CNN.com - Bill Cosby has more harsh words for black community - Jul 2, 2004

I'm not even entirely sure what I want to say about this. It's a sentiment that I've shared at times, and while some days I feel like we owe more opportunity to the black community, most days, I feel like we've given them a lot of support and it's been squandered.

At the same time, I know that we have an economic system in this country that serves to divide us. Our relentless focus on growth pushes the boundaries of our class structure further afield, making the rich richer and the poor poorer. The only thing I can really say is that it means that you have to work even harder, with more determination and sense of purpose, if you're going to get ahead.

I've had to make some of those hard decisions myself recently, foregoing a great deal of comfort in the short term to finish my college degree and plan for the long term. It hurts now, but it's necessary, and I'm determined to do it. I can blame a lot of people for our current economic state, but there's only one person who can come to my family's rescue, and it's me.