Bill Cosby speaks to black community (old speech)

[kaydee457 13]

The criticism centers on Cosby's preaching-to-the-choir smugness and his attempt to oversimplify an extremely complex, multifaceted issue.

So what's the "extremely complex, multifaceted issue"? Please name a few facets.........How about a complex.

Well, you seem to be the resident expert on bad parenting in the inner city. What's your analysis of, say, the distribution of education funding vis-a-vis economic opportunity for those living in urban poverty? After all, Cosby's speech was given at an event celebrating supposed educational equity, so let's start there.

What's your analysis? Is it because they've been victimized? How about we tell them that they've been shorted every day of the week, every week of the month and so on.....until they reach adulthood?

BTW, if we're going to go into the slums where I grew up, I can tell you a nice lady like you won't get by long there. It's no place for a testy gal such as yourself.

I was the victim of black gangs in the late 1950's to the 1960's, as a white boy in Bedford Sty, Brooklyn from a dirt poor family, the only of which was white in probably 5 square miles!

It was quite the quandary; my best friends were black, and my mortal enemies were too.......

Wait, I'm looking to post "me" in my siggy in my pauper clothes......

[HAL 9000 96]

See, that's called personal history. Lop on top of that centuries of continuous discrimination. I mean, there IS a reason integration throughout the last 200 years has been a fallacy.

[Sheriff Uling 3]

Nothing! However, where was his outspoken and over the top condemnation of the plight of the African American community during the time when he was truly in the limelight. IMO, he was more concerned about accumulating wealth than speaking out or truly making a difference because it would have weakened his foot hole into the communities in which supported him. From my prospective, this is more than likely another platform for him to propel himself into the public eye for whatever reason. Who knows... I just don't buy his sincerity. If he feels so strongly about the obvious troubles in the African community, do more than just flap your gums.

yah...use Jesse Jackson...or even Al Sharpton as your role model. maybe Mike Tyson.

Or some rapper who refers to his sisters as bitches and ho's.

There are 2 17 years old kids in jail in Las Vegas in the last month for murder/robbery. These kids are shocked to find out that they will never get out of prision and cry every day....where were the parents I ask yu.

I personally do not prescribe any of those folks as role models. Parents really do need to step up in order to assist these young minds in navigating through all the chaos of information/misinformation they are exposed to these days. However, it is going to take even more than that to uplift the African American community, but it is one of the most important steps that requires a life-long commitment that being a parent demands.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

I'm just contributing to the debate, kaydee. I'm still trying to figure out how you're drawing your conclusions. I'm not sure why pointing out Cosby's simplistic explanation of the black community's problems makes me testy and apparently someone who would be torn to shreds in the bad-a$$ 'hood of your youth. You know little about me, so I ask you to please refrain from making assumptions about my experiences.

Please tell me where I've suggested that we emphasize and perpetuate victimhood.

I am a strong believer in equitable education funding, and it's my assertion that truly better schools that offer real educational opportunities--to include youth programs--are the first step toward decreasing poverty, and the crime and despair that go along with it. Girls wouldn't be having three babies before age 17 if they felt they had a future. And of course it comes back to parenting. No one is disagreeing that the family unit, however it may be constituted, is paramount. Nothing is more important that being cared for and encouraged. But Cosby's rant about idiot parents offers no practical suggestions, just a comic put-down.

Cosby, with his doctorate in education, should know a thing or two about the U.S. public education system. He celebrates Brown but doesn't note that schools in the U.S. are still greatly segregrated and that educatonal attainment disparities are huge. Much of this has to do with how public schools are financed. It needs reform, badly. Fix that--really fix it, not stupid temporary fixes like forced bussing and No Child Left Behind bull$#it--and you've got a shot at turning things around.

I get the impression that you lean to the right, and thus have faith in free markets and economic opportunity. One needs a decent education to harness these opportunities, wouldn't you agree?

What's your concrete suggestion? I've given one of mine.

Hint: You may want to organize your thoughts before tossing up a series of non sequiturs, as in your last post.

[kaydee457 13]

I'm just contributing to the debate, kaydee. I'm still trying to figure out how you're drawing your conclusions. I'm not sure why pointing out Cosby's simplistic explanation of the black community's problems makes me testy and apparently someone who would be torn to shreds in the bad-a$$ 'hood of your youth. You know little about me, so I ask you to please refrain from making assumptions about my experiences.

Please tell me where I've suggested that we emphasize and perpetuate victimhood.

I am a strong believer in equitable education funding, and it's my assertion that truly better schools that offer real educational opportunities--to include youth programs--are the first step toward decreasing poverty, and the crime and despair that go along with it. Girls wouldn't be having three babies before age 17 if they felt they had a future. And of course it comes back to parenting. No one is disagreeing that the family unit, however it may be constituted, is paramount. Nothing is more important that being cared for and encouraged. But Cosby's rant about idiot parents offers no practical suggestions, just a comic put-down.

Cosby, with his doctorate in education, should know a thing or two about the U.S. public education system. He celebrates Brown but doesn't note that schools in the U.S. are still greatly segregrated and that educatonal attainment disparities are huge. Much of this has to do with how public schools are financed. It needs reform, badly. Fix that--really fix it, not stupid temporary fixes like forced bussing and No Child Left Behind bull$#it--and you've got a shot at turning things around.

I get the impression that you lean to the right, and thus have faith in free markets and economic opportunity. One needs a decent education to harness these opportunities, wouldn't you agree?

What's your concrete suggestion? I've given one of mine.

Hint: You may want to organize your thoughts before tossing up a series of non sequiturs, as in your last post.

Ms. Your assertions that pumping money into an "equitable" education system is overly simplistic and is not the end all to this very convoluted, multi-faceted, and complex topic. We've been there and done that, ad nauseum!

We had the best of Public Schools in Brooklyn N.Y. and the blacks were not denied the same education as I, and in fact I was very much the minority in every class.

You seem to suggest that eductional opportunities are being denied the blacks. They are not. Additionally, you seem to promote "special" programs for those urban areas that have high concentrations of blacks, or other minorities and suggest that spending is the root of their problems.

Once again, overly simplistic.

You seem to ignore the fact that the black community subscribes to the "victimization" ideology and so the root of many of their problems are cultural, not economic.

They have been conditioned by the likes of Sharpton and similar types from birth. Solve that, and one won't need "special" social services programs for the urbana.

BTW, I highlighted the one sentence that indicates to me that you're ego exceeds your practical knowledge of what you purport to opine about.

Edited March 19, 2008 by kaydee457

[HAL 9000 96]

I am a strong believer in equitable education funding, and it's my assertion that truly better schools that offer real educational opportunities--to include youth programs--are the first step toward decreasing poverty, and the crime and despair that go along with it. Girls wouldn't be having three babies before age 17 if they felt they had a future. And of course it comes back to parenting. No one is disagreeing that the family unit, however it may be constituted, is paramount. Nothing is more important that being cared for and encouraged. But Cosby's rant about idiot parents offers no practical suggestions, just a comic put-down.

Cosby, with his doctorate in education, should know a thing or two about the U.S. public education system. He celebrates Brown but doesn't note that schools in the U.S. are still greatly segregated and that educational attainment disparities are huge. Much of this has to do with how public schools are financed. It needs reform, badly. Fix that--really fix it, not stupid temporary fixes like forced bussing and No Child Left Behind bull$#it--and you've got a shot at turning things around.

YES.

I may add though that values at home are an equal partner in guaranteeing success for the pupil. For this, though, you can't have mom and dad, or mom, or dad, in a system where they're not driven to see their children succeed precisely because they've lived in a society that has done nothing but assume their progress to be minimal and with the historical baggage the story gets even more intense. Seeds need nutrients and water for proper germination.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

I'm just contributing to the debate, kaydee. I'm still trying to figure out how you're drawing your conclusions. I'm not sure why pointing out Cosby's simplistic explanation of the black community's problems makes me testy and apparently someone who would be torn to shreds in the bad-a$$ 'hood of your youth. You know little about me, so I ask you to please refrain from making assumptions about my experiences.

Please tell me where I've suggested that we emphasize and perpetuate victimhood.

I am a strong believer in equitable education funding, and it's my assertion that truly better schools that offer real educational opportunities--to include youth programs--are the first step toward decreasing poverty, and the crime and despair that go along with it. Girls wouldn't be having three babies before age 17 if they felt they had a future. And of course it comes back to parenting. No one is disagreeing that the family unit, however it may be constituted, is paramount. Nothing is more important that being cared for and encouraged. But Cosby's rant about idiot parents offers no practical suggestions, just a comic put-down.

Cosby, with his doctorate in education, should know a thing or two about the U.S. public education system. He celebrates Brown but doesn't note that schools in the U.S. are still greatly segregrated and that educatonal attainment disparities are huge. Much of this has to do with how public schools are financed. It needs reform, badly. Fix that--really fix it, not stupid temporary fixes like forced bussing and No Child Left Behind bull$#it--and you've got a shot at turning things around.

I get the impression that you lean to the right, and thus have faith in free markets and economic opportunity. One needs a decent education to harness these opportunities, wouldn't you agree?

What's your concrete suggestion? I've given one of mine.

Hint: You may want to organize your thoughts before tossing up a series of non sequiturs, as in your last post.

Ms. Your assertions that pumping money into an "equitable" education system is overly simplistic and is not the end all to this very convoluted, multi-faceted, and complex topic. We've been there and done that, ad nauseum!

We had the best of Public Schools in Brooklyn N.Y. and the blacks were not denied the same education as I, and in fact I was very much the minority in every class.

You seem to suggest that eductional opportunities are being denied the blacks. They are not. Additionally, you seem to promote "special" programs for those urban areas that have high concentrations of blacks, or other minorities and suggest that spending is the root of their problems.

Once again, overly simplistic.

You seem to ignore the fact that the black community subscribes to the "victimization" ideology and so the root of many of their problems are cultural, not economic.

They have been conditioned by the likes of Sharpton and similar types from birth. Solve that, and one won't need "special" social services programs for the urbana.

BTW, I highlighted the one sentence that indicates to me that you're ego exceeds your practical knowledge of what you purport to opine about.

It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton.

I find it interesting that you're old enough to remember when black people couldn't have lunch at the same counter as white people, yet you seem befuddled that many black people still feel marginalized and, yes, victimized. I'm not saying that such an attitude is productive, but you must understand that this isn't ancient history.

I'm focusing on education for a number of reasons. First, this speech was delivered by someone with a doctorate in education, at an event celebrating a landmark court case about equality in education. The irony is that in reality, desegregation has done little to increase educational attainment among certain populations because the method for funding public schools has not changed. In addition, the people making the decisions about curriculum and teaching qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education. I'm not advocating throwing money at the problem, but read up a bit on how most U.S. public schools are funded, and you'll have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

[desert_fox 32]

One of my best friends...a black guy with a PhD in education....retired school Superintendent....would tell me of stories where a black kid would gets good grades...and the fellow black students would taunt him/her of trying to act white. Makes sense.....???

Once again...where are the parents in thisw process???

Go Bill Cosby!!!....he knows that "where you be?" is not good English and will not get you a job!!!!

[kaydee457 13]

I'm just contributing to the debate, kaydee. I'm still trying to figure out how you're drawing your conclusions. I'm not sure why pointing out Cosby's simplistic explanation of the black community's problems makes me testy and apparently someone who would be torn to shreds in the bad-a$$ 'hood of your youth. You know little about me, so I ask you to please refrain from making assumptions about my experiences.

Please tell me where I've suggested that we emphasize and perpetuate victimhood.

I am a strong believer in equitable education funding, and it's my assertion that truly better schools that offer real educational opportunities--to include youth programs--are the first step toward decreasing poverty, and the crime and despair that go along with it. Girls wouldn't be having three babies before age 17 if they felt they had a future. And of course it comes back to parenting. No one is disagreeing that the family unit, however it may be constituted, is paramount. Nothing is more important that being cared for and encouraged. But Cosby's rant about idiot parents offers no practical suggestions, just a comic put-down.

Cosby, with his doctorate in education, should know a thing or two about the U.S. public education system. He celebrates Brown but doesn't note that schools in the U.S. are still greatly segregrated and that educatonal attainment disparities are huge. Much of this has to do with how public schools are financed. It needs reform, badly. Fix that--really fix it, not stupid temporary fixes like forced bussing and No Child Left Behind bull$#it--and you've got a shot at turning things around.

I get the impression that you lean to the right, and thus have faith in free markets and economic opportunity. One needs a decent education to harness these opportunities, wouldn't you agree?

What's your concrete suggestion? I've given one of mine.

Hint: You may want to organize your thoughts before tossing up a series of non sequiturs, as in your last post.

Ms. Your assertions that pumping money into an "equitable" education system is overly simplistic and is not the end all to this very convoluted, multi-faceted, and complex topic. We've been there and done that, ad nauseum!

We had the best of Public Schools in Brooklyn N.Y. and the blacks were not denied the same education as I, and in fact I was very much the minority in every class.

You seem to suggest that eductional opportunities are being denied the blacks. They are not. Additionally, you seem to promote "special" programs for those urban areas that have high concentrations of blacks, or other minorities and suggest that spending is the root of their problems.

Once again, overly simplistic.

You seem to ignore the fact that the black community subscribes to the "victimization" ideology and so the root of many of their problems are cultural, not economic.

They have been conditioned by the likes of Sharpton and similar types from birth. Solve that, and one won't need "special" social services programs for the urbana.

BTW, I highlighted the one sentence that indicates to me that you're ego exceeds your practical knowledge of what you purport to opine about.

It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton.

I find it interesting that you're old enough to remember when black people couldn't have lunch at the same counter as white people, yet you seem befuddled that many black people still feel marginalized and, yes, victimized. I'm not saying that such an attitude is productive, but you must understand that this isn't ancient history.

I'm focusing on education for a number of reasons. First, this speech was delivered by someone with a doctorate in education, at an event celebrating a landmark court case about equality in education. The irony is that in reality, desegregation has done little to increase educational attainment among certain populations because the method for funding public schools has not changed. In addition, the people making the decisions about curriculum and teaching qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education. I'm not advocating throwing money at the problem, but read up a bit on how most U.S. public schools are funded, and you'll have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Umm, excuse me Ms. but you made the argument so why must I "read up" on this topic? Please, give me the readers digest version of how schools are funded, particularly in what localities you're discussing.

"qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education"

I'll not argue the point that bureacrats are ignorant of education for I don't know specifically who you're talking about.

Additionally, it seems to me that what you're discussing is regional and cannot be applied to all localities.

"It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton. "

I never said I blamed everything on Al, but rather the methods used by him and others under the guise of "Civil Rights activism" that feed this culture of defeatism. I submit that that is what the root cause of the problem is. A culture rooted in victimization.

You speak of symptomatic results of such as the lack of education. Lack of eductaion is a symptom, not a cause.

Edited March 20, 2008 by kaydee457

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Umm, excuse me Ms. but you made the argument so why must I "read up" on this topic? Please, give me the readers digest version of how schools are funded, particularly in what localities you're discussing.

"qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education"

I'll not argue the point that bureacrats are ignorant of education for I don't know specifically who you're talking about.

Additionally, it seems to me that what you're discussing is regional and cannot be applied to all localities.

"It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton. "

I never said I blamed everything on Al, but rather the methods used by him and others under the guise of "Civil Rights activism" that feed this culture of defeatism. I submit that that is what the root cause of the problem is. A culture rooted in victimization.

You speak of symptomatic results of such as the lack of education. Lack of eductaion is a symptom, not a cause.

The majority of public school funding comes from property taxes, almost everywhere.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

And if you keep calling me "Ms.", I'll have no choice but to call you "Tough Guy."

[kaydee457 13]

Umm, excuse me Ms. but you made the argument so why must I "read up" on this topic? Please, give me the readers digest version of how schools are funded, particularly in what localities you're discussing.

"qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education"

I'll not argue the point that bureacrats are ignorant of education for I don't know specifically who you're talking about.

Additionally, it seems to me that what you're discussing is regional and cannot be applied to all localities.

"It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton. "

I never said I blamed everything on Al, but rather the methods used by him and others under the guise of "Civil Rights activism" that feed this culture of defeatism. I submit that that is what the root cause of the problem is. A culture rooted in victimization.

You speak of symptomatic results of such as the lack of education. Lack of eductaion is a symptom, not a cause.

The majority of public school funding comes from property taxes, almost everywhere.

Duh, well I can certainly tell you that I well aware of that! But how is this a disadvantage in your opinion? I'm pretty sure that schools in the inner cities recieve both state (at least in NY) and Federal subsidies in addition to income property distributions.

And if you keep calling me "Ms.", I'll have no choice but to call you "Tough Guy."

Please, no kissy-slappy in the forums!

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Well, it's clear I'm not going to convince you that inequalities, both current and past, are at least part of the problem. I'm not an expert in sociology, criminal justice, or public policy matters (although I know a fair bit about educational policy), but I do know that there is no one solution to intergenerational poverty, be it rural or urban. And a striped-sweater-wearing schmaltzy black comedian who ridicules popularized aspects of inner-city black culture isn't going to change things with a rant to the converted.

I suggested educational reform as one possible contributor to increased opportunity. I'll leave it at that, Slappy.

[HAL 9000 96]

I'm just contributing to the debate, kaydee. I'm still trying to figure out how you're drawing your conclusions. I'm not sure why pointing out Cosby's simplistic explanation of the black community's problems makes me testy and apparently someone who would be torn to shreds in the bad-a$$ 'hood of your youth. You know little about me, so I ask you to please refrain from making assumptions about my experiences.

Please tell me where I've suggested that we emphasize and perpetuate victimhood.

I am a strong believer in equitable education funding, and it's my assertion that truly better schools that offer real educational opportunities--to include youth programs--are the first step toward decreasing poverty, and the crime and despair that go along with it. Girls wouldn't be having three babies before age 17 if they felt they had a future. And of course it comes back to parenting. No one is disagreeing that the family unit, however it may be constituted, is paramount. Nothing is more important that being cared for and encouraged. But Cosby's rant about idiot parents offers no practical suggestions, just a comic put-down.

Cosby, with his doctorate in education, should know a thing or two about the U.S. public education system. He celebrates Brown but doesn't note that schools in the U.S. are still greatly segregrated and that educatonal attainment disparities are huge. Much of this has to do with how public schools are financed. It needs reform, badly. Fix that--really fix it, not stupid temporary fixes like forced bussing and No Child Left Behind bull$#it--and you've got a shot at turning things around.

I get the impression that you lean to the right, and thus have faith in free markets and economic opportunity. One needs a decent education to harness these opportunities, wouldn't you agree?

What's your concrete suggestion? I've given one of mine.

Hint: You may want to organize your thoughts before tossing up a series of non sequiturs, as in your last post.

Ms. Your assertions that pumping money into an "equitable" education system is overly simplistic and is not the end all to this very convoluted, multi-faceted, and complex topic. We've been there and done that, ad nauseum!

We had the best of Public Schools in Brooklyn N.Y. and the blacks were not denied the same education as I, and in fact I was very much the minority in every class.

You seem to suggest that eductional opportunities are being denied the blacks. They are not. Additionally, you seem to promote "special" programs for those urban areas that have high concentrations of blacks, or other minorities and suggest that spending is the root of their problems.

Once again, overly simplistic.

You seem to ignore the fact that the black community subscribes to the "victimization" ideology and so the root of many of their problems are cultural, not economic.

They have been conditioned by the likes of Sharpton and similar types from birth. Solve that, and one won't need "special" social services programs for the urbana.

BTW, I highlighted the one sentence that indicates to me that you're ego exceeds your practical knowledge of what you purport to opine about.

It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton.

I find it interesting that you're old enough to remember when black people couldn't have lunch at the same counter as white people, yet you seem befuddled that many black people still feel marginalized and, yes, victimized. I'm not saying that such an attitude is productive, but you must understand that this isn't ancient history.

I'm focusing on education for a number of reasons. First, this speech was delivered by someone with a doctorate in education, at an event celebrating a landmark court case about equality in education. The irony is that in reality, desegregation has done little to increase educational attainment among certain populations because the method for funding public schools has not changed. In addition, the people making the decisions about curriculum and teaching qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education. I'm not advocating throwing money at the problem, but read up a bit on how most U.S. public schools are funded, and you'll have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Umm, excuse me Ms. but you made the argument so why must I "read up" on this topic? Please, give me the readers digest version of how schools are funded, particularly in what localities you're discussing.

"qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education"

I'll not argue the point that bureacrats are ignorant of education for I don't know specifically who you're talking about.

Additionally, it seems to me that what you're discussing is regional and cannot be applied to all localities.

"It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton. "

I never said I blamed everything on Al, but rather the methods used by him and others under the guise of "Civil Rights activism" that feed this culture of defeatism. I submit that that is what the root cause of the problem is. A culture rooted in victimization.

You speak of symptomatic results of such as the lack of education. Lack of eductaion is a symptom, not a cause.

So... if its not causative... what is it a symptom of?

A clear understanding of sequence would help.

[kaydee457 13]

I'm just contributing to the debate, kaydee. I'm still trying to figure out how you're drawing your conclusions. I'm not sure why pointing out Cosby's simplistic explanation of the black community's problems makes me testy and apparently someone who would be torn to shreds in the bad-a$$ 'hood of your youth. You know little about me, so I ask you to please refrain from making assumptions about my experiences.

Please tell me where I've suggested that we emphasize and perpetuate victimhood.

I am a strong believer in equitable education funding, and it's my assertion that truly better schools that offer real educational opportunities--to include youth programs--are the first step toward decreasing poverty, and the crime and despair that go along with it. Girls wouldn't be having three babies before age 17 if they felt they had a future. And of course it comes back to parenting. No one is disagreeing that the family unit, however it may be constituted, is paramount. Nothing is more important that being cared for and encouraged. But Cosby's rant about idiot parents offers no practical suggestions, just a comic put-down.

Cosby, with his doctorate in education, should know a thing or two about the U.S. public education system. He celebrates Brown but doesn't note that schools in the U.S. are still greatly segregrated and that educatonal attainment disparities are huge. Much of this has to do with how public schools are financed. It needs reform, badly. Fix that--really fix it, not stupid temporary fixes like forced bussing and No Child Left Behind bull$#it--and you've got a shot at turning things around.

I get the impression that you lean to the right, and thus have faith in free markets and economic opportunity. One needs a decent education to harness these opportunities, wouldn't you agree?

What's your concrete suggestion? I've given one of mine.

Hint: You may want to organize your thoughts before tossing up a series of non sequiturs, as in your last post.

Ms. Your assertions that pumping money into an "equitable" education system is overly simplistic and is not the end all to this very convoluted, multi-faceted, and complex topic. We've been there and done that, ad nauseum!

We had the best of Public Schools in Brooklyn N.Y. and the blacks were not denied the same education as I, and in fact I was very much the minority in every class.

You seem to suggest that eductional opportunities are being denied the blacks. They are not. Additionally, you seem to promote "special" programs for those urban areas that have high concentrations of blacks, or other minorities and suggest that spending is the root of their problems.

Once again, overly simplistic.

You seem to ignore the fact that the black community subscribes to the "victimization" ideology and so the root of many of their problems are cultural, not economic.

They have been conditioned by the likes of Sharpton and similar types from birth. Solve that, and one won't need "special" social services programs for the urbana.

BTW, I highlighted the one sentence that indicates to me that you're ego exceeds your practical knowledge of what you purport to opine about.

It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton.

I find it interesting that you're old enough to remember when black people couldn't have lunch at the same counter as white people, yet you seem befuddled that many black people still feel marginalized and, yes, victimized. I'm not saying that such an attitude is productive, but you must understand that this isn't ancient history.

I'm focusing on education for a number of reasons. First, this speech was delivered by someone with a doctorate in education, at an event celebrating a landmark court case about equality in education. The irony is that in reality, desegregation has done little to increase educational attainment among certain populations because the method for funding public schools has not changed. In addition, the people making the decisions about curriculum and teaching qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education. I'm not advocating throwing money at the problem, but read up a bit on how most U.S. public schools are funded, and you'll have a better idea of what I'm talking about.

Umm, excuse me Ms. but you made the argument so why must I "read up" on this topic? Please, give me the readers digest version of how schools are funded, particularly in what localities you're discussing.

"qualifications are often bureaucrats who know little about education"

I'll not argue the point that bureacrats are ignorant of education for I don't know specifically who you're talking about.

Additionally, it seems to me that what you're discussing is regional and cannot be applied to all localities.

"It sounds like you have some issues with the population under discussion, kaydee. You can't blame everything on a noisemaker like Al Sharpton. "

I never said I blamed everything on Al, but rather the methods used by him and others under the guise of "Civil Rights activism" that feed this culture of defeatism. I submit that that is what the root cause of the problem is. A culture rooted in victimization.

You speak of symptomatic results of such as the lack of education. Lack of eductaion is a symptom, not a cause.

So... if its not causative... what is it a symptom of?

A clear understanding of sequence would help.

I'll repeat. It's a culture of victimization, whereby the black community "condition" their young to believe that they are predisposed to failure as a result of, but not limited to, white people, white business, a federal goverment run by "rich white folk", a goverment that creates virus' to kill people of color, ad absurdum <fill in your own reasons here>.

The charlatans that have been preying on the balck community for generations, Al, and Jesse, have reinforced these crazy notions.

Edited March 20, 2008 by kaydee457