If I was George, no way in hell would I have went to the projects at Night

[TVFactFan]

to speak to teenagers in the basement. The man who wanted him to speak to the kids should have arranged the kids to go to a community center in a business area not some damm basement of the projects

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

to speak to teenagers in the basement. The man who wanted him to speak to the kids should have arranged the kids to go to a community center in a business area not some damm basement of the projects

And you're black right?

[PracTz]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

to speak to teenagers in the basement. The man who wanted him to speak to the kids should have arranged the kids to go to a community center in a business area not some damm basement of the projects

Since George HAD lived there, I guess he thought he could take care of himself.

HOWEVER, I didn't blame him ONE BIT for wanting to call the cops and PRESSING CHARGES against the thieves who CLEANED OUT HIS VAN while he was there trying to give them a pep talk! IMO, not only was George ABSOLUTELY RIGHT to have been livid and in wanting to have the book thrown at them but I hated how everyone else (their' mentor', Louise and finally Lionel) did all they could to guilt-trip George to not call the cops but to try to dismiss the whole thing as some 'boys will be boys' prank. WRONG!!

When the 'mentor' put his hand over the phone receiver and said he couldn't 'let' George call the cops , George should have told him he had two seconds to LEAVE the apartment or he'd have HIM charged with obstruction of justice AND slammed the phone on the man's hand so he could continue to call.

When Louise was laughing it off, George should have told her that these thugs had taken money out of HER mouth and that she should have showed them NO sympathy.

When Lionel 'reconnected' with one of the thugs, George should have told HIM that if he wanted to keep getting tuition, he needed to DROP him like a bad habit and that he needed to learn to pick his friends better from this point on!

Why didn't anyone else get that these thugs had stolen from the man who was trying to give them some means to be inspired to earn an honest living to get off the streets instead of doing all they could to blame the victim (George) for daring to object to having had livelihood attacked by them?

HATED THAT ENDING!!!

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

I guess because he was Lionel's old friend & a family friend from the hood they let it slide.

But you're right that they should've ENDED it with a better lesson instead of the thief getting off scot free.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by PracTz

Since George HAD lived there, I guess he thought he could take care of himself.

HOWEVER, I didn't blame him ONE BIT for wanting to call the cops and PRESSING CHARGES against the thieves who CLEANED OUT HIS VAN while he was there trying to give them a pep talk! IMO, not only was George ABSOLUTELY RIGHT to have been livid and in wanting to have the book thrown at them but I hated how everyone else (their' mentor', Louise and finally Lionel) did all they could to guilt-trip George to not call the cops but to try to dismiss the whole thing as some 'boys will be boys' prank. WRONG!!

When the 'mentor' put his hand over the phone receiver and said he couldn't 'let' George call the cops , George should have told him he had two seconds to LEAVE the apartment or he'd have HIM charged with obstruction of justice AND slammed the phone on the man's hand so he could continue to call.

When Louise was laughing it off, George should have told her that these thugs had taken money out of HER mouth and that she should have showed them NO sympathy.

When Lionel 'reconnected' with one of the thugs, George should have told HIM that if he wanted to keep getting tuition, he needed to DROP him like a bad habit and that he needed to learn to pick his friends better from this point on!

Why didn't anyone else get that these thugs had stolen from the man who was trying to give them some means to be inspired to earn an honest living to get off the streets instead of doing all they could to blame the victim (George) for daring to object to having had livelihood attacked by them?

HATED THAT ENDING!!!

And that still happens today, no consequences for breaking the law and blames it on the environment they grew up in which is BS.

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

And you're black right?

Im black and would never go to the ghetto at night time No point in putting yourself in a unsafe situation.

[SitcomsHeydayfan]

Originally Posted by TVFactFan

And that still happens today, no consequences for breaking the law and blames it on the environment they grew up in which is BS.

I'm glad you're not falling for all that liberal BS!

The most liberal areas in America have the HIGHEST crime rates!

You didn't vote for Biden did you??

He & his party perpetuates all these liberal high crime policies!

[TVFactFan]

Originally Posted by SitcomsHeydayfan

I'm glad you're not falling for all that liberal BS!

The most liberal areas in America have the HIGHEST crime rates!

You didn't vote for Biden did you??

He & his party perpetuates all these liberal high crime policies!

That guy wanted George to walk through Harlem at Night

[hch]

Your frustration is a major point of debate for fans of the show! That episode is often cited as one of the most illogical because of how the writers handled the theft and the pressure put on George:

The Set-Up: George is thrilled because he thinks he's been invited to lecture at a college. When he realizes it's actually just a "street academy" in his old neighborhood (run by a social worker played by Robert Guillaume), he is immediately defensive.

The Looting: While George is inside, a gang—which includes Lionel's old friend Ronnie (played by Ernest Thomas) from What's Happening!!—completely loots George's delivery van.
The Guilt Trip: Even though the gang stole his property, the show’s ending forced George to "swallow his pride" and give the speech anyway, rather than pressing charges.

The Moral Failure: As you noted, the "lesson" the show tried to push was that George shouldn't "forget where he came from." But the logic falls apart because it asks the victim to apologize for being upset about a crime.

It’s interesting that you mention the Lionel connection specifically. Lionel actually goes out and retrieves the van himself, but the fact that he and Louise expected George to just "be a good sport" about his van being cleaned out remains one of the show's most controversial "noble" moments.

[TVFactFan]

I guess since all the gang members was going to be in the front row I guess that made it easier for George to go to Harlem and speak