Destruction of a hero like Atticus, a reality with Cosby?

[Gretchen]

It struck me when thinking about the destruction of a hero in Atticus that for me at least, a childhood hero in Cosby has recentally had to be let go. I think many of us grew up watching his show and loving the Huxtable family and the ideal father that Cliff was.

With all of the recent allegations it is hard to look at the man in the same way. Much like Scout looking at her father there is an ugliness that is hard to deny.

So can we separate the hero from their actions the good from the bad. Can I watch the Cosby show reruns with childhood nostalgia and ignore who the actor was? Much like Atticus can a person focus on the good he did and ignore his views?

I don't know maybe I am rambling, any thoughts on the subject?

[Kathie]

The truth of the matter is, in the 1950's, I could understand Atticus' position with the Citizen's Council. I believe he had to observe and sometimes go along with these bigoted people. At the time, many African Americans weren't well educated and rather than deciding for themselves they looked to the NAACP as to who to vote for. The white businessmen were afraid of losing their power to people who they felt were "less than themselves". This is small town politics back at that time. For Scout, who was living in New York, she saw a completely different situation. She had always looked at her father as the "great liberator" but he couldn't save the innocent man he defended so many years ago and his attitude about it then was he did what he could and he wasn't surprised. Scout didn't notice that. Change takes time-look at what is still happening as far as racism goes. I guess I am rambling also. As for Bill Cosby, I am very surprised and disappointed but we put too much faith in our heroes just like Scout did.

[Betsy]

I agree with you, Kathie. I too believe that Atticus had to observe and find out what the townspeople were thinking about the Negro "situation" in their small town. Atticus was not a participating member of the Ku Klux Klan, as some people have stated; he said in the book that he went to one or two meetings to see who from his town was under the sheets and masks , information he thought would be helpful in his practice.
Gretchen, I do look at Atticus in the same way, and I see no ugliness in him. The South as he knew it was changing and he had to accept this while keeping things within the boundary of the law, which was sacred to him. I have always felt that Atticus is one of the greatest male characters in contemporary literature , and he probably even went up a few notches in my opinion in how he handled the "confrontation" w/ Scout.... wanting her, finally, to become her own person, and with love.

[Kressel]

People are a mix of good and bad. Bill Cosby is a leader and big supporter of African American education. Sleazy as his behavior with women has turned out to be, his accomplishments are still his accomplishments. But to us, the audience, the discovery is painful. That's why Jean Louise freaked out the way she did. I don't blame her a bit.