And then there's Bill (Cosby)

I keep receiving these e-mails about the great Bill Cosby, the one-time comedienne and TV personality, and his tirade about black people and what we’re doing wrong in our child-raising. I don’t disagree about the outwardly observable behaviors. But there’s something that goes a whole lot deeper that has very much to do with our racial history in this country. Bill shows no sensitivity to the complexities of that peculiar and unique American black experience. Those realities don’t serve as excuses for civic misbehavior, lack of scholastic interest, or maladjusted family relationships. But it takes more than media-attention humiliation to encourage people to change for the better.

What did Bill do to bring up people before he started putting down people? What improvements did he make before he started complaining about what improvements should be made – by other people? When his own “glass house” got broken, did he ever admit – publicly – to his own failings?

It’s not what or how he’s telling the truth, it’s that his truths seem shallow and certainly one-sided. Here’s what I heard: Bill’s family had their own problems. If his child became a junkie, his wife must have read her daughter bedtime stories, tended to her care and welfare, and brought her up with good manners. All was done while Bill was out being the great comedienne and TV personality – and hardly ever home. All was done while he was supposedly placing himself in positions to being accused of impregnating other women – just not getting caught. His wife performed motherly acts that didn’t take exorbitant amounts of money to do a good job, so why wasn’t Bill there to be the father the child needed?

Or is life all that simple.

My opinion: Bill Cosby beats his breast about global observations and condemnations, while wearing self-imposed dark shades and steel-armored self-reflection.