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Jesse Jackson's Letter to Michael Eric Dyson
Open Letter Regarding Harsh Criticism of Dr. Bill Cosby
By Reverend Jesse L. Jackson, Sr.
While I respect the intellectualism and intent of Dr. Michael Eric Dyson, and treasure our friendship, his attacks on Dr. Bill Cosby are too harsh.
Cosby has paid his dues. He has earned the privilege of having and expressing an opinion about the plight of Africans in America. In his groundbreaking sitcom, The Cosby Show, unlike many of today’s unapologetic, commercial purveyors of filth and degradation, Cosby uplifted black college and family life in ways that permanently changed perception and reality. There is a great distance – philosophically and politically – between Bill Cosby on the one hand, and those like Clarence Thomas and many artists who use their power and access to media to hurt the cause of civil rights and social justice.
On a personal note, I recall Bill’s alignment with, not distancing from, the civil rights movement. On one occasion, Bill Cosby did a concert to raise funds for the movement, and many who normally would come to see him would not come. So Bill later did events without announcement of its fundraising purpose, would pack the house, and then support the movement directly. He is the longest and largest single source of support for the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and is well known for his and his wife Camille’s support for Spellman College, Morehouse College, and our historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Early on, Cosby was a major supporter of our organization’s Push for Excellence Program in 1975. Former South African President Nelson Mandela spoke often of how The Cosby Show struck a blow to apartheid caricature of Black South Africans; so careful was Bill (with the assistance of Dr. Alvin Poussaint) to make sure the content and images on the show were positive and uplifting. It is one thing to disagree with his views, but quite another to personally denigrate him to make one’s point. To do so is to diminish his commitment and service.
There is no real debate in the African American community concerning personal responsibility. It is well settled that while institutional inequality and injustice are real, they never excuse doing less than one’s best to overcome the effects. Certainly, African Americans and the poor face structural inequality. Cosby argues that while it may NOT be the fault of Blacks for being in poverty, it IS our burden to challenge and break out of it.
We marvel at our athletes enjoying success DESPITE growing up with inferior resources: rocky baseball diamonds, hoops without nets, dilapidated public tennis courts and public golf courses. But athletes make choices to overcome—not succumb—to such obstacles, to not let anyone hinder them from achieving their goals. It is fair to say when rules are public, goals are clear, and the playing field is even, all people, regardless of ethnicity do exceedingly well. But if one group is far behind for any reason in the race of life, that group must run faster. We, as African Americans have much ground to make up. As a community and a people, we must make good choices.
If the playing field is uneven, those who succeed and benefit most from the struggle of others are not the ones who make it even. It is always the VICTIMS of the uneven playing field who must rise up and make it even – that’s the legacy of our civil rights struggle: Not blaming the victim, but securing social responsibility.
Cosby, like many artists, feels that African Americans cannot tolerate the hieroglyphics of destitution and music that commercially recycles degradation as “truth”—none of which can be reconciled with dignity.
There is an historical and palpable anxiety with the challenges raised by Cosby. However, his is not a new message and is one that should not be distorted or twisted to serve one’s own view. Ministers and teachers convey Cosby’s message to us every day. Cosby’s prominence should not be misused to justify the political right wing’s predisposition of being indifferent to the pain of poverty, and to blame communities for the plight of people who live there. The right wing historically has twisted the words of Jesus and used the Bible as a weapon to justify slavery, segregation and racial superiority; they twist the words of Dr. Martin Luther King to justify their anti-affirmative action rhetoric.
Speaking at the 50th anniversary of the 1954 Brown v. Board Supreme Court decision—after 247 years of slavery—Cosby reflected on the price paid by our lawyers, martyrs and common citizens at great risk, facing violence and lynch mobs on a daily basis. Thinking of the price they paid for our momentous victories, he commented that many of the beneficiaries of these struggles are now nonchalant and dismissive about their sacrifice. Today, many have lost the will to fight back against FEWER odds, with un-sound priorities, engaging in commercialized self-degradation and undermining self-determination. Therefore, such people suffer from a dignity deficit disorder.
Cosby issued a clarion call to demonstrate and show what all of us can do if we have the will and use our power and accept the challenge of taking on today’s rightwing so determined to roll back the gains of the last 50 years. So, we should respect Dr. Cosby’s cumulative record of service and appreciate the context of his pain and challenge. We cannot justiably make Bill Cosby the “poster child” for cultural insensitivity.
Keep our eyes on the prize and keep hope alive!
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