2004 Soap Box Archives

Bill Cosby 07/23/04

It’s almost impossible for anybody to say anything derogatory about the black community these days without being blasted as a bigot or a racist. It makes no difference how true the statements happen to be, the subject is totally taboo.

Bill Cosby, being black notwithstanding, has taken some pretty
caustic criticism for his recent remarks concerning the plight of young black people in America but he stood tall and continues to get his message out.

Mr. Cosby stated some statistics, which were not only surprising but appalling such as:

Fifty percent of black children are dropping out of school before graduation. Think about it, half of the black kids who start school never get a diploma.

Sixty percent of incarcerated males are illiterate and Mr. Cosby says there’s a correlation between these two statistics.

Seventy percent of pregnant teenagers are African American girls.

Mr. Cosby calls the situation an epidemic and says that it should be fought just like any other epidemic. Citing the music industry for promoting songs and videos filled with self-hatred and profanity. He said that songs of pain and anger require no need for intelligence.

He said that parents needed to stop talking about it, needed to embrace each other and make some moves, to stop waiting for help to come.

It took a lot of guts for Bill Cosby to come out and say what he’s said, knowing that he would receive some nasty and unfair criticism from the segment of black leaders who blame everything on outside influences.

What he has done is challenge the African American community to take the bull by the horns, pull itself up by its bootstraps
and to start with the children, making sure they get the education they need and that they are exposed to positive influences.

As Mr. Cosby put it,” there’s an epidemic out there and I’m ringing the bell.”

He says that he doesn’t care what his critics say, and he certainly will be soundly criticized for having the nerve to stand up and tell the truth.

My hat is off to Bill Cosby who is rich and could just ignore the situation and live a comfortable life without getting tangled up in what will probably be an ongoing controversy.

I believe that Cosby really cares and it is my fervent hope that
he will be listened to.

No child’s upbringing should be left to the influences of the street.

Good on you Bill Cosby.

Pray for our troops.

What do you think?

God Bless America

Charlie Daniels