I'm Black, You're White

I found Shelby Steele's, "I'm Black, You're White, Who's Innocent?," a hard read. Hard, meaning it didn't hold my attention. I didn't like the spin he put on racial issue, his theory of innocence vs guilt did not hold true for me. I didn't agree how he says that the "racial struggle in America has always been primarily a struggle for innocence." Obviously I experience the world a lot different than someone who is of a different race, however I don't agree with Steele. I thought that his example of when he was twelve years old watching the "racist" is a prime example that a person sees what they want to see, and that goes with anything in life: hatred, stereotypes, self criticism, goodness, and etc.
I would also disagree with his perception of why The Cosby Show was such a great hit. I don't think that Bill Cosby is a great "bargainer." I don't think that the show's "white" audience liked the show because they knew that "Cosby will never assault their innocence with racial guilt." The show was popular because it was a great show. It was well written, it had a great cast, it was funny, and Bill Cosby was and is a funny, great guy who we all enjoy watching. My family and I always watched The Cosby Show every Thursday night while I was growing up, granted I was a little girl, but I can promise that we never watched it because Cosby was telling us that we are ok and this black man was not going to challenge us.