I don't care for Geraldo's ego, but Mr. Simmons has no right saying Geraldo has never helped people. Geraldo exposed the horrors of hundreds of mentally impaired patients living in horrible conditions in state run institutes and has been fighting and helping these people for the last 40+ years. Simmons owes an apology to those people. Look up Willowbrook State School, educate yourself Mr. Simmons. Yes, Geraldo is cheesy and egocentric, but at least his career has made a difference for people that had no voice.

Well said!

Cosign!

Anybody with that mustache has to be cheesy and egocentric...but then again, hes done a heck of a lot more than Simmons has ever done.

He specifically said black people in response to what Geraldo said. My goodness lol.

Why do black people always need help? Blame others? Not take personal accountability? Grow up. Life is what you make of it.

Why do SOME Blacks need help? Same reason as SOME Whites, or others do, but never all. As a Social Worker I actually help more Whites on public assistance than any other group

The article specifies a race as do the people the article references. Of course all people need "help." However, there is NAACP, looting, rioting, blaming police, etc by one group. No one said "all" but the article is only speaking about one group. There are exceptions to every rule. I think in your line of work, who needs help is determined by majority of those living in your area...I work in a hospital and see the opposite statistics you do.

Actually, my work area has mostly Spanish, and a little less Black, and even less Whites living in the area. And I addressed your post and question.

Do you know the riots and looting after the World Series win in San Francisco were worse and more destructive than Ferguson? How come that wasn't aired as much as the ones in Ferguson? How come all of the other riots where the majority participating in were white were never televised on the level Ferguson was but yet were more destructive and mostly over a sports game and not over police brutality? NAACP is a long established American staple because black people were never treated fair and needed an organized group to help them. It's like having a charity for poor people. They need it while the other group doesn't. And police brutality is a long staple in society. It's just because now that it is televised people take notice. That's a long American past time.

Don't forget about the LA riots. Did you know that white teens shot by black cops doesn't make the news? My point is....the media is very biased on what they report. You made my point...the NAACP should be for POOR people....not race specific. No specific race needs help or is entitled.

But those riots were down out of anger over injustice, not because their favorite sports team wins. And white teens brutalized by the police do get broadcasted. It's just you don't hear of a white teen being shot in the back by cops for shopping legally or white teens being held at gun point just because they were having a friendly snowball fight. But if you think there isn't a racial bias in this country then your poorly mistaken. Here's something you never hear, what about the plight of Native Americans? They the poorest, largest group of alcohol and drug abusers, and least likely to advance. But to say there isn't deep ingrained racial bias in this country means your choosing not to either see it or believe. It's an American past time.

There IS racial injustice,however, if you deny that white people are victims too you are either chosing not to see it or choosing not to believe.

Did I say I deny that? That's injustice amongst them too, especially those that are poor. They suffer from sad trickle down economics and bootstraps agenda pushed that if you work hard enough you will be noticed and be made successful. They are dependent on welfare and government assistance and feel the pinch of this product rich society. But to say it's on equal terms it's untrue.

What you don't realize is that what you just said is prejudiced. I'm sure welfare statistics vary depending on where you live. I live in a predominantly black community where crime and welfare are "black issues." I was referring more about whites being victims of hate crimes and not getting any news coverage or special treatment. Affirmative action was unfair and dangerous. Getting called honky, White devil and cracker are the least of our problems. There is no excuse for rioting and looting. Here in bay city, MI a white teen was shot and killed by a black cop and it's not national news nor is there looting and rioting. The family in contary to the ferguson "family" didn't ask the city to be "burned to the mf'ing ground"-instead they apologized for their son's behavior and took personal accountability.the black culture is it's own worst enemy as well as blaming slavery which no one alive today suffered from or commited.

If the teen was murdered then he deserves justice. The person deserves no matter race, religion, or background. But the riots weren't over just one killing. It's over hundreds that happen with no justice. How many more innocent white kids have been killed by black cops? One instance, though a tragedy in itself that deserves accountability, doesn't mean long standing systemic racism. What Brown did was bad but not deserving of death. But what about Ayana Jones, Tamir Rice, Kajieme Powell, John Crawford III, Eric Garner, Sean Bell, Yvette Smith, Jonathan Ferrell, and so many more? If you can come up with a list of white people unnecessarily killed by black cops, or any cop, just as long then I will retract everything I said. And to think that blacks blame everything on slavery is a prejudice in itself and a long winded stereotype. That right it's is a poorly prejudiced misconception. How would you say that Republicans blame all of their problems on a black president?

Garner had been arrested numerous times and was resisting arrest. I believe he died of a heart attack. While you can argue excessive force, if he had just cooperated he would be alive to get his day in court. He knew the system and anyone "fearing" cops wouldn't resist. Brown was attacking the cop-you cannot tell me that is not likely after seeing with your own eyes him attack the store clerk. I watched the Powell shooting where he waited for cops after robbing the store and not only told cops to shoot him, but walked at them with a knife. None of these cases have ANYTHING to do with race. It would have been the same outcome if they had been white. These are not innocent people getting killed-they are criminals so it's no real loss. As much as I'd like to refute every person you listed, I have better things to do and could spend all day giving you examples of white victims. The 12 yr old-you cannot speak to whether or not there will be prosecution in that case yet. The guy with the fake gun shot in Walmart...was the cop supposed to assume it was a fake gun? Wait to see if he shot first? Why not drop the gun when told to??What kind of idiot goes around pointing a fake gun? 12 yrs old or not.

At this point I've realized there's no point in reasoning with you. All I can say is that I wish you well.

Sue you've said so many times how you help more whites than other races. Hint, whites are a vast majority of the population still. The fact is, I bet you help a whole lot less %of the white pop than that of other races, esp black depending on where you live/work.

Typical BS... "What has he done to help black people?".... Why isn't this comment offensive because it implies blacks can't help themselves?..Everything else seems to be offensive, why isn't this?.....

Because they don't do it themselves.

Because it's a response to someone who says that he hasn't helped black people. So generally, someone would ask what have you done while you're busy criticizing me

I love Russell but why should Geraldo, do anything for us and i am black, he does not need to nor should he be called out about, He is not black. Stop the madness,

You do realize this is why your young black men are being killed by cops, right? This kind of attitude.

Geraldo made a lot of great points about hip hop culture whether you like him or not.

Russell Simmons did NOT address one single part of what Geraldo said about hip hop and how the sagging pants, tattoos, ignorant slang, lack of education etc is setting black people back 200 years (I added the 200 years part because it's funny and true).

Russell Simmons himself does not sag his pants and talk like a retarded animal but yet promotes that to his own people.

Russell Simmons if you are reading this why don't you just go to Geraldo for advise on how to raise up the failing black culture in this great country of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Hit the nail on the head

Very well said!

Thank you... I appreciate it.

How can generalize a whole race based of rap/ hip hop you sound ridiculous

Because it is the target demographic

I'm not, I said hip hop culture and black youth... I will accept your apology.

You have made some points, although people fail to address that many, many more youth in all other races and large amounts of White kids imitate hip-hop culture, with sagging pants and all. Their way of dress has been copied, is on the runways and called " grunge" , I see more and more white boys blasting rap music in cars, and walking down the street. Somebody's liking it other than Black youth.

True, but these effects of the hip hop culture don't bring down the white kids as much as it does the black kids. its more or less a fad for the white kids.

Not really a fad, as many White kids are just as much a part of the hip-hop community, and for years, and still love it , being over 40. I think it may not be held against them as much, or not discriminated against as much

I have a lot of white friends that buy and listen to rap, but they don't sag their pants, talk slanging (at least at work) they went to school, they didn't tatoo their whole body etc
There is a clear difference in how hip hop has effected the white youth vs the black youth.

As I know many Blacks that despise sagging pants, are in school and also speak well and love Rap. This is what I'm talking about. They are quicker to be looked at and discriminated against because of it. There are thousands of them in colleges all over, I know med students who are looked at as " no good hip-hoppers" or "thugs", until told about them, then of course comes the excuses next"I'm not racist!" They don't do that to white hip-hoppers, they're not just looked at in that light.
People allow Whites many roles, unlike Blacks. And you know that's true.

I agree

He also promotes himself, being educated, well dressed, and talking with common sense. So who's to blame for people not following that instead lol.

The number one thing holding black people back is themselves.

Amen

I'm black but I agree with Geraldo. A lot of people from other races pre-judge us all and think we are that music. We're not that music, we just like to get down to it-just as other races do. Hop-Hip and Rap are not a lifestyle for most black people, we just listen to it.

That has more to do with the fact that we do not have a balanced image in the media. Minorities, in general, are shown almost always in the most negative light. That is intentional.

Would you also agree that there's a lot of negative light to show?

I agree that ALL races have a negative light but some people only focus on the black community because it's the easiest to do with so much hatred & fear.

Is that what you're going with?

There is a lot of negative light amongst all of humanity to show. There are no shortages of Honey Boo Boos out there, no shortages of white people doing wrong. Hell, we have a whole network dedicated to almost nothing but white people doing other white people wrong (ID). There is no shortage of white men driving our country's economy off the cliff (repeatedly throughout history, mind you), and that does more harm to you than any black person will. There is no shortage of white sexual predators, and this is just white men. There are bad white women out there too, see: Dr. Phil or any reality show. (hahaha)

Yet, white people get a much more balanced projection of their community. This balance allows people to feel comfortable with giving white people the benefit of the doubt, since it is reasonable to think that they could be a good person until they are proven wrong. People of color do not get that because most white people do not have interaction with black people. They get their information from the media, and since the media mostly shows black people in a negative light, that becomes who black people are. (And this also works against black people, especially poor black people who have only witnessed what it is like to live around other poverty-stricken black people. The media reinforces what they see so they assume that that is all black people have to offer, which fosters self-fulfilling prophecies that help to continue the cycle of poverty.)

So, back to my original comment... Black people do not have a balanced media image. That is not to say that there are no bad black people, it is to say that there is a lot more good that people never/rarely get to see or hear about so they think it does not exist. Just like that tree falling in the forest that does not make a sound...

Well, I sent you a response but who knows if you will get it since it has to be approved by TMZ. Basically, I elaborated on the statement that there is no shortage of negative light to show amongst humanity in general. I hope the other message is approved because it is hard to summarize.

Ok but in today's day wouldn't you say there's less humanity going on in the black race?

Sorry, I got censord again so this conversation cannot happen.

No, black people do not own the lack of humanity chip. See the war in the middle east and all of the people who have died attacking people/a country that did not attack us. Look at Gitmo or Abu Ghraib. Nothing about any of that is or has been humane.

Way to get off subject...good day