Cosby is connecting

[DesertFox]

An interesting thing has happened in the three years since Bill Cosby got blasted for, among other things, describing his people as "those people."

Somewhere along the way, he became one of "those people," connecting with black folks - especially poor black folks - in a way he never had before.

http://media.philly.com/images/20070824_inq_ajohn24-b.JPG

That's the Cos, on the right in the shades

No amount of millions - and, trust me, America's Dad has got more cash than Jell-O has pudding pops - could ever erase Cosby's humble beginnings. Growing up poor in the Richard Allen Homes, dropping out of both Germantown High and Temple, repping North Philly all the way.

But since his controversial comments, which erupted during a speech that was supposed to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Cosby has traversed the country with a missionary's zeal, espousing his message of African American self-responsibility.

More (http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/todaystalk/20070824_Annette_John-Hall___These_days__Bill_Cosbys_critique_is_connect ing.html)

[ThomasMore]

Bill Cosby is genuinely a class act, and worthy of great respect for his outspoken honesty.

[DesertFox]

His intelligence sometimes fails, though. Back in the early 90's he bought in to the silly notion that the CIA had unleashed crack and AIDS to kill off inner city blacks.

[buzzthepug!]

I LOVE Bill Cosby. He and his wife, Camille, have always been big supporters of education. Can't go wrong with education. Chris Rock has a funny piece on how some black people don't value education.

Here's my observation: I believe there is a difference among the races and black people are the uber most capable people when their intellect is tapped and their energies are directed for useful and positive outcomes. Can you all imagine if Sharpton and Jackson used their collective strength to fight the Islamoterrorists?

[ThomasMore]

I believe there is a difference among the races and black people are the uber most capable people when their intellect is tapped and their energies are directed for useful and positive outcomes.

I disagree with you on the difference between the races. I agree that black people are VERY capable when they are well-balanced, dedicated people, and they have added much to the arts, sciences and humanities. As have people of all the other races.

Booker T. Washington
Benjamin Banneker
George Washington Carver
Elijah McCoy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elijah_McCoy)
The Tuskegee Airmen
Milton Olive (http://www.mishalov.com/Olive.html)
Bill "Bojangles" Robinson
Scott Joplin
Ella Fitzgerald
Louis Armstrong
Nat Cole
Wynton Marsalis
John H. Johnson
Thomas Sowell
Dr. Condoleezza Rice
Clarence Thomas
Ward Connerly
Michael Steele
T.D. Jakes
and millions of others.

[DesertFox]

Millions?

[buzzthepug!]

That's fine, you can disagree. I think black people have more qi but don't like to suffer. White people will put up with suffering for a while, then revolt. Asian people seem to be able to put up with suffering the most. I can't say I know much about South Americans but the Mexicans and Latin Americans I've seen work really, really hard which puts them up there in the "ability to suffer" category.

Well, I must sound like a huge racist. Don't mean to, just observations.

I still love Bill Cosby. As I kid I used to listen to his comedy routine on records my mom checked out for me at the library.

[gnome]

I have a lot of respect for Mr. Cosby, as a comedian, as a parent, and as a speaker. Despite the embarrassing intellectual bump regarding AIDS, his recent message is powerful and needs to be heard... I'm glad it's getting some traction.

He's recognized an anti-education, anti-intellectual aspect of some black culture that is very dangerous to themselves.

[ThomasMore]

Millions?

Sorry, that was ambiguous. This was my intended context:

[B]lack people are VERY capable when they are well-balanced, dedicated people...Most people of any race, blacks included, never achieve fame or fortune. But those who work hard and live well achieve a great deal despite their anonymity.

[Timberwolf]

That's fine, you can disagree. I think black people have more qi but don't like to suffer. White people will put up with suffering for a while, then revolt. Asian people seem to be able to put up with suffering the most. I can't say I know much about South Americans but the Mexicans and Latin Americans I've seen work really, really hard which puts them up there in the "ability to suffer" category.

Well, I must sound like a huge racist. Don't mean to, just observations.

I still love Bill Cosby. As I kid I used to listen to his comedy routine on records my mom checked out for me at the library.
God: (standing on a chair behind Noah, he rings a bell once) NOAH.

Noah: (Looks up) Is someone calling me? (Shrugs and goes back to his work)

God: (Ding) NOAH!!

Noah: Who is that?

God: It's the Lord, Noah.

Noah: Riiiiiight ... Where are ya? What do ya want? I've been good.

God: I want you to build an ark.

Noah: Riiiiight ... What's an ark?

God: Get some wood and build it 300 cubits by 80 cubits by 40 cubits.

Noah: Riiiiight ... What's a cubit?

God: Well never mind. Don't worry about that right now. After you build the ark, I want you to go out into the world and collect all the animals of the world, two by two, male and female, and put them into the ark.

Noah: Riiiiiight ... Who is this really? What's going on? How come you want me to do all these weird things?

God: I'm going to destroy the world.

Noah: Riiiiight ... Am I on Candid Camera? How are you gonna do it?

God: I'm going to make it rain for a thousand days and drown them right out.

Noah: Riiiight ... Listen, do this and you'll save water. Let it rain for forty
days and forty nights and wait for the sewers to back up.

God: Riiight...

Narrator: So Noah began to build the ark. Of course his neighbors were not too happy about it. Can you imagine leaving for the office at 7 AM and seeing an ark?

Neighbor: (enters whistling, with brief case) Hey! You over there.

Noah: What do you want?

Neighbor: What is this thing?

Noah: It's an ark.

Neighbor: Uh huh, well you want to get it out of my driveway? I've gotta get to work. Hey listen, what's this thing for anyway?

Noah: I can't tell you, ha ha ha.

Neighbor: Can't you even give me a little hint?

Noah: You want a hint?

Neighbor: Yes, please.

Noah: Well, how long can you tread water? Ha ha ha

Neighbor: There's one in every neighborhood. (Shakes head and leaves)

Narrator: Well Noah finally got the ark built. Then he had the task of
gathering all the animals two by two.

Noah: Hey, anybody know how to tell the difference between a male and a female mosquito? (Looking in a box) I told your rabbits before, only two!
(He puts box in boat) Whew, finally the last two animals are on board. Let's get this thing closed up before God asks me to do something else. I'm six hundred years old. I am getting too old for this sort of thing.

God: Noah!

Noah: I knew it. What do you want now?

God: You're going to have to take one of those hippos off and get another
one.

Noah: Why?

God: 'Cause you got two males. You need a female.

Noah: I'm too tired to bring anything else on board. You change one of them.

God: Come on, you know I don't work like that.

Noah: But I'm sick and tired of this. I've been working all day everyday like crazy for months now, dawn to dusk. I'm tired of this.

God: Noah

Noah: Yeah?

God: how long can you tread water? Ha ha ha

Noah: Yeah, well I got news for you. You keep talking about this flood and I haven't seen a drop of rain. Meanwhile, the whole neighborhood is making fun of me. I told one of my friends I'd been talking to the Lord and he laughed so hard he wet his pants. Do you know I'm the only guy in town with an ark in his yard? People are picketing and calling the heath department, strangers walk up to me and say "How's it going, Tarzan?" I am sick and tired of all of this, you let me get a pregnant elephant . . . Do you give me an instruction book? . . . No!!! Here I am standing under the elephant and brrrrrrrrump! Right on top of me! I'm telling you, I've had enough.

You're supposed to see all and know all, well have you seen the bottom of that ark? Who's going to clean up that mess? Not me, I tell you. I quit. I'm tired of this. I'm going to let the animals out and burn that ark down. I can't believe you made me do all this . . .

(God takes a watering can and begins to pour water on Noah's head)

Noah: (continues) I can't believe the mess you got me in and . . . and . . .
it's raining . . . This isn't just a shower is it? OK. All right, it's me
and you Lord, me and you all the way. I'm with you Lord. Whatever you
say....

[buzzthepug!]

...and this is about the willingness (ability) to suffer? Yes, I think people that truly have faith in the Lord are willing to endure more with less complaining. Some people never stop complaining.

[DesertFox]

And most of that type are liberals.

[ThomasMore]

That's fine, you can disagree. I think black people have more qi but don't like to suffer. White people will put up with suffering for a while, then revolt. Asian people seem to be able to put up with suffering the most. I can't say I know much about South Americans but the Mexicans and Latin Americans I've seen work really, really hard which puts them up there in the "ability to suffer" category.

Well, I must sound like a huge racist. Don't mean to, just observations.

I still love Bill Cosby. As I kid I used to listen to his comedy routine on records my mom checked out for me at the library.

I didn't intend an attack by my disagreement.

Proceeding on your premise, most Caucasians are from Europe or North America. These areas are long-civilized, somewhat socialist, comfortable societies which have become self-absorbed and somewhat soft. I don't think it is the color of the peoples' skin so much as the culture from which they come which defines their steadfastness.

Both the Poles and the Russians have reputations for toughness, which comes from their difficult cultural history. The Israelis, which are mostly Jewish caucasians, are renowned for their toughness, too.

I think the issue is more of cultural background and motivation, than skin color. My 2c, FWIW.


---

Incidentally, I had to look up "qi (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qi)."

[buzzthepug!]

Oh, I didn't take your post as an attack. Sorry if I came off kind of snarky.

Yes, what you write is true, too. Israelis are really different from, oh, say, the British. I find differences among people intriuging. Skin color doesn't matter as long as people have conservative values regarding family, finances, politics and education.

My bad: Qi is a Chinese term for vitality and energy.

[DesertFox]

Cosby's wife blamed the white man when their boy Ennis Cosby got offed by black thugs.

Coz was one of the best comedians ever in the Sixties, and I strongly support his message today; but he's said some strange things.

[buzzthepug!]

Yea, the whole "blame the white man" mind-set is the worst thing a minority can think because it's usually 100% wrong.

If we're really honest it's white men who've made the most important and beneficial contributions on this planet.