Bill Cosby: Tough Love or Out of Touch with Low Income African Americans?

Dr. William Cosby is a man who has worn many hats during his 70 years on this earth. He has spent many years as an actor, comedian, television producer and activist. Today, he wears a new hat, as America's Grandfather. Like a loving grandfather, he is dishing out in your face, tough love in a book co-authored with Harvard Medical University's Professor of psychiatry Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint appropriately named "Come on People".

In recent years, many in the African American community accuse Billy Cosby of airing the dirty laundry within the African American community. Some criticize his tactics with the opinion that he is not helping black people but rather talking down to them. Some see him as an old rich man who does not know what really goes on in black communities across America.

Of course not all African Americans are on welfare, live in single parent homes or wind up in jail, but the fact remains ONE black person falling into this life of despair is one too many. These are the people that Dr. Cosby wants to reach with his message, the ones who are making bad choices in their lives. Life is about choices and bad choices are the same for everyone regardless your race, but this message does need to be shouted from the rooftops for black people to hear simply because the bad choices that black people make have far worse consequences for them than any other group.

For example, we all know about the difference in sentencing when it comes to cocaine and crack- we all know about the 3 strike rules and the only way we can over come being caught up in a system that is designed to keep black men in jail is simply do not commit these crimes! So as you see, institutional racism is alive and well, that is evident in Jena, Louisiana and inner cities across this country. We have to take responsibility for our own actions- we can not always use the excuse of poverty when it comes to OUR children going out there and doing stupid things.