How Bill Cosby got it Wrong

Bill Cosby got it wrong. His many speeches regarding the plight of poor blacks in this country and their lack of personal responsibility were not only off the mark, but completely irresponsible.

Cosby failed to take into account many mitigating factors, in what became his regular rants on poor blacks in this country. For example, the last of the civil rights laws was passed in 1965, so it's been forty years since the physical signs of government sanctioned racism have been in place. Please explain to me how in forty years we are to undo centuries of terror and government sponsored segregation, emasculation and murder?

While I don't believe blaming the white man for your problems is the answer, preaching to a roomful of upwardly mobile blacks who are probably doing nothing to help those who are less fortunate then they are is pointless and doesn't do anything to help the cause of those you're complaining about. Poverty is a hard cycle to break; especially if you're black and suffer a history where, in the not to distance past, if you dared to assert yourself as an entrepreneurial, educated black person you could find yourself hanging from a tree.

This is a country that used to burn blacks alive for fun. That not to long ago raped a man with a broom handle and two years ago sent a young black boy to prison for having sex with a white girl. This is a country where there are several states that have never sent a white man to death row for killing a black man but routinely send black ones to death row for crimes that they may not have committed, look at Illinois, and that is not even a southern state.

Now as a young black woman who was raised by a single mother, one who was welfare and who only has a GED, I could so easily be one of those non English speaking, uneducated loud dressing, black folk he was talking about. But I'm not. I'm well educated and I am quite familiar with the English language. But guess what, I've been denied jobs and treated horribly because I am black and for no other reason. And if Cosby or anyone else thinks that that doesn't have an effect on those who are not blessed to have a parent who recognizes the value of an education and who adequately prepares you for the racist country in which we live, then he and everyone else who feels that way are sadly mistaken.

Cosby failed to mention the sorry state of secondary education in many of the poor neighborhoods in this country and how that impacts the lives of the poor and black in this country. Our tax based system for supporting public schools leave many in poor areas with inadequate buildings, teachers, textbooks, and curriculum. Can someone explain to me how kids get to high school without the ability to read or do simple math? That isn't simply their fault, or their parents fault but the fault of a system that will simply pass kids along and believe them incapable of learning and not really caring whether they learn anything or not.

How about a high school system that offers classes that are useless for entrance into college? Or where kids graduate and haven't taken a single algebra class? High school is supposed to prepare you for college, regardless of whether the teachers or administrators believe the students are capable of a college education. You can be a very responsible person but if you were never given the proper building blocks for success then that responsibility will get you nowhere.

America and apparently Bill Cosby has a short memory. And while blaming the white man is pointless, and waiting for racism to end is pointless, personal responsibility alone isn't the answer. You can take all the personal responsibility you want but if you're born black and poor in this country, then you have a lot of odds stacked against you and more then likely will succumb to that environment. Poverty alone is a hard cycle to break, add being black and the weight of a history that has routinely stripped you of your identity and self worth and you've got what can seem like, and for many people are, insurmountable odds. Forty years and a ranting, wealthy black man isn't going to change that.

To read more articles by Tamika Johnson or to have you book, music or film reviewed visit http://www.prologuereviews.com

Rolling Meadows Cadillac Escalade rental .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare
In The News:

These 35 Chrome extensions have privacy and security concerns. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says to delete them now.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says 329,000 mph fusion rocket promises to be fast, disruptive and enable deep-space missions.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a new autonomous AI is a game changer that also raises privacy risks. Is your data safe?
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says robots and drones are revolutionizing fruit farming with faster picking and smarter handling.
Landmark Admin revises May 2024 cyberattack scope to show twice as many people were affected. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson gives tips to help stay safe from an insurance data breach.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how Yamaha’s hydrogen outboard motor could revolutionize boating with zero emissions.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals how to memorialize or remove a deceased loved one’s Facebook account and protect their digital legacy from misuse or scams.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says an Apple Watch saved psychiatrist Amanda Faulkner by detecting deadly leukemia early.
Scammers and fraudsters are increasingly targeting the most vulnerable, especially nursing homes and the personal data of their residents. Kurt the CyberGuy has safety tips.
Infected USB flash drives can spread malware among multiple organizations in ways that can easily bypass traditional security systems.
With a fully automated warehouse system and AI-powered robots, Ocado's Hive picks, packs and delivers grocery store orders in just a few minutes.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Recycling robots are using artificial intelligence to learn how to sort recyclables by recognizing patterns in colors, textures, shapes and logos.
The Reachy 2 robot is designed to be friendly and approachable, inviting natural interaction and is perfect for research, education and experimenting with embodied AI.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares several easy ways to keep your credit cards safe from digital thieves while you're traveling this summer.
Arcturus sets up cameras around the edges of baseball stadiums to capture real-time action and generate a 3D digital clone of the game.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
The CyberGuy explains why healthcare organizations are vulnerable to hackers after there have been a half dozen data breaches this year.
Developed at two California universities, the innovative technology combines brain-computer interfaces with advanced AI to decode neural activity into audible speech.
Microsoft patches 12 critical flaws, but six have already been exploited by criminals. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says updating your system is only a short-term fix.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how robots can milk, feed and clean cows on dairy farms, boosting efficiency and comfort.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says quantum internet ensures unhackable security and redefines online privacy and speed.
Kawasaki's CORLEO is a hydrogen-powered, AI-driven rideable robot. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reports on this new way of thinking about off-road transportation.
The CyberGuy breaks down five mobile privacy terms that could make a difference when it comes to keeping your personal information safe.

Canning International Terrorists? Literally

Well here is a great new product, we first saw... Read More

Simple Middle East Peace Plan

I. WARS ARE BASIC CONFLICTS OVER LAND. II. BOUNDARIES. THE... Read More

Jobs and the Flow of Fuel

We see today a fierce unspoken competition between trucks and... Read More

Was Pakistan a British Creation?

The furore in the BJP camp in India, triggered by... Read More

Mexican Living: A Disabled Man Speaks for Terri

I am an incurably ill American male forced to leave... Read More

Asking For Proof in the Economic Pudding

There are no stupid questions, only stupid people. Ask an... Read More

Mother Russia and Poland

When Boris Yeltsin spoke about an experiment that 'they' wrought... Read More

The Revolt of the Poor: The Demise of Intellectual Property?

Three years ago I published a book of short stories... Read More

Wealth Distribution and Inheritance, What Will They Buy? Cars

Wealth Distribution is often discussed at length in periodicals such... Read More

The Economic Giant-- A Closer Look at China

IT'S NO LONGER NEWS THAT CHINA IS BECOMING A MAJOR... Read More

Governments Worst Agency

Everyone knows the United States Government often falls down in... Read More

What Price Loyalty?

With the recent shakeups in the presidential cabinet, it has... Read More

The Lemon Dance: Why Government Doesn?t Work

Former Senator, Daniel Moynihan, accurately summed up the situation when... Read More

Is America Bankrupt?

The US Dollar has been falling continuously in last year.... Read More

Belly Full of the Clintons [Political View]

As I read the papers and watch the news day... Read More

I am Not an African American

I am not an African-American. Don't call me an African... Read More

Accessibility Requirements for Fair Housing

PolicyFederal Fair Housing accessibility requirements for new multifamily buildings should... Read More

Elliot Spitzer, are the Rats Leaving the Ship

Are the junior attorneys in the Attorney General's office leaving... Read More

FTC Hurts Franchising Consumers

Last Summer the Federal Trade Commission came out with a... Read More

Will Cloning of Super Families Lead to Slavery

If slavery has not worked well, then cloning if it... Read More

A Need to Review Abortion Laws In Belgium

INTRODUCTIONThe aim of writing this article is to encourage the... Read More

Jay Hammond - Alaska Governor and Creator of the Permanent Fund

Former Governor of Alaska, Jay Hammond, died at age 83,... Read More

UK Elections on the Horizon

With elections on the horizon and Blair looking tired and... Read More

The Delicate Art of Balancing The Budget

Government budgets represent between 25% and 50% of he Gross... Read More

Politicians Are Like Car Sales People

Well, another election has come and gone in the US... Read More

Des Moines rental limo ..