DISQUS

fredrickbernanke · 1 year ago

Comparing the Obama & Cosby Speeches





When I first saw the reporting on the Obama Father's Day Speech, I immediately thought of the speech given by Bill Cosby several years ago which ostensibly tried to make the same or at least similar points.



Cosby came in for much criticism, most of it from segments of the African-American (A-A) and Progressive communities. Obama's speech has almost been greeted with silence by both those communities; I, for one, have not seen a single negative commentary anywhere.



I just finished reading the full transcripts of both speeches.



Having done so, I am not at all surprised by the reactions they provoked, except for this: Barack Obama delivered one of the greatest American socio-political discourses that this cynical, son-of-a-bitch has ever read in his life, yet he is not getting adequate credit for his achievement.



Its Content far transcends race; its Form was nearly Poetic, and certainly inspirational. It cut like a dagger through party and racial and socio-economic lines. It could have been delivered at Hagee's church (minus the African-American specificity) and drawn as many shouts and claps of approbation as the largely A-A church in Chicago that had the honor of being its presentation site.



Short of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address and Jefferson's Declaration of Independence, I have never read a politico-social document (speech) like this in my life.



(Mr. Cosby's speech is best left uncommented upon.)



Maybe someone out there knows the answer to this question: Who wrote this speech?



MYBlog: http://ProteanPerspectives.blogspot.com

ivygrad · 1 year ago

Pray tell why do you think "Mr. Cosby' speech is best left uncommented upon"????



I must say I admire Mr. Obama's chutzpah in attempting to address an issue that had a white man or even woman had even just made a comment, would be horsewhipped for being racist.



It is certainly going to be an interesting campaign season. Stay tuned.



IG