Cosby To Parents: Time To Deal With Kids

Comedian Bill Cosby came to Hartford Thursday with a serious message about responsible parenting. He urged the adults to stop ignoring the social ills that lead to teenage pregnancy, juvenile delinquency and violence.

Speaking in a wise-grandfatherly tone laced with humor, candor and sermonic themes, Cosby didn't hold back about what he thinks ails a segment of the black community.

More than 1,000 people heard Cosby at the Faith Seventh-day Adventist Church on Woodland Street. The event was organized by Steve Perry, principal of Capital Preparatory Magnet School in Hartford, and the church's pastor, Stephen Williams.

Using slavery in a historical context, Cosby reminded the mostly African American crowd that they represent a community of strong people who overcame unimaginable obstacles, and they didn't do it so that today's generation can flunk out of school, sell drugs or go to prison.

"Today, we have children saying that they won't live to be 25. So, they are doing dumb things, committing suicide on each other. ... If you want to turn your heads, step over the falling people, [then] pay no attention to your children. Apathy! Apathy! That's why I'm here. I want to pull the scab off until it stings. Why don't you speak to your children? Straighten them out," said Cosby, who turned 71 on Thursday.

Cosby urged the audience to be part of the parental revolution. It's "in your homes, your apartment buildings." He said parents should stop being afraid of their children; they should meet their children's friends, text-message their teachers and ask them questions.

"It's time for us to stop looking the other way," he said. "Stop stepping over the stench."

He talked about youngsters who are having children and throwing their lives away. Some of his talk was based on things he learned during his tour across America, some 20 cities a year. In Philadelphia, he said, he visited a program for youths recently released from prison who were supposed to be at his talk to get inspired. When one youth, about 14, slept through part of his talk, Cosby said he woke him up. The boy said he had been up until 4 a.m. with a girl.

"That's all they want to do is have sex because it's all around them," on the radio, TV and videos, Cosby said. "Talk to your children about sex."

Without that kind of dialogue, Cosby said, another generation will grow up without parents. The children might end up in foster care; mothers might end up as drug addicts and fathers as inmates. When the grandmother gets sick, the child ends up in foster care raised by strangers. "There's a child who has to be raised, to be loved, to graduate," Cosby said.

He said parents should kick their drug-dealing kids out of their homes.

"Dirty, nasty drug dealers," he said. "If you have a drug-dealing son or daughter, cut them off. Don't bring that stuff in my house. ... Let's put pictures up of all the dead people who sold drugs. They are no better than the people who put my people in a hole. You can't blame the white people."

Though his speech was serious, Cosby reminded the audience that he is still a very funny guy. Toward the end of his talk he traded friendly jabs with Pastor Williams, who gave Cosby a Bible for a gift. The jabs drew laughter. One of the loudest in the room was at the expense of Hartford Mayor Eddie A. Perez.

The mayor just woke up, Cosby quipped.

"I'm not going to donate [the Bible] to the mayor because he missed the whole sermon. He woke up and got loud," Cosby said.

And, the audience roared.

Contact Tina Brown at tbrown@courant.com