JOSEPH C. PHILLIPS COMMENTARY: Calling Out Cosby

The conservative Republican actor addresses comedian Bill Cosby (with whom he co-starred with on the hit sitcom "The Cosby Show") and critics of the liberal comedian's personal responsibility crusade that targets black communities: "Among the gems from Cosby's speech last year, he was quoted as saying: 'The lower economic people are not holding up their end in this deal. These people are not parenting.' How I wish he had not uttered those words. Whether a poor choice of words or a misguided elitism as some of his critics have charged, the effect has been to sidetrack a necessary conversation about America's moral decline and obscure it with finger pointing and charges of either blaming the victim or claiming victimhood. There is little talk of solutions and more significantly no mention of hope. Where is the recognition of the strength, resiliency and industriousness of the American people and of black folk specifically? The problems of out-of-wedlock birth, academic underachievement and imprudence are not exclusive to the lower class. Increasingly, they cross all economic lines. Further, the growing rhetoric of 'personal responsibility' tends to cloud the truth that few of us get anywhere in life without help from someone."

Mr. Phillips continues his commentary about Cos and his critics: "It is also true, as Cosby's critics point out, that there are those among the lower class who are trapped in institutions that do not teach although they are prepared and willing to learn and who are struggling in communities wracked with violence. However, as Cosby rightfully emphasizes, there are also those who find a way to succeed in spite of such obstacles. They manage the difficult work of putting oneself in the position to walk through those doors others have opened. That is work left to us individually and it is in this sense that we are all charged with taking responsibility of our own lives - making good choices, seeking virtue because it is virtue that leads to happiness. To merely point a finger as Cosby does highlights the issue but does not move us any closer to solving it. To blast Cosby and continue to portray blacks as victims of government neglect as others are wont to do not only leaves us standing still, it leaves us impotent."

The problems of out-of-wedlock birth, academic underachievement, crime, etc. aren't exclusive to the lower class. However, they do (very) disproportionately reside among that social class and drag down all black statistics, and thus Cos was on point. However, Mr. Phillips is correct that everyone should focus more on building upon black strengths in the family, church, and school.