I am gonna get cussed for this...
I am going to get slammed for this. I am going to be called a Nazi, a Klu Kluxer, and that’s going to be mildest of the epithets.
I am going to assume the absolutely wrong position in modern society. I am a white man who is going to offer commentary on black culture. I am curling up, and assuming the position, for what will follow.
This was not my brightest idea. I don’t like getting slammed, and I particularly loathe the sliming as a racist. However, I grew up as a white boy in The South, and I bear my burden. We didn’t always do the right thing.
Taken to task for not posting more often on my friend's web sites, I stayed awake and entertained my frequent visitor, the Insomnia Monster, at 0400 the other day.
I was rewarded with something called "Soul Plane". The best movies from the Left Coast arrive on my satellite in the wee hours of the morning. Snoop Dogg may have a sense of humor more subtle than mine about the black condition. I am disturbed about the state of black culture. I have common ground with Bill Cosby. When I was just a Southern redneck pup, he tought me how to respect black people, and how to tell a joke without cussing.
I have albums from his early-60s stand-up routines. Since I eschew profanity on this modest blog, I will assure you that he never called anybody “a MF”.
“Soul Plane” had an amusing moment. I can’t remember it. Booty, rap, and cultural values that involve the frequent employment of “MF” are not what my gut Coz would call values. Regardless of color, I hear some kinds of excuse that this is a cultural rebellion against “white” values.
Is there a problem with learning to take care of your children? Balancing that checkbook is a valuable asset, too. They kind of work together, for holding the family together.
Coz is a black guy, and speaks in a clearer voice than I ever will. I have one clean statement to make: something is wrong. I’d like to dodge your politically incorrect bullet, so you decide what the problem is, and get back to me. Meanwhile, I guess the “Soul Plane” flies on.
I am going to assume the absolutely wrong position in modern society. I am a white man who is going to offer commentary on black culture. I am curling up, and assuming the position, for what will follow.
This was not my brightest idea. I don’t like getting slammed, and I particularly loathe the sliming as a racist. However, I grew up as a white boy in The South, and I bear my burden. We didn’t always do the right thing.
Taken to task for not posting more often on my friend's web sites, I stayed awake and entertained my frequent visitor, the Insomnia Monster, at 0400 the other day.
I was rewarded with something called "Soul Plane". The best movies from the Left Coast arrive on my satellite in the wee hours of the morning. Snoop Dogg may have a sense of humor more subtle than mine about the black condition. I am disturbed about the state of black culture. I have common ground with Bill Cosby. When I was just a Southern redneck pup, he tought me how to respect black people, and how to tell a joke without cussing.
I have albums from his early-60s stand-up routines. Since I eschew profanity on this modest blog, I will assure you that he never called anybody “a MF”.
“Soul Plane” had an amusing moment. I can’t remember it. Booty, rap, and cultural values that involve the frequent employment of “MF” are not what my gut Coz would call values. Regardless of color, I hear some kinds of excuse that this is a cultural rebellion against “white” values.
Is there a problem with learning to take care of your children? Balancing that checkbook is a valuable asset, too. They kind of work together, for holding the family together.
Coz is a black guy, and speaks in a clearer voice than I ever will. I have one clean statement to make: something is wrong. I’d like to dodge your politically incorrect bullet, so you decide what the problem is, and get back to me. Meanwhile, I guess the “Soul Plane” flies on.
posted by Robert at 3:30 PM
14 Comments:
I've read a lot of articles by prominent Black writers regarding the sorry state of what passes for culture amongst their brethren.
I was born in poverty, and lived in a bad neighborhood in Philly. Rather than sell drugs or go into the human sex slave trade, I went into the military to get a more lucrative vocation. It has worked quite well, and I would recommend it to anyone, regardless of: race, creed, color, gender, etc., ad infinitum.
You know the maximum effective range of an excuse...
Camo, did you have 2 parents that loved each other and you? That seems to make a huge difference (I can attest that even that is not always enough) but there are shockingly few children of color that have even that small edge.
An excuse for bad behavior? No, it's a reason and there is a big difference but it does seem to mean quite a bit.
That's the only reason that I favor abortion. It cuts down in kids that will be unloved, unloved kids are the absolute worst.
I know this sounds overly religious but God is watching. He knows our society, both black and white is on a self destructive crash course. No society has ever survived with booty, drugs and children out of wedlock. The "black," culture has now washed over to white folks and schools like Timken High School had a 42% pregnant enrollment last year
Having grown up in the city of Detroit in the 60's and 70's, where I was the minority, it's never made sense to me the cry of victimhood so many espouse. The Catch 22 is success makes you like whitey and you don't want to be like whitey so don't succeed; a self defeating syndrom. The way Coz is blasted for promoting responsibility as traitorous to his people makes me ill. Powell and Rice are Oreos instead of being held up as heros and role models. True success for black youth today is to be a rapper, basketball player or gang banger/drug dealer.
sigh.
Sorry bob, I'm not buying it. Sure, having two parents in the home is a good thing, BUT more and most important is having parents that instill respect, importance of education, responsibility and self determination. Black, white, brown, yellow, one parent or two, raised by grandparents or whatever, those are the things that make a decent human being.
Well, we have something stirred up here.
By tradition [and who thought that one up?] I am not supposed to comment on black culture. Those cultural anomalies, while not racially exclusive, are regarded as the sacred territory of black commentators. However, when someone like Dr. Cosby (and yes, I checked, he has a Ph.D. and a right to that title) speaks out, he gets slammed as a rich "Oreo cookie" or "a house nigger."
Meanwhile, all those rappers without any talent to sing, dance, or play an instrument envy Coz's fortune. Rap "music" was invented for those who can't sing, dance, or play an instrument. Even the noted child predator Michael Jackson can do better than these raving wannabes.
Robert Heinlein produced a wonderful story years ago. In the traditional sci-fi mode, he explained the speed of light and the size of the universe that God watches over. His bottom line? God's on his way back to our little corner at the speed of light, and He's not going to be pleased when he gets here. Nod to Shelly for reminding me of that.
I don't buy your abortion argument either, Bob. I'm bitching about a 1-in-3 rate of illegitimate births that is accepted as a societal norm, and the price of business at "booty calls." Nice try on the "unloved kids", though. Has anyone "unloved" a kid enough to murder them? It's a rhetorical question, so please don't hand me the horror stories about newborns in bathroom sinks at isolated gas stations. I have enough horror in my past; aren't we supposed to be making the future better?
Easy folks, as I have stated before neither me nor mine has gone the abortion route, it is wrong for us (at least so far) but, for those that know for certain that their child will have no life, will end up in jail or dead (yes, there are folks that are certain of this) then they should have the option. All aborted babies are not cute and pink, I'd venture to be quite the opposite. Until there are no need of orphanages (all eligable childred are adopted) then we need the option.
Oh heck, just shoot me now, seems those opposed to abortion are for war, kinda odd really. Protect the unborn but send them already born to be maimed or killed. If that works for you, fine
Bob, that's an argument from the school of thought that tries to draw a moral equivalency from support of the death penalty with opposition to abortion.
Soldiers and criminals are grownups. They make their choices. They had a chance to grow up. Hard-core criminals may not be happy about surrendering their lives, but that's the upshot of their choices. Military personnel who die in the line of duty exmplify that Bible verse about "no greater love...than he who gives up his life..."
We're not gonna take you out and shoot you, Bob, but don't expect any slack for suggesting unborn chikdren have the the same options as grownups. Wait 'til you see my next post.
Aw heck, I hardly care, shooting me would be a blessing right now. My daughter managed to stay out of trouble for a total of 3 days on probation. She's not gone yet, should be in school today but once the paperwork goes through she will be gone for a long, long time.
I'm rather cranky as a result, don't mind me
I guess all those Kennedy kids who have gotten into trouble ,were unloved?
We are doing a little Sterotyping here. There are good black people and bad ones ,just as there are good white people and bad ones.
I am acquainted with a 41 year old woman ,who has had three illegitimate children ,has shacked up with different men since she was 17,has been on welfare or aid, more than she has not.She has had every opportunity for education at no cost to her (We the taxpayers paid),but she has never held a job longer than a year. Her children were all sexually abused ,either by tyhe father's family members or caregivers. Now one of the daughters has started the same path , 2 children without fathers,tho with a series of boys/men living on her aid.
These 3 children were loved and she did care for them very well until they got into their teens then as they begin to have teenage problems ,she just abandoned them,emotionally.
The 41 year old was dearly loved and pampered. Her sibblings have turned out fine .Quite successful ,in fact .
This family is white.
More and more I am reading of a growing Black Middle Class,with parents who marry and stay married.
The black middle class has always been there, Barb.
They get shouted down, and denigrated because they haven't done anything "special."
Sometimes living our lives, and doing our best for our children, is "special". In fact, doing the right thing in what the celebrities think of as "mundane" circumstances is often more heroic than anything their privileged selves can imagine.
Like this one.
http://www.gazetteextra.com/matriarchreunion050806.asp
During a recent training session at work (a state facility, where all the employees earn good money, work is easy and the benefits are very good) a young black woman stated, so all could hear, that only white males could get promoted. She did this while sitting next to a black woman (very talented and deserving of her position) that held a rank of Captain (three promotions) after working only six years for the state! The Captain said nothing, while most of the class sat there astounded. The Captain is now working as an acting Assistant Deputy Warden. She has achieved this in six years, where the normal time it takes is nearer to twenty (for a hard working, smart and dedicated employee). She sat there and allowed this ignorant person to make that statement without correcting her.
That's why black folks keep the cry of racism going, when it is long defunct. Because those who know better keep quiet and allow it to happen.
Ironically, the black middle class had its largest expansion during the Reagan administration. More blacks became homeowners, independent business owners, and were able to provide a better quality of life for their children than at any other time in history.
So much for stereotyping. The average conservative is portrayed as someone seething with hatred; someone whose Klan robes are never completely out of sight in the closet. The fact that we sleep on our sheets, instead of wearing them, seems to escape those who trumpet the liberal agenda.
Let us not forget that Dr. Cosby's family, like mine, has been touched by murder. He knows both ends of the emotional spectrum. Despite that, he has kept his sense of humor, and is one of the most rational people I can think of. If he says something wrongful is afoot, I, for one, am going to sit up and listen.
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