Prof offers voice to counter Cosby

Michael Eric Dyson is taking on America's Dad.

In his latest book, Is Bill Cosby Right? Or Has the Black Middle Class Lost its Mind?, the Penn professor of Religious Studies and Humanities & African-American Studies presents his rebuttal to comments Cosby made last year accusing the black lower class of a lack of responsibility.

"Cosby jumped on the poor for being irresponsible. ... Life is much more complex than personal responsibility," Dyson said at a book signing at the Penn Bookstore last Tuesday.

About 100 spectators gathered to hear the Baptist minister discuss points raised in his book and answer questions from the audience.

Dyson argues that self-criticism is necessary, but since Cosby is a multimillionaire, his scathing words for the black poor are unwarranted.

"You can't pick on nobody your own size," Dyson said, defining Cosby's comments as "part of a long-standing tradition of the black elite against the black poor."

Dyson added that poor people's voicelessness is amplified when someone of Cosby's stature echoes mass culture's stereotypes.

"Most Americans, I realized from the get-go, would believe what Cosby said," Dyson said.

Cosby chided the black lower class for poor parenting and materialism, which he said are retarding the progress of black people.

Dyson retorts that issues like downsizing and exportation of jobs adversely impact the lower class and that simply "good behavior out of poor people cannot retard those effects."

During the question-and-answer session, Dyson made note of Cosby's generosity to several black causes in the past -- including a $20 million donation to the historically black women's institution Spelman College in 1989 -- but said that Cosby's philanthropy does not give him the right to say whatever he wants.

While there were many Dyson supporters in attendance, some audience members were disillusioned by what he had to say.

Don Malvasi of West Philadelphia, a Bookstore employee, was taken with Dyson's eloquence and energy.

"I think we're very lucky to have him on campus," Malvasi said.

"He's incisive and provocative, and his entertaining style really does open windows and brings greater insight to complex areas," he said.

But West Philadelphia resident Cara Jordan, a teacher in the Philadelphia school system, was less impressed with Dyson's talk. She considers his comments to be somewhat counterproductive because he is prolonging this debate.

"It just left me confused. I'm not sure of his objective," Jordan said.

"I know that we need to work towards a solution, not just keep focusing on the problem," she added.

According to Dyson, this issue has had a much broader impact on the American racial debate than many may have first perceived.

"It's not just important to poor black people. It's important to the future of the country," he said.

Dyson has talked about his new book on National Public Radio and MSNBC, as well as in The New York Times.

He said that he has offered to discuss the issue at hand with Cosby but that Cosby has declined the invitation.

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