I Think Bill Cosby Is Right!

     Although I am almost two years behind, I feel a need to say something about the August 27, 2009 article I read on-line at Post Bourgie, by guest contributor Jeremy R. Levine at Social Science Lite. The article entitled Racial Inequality and the Rhetoric of Responsiblilty addresses Brown University economist Glenn Loury`s "Culture, Causation and Confusion: Why Bill Cosby is Wasting  His Time" with the rhetoric of responsibllity. I have a problem with Mr. Lourys` assertion.

     It has been about two years since I last heard Bill Cosby on public access TV in Detroit give his diatribe addressed to the Black community. Bill Cosby received a lot of flack about "airing our dirty laundry" from the African American community, but he is right! Glenn Loury speaks of Black communal responsibility by disagreeing with the likes of Bill Cosby, and President Obama. "This rhetoric of `black communal responsibility` suggest that the solutions to racial inequality are cultural, and the illdefined `black community` should therefore bear the burden of `fixing` its collective deficiencies." Yes, we in the Black community are going to have to fix our deficiencies by paying close attention to our culture. We need to be very concerned about the embracement of an anti-intellectualism, heathenism, and vulgarity that is accepted in our popular culture, and diminishes our soul, humanity, and our greater African American culture and heritage. Loury goes on by referring to us as an "illdefined `black community`". Illdefined? I think we are Welldefined by our shared history in America since 1619.

     Loury tells us the "black community", black culture", and "black leaders" are political constructs. I think he is right, but I disagree that those terms are void of intellectual definitions. The act of slavery in which other nations agreed upon were external forces that defined  "black". Most importantly we define "black" because we live our lives. Chicago sociologist Mario Small has argued that "there are multiple black communities and multiple black cultures". Is anyone supprise with that? African American culture is not monolithic, but we belong to the same struggles.

     Glenn Loury goes on to point-out the black community cannot be counted upon to solve problems without instutional means. I just disagree with Loury. One of the biggest institutions we have is the Black Church. We also have those important voices to sound the alarm, and inform; voices such as Al Sharpton, and Bill Cosby.

     You can see this article yourself on Racial Inequality and the Rhetoric of Responsibility by going to www.stumbleupon.com/su/53Psf7/postbourgie.com/ .