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(More customer reviews)As an African-American woman, I am deeply disturbed by the state of my community today, and some of the more destructive tendencies that help perpetuate the situation. However, as an African-American woman who also works for a labor union comprised of mostly poor, minority janitors, I am keenly aware of the structural deficiencies across American society that make it very difficult for the poor to even get along, much less get ahead. Therefore, it was with great interest that I picked up this book at the local library; Cosby's comments spawned debate at home, in the press, and in my workplace, and I was eager to read what Michael Eric Dyson - an often engaging writer and speaker - had to say on the issue. Unfortunately, this is a deeply flawed - and ultimately unfulfilling - book.
The main problem with "Is Bill Cosby Right" is the apparent answer to this question, based on the author's response, is: "Probably not, but more importantly, he's a race traitor and a jerk". Over half of the book is dedicated to knocking Bill Cosby personally, not directly addressing his comments. When you spend a chapter of a book rehashing allegations that played out on the National Enquirer, you're in trouble. I had to question Professor Dyson's reasoning even more when he chose to contrast Mr. Cosby with Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton, who he held up as apparent models of black activism (personally I am no great fan of either).
The energy the author spent attacking Cosby would have been much better spent outlining why Cosby was so wrong in the first place. Dyson's arguments may be rooted in hard facts, but he sure doesn't make them abundantly clear for the reader - an irony considering his criticism of what he felt were wild, baseless accusations from Cosby. The bulk of Dyson's response is based on his theories about what contingent of the black race a person is coming from - the "Afristocracy", etc. Clearly his sympathies lie with those "jubilant performers on the street", but creating your own theory to counter someone else's theory is not the most cogent or effective weapon to shred their argument - a missed opportunity for the author.
The bottom line is, like the old saying goes, "Just because he's crazy don't mean he's not right". However one feels about Bill Cosby's handling of racial issues in the past, his relationship with his children, or his television shows, the real issue here is the validity of his comments when it comes to the state of the black community today. Unfortunately, instead of engaging the content of the message, Dyson seems content to simply attack the messenger, making for a sadly unfulfilling and disengaging read.
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