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

executive chauffeured services Bradford .. Madison to Airport car
In The News:

Getting virus alerts on your iPhone? Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson helps you learn how to handle fake scam alerts and boost security.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says opening emails is safe, but risks arise from interacting with links, attachments or HTML content.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals four signs of compromised Social Security numbers and offers five steps to protect yourself.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how MAB Robotics' Honey Badger 4.0, a versatile robot, now walks underwater with amphibious skills.
An updated Android trojan called FakeCall hijacks bank calls. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Android phone manufacturers and Google need to step up their game on security.
The Massimo Modular E9 is a sleek, smart and comfy tiny home in 409 square feet. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson takes a closer look at what the future of housing might look like.
Every stock trader should consider a virtual private network to safeguard their trading, according to tech guru Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson.
Apple recently announced its new lineup of Macs and rolled out Apple Intelligence, its latest artificial intelligence-powered feature for its products.
A Swiss-engineered robot can climb ladders, showing why it's at the cutting edge of autonomous robotic solutions for harsh industrial settings.
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson presents the cities targeted most by robocalls, why this is happening and what you can do about it to protect your privacy.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents
Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson shares tips and suggestions for how to get the best use out of the updated Calendar app available with the latest iOS update.
Your Social Security number, your unique identifier used for many purposes, has likely been leaked on the Dark Web; here are some steps you can take to protect yourself.
Researchers have developed a new technology that creates strong, sticky fibers capable of lifting objects and capturing things from a distance.
Smart rings track the same things that smartwatches do, including steps, sleep and a general overview of your overall health, and they tend have more battery life than smartwatches.
Researchers have developed a robotic finger that can perform routine medical exams like those conducted by doctors, helping to address the growing shortage of trained professionals.
Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.
Insurance administrative services company Landmark Admin reported that a data breach from a May cyberattack affected over 800,000 people.
Sotheby's will auction the first artwork created by Ai-Da, the world's first robot artist created in 2019 by British gallerist Aidan Meller.
More than 250 million users of the Verizon Messages app will have to switch to another app. Verizon is shutting down Messages in the next month.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson provides a list of 10 celebrities who are the most targeted by deepfake scams, including Tom Hanks.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson discusses how Vast's Haven-1, launching in 2025, transforms space living with human-centric design.
UnitedHealth confirms over 100 million Change Healthcare users had their data stolen. Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals what happened and what caused the breach.
Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains how iOS 18 brings new text formatting and animated effects to the Messages app.
Whether you're a social media veteran or novice, Facebook friend request scams are common. Kurt the CyberGuy provides tips to keep your account safe.

Gun Control? How About Crime Control Instead?

The second amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees every American... Read More

WiMax Election Strategy

So you are ready to run for public office are... Read More

The Protocols of Sion # 2

-The Protocol plan 'will remain invisible until the moment when... Read More

Joseph Campbell - Permanent Human Values

At the start of the US involvement in WWII Joseph... Read More

Toll Ways Hurt The Flow of Transportation

The United States has never done a full study on... Read More

Why Do US Media Ignore Secret UK Government Memo On A Mega Iraq War Conspiracy?

The blogosphere has been jumping around the story like crazy... Read More

US Government Regulators and Aides with AIDS

All government regulators or diplomat who are in high risk... Read More

Affirmative Inaction

One of Abraham Lincoln's claims to fame is the fact... Read More

Snowbirds and American Migration and Mobile Populations

We have seen an increase in Snowbirds from Northern States... Read More

We Are Turning a Corner in Foreign Relations, Thanks GW Bush!

Kudos goes out to the George Walker Bush's Administration and... Read More

Thomas Paine / Jefferson

Conor MacDari was a Mason but his Masonry deplored the... Read More

Richard Nixon, the truth

Richard Nixon was by far a most fascinating and colorful... Read More

Conservation of Water in Big Cities

Water Conservation in larger cities is less of an issue... Read More

Advances in Nuclear Energy; Safe, Clean and Reliable

The newest pebble reactors are easy to build and manage... Read More

If Terrorists Are To Become Slick Politicians, Yhey Need Time Rather Than God on Their Side

The number of countries in the world at the moment... Read More

Anglo-Israelism and the Flesh

Recently a friend insisted that I read a book by... Read More

Social Security Rant

As the Baby Boomer Generation continue to get older, one... Read More

Oil Pipelines and Rates of Flow

How much oil can travel through a pipeline? It depends... Read More

Economic Free Zones in Macedonia

Question: Dr. Vaknin ? is it true that you are... Read More

Federal Trade Commission Falsely Purports Franchise Disclosure is Cost Effective

In a recent report on the status of the Franchising... Read More

What is the Filibuster-Breaking Nuclear Option?

What is the so-called "nuclear option" that Senator Bill Frist... Read More

How Does the US Congress Really Work?

Many people do not understand politics very well. They often... Read More

The Contemporary Global Marketplace - IT, Software, and Services

"Had there not been outsourcing and utilization of cheaper resources... Read More

Between Hiroshima Japan 6 August and the NY 11 September!

Japan lit its candles of pure, "noble sadness" on the... Read More

Economic Illiteracy Can Be Very Costly!

I'VE ALWAYS ARGUED THAT ECONOMIC ILLITERACY IS VERY COSTLY.This is... Read More

O'Hare Chicago prom limo ..