Bill Cosby learned..

[JHan]

[CentralMass]

1. He learned that he could drug and sexually abuse women for 5 decades.

[JHan]

4. I think you're reading the poem wrong. It condemns Bill and excuses made for him.

[whathehell]

5. I see what you mean...I misunderstood.

but it's beginning is unclear, and is so off-putting, it discourages one from reading it in it's entirely...I'm glad you pointed out the mistake, though -- I'll delete my first response to it.

[JHan]

6. No it doesn't. Again I suggest you really read it again.

It points out that while excuses are made for Bill e.g. Him being a victim of Racism in the way he was targeted, or the silly argument that because white men have not faced a judge in the way he has he was somehow unjustly targeted.... The poem points out that this view gives cover to rapists, and minimizes the horrific experiences of women.

This poem is actually a direct rebuttal to the offensive statement by Bill Cosby's publicist ( which mentioned Kavanaugh).

I suspect you're hooked on the first line and can't see past it "Bill Cosby learned he can't treat a white woman like white men can" - This is an ironic ( even mocking) take on arguments I heard myself in defense of Bill Cosby.

[whathehell]

7. Correct...I misunderstood and I'm deleting those posts. n/t

[JHan]

8. I understand, I feel a lot of rage myself.

at the excuse making and erasure of the experiences as well.

( Note too why the Poet mentioned R Kelly as well)

[whathehell]

9. Yes

I actually haven't heard any excuse making for Cosby (except from his lawyer, of course) and that may be why I was initially so surprised & put off by the poem.

I'm one of those who really liked Cosby and was in a state of "cognitive dissonance" or something for about a month after hearing about it.

[JHan]

10. I remember watching Cosby Show reruns and developing an admiration for him.

When I first heard the allegations, the excuse making began. Immediately.

I mean, it was a comedy routine by Hannibal Buress ( pointing out the hypocrisy of Cosby's respectability politics while he preyed on women- the poet hints at this with the "pull your pants up Tyronante" ) that busted the whole thing open. It was an open secret among comedians, ignored and excused away.

As more women came forward, there was a high degree of corroboration between their stories, and with more women came greater denials and excuse making. Cosby defenders cynically compared the deluge of allegations as some sort of victimization. It was offensive to see how a real problem like the racism which created a disparity in the dispensation of justice in America, ended up being applied to a man like Cosby who was shielded by his privileged status in Hollywood for decades.

To claim a predator the likes of Cosby is being victimized is to condone his actions towards those whose lives he destroyed. There are different standards in the way justice is applied in America, but not every male in Hollywood was drugging and raping women. Even if every male in Hollywood did it too, Cosby doesn't get a pass. To support predators at the expense of women hurts all women, regardless of color.

I'm glad he's finally facing the consequences of his heinous actions.

[Nitram]

13. As a middle schooler my best friend and I listened to the records of Cosby's humorous stories about

growing up in a Philadelphia neighborhood to the point that we had many of the routines memorized. it breaks my heart that the man who played a formative role during my childhood has turned out to be a vile sexual monster. All those lovely stories are now permanently tainted by what I know know about their author. Its the ultimate metaphor for loss of innocence, the realization that so many trusting women who looked up to him as a father figure were so deeply hurt by this man for his own perverse pleasure. I weep for them.

[JHan]

14. yup +

[Nitram]

11. I don't know about the others, but Woody Allen did not drug a series of young women who

came to him for career advice and rape them over a period of decades. Woody Allen was accused to molesting a young girl in a small confined space in which a claustrophobe would very reluctant to enter. He was accused by a woman who was very angry at him for falling in love with her step daughter. During a period in which she has admitted to having an affair with Frank Sinatra and has suggested she may have had a son from that union. False equivalency.

[JHan]

12. it's a critique of responses which try to defend Cosby.

It's criticizing the "well what about him" and "what about him". It's not aiming to draw false equivocations.

[Nitram]

15. Then I misread the poem. I'll read it a few more times with your interpretation in mind.

[JHan]

16. If you read the statement by Cosby's publicist it'll make sense,

I think this poem was crafted in response to it:

warning: It's disgusting. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/25/us/cosby-jail-racist-sex-war.html