Beloved comedic actor, Bill Cosby, wrote an op-ed piece in which he bemoaned the apathetic mindset of today’s Americans who fail to raise their children with ideas of respect and good health.
In the op-ed entitled “The Plague Called Apathy” Cosby wrote that Americans suffer from a victim complex which causes us to simply sit back and accept a destiny of life-long health issues, economic strain, and bad manners.
But, he writes, these issues can be resolved with genuine effort.
“When you have all of these things going wrong, we go back to the drink and the cigarette smoking. There are things that, if we behave better, eat better, we will feel better, think clearly. We will begin to challenge the apathy.”
These efforts should begin in the home with parents teaching their children right and wrong concerning illicit drugs, cigarettes, the importance of education and respect toward others, etc.
Cosby believes that the Muslims are an excellent role model for parenting.
Cosby wrote, “I’m a Christian. But Muslims are...intentionally misunderstood. We should all be more like them. They make sense, especially with their children. There is no other group like the Black Muslims, who put so much effort into teaching children the right things, they don’t smoke, they don’t drink or overindulge in alcohol, they protect their women, they command respect."
He continued, “We’d be a better world if we emulated them. We don’t have to become black Muslims, but we can embrace the things that work.”
Cosby’s op-ed riled many readers, but especially one man in particular – former Florida Congressman, Allen West.
West tweeted: “2day in NY Post, Bill Cosby said we should b more like Muslims. U mean honor killings, beheadings, suicide bombings? Hope ur kidding sir.”
West then spoke to FOX News and explained why he openly criticized the 75-year-old actor.
He said, “I think it’s very important because we cannot allow people that are influential…in the entertainment industry to start putting out false information.”
He then cited a recent incident when Syrian Islamists tortured and murdered a 15-year-old boy in front of his parents because he no longer believed in the religion.
“Those are not the type of things that are in keeping with Western civilization’s values.”
Cosby did stress in his article that these were his own opinions.
At one point he wrote, “It is my belief – my BELIEF in big letters…” before voicing his opinion that adults pass on their self-destructive behaviors to their children who then pass it on to the generation after that.
Cosby has made no further effort to defend himself and his controversial article.