Monday, January 26, 2009

The Man Who Changed the Race Game

Our kids love The Cosby Show. We're about half way through Season 1 on DVD and this weekend we used the "Everyone get your jammas on and we'll make some popcorn and watch The Cosby Show." Last night Ben said it: "I love Bill Cosby." Kyri is equally enthusiastic.

I loved the Huxtable family back in the '80s when the show first aired. How could you not? Cliff and Clair had that little twinkle for each other and while they could disagree they spoke to each other with love, respect, and some mischievousness. The Huxtable kids could politely make fun of their middle-aged parents, but they did it respectfully. And they obeyed. They were a great family. And it is a pleasure to introduce them to our children.

Mike said it best the other night: "I wonder how much Bill Cosby and this show can be credited for the Obama presidency?" Bill Cosby showed the United States that even if we were different colors, we still had the same trouble getting our kids to appreciate "good" music and not hit their siblings. He showed other parents that worrying about whom your daughter was dating and what your son's report card would say was not a "white" problem. It was universal.

I think Bill Cosby should have a Cabinet position.

2 comments:

Janice Phillips said...

Secretary of Education should fit nicely given his social contributions and passions.

akalinear said...

I love the Cosby Show - in fact, a couple co-workers and I refer to several episodes of it quite often (usually related to how the members we work for & their constituents would be better served if they took Bill Cosby's approach to governing).