|
First of all, I love Dr. Cobb (I wish he was at Spelman when I was there)
I agree with alot of his points. I initially found the speech elitist and felt Cos was out of touch. However, I think Cobb presents an interesting viewpoint by placing his comments within a wider context
Truth told, reactionary, elitist, stereotypical and inappropriate as they were, there was really nothing black-specific in Cosby's comments. Every ethnic group in this country has experienced this dynamic of intra-group embarrassment. (I have long believed that the NAACP should give Jerry Springer an image award for pulling back the sheets on white American dysfunctionality.) [ST says CTFU!] And rich people have been declaring poor people immoral since the days of feudalism; the irony is that we've only recently generated black people who were rich enough to be taken seriously.
Also, I agree with Soror ST. That last statement is pretty strong (I wonder if he caught any flack for that). But, just as Cos was allowed to critique an entire segment of the black population, I feel it's only fair that his statements are critiqued as well. His statements should not be accepted as the gospel truth.
This respectability politic also ties together Cosby's entire career, from his days playing a Rhodes Scholar on I-Spy to his role as the successful obstetrician Heathcliff Huxtable on The Cosby Show and his noted criticism of Eddie Murphy for his use of profanity and sexual subject matter. In a society built upon one-dimensional, pathological views of black life Cosby's body of work — and his support for historically black colleges — is commendable. But positive imagery and philanthropic good deeds don't justify what is essentially hate speech. (This is some serious isht -- ST)
|