Some Thoughts On Bill Cosby and Meet The Press

Bill Cosby and Dr. Alvin Poussaint, were guest on Meet the Press with Tim Russert this past Sunday speaking on Mr. Cosby and Dr. Poussaint’s new book Come On People. A couple things stood out to me during the interview. Mr. Cosby defended himself concerning the accusation of airing our “dirty laundry” in the public and again he told us the “dirty laundry” hits the streets, buses and rail systems every day at 2:30. I know I see and hear the “dirty laundry” chattin away on my daily commute, but I must say the wheat and the tares do travel together, so not all I see of our youth is the “dirty laundry.” He also, said that if “you’re Black and you are studying you will be told by your peers you’re acting white. So lets examine this. When this is said what are you saying about Black people?” Its amazing how, children say this (I have heard them myself) without realizing what they are saying on the converse about themselves!!

At any rate the, near the end of the program, they also said along with all the other ills people on the “lower echelon of the economic ladder” are facing that many fathers are not in the home. Man, I have heard many comments on this situation and the one I hate the most is “a woman can’t raise as boy to be a man”, but I digress. The thought came to me that the so called “majority society” has passed down to us, their mores and norms and many of us have accepted their way of life. For instance, Mr. Cosby told a story of a friend of his that's now a minister in North Carolina, but was previously in prison. The minister has spoken of a “shake down” that goes on in prisons where the inmates have to disrobe and the correctional officers will search all the inmate’s belongings. Mr. Cosby told parents to go to your child’s room and take it back, perform a “shake down” in your child’s room. I wondered, when did this change for Black people? I know in my parents house, my room was not “my room” but "their house" and they would check all parts of their house whenever the spirit hit them.

The “majority society” tells us the reason for much of our ills (and they may have a point, possibly coming from the Moynihan Report of 1965) stem from no dads at home or at least no dads active in their children’s lives. Now, if they truly believe this they surely pass a poor message along via their mind altering drug called television sitcoms. In one episode of the King of Queens, the wife of the main character baby sits the 4 year old son of her boss, to make brownie points in hopes of getting a promotion. In the scene she asks the father of the child, what are some of the things the child enjoys and the father says “I don’t know his mother runs the day to day care of the child” strange comment of a man that lives in the house with his child. The next instance I saw was on another one of their beloved sitcoms, Everybody Loves Raymond, his wife decides to run for PTA president. Ray is at home with the three children and the house is a mess, he can’t control the children and he feeds them some of the worst food. In both instances these are men live in the home with their children and know absolutely nothing about their children. Tell me white folk what's the point?  Living in the home and know nothing about your child is somehow better than Black men that don't live with their child?  Lastly, on the sitcom Two and a Half Men, the one divorced father who is attempting to be in touch with is child is portrayed in a light of having homosexual tendencies!!! What are they saying? If you are a real man you know nothing about your child? If you try and know your child you’re effeminate?

The so called “majority society” has poison fruit to give. And, many Black men and women have bitten into their fruit/social norms. Black men run away from their children and the responsibilities towards them, similar to their white counter parts. Are they afraid of being labeled homosexual by the society they unconsciously look up to? Many Black women do not strive for the best in their children, no less themselves. “She was raped, big deal…” says a woman living in the Dunbar Village Projects of West Palm Beach, Florida. A woman, raising a son. What has happened? There seems to be a sense of ultimate defeat in some Black people.

Comments

[Alisha9]

I watched this interview as well, and the statistics were staggering! What stood out to me the most was the stat that said there are entire blocks of black children who have NEVER attended a wedding!! That's deep.

[Victor Amenta]

Alisha9, I am always amazed how small people have let their world get.

[Femigog The Sable Eklektik]

I saw this interview as well. and what really hit was the pervasiveness of Low Expectations and honestly when I was living at home it was my mothers house. She knew my friends and my whereabouts. I dont know what we think is going to happen if we engage in our kids lives. Great post!

[Victor Amenta]

Thanks Sable. What you say is exactly true. They knew my friends and what was in my room. I remember my mother finding my older brother's "stash" and she took him to the bathroom with her when so he could see her flush it and she raised sand for about a week...LOL

[Victor Amenta]

I must stress that when I say "Black men run away from their children and the responsibilities towards them, similar to their white counter parts. Are they afraid of being labeled homosexual by the society they unconsciously look up to?" I am not talking about ALL Black men and when I say "Many Black women do not strive for the best in their children, no less themselves. “She was raped, big deal…” says a woman living in the Dunbar Village Projects of West Palm Beach, Florida. A woman, raising a son." I am only speaking of that percentage of people that are living in this 85% mindset!