How should bill cosby be remembered?

[wallyj84]

Bill Cosby is going to jail for sexual assault.

I think we all agree that he is guilty and should go to jail for even longer than the sentence he was given, but I'm curious how people will remember him.

He did horrible things, but also a lot of good and promoted a positive image of black people during a time when that kind imagery was very rare.

How do you think Cosby will be remembered? How should he be remembered?

EDIT: I hit submit way too early. LOL

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

He should be remembered as a serial rapist who deserves to rot in that cell until he breathes his last breath and pushes out one last fart.

When you do shit that fucked up, it takes away the "good". Ted Bundy worked on a suicide hotline, while he was actively being a serial rapist/killer. He actually stopped several people from killing themselves.

Just because he did some good in the world doesn't take away the hate and pain he inflicted on his victims.

I hope he dies slow, and painfully. His life is not sacred.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

And as for being a role model for the black community, he just condescended and talked down to the people he was supposed to be "representing" or whatever. He was a fucking asshole.

 

[MisterB]

I'm not gonna project about how he "should" be remembered. I don't care to pontificate about how others may or may not feel.

I will recall him as a trail-blazing black comedian who was one of the first black male TV leads with "I Spy". I will recall him as a funny stand-up comedian. I will recall him as Dr. Huxtable on another ground breaking TV show. I remember watching him as a kid. I remember my father really enjoyed I Spy and his stand-up comedy.

But, that was before all the rumors and innuendos that percolated just below the surface for a few years and erupted into the current scandal, resulting in all his current legal troubles.

So, I will remember him as a serial woman abuser. As a sexual predator. I will remember him as a phony. Who used his fame and "nice-guy" image as full cover for who he really is/was. And I will remember my shock and my initial disbelief turning into full-fledged belief that justice needed to be served. And I will remember that finally, justice indeed did prevail.

More importantly, I will remember the numerous women who came forward over the years whose claims were not taken seriously. I will remember their strength. Their perseverance. I will remember them for their fortitude. For their never-givingupness. Cuz that's what's more important here. That these women be remembered and celebrated for not giving up. I see a lot of parallels with what's happening in today's political world.

And I will remember that justice does prevail. It may be slow, but it gives me hope for the future that indeed justice can and will prevail. It may take time, but I'll remain patient. Just like the women who Mr. Cosby drugged and molested.

 

[326807]

Cosby should be remembered asa convicted rapist.period.

 

[deleted931509]

He is one of many criminal artists who have produced good art (I liked the Cosby Show as a kid) but who turned out to be an evil shit. It is possible to argue that we should separate the artist from his art. It's more difficult to do this when the art involves seeing the criminal personally - it's much easier, for example, in the case of a musician whose music you enjoy who turns out to do something bad.

My opinion is, if you enjoy the art, that's fine and you can continue to do so, but just be aware of who the artist is. He will be remembered for being a criminal and he will be historically forgotten much sooner than he would have been otherwise.

 

[TexanStar]

He did horrible things, but also a lot of good and promoted a positive image of black people during a time when that kind imagery was very rare.

You answered your own question.

Roman Polanski directed several extremely well rated films. He also drugged and raped a middle schooler.

Bill Clinton got FMLA passed establishing federal leave to care for newborns. There's also a strong possibility that he raped Juanita Broderick.

Thomas Jefferson did a shit ton of notable accomplishments. He also trafficked in the sale of human beings, using them for both physical labor and for sex.

There exist people in the world who do both good things and bad things. You aren't restricted to remembering only one type of action.

 

[deleted15807]

You answered your own question.

Roman Polanski directed several extremely well rated films. He also drugged and raped a middle schooler.

Bill Clinton got FMLA passed establishing federal leave to care for newborns. There's also a strong possibility that he raped Juanita Broderick.

Thomas Jefferson did a shit ton of notable accomplishments. He also trafficked in the sale of human beings, using them for both physical labor and for sex.

There exist people in the world who do both good things and bad things. You aren't restricted to remembering only one type of action.

And while at a conceptual high level I can agree but I just feel like Jerry...

It was all FAKE FAKE FAKE!!

 

[wallyj84]

He should be remembered as a serial rapist who deserves to rot in that cell until he breathes his last breath and pushes out one last fart.

When you do shit that fucked up, it takes away the "good". Ted Bundy worked on a suicide hotline, while he was actively being a serial rapist/killer. He actually stopped several people from killing themselves.

Just because he did some good in the world doesn't take away the hate and pain he inflicted on his victims.

I hope he dies slow, and painfully. His life is not sacred.

I don't disagree with you. Except for the slow, painful death part. That is just cruel.

I decided to make this thread because while listening to the radio, I heard that some organization was planning to strip Cosby of his lifetime achievement award. As you know this has been happening a lot with him and the honorary degrees he used to have. At first I didn't mind it, but now I kinda feel like people are rewriting history a little bit. No matter what crimes he committed, Cosby's career is more than deserving of a lifetime achievement award. But it seems like people want to forget he ever existed which seems, I don't know... childish? All of his shows and movies happened. Why pretend that they didn't? Is it better to try and erase someone instead of just admitting that bad people can create wonderful things? Or that maybe even people aren't good or bad, but a collection of choices made for a variety of reasons?

And as for being a role model for the black community, he just condescended and talked down to the people he was supposed to be "representing" or whatever. He was a fucking asshole.

I didn't disagree with any of his opinions on black people. He might have been a little bit mean, but it honestly wasn't that different from what a lot of black leaders and people on the street say.

 

[SoaringSpirit]

I feel that Bill Cosby should have been made to serve the community with being a spokesperson for others to get help with sexual & mental issues. What he did was very wrong, no doubt. He could have been utilized in a different manner, to reach ppl on the damage sexual abuse does to victims. Just my humble opinion.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

I don't disagree with you. Except for the slow, painful death part. That is just cruel.

I decided to make this thread because while listening to the radio, I heard that some organization was planning to strip Cosby of his lifetime achievement award. As you know this has been happening a lot with him and the honorary degrees he used to have. At first I didn't mind it, but now I kinda feel like people are rewriting history a little bit. No matter what crimes he committed, Cosby's career is more than deserving of a lifetime achievement award. But it seems like people want to forget he ever existed which seems, I don't know... childish? All of his shows and movies happened. Why pretend that they didn't? Is it better to try and erase someone instead of just admitting that bad people can create wonderful things? Or that maybe even people aren't good or bad, but a collection of choices made for a variety of reasons?



I didn't disagree with any of his opinions on black people. He might have been a little bit mean, but it honestly wasn't that different from what a lot of black leaders and people on the street say.

I can be a horrible person inside my head. I've come to terms with that. I shouldn't want that for anyone, but I do for people like Cosby. It's one of my many flaws that I don't deny having.

As for the black role model part, I suppose it's a matter of perception. I thought he was speaking down to people he could have been inspiring. He acted like he was better because he was "clean". Fuck no, he wasn't and he had no right to act like he was so much better than people who used the word FUCK. I know, it was much more complex than that, but I think you get my point.

 

[wallyj84]

You answered your own question.

Roman Polanski directed several extremely well rated films. He also drugged and raped a middle schooler.

Bill Clinton got FMLA passed establishing federal leave to care for newborns. There's also a strong possibility that he raped Juanita Broderick.

Thomas Jefferson did a shit ton of notable accomplishments. He also trafficked in the sale of human beings, using them for both physical labor and for sex.

There exist people in the world who do both good things and bad things. You aren't restricted to remembering only one type of action.

You don't think with most of those examples there is a desire to erase the bad or the good actions of them? The people who like Polanski ignore or try to mimize his crimes. Same with any of the founding fathers. I don't think there is a genuine attempt to view any of those individuals as the complete people that they were.

 

[TexanStar]

You don't think with most of those examples there is a desire to erase the bad or the good actions of them? The people who like Polanski ignore or try to mimize his crimes. Same with any of the founding fathers. I don't think there is a genuine attempt to view any of those individuals as the complete people that they were.

For all of them they're mixxed. Jefferson's descendants had to fight for the DNA testing that proved they were who they said they were. Polanski is routinely protested. Etc.

Some people focus only on the good deeds, some only on the bad, some take both into consideration. Human beings don't operate with a hive mind, people will feel as they're apt to feel.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

Forgot to add Wally... Why act like his movies shows never existed? For me it's easy. He was never entertaining in my opinion anyway. And he's a serial rapist?

Not difficult at all to just say Fuck That Shit. He is a ghost to me.

 

[Drifterwood]

You don't think with most of those examples there is a desire to erase the bad or the good actions of them? The people who like Polanski ignore or try to mimize his crimes. Same with any of the founding fathers. I don't think there is a genuine attempt to view any of those individuals as the complete people that they were.

I saw some old tv footage of a wise old German doctor. He was saying that in the early 1930's, he and his friends couldn't decide whether Hitler wanted to do good things for Germany whilst doing some bad things, or whether he wanted to do bad things whilst doing some good for Germany along the way.

From an outsider's PoV, the West and especially the USA, has become simplistically polarised. Jefferson used to be a hero of mine as a kid and several people here have attacked me for pointing out his unacceptable sides. I would advise against having heroes or thinking that people have white hats or black hats. Someone is just trying to manipulate you for probably bad reasons.

I doubt Mr. Cosby is the victim of "the most racist and sexist trial in American history" and he probably shouldn't be put forward as a martyr to that cause to be compared to Jesus.

 

[wallyj84]

I can be a horrible person inside my head. I've come to terms with that. I shouldn't want that for anyone, but I do for people like Cosby. It's one of my many flaws that I don't deny having.

As for the black role model part, I suppose it's a matter of perception. I thought he was speaking down to people he could have been inspiring. He acted like he was better because he was "clean". Fuck no, he wasn't and he had no right to act like he was so much better than people who used the word FUCK. I know, it was much more complex than that, but I think you get my point.

His pound cake speech had a lot of problems, but I never felt like talking down was one of them.

There was a lack of empathy and classism, but he spoke to people like they were adults.

 

[AlteredEgo]

I'm not gonna project about how he "should" be remembered. I don't care to pontificate about how others may or may not feel.

I will recall him as a trail-blazing black comedian who was one of the first black male TV leads with "I Spy". I will recall him as a funny stand-up comedian. I will recall him as Dr. Huxtable on another ground breaking TV show. I remember watching him as a kid. I remember my father really enjoyed I Spy and his stand-up comedy.

But, that was before all the rumors and innuendos that percolated just below the surface for a few years and erupted into the current scandal, resulting in all his current legal troubles.

So, I will remember him as a serial woman abuser. As a sexual predator. I will remember him as a phony. Who used his fame and "nice-guy" image as full cover for who he really is/was. And I will remember my shock and my initial disbelief turning into full-fledged belief that justice needed to be served. And I will remember that finally, justice indeed did prevail.

More importantly, I will remember the numerous women who came forward over the years whose claims were not taken seriously. I will remember their strength. Their perseverance. I will remember them for their fortitude. For their never-givingupness. Cuz that's what's more important here. That these women be remembered and celebrated for not giving up. I see a lot of parallels with what's happening in today's political world.

And I will remember that justice does prevail. It may be slow, but it gives me hope for the future that indeed justice can and will prevail. It may take time, but I'll remain patient. Just like the women who Mr. Cosby drugged and molested.

Everything (except the last paragraph which I do not believe at all) is a more concise and elegant expression of my own answer.

 

[AlteredEgo]

I feel that Bill Cosby should have been made to serve the community with being a spokesperson for others to get help with sexual & mental issues. What he did was very wrong, no doubt. He could have been utilized in a different manner, to reach ppl on the damage sexual abuse does to victims. Just my humble opinion.

No, he couldn't. He would have to be far more humble, honest, and he'd have to actually be willing to admit to what he did and be remorseful to be useful in any way. He still denies guilt, and his arrogance is presently off the charts and climbing.

 

[MisterB]

Everything (except the last paragraph which I do not believe at all) is a more concise and elegant expression of my own answer.

I'm curious as to why you do not believe the last paragraph. Maybe I'm naive? Wouldn't be the first time, lol.

Regardless, would love to hear your further thoughts on this.

 

[Tight_N_Juicy]

His pound cake speech had a lot of problems, but I never felt like talking down was one of them.

There was a lack of empathy and classism, but he spoke to people like they were adults.

I think the main thing that got under my skin is the way he would say "pull up your pants" to the people 'sagging'. He was the one who needed to pull up his fucking pants.

We very well may perceive his words differently, and that's fine. I personally will remember him as an unfunny piece of shit serial rapist. How others choose to remember him is their decision.