Bill Cosby

[DRW50]

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/theslice/the-end-of-black-respectability-politics

[alphanguy74]

He seems to think that Obama not being embraced by a staggering majority of americans shows that the approach has been wrong all along. So, him actually getting ELECTED means nothing? What's the alternative? A descent into crime and drugs degradation?

Edited February 24, 2015 by alphanguy74

[DRW50]

I think he's saying that pretending certain things don't exist and focusing on being ashamed of yourself and ashamed of your race doesn't really make a difference in ending racism, and it's best to just be the best that you can be, instead of focusing on not being some type of disgrace to black America.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2014/12/03/black-respectability-politics-are-increasingly-absent-from-obamas-rhetoric/

[marceline]

"For a second there, it seemed like respectability politics could work if all blacks just kept a pristine record, graduated from Harvard, lead a quiet life, came from a biracial background, had beautiful kids and a dynamic wife, said all the right things, made all the right moves. Perhaps Obama would singlehandedly be able to overcome 400 years of America’s intractable execration of the black body and mind by just being…perfect."

This. This. So much this. Obama is everything these bigots claim we should be telling "our kids" to be. He's done absolutely everything right ("Pull up your pants. Go to school. Work hard. Be a father to your children. Etc....") and they still hate him. Obama is living proof that no matter how hard and how well you play the game, if you play by the rules of BRP, you will never be allowed to win.

One thing that I think keeps getting glossed over is that Cosby used BRP as a cover for his crimes. He knew that as long as he mugged and told charming stories about his wacky (yet still clean and articulate) children he could get away with rape. It's not surprising that the people who can't bring themselves to think he's guilty are the ones most invested in BRP.

[marceline]

All the stuff about Eddie Murphy and Cosby a while back had me checking out old clips. I'd forgotten how good his Cosby impression was. There's a lot in this video that feels very different now.

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[Vee]

New victim, same "act drunk" M.O.

[DRW50]

Old news, I guess, but Richard Pryor's wife (one of them) talks about Cosby.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/richard-pryors-wife-slams-bill-777407

[Wales2004]

Those who defend Bill Cosby don't all have the same reason(s) for doing so. I think it might just be hard for some people to see the person they saw one way as a serial rapist. The number of women coming forward may not make it any easier for them to reach that conclusion--especially if they were never around him or never met him.

If everyone rationalized things in the same way there would likely be less strife in the world.

I think his election is more about the voters who elected him than it is about him. Those who hate Barack Obama because of race were never going to take his upbringing into consideration anyway. Hating another person on the basis of race is irrational. Model behavior will not have an impact on that type or irrationality.

Once upon a time people may have assumed that "good behavior" would help with disadvantages and ward off the racists or at the very least, give them less of a reason to attack. In politics it is just thrown around as part of the manipulation to which politicians are prone. To say that black people should behave a certain way implies that orderly behavior is against the nature of black people and people such as Bill O'Reilly are only too happy to show their concern for the black people by doling out this advice, and pointing out some black man who said it, as though they've come up with some great solution.

The fix for racism comes from within the racist individual. The victims are not the ones who can solve it.

Intellectualizing race discussions with smart-sounding terminology simply allows people to make racism a profession and create distractions. The cure comes from individuals. Individual's thoughts and feelings cannot be legislated and all the aricles, books, and discussions will probably never address that and certainly won't change that.

[Bright Eyes]

Larry Wilmore on Bill Cosby, from an excerpt of an interview done by The Hollywood Reporter.

[marceline]

There have long been stories about Cosby's general rudeness even before the rape allegations. I generally don't blame people for that kind of thing because stars get approached in inappropriate ways all the time. Then again, Cosby has always felt free to tell other people how to act.

Also Gary Glitter is going to jail for 16 years. I mention that because I know someone cares deeply. I hope one day we get to see Cosby in a court.

[alphanguy74]

That is the most retarded statement I've read in years. Just how is being elected President of the United States TWICE, being "Not allowed to win"?

Edited February 28, 2015 by alphanguy74

[vote4llama]

Well, Obamacare for one.

[alphanguy74]

No president bats 1,000. But it got passed, and now many people are being helped by it.

[Eric83]

Him and his family have been called all types of monkeys and other racial slurs for the past six years. He gets called a Muslim thug who hates America on the daily. Let's not be obtuse sir.

[alphanguy74]

Of course.. and Jimmy Carter got called a stupid, inbred yokel, etc. etc. etc..... It's been happening for decades to all the presidents. It doesn't matter that a small percentage of loudmouths call him names, it matters that he WON the damn white house TWICE. Most people lose a couple of battles before they win the war. But if you want to keep supporting your narrative, I guess we'll just say the white half of him won, and the colored half lost.

Edited March 3, 2015 by alphanguy74