Is Barak Obama speaking Bill Cosby's words?

[Rudey]

Originally posted by Bamboozled
This never ceases to amaze me. Rudey, the only black leaders I'll ever need in my life are my dad and someday my husband.

Good for you. In my community we enjoy having leaders and are proud of our achievements outside of the family. Again, I don't live in your community or have personal attachments to it but it seems as if there is no community for you - just families.

-Rudey

[Bamboozled]

Originally posted by Love_Spell_6
People say ALL THE TIME that politicians need to address BLACK ISSUES discussed in this thread and beyond. I'm not sure how much you keep up with politics but this is the main flame many Black Democrats throw at Republicans that they don't pay attention to "our issues." You quote things that YOU consider to be black issues i.e. education, housing employment etc. and my response is that there are lots of opportunities out there..and if the priorities in the black community were right we'd be taking advantage of them. The government can't do EVERYTHING. We need to stop waiting for the government to legislate things to make it easier for us and take advantage of the MANY opportunities that are already available to us. THERE IS NO PRESIDENT, BILL OR POLICY THAT CAN "FIX" THE THINGS WRONG IN THE AFRICAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY (BECAUSE ITS NOT LACK OF $$, ACCESS TO EDUCATION, EMPLOYMENT ETC.) IT HAS TO START WITH US!

Let's be clear here. We're talking about comments made my Bill Cosby. The comments he made were about the way our children speak, bad parenting skills, people stealing pound cake, expensive tennis shoes, etc... Are you trying to tell me that your interpretation of what most black Democrats want is someone to step in cure those types of ills? While I don't speak for all black people (contrary to popular belief), I think I can fairly say that that is ridiculous. Since you seem to be the expert on this, please outline for me what you believe these "black issues" are. Actually, that's okay, I just realized that I really don't even want to know, lol.

Originally posted by Love_Spell_6
What do you mean you don't see the point? Are the issues a secret?

No, these issues aren't a secret at all and you and Bill can yell them from a mountaintop if you want. It just seems an ineffective method to me. DO something about it if you're so compelled to speak on it. Everything else is just rhetoric. We know there's a bad element. Now what?

Did you notice how I totally just skipped over that whole "white" spiel? I don't even know where that came from, lol.

Originally posted by Love_Spell_6
And I just don't understand how some of YOU sit around here disagreeing just to be disagreeing based on your emotions and not facts, are in denial about the urgency of the situation in the black community...

So my argument has no merit just because you don't agree with it? Yeah, okay. How can you claim I'm in denial when I clearly posted that I'm aware of the many ills in the black community? I even listed some of them. Not only do I acknowledge them, but I make active efforts to alleviate them.

Originally posted by Love_Spell_6
"...are they comfortable in their own skin"

You like that, huh? You may as well make that your new siggy since it shows up in all your posts anyway, lol.

And for the third time I ask:
I just don't get how some of you on here sit around agreeing with the masses, posting slanted statistics, saying, "yeah, my race is in an awful state, isn't it?" Well, where does that place you? And better yet, what are YOU doing about it?

Anyway, this has been entertaining and all, but I have a life I need to go live.

[AlphaGamDiva]

i don't think one has to be a nationally known "leader" to be a "leader." you keep asking what she (and everyone else in your community) physically DOES to make things better. well, maybe right now they are doing something......by bringing up the issues, acting against the steretypes in their daily lives, and just being a living example. i don't think everyone needs to get a petition going or host a rally or be famous to be active in this fight.


but i'm just a lil white girl, what do i know?

[Bamboozled]

Originally posted by AlphaGamDiva
i don't think one has to be a nationally known "leader" to be a "leader." you keep asking what she (and everyone else in your community) physically DOES to make things better. well, maybe right now they are doing something......by bringing up the issues, acting against the steretypes in their daily lives, and just being a living example. i don't think everyone needs to get a petition going or host a rally or be famous to be active in this fight.

If Lovespell and I agree on nothing else, I think we agree that the answers start at home. Therefore, if anybody needs to be doing the "leading", it should be our fathers and husbands (assuming they're leading down the right path). Clearly, living by example doens't do the trick, so I'm looking for alternatives.

Originally posted by AlphaGamDiva
but i'm just a lil white girl, what do i know?

You said it, not me. LOL.

Seriously, I'm done with this topic.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by Rudey
Good for you. In my community we enjoy having leaders and are proud of our achievements outside of the family. Again, I don't live in your community or have personal attachments to it but it seems as if there is no community for you - just families.

-Rudey

I guess I am a bit confused at to what you mean by "community" and us Black folks not having one???

I can leave my response short and to the point or I can give you a dissertation...

Let me put it to you like this... It is the old ideas of civil rights, which many key organizations are using to dismantle bigotry and racism. Those are the ones you see on TV...

The newer ideas may have RPG's attached to it with terrorist actions... But, those are a bit novel and can get one put into Guantanamo Bay...

Fortunately, a person of color who NEVER speaks out against improper imprisonment and injustice MIGHT not be harangued by those who officially represent the government. But is that any more of a democracy with the home of the free and the brave?

The fact is what does the US Constitution and Bill of Rights say??? How are the laws enacted and implemented??? Are there common ethical understandings rules and relationships that we follow??? I am not in this field, so I do not know. But the law has a way of affecting folks that were once disenfranchised, discriminately, regardless of education, rank and level of intelligence...

Just be falsely accused of anything... I have before... I would not wish that on anyone... And you do not talk your way out of Hell...

So, the "old fashioned" way of dealing with injustice was confrontational with marching onto Zion... A newer way is using violence... Yet a better way is to respond in Love... And you win hearts over, but you might lose your life for it...

I dunno what the answer is... But, I know that an injustice somewhere is an injustice everywhere if we say we stand for true democracy...

And President Bush was NOT democratically elected no matter how one slices the Wonder Bread...

[Rudey]

Monet baby I meant that for me I can talk about the community as a whole and talk about leaders because that's my experience. I've also heard black folk talk about community and leaders. If someone on here sees this all as a just a bunch of families with fathers as the leaders, fine, but that's their experience.

As for Bush being elected Democratically, this thread isn't about that now is it? Regardless the system of checks and balances is quite a Democratic concept in our government - the oldest government in the world to my knowledge actually.

-Rudey

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
I guess I am a bit confused at to what you mean by "community" and us Black folks not having one???

I can leave my response short and to the point or I can give you a dissertation...

Let me put it to you like this... It is the old ideas of civil rights, which many key organizations are using to dismantle bigotry and racism. Those are the ones you see on TV...

The newer ideas may have RPG's attached to it with terrorist actions... But, those are a bit novel and can get one put into Guantanamo Bay...

Fortunately, a person of color who NEVER speaks out against improper imprisonment and injustice MIGHT not be harangued by those who officially represent the government. But is that any more of a democracy with the home of the free and the brave?

The fact is what does the US Constitution and Bill of Rights say??? How are the laws enacted and implemented??? Are there common ethical understandings rules and relationships that we follow??? I am not in this field, so I do not know. But the law has a way of affecting folks that were once disenfranchised, discriminately, regardless of education, rank and level of intelligence...

Just be falsely accused of anything... I have before... I would not wish that on anyone... And you do not talk your way out of Hell...

So, the "old fashioned" way of dealing with injustice was confrontational with marching onto Zion... A newer way is using violence... Yet a better way is to respond in Love... And you win hearts over, but you might lose your life for it...

I dunno what the answer is... But, I know that an injustice somewhere is an injustice everywhere if we say we stand for true democracy...

And President Bush was NOT democratically elected no matter how one slices the Wonder Bread...

[Love_Spell_6]

Originally posted by Bamboozled

You like that, huh? You may as well make that your new siggy since it shows up in all your posts anyway, lol.
Anyway, this has been entertaining and all, but I have a life I
need to go live.

Just to let you know you've been chosen (out of a tight 2 way race) to be my fan club president Congrats!!

Originally posted by AlphaGamDiva
but i'm just a lil white girl, what do i know?

A whole lot more than some of the other girls on here

[Phasad1913]

Originally posted by Bamboozled
I totally agree with you on this. I'm learning to stay out of these types of discussions on GC, but I had to jump in here. It's not just the black family that is on the decline, it's the human race.

Yes, there are some in the black community not holding up their end of the bargain. Yes, some need better parenting skills, more education and a more innate spirit of determination. I can't deny that. But that's not MY reality. I was raised by two parents, as were most of my friends. I've gone to some of the best schools, I work my ass off every day, I don't plan to have children out of wedlock and I'd like to think I contribute to society on a daily basis. Most of the people in my circle live similar lives. So, why I am supposed to defend the actions of those who decided, consciously or due to circumstance, not to better themselves? I don't ask white people to speak up for their Uncle Bubba living in the backwoods of Kentucky, having relations with his daughter every night. Or Aunt Sally from the trailer park who spends her entire welfare check on Vicodin or at "the Walmart". All I can do is make sure my house is in order and be an example to those coming after me.

The fact is, we live in a classist society. There is always going to be a lower class in every race. Why is it front page news because Cosby/Obama acknowledges this? I really think this a case of some non-black people (and some black people) taking this opportunity to look down on "those lazy, ignorant blacks" because it makes them think their own shit don't stink. Guess what? Roses really smell like boo boo. I read the paper, I watch the news, and I know from personal experiences that there are lots and lots of degenerate white people (and every other race) out there. The black people on here shucking and jiving and agreeing with this nonsense seem to think, or at least hope, that looking down on other blacks separates them from the pack. I just don't get how some of you on here sit around agreeing with the masses, posting slanted statistics, saying, "yeah, my race is in an awful state, isn't it?" Well, where does that place you? And better yet, what are YOU doing about it?

What I don't get is why this is being discussed ad nauseam over here. Why discuss it if 1) it is not relevant to you and/or 2) you have no desire to help remedy the situation? For those of you that have said this type of stuff "needs to be said" (Honeykiss, I got this from your post), my question is, why? What good does it do? The audience who needs to hear it isn't listening and probably wouldn't give a damn if they were.

I have nothing else to ad...other than "What she said!"

[Rudey]

Why are people upset this wasn't posted in an NPHC forum? I thought some might enjoy it and I don't see this as an NPHC issue only. The only thing I can think of is that there would be more control over who sees it and what they can see.

-Rudey

[Love_Spell_6]

Originally posted by Rudey
Why are people upset this wasn't posted in an NPHC forum? I thought some might enjoy it and I don't see this as an NPHC issue only. The only thing I can think of is that there would be more control over who sees it and what they can see.

-Rudey

i dont get it either. but methinks u're right.

[AKA_Monet]

Originally posted by Rudey
Why are people upset this wasn't posted in an NPHC forum? I thought some might enjoy it and I don't see this as an NPHC issue only. The only thing I can think of is that there would be more control over who sees it and what they can see.

-Rudey

Because, Sweetheart, nobody cares what they said about how bad it is for Black folks...

The question my soror is asking is why are you posting this topic in the News & Politics forum and hardly any of the NPHC organizational listings have any extensive discussion regarding what Obama and Cosby said???

Why are hardly any of the NPHC forums not discussing this topic, well, maybe we are sick and tired of hearing the negativity... Who wants to be told of poor outcomes and statistics all day... HAYLE, some of us work in highly charged environments and sometimes we want to let loose, have a beer and discuss deep topics as to which Kama Sutra position is the best... I dunno... DAYUM!!!

Some of us don't want to here what somebody who is not in our "realm" of reality start talking about "things" that only Black folks experience... And really, to put it bluntly, some of us just don't care... Especially on a Friday night... We might just want to "step in the name of love" or some chit like that... Who knows???

Either way, you can post what you want, where you want it and have those who are willing to discuss these items with you if they want...

The question still on some folks minds are, why do you care, anyway?

[Rudey]

Do I care how blacks feel internally toward each other? No. I thought people might be interested in this article is all and might miss it. It wasn't on an NPHC forum. Why? Well regardless you didn't miss it just in case you wanted to read it. That's why I put the disclaimer up when I posted. Even if I had posted it in an NPHC forum, which one?? What about people who are interested in it and not in an NPHC?

-Rudey

Originally posted by AKA_Monet
Because, Sweetheart, nobody cares what they said about how bad it is for Black folks...

The question my soror is asking is why are you posting this topic in the News & Politics forum and hardly any of the NPHC organizational listings have any extensive discussion regarding what Obama and Cosby said???

Why are hardly any of the NPHC forums not discussing this topic, well, maybe we are sick and tired of hearing the negativity... Who wants to be told of poor outcomes and statistics all day... HAYLE, some of us work in highly charged environments and sometimes we want to let loose, have a beer and discuss deep topics as to which Kama Sutra position is the best... I dunno... DAYUM!!!

Some of us don't want to here what somebody who is not in our "realm" of reality start talking about "things" that only Black folks experience... And really, to put it bluntly, some of us just don't care... Especially on a Friday night... We might just want to "step in the name of love" or some chit like that... Who knows???

Either way, you can post what you want, where you want it and have those who are willing to discuss these items with you if they want...

The question still on some folks minds are, why do you care, anyway?

[Tom Earp]

The sad part is insinuations by a few people ruin this whole thread.

"I do not care about Those Folks" is short sighted and ignorant.

When did we all not care about each other?

I do not give a shit about race or relegion, just the person.

It seems that one person gets glee on pushing buttons with his/her comments .

Colony had 1 white, 1 Black and 1 Asian All Americans in my hearing committee to fight for their status! to keep the Colony Alive, I fought like Hell for them! This was what Greek Life is supposed to be all about! Intteraction of People Race and Relegion.

Is there some one who does not understand that?

[Rudey]

Some people care about blacks when they tell them to go back to Africa.

-Rudey

[GRhinoUK]

I think the main problem lies in the fact that society at large is very calss and race oriented. It's the same reaosn we've been arguing over the best thing to do for "our people" for more than a hundred years. It's the same reason we have yet to come up with an answer.

Blacks have been expected to be one homogenous group that are like minded and share the same experiences and goals. That couldn't be further from the truth. I had to go through quite a few knocks to learn that, but I did. That's why discussions like this both bother the hell out of me and draw me in. There is no "black experience" other than the general results of being black in an upper class white society. (Anyone who disagrees that being black in America places you at a disadvantage is either a fool, a liar, or naive.) It took me a long time to realize there was nothing wrong with me if I happened to have more in common with the white person on my left than I did the black person on my right. I spent a long time not being "black enough" but during that time, I never heard of one white person not being "white enough" or an asian not being "asian enough." It wasn't until recently I while was going over a paper I had written for an African American history course that it really hit me: blacks are no more homogenous or unified than any other race, but we've spent a long time being told that we should be.

No one guilts an upperclass white for not uplifting lower class whites or from trying to seperate themselves form that negative aspect of the white community. If a black does the same thing, it's only helping keep us down. Choosing to associate outside of your assigned group is rarely loooked upon as badly by whites as it is by members of minority groups. Why? Because no one is telling them they're supposed to look out for each other.

Like I said earlier, more than a hundred years and the issues are almost still the same. Unfortunately the only way to really fix this problem would be to bring about a near impossible shift in attitudes and preceptions that affects every person in this country. The sooner people realize there is really nothing that holds anyone together other than artificial significance arbitrarily assigned to different genetic phenotypes, the sooner everyone can go about fixing their real problems.