time talking the same way in his cartoon Fat Albert. Was he not an inspiration to lots of kids who saw the show. Bill Cosby don't forget who you are and where you came from.Help your people, don't make yourself look good in front of others
Posted by: saso funo at June 8, 2004 02:38 AM