Georgia judge who gave blacks-only lecture teams with Cosby
April 25, 2008 -- Cosby and Superior Court Judge Marvin Arrington spoke at a forum for at-risk youths from the Atlanta area. Both men are black.
By WALTER PUTNAM
ATLANTA _ Bill Cosby says apathy among some black Americans about violence, drugs, profanity and teenage sex has sunk to a level of asking someone to "pass the salt."
The comedian, who has made waves by criticizing the black community in the past, appeared Thursday night with a Georgia judge who kicked whites out of his courtroom while he lectured black defendants.
Cosby and Superior Court Judge Marvin Arrington spoke at a forum for at-risk youths from the Atlanta area. Both men are black.
"Our children are trying to tell us something," Cosby said to the predominantly black audience at Benjamin Mays High School as he talked about the importance of education and family.
He amused the invitation-only crowd of about 600, which included teenagers identified as "at-risk" by juvenile authorities, with a lament about nonchalant reactions to common problems.
"Well, the mother's on crack cocaine. Pass the salt."
"That girl's baby has no father. Pass the salt."
"Oh, he shot him in the head? Pass the salt."
Cosby, dressed casually in sneakers and a Morehouse College T-shirt, said there are examples of success, and there are examples of failure.
"We look at failure and we're like, pass the salt."
He dismissed critics of his approach who have said that he is airing dirty laundry in the black community.
"That's crazy," he said. "There are black people who have to walk around this dirty laundry."
The judge, who in contrast to Cosby was wearing a gray, three-piece suit with white shirt and pink bow tie, said the comedian contacted him two weeks ago and said, "'I want to come to Atlanta and help you with your fight to try to turn these young people around.'
Chris Tucker also attended at the event. The comedian-actor, who starred in the "Rush Hour" films, urged audience members to find something they're passionate about, saying it's otherwise very easy to get into trouble.
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Georgia judge who gave blacks-only lecture teams with Cosby
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View All Comments »Sophie at 04/27/2008 11:19:16 PM
Comment:
A father who rapes his daughter is a pathological sociopath, not a wayward teen. The judge preaching to that sicko should have saved his energy for those who are NOT pedophiles. There's a difference between troubled youth and a sex predator.
Caddoboy at 04/27/2008 9:36:46 PM
Comment:
Spike thinks you should kick the White people out so he can "correct" these idiots in front of him, without doing it in front of Whites. Don't worry, the White community already knows these idiots are worthless and criminals. What the judge should have done is dress them down in front of the entire courtroom, then he should have taken on their parents, and finally, people like spiker who feel that it is important to protect the vulnerable black youth from White people.
Moxie_Nouveaux at 04/26/2008 11:52:47 PM
Comment:
Kudos to both Mr. Cosby and Judge Arrington. Nowadays it seems that no one has any hope for anything, and that lack of hope is continued being passed down to the next generation. Whenever I see kids and young adults, it's almost like they're the walking dead. No emotion, dragging their feet, no care in the world.
We as a community seriously need to do our part and not sit and wait for government to do things. We need to build more parks, fields, and community centers for kids to go play, get physical education, art, music, more afterschool activities back in schools, make sure school administrators start really caring about the kids and teachers so where they won't have to be in fear of violent students (recent headline story in Baltimore should wake folks up) and they can try to learn in peace, enforcing homework (I've seen way too many kids with seemingly empty bookbags or none at all), and for goodness sake, get rid of the No Child Left Behind act.
We also need to act like a real community again. Like years ago, when a child got in trouble, one neighbor would tell your mom/dad, and there was no question you would be in trouble. Now, the parents are young and let kids run wild (good example, my neighbor, who in her words, she didn't know who her kids were hanging around. Sad thing was that she seemed proud to announce that fact). And when their kids get into some kind of trouble, they're always quick to fault everyone else. And dads, you need to be there for them too. Walking out on your family and responsibilities doesn't make you a man, you will never be "free", and it will haunt you some day.