The Corner of Cross and Damon

April 22, 2008 by Marc Lamont Hill

Cosby and His Critics Still Don’t Have it Right
Matthew Birkhold

I’ve never thought Bill Cosby’s explanation for black poverty was right, but I never thought he was wrong for stressing personal accountability. Last week, both Ta-Nehisi Coates and John McWhorter reenergized the Cosby debate and got closer to the truth behind Cosby’s arguments than anybody else. Yet, neither sees the most logical reason for the increase in problems poor black folk experience. An increase in the size of the black sub-working class

According to Coates, Cosby suffers from historical amnesia and longs for the good ole days. Referencing sociologists from the 1930s throughout the present, Coates says Cosby’s “assertion that many of the problems that pervade black America are of a recent vintage—is simply wrong, as is his contention that today’s young African Americans are somehow weaker, that they’ve dropped the ball.” McWhorter agrees with Coates that the problems experienced in black America are not new, but adds that Cosby is correct to explain that the increase in these problems is caused by a cultural shift he sees created by welfare dependency.

McWhorter is right to agree with Coates about the historical existence of these problems. His assertion that these problems have increased in number and severity is also correct. Where McWhorter goes wrong is when he suggests that the increase in these problems is the result of a cultural shift. The increase of historic problems in the black community can be explained by the increase of in the size of the class that experiences these problems.

In 1901, W.E.B. Du Bois observed that the poorest black folk in Philadelphia were more likely to drink more and commit crime than other blacks. Du Bois didn’t argue that poorer blacks lived by different cultural norms, he said that as a consequence of over 250 years of enslavement the unemployed were often unemployable. Because they had no jobs, they either turned to the informal economy or may have become depressed and turned to alcohol. People who are unemployable in a capitalist economy are members of a class called the sub-working class.

After the great migration, the majority of African Americans were transformed from members of a largely peasant agricultural class to members of an urban working class. Denied equal access to education and promotions, African American factory workers became unemployable when factories began to automate in the 1950s and finally close in the 1970s and 1980s. As automation and deindustrialization increased, so did the number of sub-working class blacks.

In the 1950s, members of the sub-working class may have worked as neighborhood mechanics or done odd jobs. Those who did not pursue odd jobs may have turned to gambling and/or drinking. By the 70s, those who would have turned to alcohol in the 50s may have turned to heroin. In the 80s, those who would have turned to alcohol in the 50s and heroin in the 70s, turned to crack.

Crack’s introduction to black communities in the 80s had another profound impact on the black informal economy. Many young people who may have had the skills to be a neighborhood mechanic or do odd jobs saw the possibility of making unprecedented money selling drugs. An increase in selling drugs also brought with it an increase in guns, violence, and murder. As the black sub-working class got larger and drugs became more easily available, the number of both drug dealers and drug addicts grew.

The increase in problems experienced by very poor blacks, the black sub-working class, is not due to a cultural shift amongst black people. It is largely attributable to the reality that as time has progressed, opportunities for informal employment have become more destructive.

What neither Coates nor McWhorter discuss is that sub-working class black people in the early 1900s probably responded to their situation the same way sub-working class blacks in the 60s did, which was probably the same way sub-working class blacks in the 80s responded to their situations. Today however, the world we live in is far more materialistic and violent than ever before. Additionally, sub-working class black communities have been devastated by the legacy of crack, a decrease in things like after school programs, and an increase in access to drugs and guns. Because of this, when members of the sub-working class black community respond emotionally and intellectually to unemployablity today the same way people did in 1910, 1960, or 1990, it is far more detrimental.

If these problems are to be resolved, they must be addressed at two levels. The easy level is jobs. However, in a postindustrial economy, creating working class jobs is no easy task because service sector jobs pay low wages. Because the prospects for living wage employment are not high, community activists, and the members of the sub-working class themselves, must work to develop programs that foster healthier responses to changes in the US economic structure.

Matt Birkhold is a Brooklyn based independent scholar, writer, and educator. He can be reached at birkhold (at) gmail (dot.) com.

Categories: MLH
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6 Comments

1. ChgoSista wrote:

“We are not a pitiful race of people. We are a bright race, who can move with the best. But we are in a new time, where people are behaving in abnormal ways and calling it normal…” ~Bill Cosby

April 22, 2008 @ 1:25 pm

2. knowledge_base wrote:

I concur with Matt.

April 22, 2008 @ 1:31 pm

3. Mrpowers06 wrote:

Good read.

April 22, 2008 @ 1:45 pm

4. Blaxx wrote:

I really enjoyed reading this

April 22, 2008 @ 1:48 pm

5. Regkam2 wrote:

Here’s a recent response that I posted on my blog concerning Cosby’s rant ‘You can’t blame White People’.

‘ A Reply to Bill Cosby’s “You Can’t Blame White People”

Greetings!

1st, I think its rather odd that we consider the opinions a comedian about the conditions of black people rather than the opinion of a clinical psychologist (Dr Francis Cress Welsing) or a historian/scholar (Dr John Henrik Clarke or Dr Yosef Ben Jochannan) as to what is ailing our people and solutions to heal us.
This is the same as going to a mechanic to fix your teeth.

2nd, instead of going to the people whom he refers to and having a honest dialog with them, he (cowardly) attack them from afar at a banquet (NAACP Convention) or on TV (CNN). I was taught that if u had a problem with someone, u don’t talk about them behind their back, you go and talk to them about whatever misunderstanding there maybe.

Now, I admit that I agree with some of his comments about us, but I believe that he is doing a disservice by not looking at our situation, holistically. Mr Cosby attacks this problem like most of us have been trained to view our situation, in fragments. Its just like if a doctor discovers that his/her patient has cancer, he/she will attack that particular part of the body instead of treating and healing the whole body as well as mind and spirit. And they treat a disease with chemicals and radiation (poison). But I digress….

Mr Cosby begins his rant discussing how some of us speak, but doesn’t he remember that he created a cartoon name cartoon named Fat Albert I guess he forgot how the characters of his show (Dumb Donald, Fat Albert, Mush Mouth, etc.) articulated their thoughts. He made a whole lot of money by ‘pimping’ how some talk in the ‘hood. Also, he believes that only poor Blacks talk in this manner. I know many Black youth (as well as their parents) who don’t speak the ‘King’s English’ and walk around saying ‘why you ain’t’ ‘Who that is’, etc. Most Blacks (as well as whites) don’t be correct English so its not about class. Mainly, it is a direct reflection of the educational system in
this country (which is piss poor for most youth). Now, I agree that to increase your chances to become successful in this world, one has to learn how to become an effective communicator, but doesn’t have to speak the ‘Kings’ English to become successful in this country. But let’s stop pretending that one class of people only talks in a certain way.

Another thing, I know several people who a carpenters, plumbers, in lawn service, mechanics, barbers, & business owners who a pretty decent living yet are challenged when articulating their thoughts and opinions. Some of these people make more money than I do (college certified, oops I mean degreed).

Mr Cosby goes on to say that people marched and got attacked so that future generations can have opportunity for a decent education and lifestyle. I disagree.

Most people in the Civil Rights struggle march for integration (which they thought would lead to the above mentioned). But if we honestly look back, today’s educational experience of Black youth is worst than 40 or 50 yrs ago. We did a disservice to
them by assimilation (’cause it was not an integration).

He goes on to say that people are not parenting, well this is true across the social-economic plain in America.

I know as many dysfunctional youth in Middle class homes than coming from poor class. Its not a matter of class or money, its culture (or the lack therefore). He goes on to talk about how poor spend their $$$ (shoes , clothes, etc.).
Again, most blacks are consumers and are broke, not just the poor. Whose buying the expensive homes, the expensive cars, living like there is no tomorrow?
Not just the poor Blacks. Where does Mr Cosby and his wife reside?
What does he drive? Has he ever watched ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous’ or ‘Entertainment tonight’? Actually, the poor class are imitating the consuming habits of the middle and upper midlle class.

Also, who says that Mr Cosby has done a great job raising his children. Talking about someone else’s morals, he may need to check himself (adulterer).

He goes on to talk about how we are not Africans (I guess our history started in slavery (1619) and that we should not embrace the rich legacy of our African heritage which the oldest of all people’s history). I guess that Jewish people should get over calling themselves Jews since their history and heritage was over a millennium ago or that Italian Americans should stop claiming Italy since some of them have never been there or that the so-called Native Americans shouldn’t embrace their
indigenous heritage since they were damn near wiped out 300 yrs ago and stop wearing their native garbs and embracing their native tongue. Its best to be thought as a fool than to open your mouth and remove all doubt. One of the main reasons why Blacks suffer in this country is because they do not embrace the best of their African heritage.

I can go on and on pointing out this man’s ignorance about who he is and what is ailing us as a people, but for time sake I will end this by saying, if one of us suffers, all of us suffers. Each one of us reading this blog have family members who could do better so instead of attacking them we should love and educate (uplift) our family members.
At the same time, we should improve ourselves and be honest about who we are and where we come from. This struggle is not about me or u, its about us. And until more of us (not necessarily will of us) understand this and embrace our rich African heritage (as well as learn from our mistakes), we will continue to suffer or worse Blacks will perish.

One more thing, if Mr Cosby speaks or some other KNEE Grow with a little money criticize Black folks from afar, think about what has he done (beside giving $$$ to colleges – tax break) to alleviate the problem that he/she speaks on. Mr Cosby, where your affordable housing complex or job training site? Where’s your school to educate/train parents how to be better parents? where’s your factory or business in which Black people can make a decent living to feed, clothe, and shelter their offsprings? Where’s your rites of passage program for Grown males who don’t know how to be men? But I forgot this would require more than running your mouth.’

April 22, 2008 @ 5:03 pm

6. Ray wrote:

This is a pretty cool piece. However, I think the point that people aren’t getting is that Bill Cosby is stressing how too many black people are allowing themselves to spiral downward into the pits of society. You hinted on the concept of personal responsibility but that doesn’t seem to be a strong point in Black culture today. I believe this is also directly connected to our moral standards which seem to be diminished in areas where poverty is prevalent.

The point is this: If I choose to sell crack, then I’m making a decision to trample on the minds of my weaker brothers and sisters for my own personal gain. I’m a horrible person for that and I have nobody to blame but myself. If I lose my job and can’t find work, it’s because I am not actively seeking to gain employment in areas that are experiencing growth. If my children aren’t doing well in school, it’s because I did not invest the time to make sure that they are receiving proper instruction from their teachers, and reinforcing basic life principals at home.

We drop the ball when we perpetuate the mistakes of our parents. We drop the ball when we continue to hurt our own brothers and sisters by selling drugs to them and killing them over stupid rivalries. We drop the ball when we don’t encourage each other to save money, invest in our education, love our neighbors, participate in the democratic process, and seek to live Godly lives. Many of us are making progress, but we have to challenge the sordid mentalities that still exist in our communities. Let’s show these kids how to think and grow as wealthy and wise men.

April 22, 2008 @ 6:52 pm

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