[miss priss]

I have read posts on this thread especially by RBL that have been, quite arguably, on point. However, I view Cosby's comments as a multi-tiered issue. On one level you have the disintegrating and degradation of the black community, which leads to parenting, education and a whole list of issues. However, the way in which we address those issues needs to be tackled with a different approach. Instead of pointing out the problems and pointing fingers, we need to attack the problems and come up with solutions. Ignorance is not just a 'lower-class" thing it is a human one.

Over the last 40 years, for instance, there has been a disparity in education not just in the Afro- American household. (American) education's problem is systematic and being that AA have been apart of that old system of racism, and neglectism, and any other type of isms you can think of, we (AA) have fallen victim to the system. Unfortunately, no one agrees on how to fix the system; therefore our public schools lose funding, teachers are overworked and underpaid, and students become less educated. And not just public schools charter and private schools as well. AA, in inner cities and rural areas, bear the brunt of these changes because the "system" of non-college prep courses, not being taught real skills and trades are oftentimes presented to them. For example, we'll teach them to be a beautician but we don't train them in how to manage/own one....ya feel me?

We constantly complain about education but what about the educated taking a more responsible role in being mentors to our children outside of rappers and athletes? A mentor can be a man/ woman who drives a bus, votes in every election, and cares for their community. Those are REAL role models. That's the foundation of education.
It's more than collecting millions of dollars at a ball sponsored by the black elite and giving it to a fund. Our communities need capable bodies physically present so that kids in our communities are influenced by what they see YOU do. Not only that, parents MUST play a vital role in the education of their children. It seems today, parenting is conditional...leaving SOME parents to say I can parent if i didn't work two jobs, if I didn't have 5 other kids and my grandbabies, if I wasn't so lazy....if if if.?!!!
We have been stereotyped so ridiculously;starting with the way we talk right down to the way we name our kids. There needs to be a new renaissance in our community because what's happening to us is not a "class" thing it's a culture thing.