Bill Cosby is Free. Why are So Many Black Folks Happy?

Cosby’s release shouldn’t be cause for a celebration.

Bill Cosby has been released on a technicality. He cannot be retried for his crimes. Cosby admitted to drugging and raping women during the 70s and 80s. Cosby of “I Spy,” “Fat Albert,” and “The Cosby Show” fame was “America’s Dad” to generations of kids. Now, he’s been reduced to a sexual predator.

I grew up watching “The Cosby Show” and its spinoff, “A Different World” in the late 80s and 90s. “The Cosby Show” was the first time I saw a successful Black family on a major television network (NBC). Previously, the only Black family I knew was the Evans family on “Good Times.” But like my family, they were poor and struggled to make ends meet.

When Cosby’s release was announced, the internet went into overdrive. Every major social media platform was abuzz about Cosby’s newfound freedom. Some people were shocked at his release. Others were angry that he was out of prison. But the majority of people, mainly Black people, were elated by the news.

I am not one of those Black people. While I had great respect for Cosby during his stint on “The Cosby Show,” I was appalled when I learned of the crimes he had committed against women. He was no longer “America's Dad.” Cosby is a predator. What he has done goes against everything he claimed to stand for in his many tv shows and comedy specials.

Many Black people feel that Cosby was targeted because he wanted to buy NBC. Such a feat was unheard of in the entertainment industry. But was it really true? At the height of his fame, Cosby had a net worth close to a billion dollars (currently it stands at about $400 million). So, it was possible that Cosby could have become part owner of NBC. Supposedly, Cosby’s interest in owning a major television station led to a slew of women accusing him of sexual assault. Many Black people felt that Cosby had been set up and cried racism.

I’m sure racism played a role in Cosby’s downfall. But, he did admit in a deposition to drugging and assaulting a woman. This leads me to believe that Cosby may have had a history of inappropriate behavior involving women. If so, who else knew about Cosby’s actions? Why wasn’t anything said at the time? Did people just accept a Black man assaulting women, especially White women? I doubt it.

If the allegations had been brought up during the 70s or 80s, Cosby would have been destroyed and locked up (if not killed). Did NBC protect Cosby during his show’s run? “The Cosby Show” was the most popular show on NBC and made the network millions. Maybe network executives turned a blind eye or paid off accusers. But when Cosby allegedly wanted to buy NBC, maybe those same executives felt betrayed and allowed the accusation floodgates to open.

Whatever the case, Black folks shouldn’t support Cosby. His actions were reprehensible. Cosby needs to stay in his home and not venture out again. He can spend time with his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. His career is over. No one is going to hire Cosby for anything. He doesn’t deserve a second chance.