Acting White Essay

Bill Cosby puts all African Americans in the category of ignorant and ghetto, living in the lower class. In the text he often attacks single mothers with no father in the household. Also, he attacks innocent children with bad parenting. I believe Cosby makes such statements because most of them are true. Even though I am a part of the minority or lower class I strongly agree and disagree with Cosby’s remarks. That’s because it is a high percentage of black households that are ignorant like Cosby is saying, but all are not financially able. Cosby reflects on lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal. His meaning is lower class people are not parenting. This argument is true and false, some lower class parents are whether it taking working 2 or 3 jobs or leaving there children with a babysitter to provide for their family. Some parents aren’t even trying leaving their children in the homes with no food or clothing. Cosby state’s where the fathers in our heritage are and I agree with his statement because African American has percentages of fathers not in their children’s lives. Most fathers don’t even have the chance either being incarcerated or mothers not having any type of relationship with them because the lacks of financial help with the children. In my hometown of Akron, I see examples of this problem everyday, signs posted with fathers name and how much owed back on child support. People putting their clothes on backward: Isn’t that a sign of something gone wrong? Hats worn on backwards, pants down around the crack isn’t that a sign of something? Cosby makes impairment statements in his text. I agree it is something wrong with it but the African American society accepts it. Also, we see it on television in rappers, singers, actors and athletes so it isn’t acceptable to change. Like a cold this is the most common symptom in the black community. I see young toddlers all the way to grown men with their pants below their crack everyday in my hometown as well as other cities. I even see it in places it shouldn’t be seen at public and private universities. At my University, central state, I see this problem is all over the United States and change hasn’t yet been implemented. Bill Cosby states we have millionaire professional athletes such as football and basketball players who can’t read or write two paragraphs. I don’t agree with this statement, I am a student athlete and I can read and write paragraphs I’m pretty sure it’s more athletes with reading and writing skills. Also states most African Americans have names like Shaniqua, Taliqua and Mohammad, this is true we as a people have made our names acceptable to society, so employers will take us more serious. Cosby makes a critical statement in the text â€Å"The idea is to one day get out of the projects. You don’t just stay there. † This statement is why I agree mostly with him. Most African Americans are living just to get by and not striving for excellence or even at least a Middle class lifestyle and it has been this way for decades. Last, the statement I agree with the most was â€Å"we cannot blame white people†. This statement is so true; African Americans tend to blame white people for their faults. I feel that we can’t blame people anymore because we have the same freedom and rights as them we live in a country where all are treated equal. In my hometown kids shoplifted in the malls and parents are called because their child is in the juvenile delinquency home. The parents often raging at the police, as Cosby says why your child is stealing for anyway, we can’t be so quick to blame whites responsibility has to be on oneself or bad parenting. I agree 100% with Cosby’s remarks because most of them were true. For African American people to disagree with such statements, we have to live up to higher standards and quit settling for less.