For the record, Please keep in mind that I DO NOT support any of these sexual acts, allegations or behaviors from Mr. Cosby but I do believe in light of the claims, that many of the women were going to his home and hotels voluntary. The majority of the acts between Cosby and his accusers occurred during the 1960’s and 1970’s and perhaps through the 1980’s during 2nd wave feminism. This was a time of the cliché term: sex, drugs, rock and roll. A time known to many to engage in free love, free sex and when groupies, young women and girls were commonly known to “hook up” with musicians, actors and celebrities. Girls as young as 13, 14 or 15 were the “willing and fashionable muse participants” in this era. The media and press did not report on these things due to the taboo nature of these occurrences and societal acceptance. Notable persons include: Elvis Pressley, Jerry Lewis, Woody Allen, Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler and even disgraced singer R. Kelly (15 year old bride singer Aaliyah).
In an extreme case of near conviction famous movie director and actor Roman Polanski was accused of raping a 13 year old girl, subsequently charged then fled the United States to Europe because of the severity of the impending charges (50 year sentence). Second wave feminism focused on sexual liberation (via the FDA approval of the birth control pill), equal pay, employment discrimination as well as expanded child care services and applicable time off from work). (Encyclopedia Britannica).
Fast forward to 2012 and the beginning of 4th wave of feminism as well as the rise of the “#me too movement” which actually began in 2006 by Tarana Burke, an activist and community organizer. I believe this movement sparked the rise and momentum of bravery and courage for women to speak up and voice their opposition to the “sweeping under the rug sexual assaults” of years past.
Bill Cosby, the beloved actor, philanthropist and comedian was released from Pennsylvania State prison on Wednesday, June 30, 2021 following a 3 year jail sentence that was overturned by Pennsylvania’s highest court. The judges decided that Cosby’s due process rights were violated. Cosby was originally sentenced in 2018 to 3 to 10 years in State prison for drugging a Temple University basketball team employee named Andrea Constand in Cosby’s home in January 2004. (CNN, 2018).
According to the CNN article, Constand arrived at Cosby’s home to seek career advice due to job stressors. Constand stated that she looked up to Cosby as a mentor. Constand claimed that Cosby gave her some pills to calm her; she took the pills and began to feel woozy. Next, Constand said that she woke up and felt forceful penetration and Cosby had her perform sex acts with her hands as she slipped in and out of consciousness. She could not fight back due to the effects of the drugs. Shortly after this alleged incident occurred, Constand quit her job at Temple University and moved back to Canada. She went to the police after a year of sleepless nights and reported the assault to police. Constand sued Cosby in civil court and won a settlement of $3.38 million dollars in 2006. Subsequently, Cosby did not admit to any wrongdoing in this case. (CNN, 2018).
Here is my opinion based upon the above case: I believe Cosby and Constand were already intimate. Why do I say this? First Constand went to Cosby’s home at night and she willingly took the pills, perhaps she didn’t expect to have any intimate contact that night. Why did she take the pills to “relax”? Usually people seek advice over the phone and not necessarily in person. Where was Cosby’s wife Camille? To me, the story is not complete. I could be wrong, again this is my opinion. Also I am not discrediting Constand’s story, it just seems like it’s missing some details. Based upon this allegation, civil suit and award of $3.38 million to Constand, the story went under the radar. An entire decade passes by. (CNN, 2018).
Fast forward to 2016, a comedian by the name of Hannibal Buress used this story in his standup act resulting in over 50 women such as former supermodel Janice Dickinson coming forward to state that Cosby drugged and “raped” them over 30 years earlier. The #metoo movement has already begun and this is the perfect moment for women such as Dickinson to come forth and tell their story on the heels of Andrea Constand’s case.
To gain a broad view of the case, I listened to a few perspectives from Judge Greg Mathis, Judge Joe Brown and Dr. Marc Lamont Hill regarding Cosby’s release.
Please take a listen to the YouTube segments in the source links below. Judge Greg Mathis’ statement is from the year 2015. Judge Joe Brown’s heated interview with Dr. Hill is from July 1, 2021 a day after Cosby was released from prison. Judge Mathis did not speak in favor of Cosby’s actions however he cited his opinion from a legal standpoint which I could completely accept. Judge Mathis stated the following:
1. Facts that were alleged from the victims must be proven (they were not) my question is why did the women such as Janis Dickinson wait so long to come forward?? Andrea Constand came forth within a year to police. The statue of limitations had expired for many of the women.
2. Cosby’s admission has excluded any admission to involuntary engagement of sexual activity; Cosby stated that he supplied the drugs to the women and that the sex was consensual. Mathis stated that he is not defending Cosby.
3. As a lawyer and Judge, Judge Mathis stated that he must look at the facts (and he didn’t have all of the facts in front of him). Facts must be proved and Cosby had allegations against him- none were completely proven due to the timeframe in which they were reported. Due process must be complete, affected and achieved.
4. Cosby should file injunctions if he is truly innocent and wishes to go against the mainstream media (which can use hyperbole to sway and persuade the masses).
I decided to research another Judge’s opinion who weighed in on Cosby’s case. Judge Joe Brown had an intense discussion with Dr. Marc Lamont Hill who dissented against Brown’s opinion. Hill bought up valid points but Judge Joe Brown was effective from the legal side. Brown stated that he conferred with over 40 attorneys who all said that they were not surprised by the outcome of Cosby’s case. In fact, Judge Brown stated the following:
1. The majority of lawyers were not shocked by the outcome and the law was disregarded in this case
2. Cosby’s accusers should have proved their allegations but instead swayed public opinion by use of emotion and feelings via “mob rule” to supersede due process which was not proven
3. If you cannot find someone guilty beyond reasonable doubt then that person will be presumed “not guilty”
4. Cosby’s accusers provided baseless accusations with no weight and the Prosecutor in the case should be disbarred
5. The presumption of innocence remains intact & using due process of the law prevents the Government from acting dishonestly
6. Accusations carry no weight or validity
7. Freedom of speech gets restricted if someone feels uncomfortable
Dr. Hill on the other hand bought up a great point even though I didn’t agree with him on the other points he made (as he kept cutting Judge Brown off).
1. Dr. Hill stated the people were conflicted due to the fact that the State of PA didn’t meet the burden of proof to prove the charges and Cosby was released based on the fact that the violation of due process of belief that Cosby was not guilty at that moral and ethical level – Hill asked: “can we hold space for the same ideas that someone can be doing harm and be a pedophile and be innocent (according to the law) at the same time?”
2. Dr. Hill stated that Cosby should be held accountable
3. Both Hill and Judge Brown agreed that the law was correct in that the burden of proof was not proved, however Hill stated that Cosby was guilty while Judge Brown stated that he was not to be liable, the women went willingly to Cosby and they knew they were going to have a good time, get drugged up, drunk, party and have consensual sex. Dr. Hill called Cosby a predator and sexual deviant.
To this end I agree with Judge Brown and Judge Mathis that the women and Cosby were together to have a good time. Red Pill states, this was the order of the day (See the Red Pill Know the Ledge (Red Pill) You Tube Channel) https://youtu.be/uea8RjKIL88 video on this history). Links are below.
In the era of Cosby and his accusers, this was the fashion of the time where women slept with musicians and actors and willingly partied and had a great time. There was no room in society for the #metoo movement at this time- women were liberated via expressing their sexuality and there was no culture to hold men accountable. Therefore this behavior had it occurred today would not have been accepted and Cosby and his “accusers” would have come forward years ago. Cosby never admitted to the allegations because everything was consensual. Our society today will not tolerate this behavior and on the flip side society should not protect willing participants in risky, recreational free sex, drug induced sexual situations. But how can you prove that the consenual acts did or did not occur? My question again is, why didn’t the “victims” such as former supermodel Janice Dickinson come forward sooner? Was this “acceptable” and ubiquitous behavior of the day exempt from rape? What was considered rape in those days? Judge Joe Brown mentioned and referenced the women as “groupies” several times in his interview with Dr. Hill. Judge Brown is familiar with this era and can attest to the behavior of men and young women in society in this time. However, Hill never acknowledged this culture of the 1960’s and 1970’s. YouTube “Woke” New York cultural conspirator and entrepreneur Red Pill made reference to books from writer Donald Goines (I love his books) and Iceberg Slim who detailed and narrated this lifestyle in their books. Hill asked the question that was provoking: “can someone be considered not guilty (according to the law) and still cause great harm to their community”? Hill closed the conversation by calling Cosby a predator with little regard for his victims.
I will end with this, I don’t think that Cosby was innocent at all, however, why did Cosby become the mascot for sexual predators and violators when people like Journalist Matt Lauer and Marv Albert did not receive jail time for their allegations??? I believe Cosby became the epitome of rape victim’s punishment and consequently was subjected to punishment and vitriol. I am glad and satisfied that Cosby did get some time (originally he was supposed to spend up to 10 years in jail) and now that he is out, at home and 83 years old- basically at the end of his days, he has learned his lesson. I believe that some time in jail will suffice for his bad decisions.
If a woman prosecutor was involved in this case I believe Cosby would have received harsher sentencing. This is due to the fact that a woman would have more of a persuasive effect on the jury regardless of the facts of the case. A woman would have been more emotional, dramatic and efficacious on the jury due to her identity and gender as related to the alleged victims. Now that I am cognizant of the details of this case, I believe in good faith that Cosby served his time. He is no different from other men who committed these relations with the girls and women of his day. It was known that young girls were sleeping with older men and this doesn’t make it right however, this was the way of society back then. Drug dealers, pimps, older men looking for young impressionable girls and poor young girls seeking older men for a way out of impoverished home life or others just looking for the fast life.
Read “Black Girl Lost” by Donald Goines (one of my favorite books) or anything from author Ice Berg Slim to understand the depictions of this life in the 1960’s and 1970’s. Again, I am not supporting his actions and I am not vindicating his behavior. He was a deviant and acting in accordance with the fashion of his times. He has paid his price, lived his life, and faced his backlash and lost endorsements and notoriety. Let’s learn from his mistakes and remember that no one is above the law. Cosby’s accusers need to take accountability for their actions too if indeed their actions and relations were consensual. Interestingly enough, former Cosby show co-star and TV wife Phylicia Rashad has supported Bill Cosby since day one. Rashad is the newly appointed Dean of the College of Fine Arts of her alma matter Howard University. Students are already calling for her resignation and she just started her new position on July 1. We live in a world where the media controls every narrative and outcome. Let’s read the facts, assess the situation, critically analyze and draw our own conclusions.
Sources:
1. Bill Cosby sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison for sexual assault, by Levinson, Eric
3. Black Magik 360 YouTube Channel
4. Know the Ledge (Red Pill) You Tube Channel
5. AP (Associated Press) News:
6. 2nd wave feminism
7. Judge Greg Mathis Voices His Legal Opinion on the Bill Cosby Case
8. #Me Too Movement’s website
9. Phylicia Rashad supports her former Co-star Husband
Comments