| Topic: |
Religions > Bible |
| User: |
"fuller" |
| Date: |
01 Oct 2005 08:32:15 AM |
| Object: |
The book of racist virtues, by Bill Bennett |
Austin American-Statesman
October 1, 2005
The book of racist virtues, by Bill Bennett
EDITORIAL BOARD
Aborting black children is an effective way to reduce the crime rate.
We're not surprised that kind of racist drivel is being peddled over
the public airways, but we are stunned by who is doing the peddling:
William Bennett, the self-styled virtues czar of the United States and
former education secretary under President Reagan. He has a connection
to Texas, earning his doctorate degree in philosophy from the
University of Texas at Austin.
This week, Bennett said on his syndicated radio show: "I do know that
it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could, if that were
your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country,
and your crime rate would go down," he said. Then he quickly added:
"That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible
thing to do, but your crime rate would go down."
What is morally reprehensible is that Bennett's racist statements fuel
the specious belief that blacks are genetically wired to be criminals.
Bennett should know that race is not a predictor of criminal behavior.
Researchers long have pointed to socioeconomic factors as a primary
cause for criminal behavior. But Bennett didn't say that aborting all
poor children would reduce the crime rate, but rather aborting all
black children — rich, poor or middle-income — is the way to lower the
crime rate.
Bennett should apologize. Instead he blames the media for taking his
comments out of context. Right.
With the heat in the kitchen rising over his statements, Bennett, who
preaches much about taking personal responsibility, isn't doing that.
Apparently, that advice is for others.
In explaining his comments, he said: "I was pointing out that abortion
should not be opposed for economic reasons, any more than racism or,
for that matter, slavery or segregation should be supported or opposed
for economic reasons . . . One could just as easily have said you
could abort all children and prevent all crime, to show the absurdity
of the proposition." Right.
Like the Energizer Bunny, Bennett keeps on going. Similar serious
moral lapses would — and have — shut down other public figures. In
2002, Trent Lott, R-Miss., was forced to step down as Senate majority
leader after he commented that the United States would have avoided
"all these problems" if then-segregationist Strom Thurmond had been
elected president in 1948. Lott at least apologized.
Bennett, author of the best-selling "The Book of Virtues" and "The
Children's Book of Virtues," survived another controversy in 2003,
when he admitted he was a heavy gambler, losing millions in casinos.
In the absence of an apology, we can add hubris to Bennett's growing
list of moral calamities.
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| User: "" |
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| Title: Re: The book of racist virtues, by Bill Bennett |
03 Oct 2005 11:11:57 AM |
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wrote:
Should I leave aside the fact that Bennett was criticizing the
conclusions of a book called "Freakanomics" which argues that
abortion does reduce crime rates? Bennett argued that even if
it were true that abortions reduced crime rates, it is a
disgusting way to reduce crime. He said - twice - that one
should not make outlandish conclusions based on stats that
aren't directly connected.
Maternal mortality rates are better in countries where abortion is
generally legal than in countries where it is generally illegal. That
is a social benefit that any person with a modicum of empathy can
appreciate.
Women don't have abortions to reduce the crime rate. And Bill
Bennett's suggestion that aborting African-American babies will reduce
the crime rate *is* racist.
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| User: "Vernon" |
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| Title: Re: The book of racist virtues, by Bill Bennett |
01 Oct 2005 01:09:19 PM |
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fuller wrote:
Austin American-Statesman
October 1, 2005
The book of racist virtues, by Bill Bennett
EDITORIAL BOARD
Aborting black children is an effective way to reduce the crime rate.
And you are a damned liar.
You are the bigot.
You are a real reason why many DO have an abortion.
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| User: "Happy One" |
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| Title: Re: The book of racist virtues, by Bill Bennett |
01 Oct 2005 02:22:07 PM |
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vernon@once.com says...
fuller wrote:
Austin American-Statesman
October 1, 2005
The book of racist virtues, by Bill Bennett
EDITORIAL BOARD
Aborting black children is an effective way to reduce the crime rate.
And you are a damned liar.
You are the bigot.
You are a real reason why many DO have an abortion.
And you apparently, are as dense as a stone.
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