Bill Cosby’s Rant
They’re standing on the corner and they can’t speak English. I can’t even talk the way these people talk: Why you ain’t, Where you is, What he drive, Where he stay, Where he work, Who you be… 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. In fact you will never get any kind of job making a decent living.
People marched and were hit in the face with rocks to get an education, and now we’ve got these knuckleheads walking around. The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal. 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.
I am talking about these people who cry when their son is standing there in an orange suit. Where were you when he was 2? Where were you when he was 12? Where were you when he was 18 and how come you didn’t know that he had a pistol? And where is the father? Or who is his father?
People putting their clothes on backward: Isn’t that a sign of something gone wrong? People with their hats on backward, pants down around the crack, isn’t that a sign of something? Or are you waiting for Jesus to pull his pants up? Isn’t it a sign of something when she has her dress all the way up and got all type of needles [piercing] going through her body?
What part of Africa did this come from? We are not Africans. Those people are not Africans; they don’t know a thing about Africa. With names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammed and all of that crap, and all of them are in jail.
Brown or black versus the Board of Education is no longer the white person’s problem. We have got to take the neighborhood back. People used to be ashamed. Today a woman has eight children with eight different ‘husbands’ — or men or whatever you call them now. We have millionaire football players who cannot read. We have million-dollar basketball players who can’t write two paragraphs. We as black folks have to do a better job. Someone working at Wal-Mart with seven kids, you are hurting us. We have to start holding each other to a higher standard.
We cannot blame the white people any longer.
The full transcript of Mr. Bill Cosby’s Pound Cake speech at the 50th Anniversary commemoration of the Brown vs Topeka Board of Education Supreme Court Decision
Thank you very much Mr. Cosby for saying what those of us that are “of a lighter skin color” would NEVER DARE to say — even though we may be thinking EXACTLY what you said!!!!
Oh, and to Omar who asked: “Where are the laws that say you must where your clothes, that you have bought with your money, a certain way?” Let me ask you if you would like to see your grandmother’s @ss, or your daughter’s @ss when she is wearing a thong and bends over to pick up something??????????? Just food for thought — not a “law”, but something worth thinking about!!!!
GOD BLESS AMERICA — if you can read this, thank a teacher! If you can read English, thank a SOLDIER!!!!!!!!!!!!!! If you can’t read this or disagree with the way you are treated in AMERICA, go to ANOTHER country — pick one with different laws, thoughts, etc. Just make sure that you will be able to “speak freely without being shot to death for doing so”!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Karen said,
October 26, 2007 @ 1:22 pm
Amen to everything Bill Cosby said. The butchering of the English language heard everywhere everyday makes me cringe. Even TV newscasters, who have good jobs and are educated, drive me crazy by telling everything in the present tense as if every event they mention is happening right now, even if it took place yesterday, a week ago, or even an hour ago
i agree as well that what cosby has said is not just the rantings of an older gentleman, but of a man that sees a future of dispair and poverty for children, regardless of race, who grow up and act like this, defying the social norms that they will ultimately spell their success.
but newscasters talk in the present tense constantly because that is a key element of journalism, making the story relevant and fresh, thus making it more important to the consumer, reader, or television watcher. it is their job, so there’s no reason to resent it. its like resenting a doctor for prescribing you drugs with really long, scientific names. sure, you may not understand it, but it’ll make you better, and newscasters are trying to give relevancy to their stories, bullshit or not.
I’m all for equality when there equal effort. Many black people today are hard working and decent, law abiding people (like “many” whites). But those who aren’t or at least trying to do what’s right and at least trying to live decent law abiding lives are really dig a big hole for the rest us to climb out of. The Jesse Jacksons and Al Sharptons of the world are depending on blacks to stay poor and down trodden – that’s the way they make their living! I can’t believe that blacks haven’t seem through all of this. Alll the dress and “b;ack” talk that Cosby talks about is a mimick of prison life and conditions. What a wonderful thing to aspire to. I hope more like Bill Cosby stand up for what’s right —- but you know what, I’ll bet that doesn’t happen. They’re chichen – too risky. AAAAH!
OMAR: as far as 500$ sneakers go, they do exist and people buy them every day. google it before you ask a dumb question like that that’s supposed to discredit someone when that’s not even their point.
examples:
http://www.forbes.com/2005/12/12/cx_sb_1213featslide.html
http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2005/12/13/most-expensive-sneakers-cx_sb_1213feat_ls.html
http://www.bnyconline.com/item/category/10?section=2
http://www.sneakersnstuff.com/default.asp (they’ve carried 600$ USD sneakers)
AMEN AND AMEN! Well said.
I hope those ppl mentioned get to read this and change their ways.
Pants are not worn way too down that you can’t walk properly. That you have to walk with legs apart so your pants won’t fall. Yea, something’s wrong with that. Why can’t they pull it up? What are they thinking? They don’t know its disgusting bec they can’t even speak right.
Just because there is such a thing as a “hood” does not mean your whole community lives in the “hood”. Hell I live in Seattle Washington and we have the same problems. They have the same options I have and some even have more, has anyone seen how easy it is for a black male to get grants and student loans? Or how about the welfare line? Every day I pass by Seattle’s office to see a line of 95% or more blacks waiting for their handouts, now by looking at these people passing by I’m pretty much judging them by their appearance ( in which drinking and pissing on the outside of the building is not helping anything) but I have had black friends and none of them ever acted in the way Bill is speaking about due to a proper upbringing.
Regardless my point is that not all of them are living in L.A. or the Bronx, we have the same problem in successful communities. Bill is right that it starts with the parents, what is the child going to know if all he sees is his mother with random men wearing hoochie clothes living off government cheese and buying him clothes that would fit him properly in two years?
Another point I want to make is that I grew up in a poor family, no I was not in the hood persay but we did have to chain up my bike due to my scooter being stolen from my very grip then my basketball was stolen out of my hand and we had to chain our plants down outside… I know what it’s like to wear the same thing every day to school, I know what it’s like to be a failure in school but I also know that I can change that and did, I got my G.E.D. and never really used it but I got it because I could. I could have ended up like my parents but they did instill some smarts in me to not end up in prison.
Just my 2 cents.
American blacks have no choice but to help themselves because no one else will. This is the only sense in which Cosby is on target. Excuse me “Dr.” (honorary) Cosby… what do you know about anything? You’re an entertainer. You were lucky enough to have had a decent upbringing and talented (and lucky) enough to get famous. Do you really think most of your black brothers have just chosen to be “knuckleheads?”
First off, most American blacks don’t fit the stereotypes described by Cosby. Blacks have the same social problems of other Americans, and at higher rates. But most are like anyone else, simply trying to get by in a nation without good opportunities for many.
To the extent that people of this ethnic group screw up… why is this the case. Did they all just “decide” to be knuckleheads, or are there greater forces at work to be addressed.
This country has shifted far to the right, and Cosby’s ignorant rantings legitimate that. If you want to see lower rates of social problems in this country, empower poor people, give their kids more opportunities, pass policies that HELP people with basic things like health and child care, better wages, etc. Don’t blame the victims of a sick system that runs on greed and corruption.
And why you’re at it, “Dr.” Cosby, go fuck yourself.
Also, he’s not funny. I thought he was funny… when I was 12. All he does is make fun of people using stupid stereotypes like “aren’t teenagers stupid?” Ha ha. Hilarious. That’s all the Cosby show was. Fat Albert was much better. Since the Cosby show all this asshole does is preach about how much he knows about parenting and how stupid children are. He’s a simpleton.
Yes Bill, you hit it. Maybe we have both entered into the generation gap, but I think you were right asking where the parents were, and are, hiding. Maybe it’s our fault. We need to raise collective consciousness quickly. The holes they make in their bodies will look very odd when they have lost their hair, matured, and do whatever it is they will do when they wake up. It’s not too late. I am standing up!
Miss you! They should be listening to “Why is there air”, “Old Weird Harold”, and enjoying “Go-Karts” among other recordings that make us laugh at ourselves.
JGD,Garry
Brian,
“American blacks have no choice but to help themselves because no one else will”, thats bullshit and you know it. Ever know a black man to get turned down by a student loan? No you don’t, plus you ever hear of the UNCF???
Brian you have single-handedly show me exactly how ignorant you and the other people the good Dr. Cosby is ranting about can be. Indeed I feel you and those other “black brothers” have chosen to be “knuckleheads” by not waking up and looking for a job everyday, speaking your broken Ebonics filled version of our English language, and blaming everyone other than the person you see in the mirror for your socio-economic woes. There is not a great conspiracy in America to keep the black man down and if there is, it is at the hands of black America. Listen to any rap album and you will understand exactly what I am saying. Turn on MTV or BET and watch a few videos and you may have a better understanding of it then.
Since when did it become my responsibility as an American to help those who perceive themselves as “wronged” as they stand on the corner all day drinking a 40oz and talking about “Diggy” and how he was robbed selling crack? What would be the harm in you actually waking up one day and getting a decent education and maybe even applying for a job? Putting the 40oz down and picking up a book? Preach education instead of ignorance and self loathing?
Your ignorant “ranting” is a complete insult to those people that ARE hardworking, self sufficient, and trying to make a better place to live in. When they are accused of being “too white” for making good grades in school, or even attending school on a regular basis who is the one to blame then? I can assure you it is not me making those remarks however I can bet you will find those in a rap album somewhere along with the other negativity surrounding our young black America.
And finally, your ending comment on your initial post spoke volumes about just how educated and involved you are in making your communities and lives better: “And why you’re at it, “Dr.” Cosby, go fuck yourself.” This is just plain ignorance and it shows exactly how much you do not understand about life, age, and wisdom. I hope you do not have the ability to procreate as it will do nothing but continue to take you and your “black brothers” in the wrong direction.
AMEN!!! The problem is that if I (a white man) would have said it, I would be called racist!!
Thank you very much Mr. Cosby, you’re a great man!!!!!!
Joe,
Well said…
“You were lucky enough to have had a decent upbringing”
You say that as if it’s a bad thing! That’s exactly what he’s saying. If all people raised their children right there would still be racists, but VERY few!!
I don’t judge ANYONE by the color of their skin, but I’ll admit, many blacks have attitudes that are much to be desired! However, some are great people (Bill Cosby etc.)
Pet Peeve: African-American Vernacular English is not just “Bad Standard American English” it is it’s own dialect with it’s own rules. Just because SAE is the dominant dialect in our culture doesn’t mean it is the only “right” dialect.
Joe Oct 26th, you really hit the nail on the head, Bill Cosby is more than correct. He summed up my frustrations. I have long since commented on this to my black friends who go to college with me. They tell me that in general the black community has been more that lackadaisical, and lack the self-help mentality, they will continue from generation from generation, and from century to century, working, breeding, and dying, not only without impulse to rebel, but without the power of grasping that the world could be other than it is…(Orwell, 1984)
God forbid a kid doesn’t want to become a doctor…
Get real, Coz. BTW, how’s that druggie daughter of yours?
I am black and even when I am kicking it with other blacks about what Bill Cosby, some of them don’t get it. (this is not a fake post by a white) I actually say, “Yo dawg, Bill Coz got a point”. Some of them get mad at me. Then I tell ‘em. Fuck u.
Jennifer you are better off not posting your negativity as it only helps to fuel the ignorance fire we are attempting to put out. Indeed Dr. Cosby’s daughter has had and may still have drug addiction issues but I can assure you she learned them somewhere other than home. Just by reading your post I can say you are most likely an un-educated single mother, working minimum wage, hating everyone and blaming everyone other than yourself for the “problems” we have so mercilessly put upon you in society. The reason I say that is if you had a decent education, stable family, and a decent job (all of these results of applying yourself and taking ownership of your life) you would have a different opinion and view about Dr. Cosby’s speech.
Many families in America today regardless of race suffer from that very same issue however they accept blame and always start off by saying “where did I go wrong raising my child?” I have only heard of one perfect person in my time on this earth and he was in the Bible. We all have our faults and short comings but we learn to accept defeat and turn things around and triumph past it with victory. Only those weak-minded, ignorant, lazy individuals such as yourself do not and continue down the path of self destruction and failure blaming all those around you.
Dr. Cosby does not preach perfection, it is more like perception. No one has said you have to become a doctor, just simply apply yourself in a positive manner and do something with your life other than waste it. Accepting defeat without ever stepping onto the field is cowardice and shameful and needs to stop today. Wake up people and take charge of your lives; it is your responsibility to do so.
Bill Cosby is right. Instead of discipling kids we should offer them jello pudding pops, and enjoy how they say the darndest things.