Was Bill Cosby right or wrong?

Bill Cosby’s address at the NAACP on the 50th anniversary of the Brown v. Board of education was definitely a shock to the black community, as well as the nation. Bill Cosby was a comedian, and a figure that was looked up to in the black community, however this speech ruined his career and reputation. Bill Cosby’s speech split up the black community into two. One side strong believed in what Bill Cosby said and agrees with him, while the other side disagrees with him and despises him. This speech impacted the black community very much, and even ruined his reputation, however I believe that he said was true.

Although, he expressed it in a cruel way that left you cringing in your seat, it is very much true and action should be taken. His speech was the last speech of the night that shocked the audience and left them speechless. In this speech, Bill Cosby talks about the generations’ problems and what the parents need to do to fix this. This generation has teenagers dropping out of school, ending up in jail and not having a future. This is not the child’s fault but the parents neglecting their child and not setting those standards. There is a huge difference in respect and behavior now and what it was back then.

Back then you would not do inappropriate things because it would embarrass your mother, and your family. Nowadays, parents would just say, “You are getting your butt kicked,” or “You are going to get smacked. ” This is not discipline, but a threat that does not work, nor teaches your child anything. Children need to be taught respect and values, instead of being spoiled constantly and dependent. Bill Cosby implies that the Brown v. Board of Education was not won to see teenagers dropping out of school, but to have successful and independent individuals. I strongly believe in what Bill Cosby said is true.

There is such a high dropout rate and where do they would they end up? Working part time jobs, or in jail. As a mother watches her son go to jail, she is crying, but the question is, where were you in his life? Where did he get this influence from? Where was his father? A child needs guidance, they cannot be alone in the world without guidance because what would they do? They would not know how to do anything without learning. A parent should always be in their child’s life, and as they get older to see them become independent and not have to worry over them. Dorothy Heights went through so much even just to walk to the school.

She needed national guards protecting her from whites that would spit and throw things at her. Then teenagers now are complaining about classes and whining constantly. Bill Cosby is not trying to degrade you or make you seem like you are the worst parent in the world. He is just telling parents that neglect their child to step it up, and teach their children to do well in school, or to be successful in the future. When you do not teach your child, or encourage them, or set standards for them they will fall and not have that support to get back on their feet to keep trying. Why?

Because they are not getting that support they need. Bill Cosby did not say this speech for no reason; he is making a point that the black community did not go through the civil rights era to see a fifty percent dropout rate, or failures. They went through the civil rights era to see the future leaders, to see strong independent individuals, and to see them become successful in life. You would say that his speech was definitely harsh on the black community and inappropriate to say at an anniversary of this court case, however I can understand why he would say his speech this way.

Sometimes when you want people to take action and tell them the truth you are going to have to say it harshly because it is the only way it is going to stick in their minds. It is hard to send a message and take that message and take action upon it. He uses a lot of heinous phrases that makes you cringe, but it makes you think. It makes you think am I doing my job as a parent? Am I there for my child when they need it? He uses these anecdotes and questions to have you reflect and think about your family and the black community as a whole. He wants you to see the truth and what is happening in this generation.

I understand that his speech should have been happy because it is the last speech at the night, but he is trying to say the truth that not everything is well in the black community. He wants to show you that the civil rights era did not happen for nothing, but it was for black rights. Teenagers in the black community nowadays are taking that for granted and do not think about that, but shrug it off as if it was not important. It may be harsh, but I know he said this to send a message to parents to be there for their children and not to spoil them with clothes and such, but to spoil them in education to be successful.

Bill Cosby’s speech talks about the faults of black society and the reasons for it and what should be fixed. There is such a high dropout rate and no one is doing anything to stop those dropouts from happening. Where are the parents that prevent that? Bill Cosby is proving this point that parents need to step it up and stop spoiling their children. They need to get an education for their children because it is hard to succeed in life without having an education. I strongly agree with Bill Cosby because it is not just in black society, but also in the nation. I see a lot of students nowadays disrespectful towards adults and their parents.

I see students that ditch school and act like that is nothing. It is hurting themselves as well as their family. Having an education is leading you up to be successful, it is your own life and you choose your path. You do not choose a path for your parents, but for yourself because you want to be able to buy things and have a family. This needs to be taught by parents though and standards need to be set and support needs to be there for the child. The black community is split in two between agreeing with Bill Cosby and disagreeing with him. I am on the side that agrees, and I support Bill Cosby all the way.