Bill Cosby, who has been accused of drugging and sexually assaulting scores of women, is now facing criminal sexual assault charges involving a former Temple University employee who accused him of assaulting her in 2004. In addition to the criminal charges, Cosby is facing numerous civil lawsuits brought by his accusers.
This country has been transfixed for many months with the allegations against the beleaguered comedian. The scandal started with allegations made by unnamed women that Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted them. We heard the allegations, but many immediately thought these outrageous claims from accusers who remained hidden in the shadows must be false.
Bill Cosby was “America’s Dad,” the creator of the Cosby show, a popular 80’s sitcom about a professional African-American couple raising four telegenic children in a stately New York City brownstone. The show promoted family values, education, hard work, and personal responsibility.
Cosby’s character, the charming Dr. Cliff Huxtable, parented his T.V. brood with wisdom and humor. Like many African-Americans, I admired Mr. Cosby’s ability to use his talent to teach the world that regardless of race we are all very much alike. We work, live, love, and dream of a better world for our children.
But Cosby’s wholesome image was shattered forever when a viral video performance by a comedian, who most people had never heard of, accused him of being a rapist and derided him for his hypocrisy in presuming to lecture young African-Americans about moral and social responsibility. This incident opened a floodgate of complaints spanning decades from women who claimed Cosby sexually assaulted them.
Public sentiment turned against Cosby when it was revealed he admitted, during a deposition in a settled 2006 civil sexual assault case, that he purchased drugs in the 70s to give to young women he wanted to have sex with. This revelation focused attention on that case and resulted in the State of Pennsylvania filing criminal charges against Cosby even though the assault allegedly occurred over a decade ago.
In the latest developments, a Pennsylvania appellate court rejected Cosby’s appeal to dismiss the charges against him. This cleared the way for the trial to proceed, and jury selection is scheduled to start next week in the case of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. William Henry Cosby, Jr.
Apparently, in an attempt to influence the court of public opinion Cosby and two of his daughters have recently given interviews to media outlets where they allege racism was a factor in the sexual assault allegations against Cosby. These claims are not supported by any facts, and are wholly inconsistent with the fact that Cosby’s accusers represent a diversity of ethnicities.
As Americans, we have inherited a legacy of racism and inequality that began when African citizens were kidnapped and brought to this country in chains and sold like livestock; for African-Americans this is a painful reality we struggle with daily.
In the case of Bill Cosby, however, his claims of a racial conspiracy are not at all credible. Cosby, who came from humble beginnings, forged a path through entertainment that allowed him access to unimaginable wealth, privilege, and acceptance in white society. Cosby was so admired that for years, the allegations against him were dismissed as untrue.
It is disingenuous for Cosby to now claim that scores of women orchestrated a diabolical conspiracy to accuse him of sexual assault. The only single thing the Cosby accusers seem to have in common are their allegations about an encounter with Bill Cosby that went terribly wrong.
African-Americans don’t need to accept the tragedy of Bill Cosby as another burdensome example of racism in America. We face many real challenges and issues that need to be addressed through our ongoing fight for social justice. The scandal that surrounds Bill Cosby is not one of those issues.
We are, however, still left with many unanswered questions about Bill Cosby and the women who have accused him of sexual assault. I am struggling to understand how a man who reached the pinnacle of the entertainment industry and considered himself a voice of moral authority for African-American youth ended up facing criminal sexual assault charges.
How did Cosby, who rose so high that his life and career were a symbol for others, end his career by hurtling to earth like a falling star on its final journey through space? Perhaps Cosby inadvertently orchestrated his own demise by believing he was not required to follow the same rules as other mortals and like Icarus, blinded by his own hubris, he flew too close to the sun.
I acknowledge that Mr. Cosby has not been convicted of any crime and denies the allegations against him, but there is a river too wide to cross between the man we thought Cosby was and the stories his accusers tell.
We are always disappointed when we find out our heroes have feet of clay, but the truth is we only knew the public Cosby and not who he really was when the director yelled cut and the camera faded to black. Every day we stand and worship at the church of celebrity exalting people we don’t know, because we admire their fame, wealth, talent, or beauty.
We delude ourselves into believing that PR and carefully crafted public images are real, but the fact that someone has obtained wealth, fame, and status does not determine character. Oftentimes, the true character of the celebrities we admire are hidden in secret places and only they possess the key that unlocks the door.
We may never know the truth about the sordid encounters Cosby’s accusers allege took place in fancy homes and hotel rooms across the country, but the scandal has left in its wake stories of sadness, shame, and betrayal; and the final, sad spectacle of the once beloved Cosby fighting for his freedom and reputation in a Pennsylvania courtroom.
