With gay marriage decided, what will be the next big left-led social change?

[BTExpress]

That's all fascinating.

And does nothing to support your earlier contention that "you would have thought the world was going to end when a black family got a prime time show in The Cosby Show."

A TV family that the nation embraces is hardly "the world is going to end." On the contrary, it's closer to "the world is coming closer together."

 

[YankeeFan]

Here's what you said:

In 1985, you would have thought the world was going to end when a black family got a prime time show in The Cosby Show. About 20 years later, a black man was elected president.

Here's what they said:

We've had an African-American first family for many years in different forms. When 'The Cosby Show' was on, that was America's family. It wasn't a black family. It was America's family."

Dr. Alvin F. Poussaint, a psychiatrist at the Jude Baker Children's Center in Boston and a professor at Harvard Medical School who was a script consultant on "The Cosby Show," said in an interview that "there were a lot of young people who were watching that show who are now of voting age."

Dr. Poussaint added: "When 'The Cosby Show' first came on, it was a professional, middle-class family. And they said, 'That's not a black family.' We heard it from blacks and whites. I think that's why Karl Rove calls it postracial, because it was universal."

They were right. You were wrong.

No one thought the world was going to end when the Cosby Show went on the air. heck, Robert Guillaume starred in Benson beginning in 1979.

What was groundbreaking about the Cosby Show was that it was a traditional sitcom about a middle class black family. The characters weren't outrageous like George Jefferson or JJ Walker. They were a normal, loving family.

African-Americans had not been portrayed this way on prime time television prior to this.

Now, that may have been enlightening for some people, and it may have helped racial relations in the long run, but it was not in the face of opposition from folks who thought the world was going to end.

 

[YankeeFan]

The Cosby Show was the first sitcom with an African-American lead that Joe Biden let his family watch.

When questioned about it by a neighbor, Biden explained, "I mean, you got the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy. I mean, that's a storybook, man."

 

[Vombatus]

And that's how America got duped for a long time now. Being articulate or not (W) doesn't translate to being a good President. Too many other factors are key, and being a celebrity isn't one of them.

 

[doctorquant]

It's been a long time ... What night of the week was it that the Huxtables would always have fried fish?

 

[Songbird]

Why does everyone ignore Rog and the gang?

 

[Baron Scicluna]

And that's how America got duped for a long time now. Being articulate or not (W) doesn't translate to being a good President. Too many other factors are key, and being a celebrity isn't one of them.

Remember when "He's a celebrity!" Was one of the GOP's talking points during their Daily Criticism of Obama. They even tried to revive it once, and it failed miserably both times.

 

[Mr. Sunshine]

Presidential elections have become American Idol without the talent.

 

[outofplace]

Well, the left's common argument is that polygamy is pedophilia. Nope, it's consenting adults here.

"The left" in this case being somebody Doom and Gloom thinks said something like this similar on TV once.

 

[outofplace]

Have you ever read about the East Ramapo (NY) school district troubles? Apparently there's a pretty elevated risk of birth defects among the Hasidim given how close-knit and procreative their communities are.

How is that the school district's problem? Almost all of the Hasidim in East Ramapo send their children to private schools.

 

[YankeeFan]

How is that the school district's problem? Almost all of the Hasidim in East Ramapo send their children to private schools.

You should read about East Ramapo's school district. It's, um, unique.

 

[Songbird]

Is there a store Hasidim go to to buy sheets with fork holes in them? Who makes them? Hand-made? Who cuts the holes?