Neanderthals Next Door?
There are so many news stories about former drug “czar” and US education secretary Bill Bennett’s revolting comments the other day, it was hard to find just one to link. I used this one, from MediaMatters.org, because it includes a transcript of the call, an audio clip, and his attempts at rationalization yesterday. I'm dizzy just imagining a rational person suggesting, much less defending, the termination of an entire generation of people.
Now, I don’t know Bill Bennett. Just as well, because I tend to have trouble controlling my reactions (and my big mouth) when I come across racists as overt as this one. It’s lucky for everybody, no doubt, that he lives far away (er…. doesn’t he?) – although I do feel sorry for his neighbors.
For some totally irrational reason, I usually assume that raving idiots like that are far from me. Surely, if I encountered somebody who thinks genocide is a reasonable solution (to anything!), I’d know this, right? I mean, wouldn’t they have fangs, or red eyes, or something?
Wrong. I’m amazed how many bloggers are speaking out in support of Bill Bennett’s asinine remarks. Who are these people? Are they shopping, dining, laughing in my community? Are their children going to school with mine? AAaaack!
No – not everyone discussing Bennett’s nastiness (makes me shudder) is in the defensive position. I just don’t see how anybody could be!
2 Comments:
Lee:
You bring up some interesting things.
I agree that Bill Bennett was not calling for action. And of course you’re correct – it was a big leap of logic to label him racist. If Mr. Bennett had framed his statement in other ways, I might not have done so. However, opening the entire hypothetical with, “But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could…”
To say that one knows something to be true implies a belief system. It appears, in this case, to be a belief that blacks are the reason the crime rate is what it is.
Nor can I interpret “...you could abort every black baby in this country” as anything other than a hypothetical genocide. The use of the word “every” makes it so.
You said,
"If that portion of (1)the cadre of youth that committes crimes and (2) is African American, was aborted, then the crime rate would go down."
Leaving aside the required time lapse for the expected result, which crime rate would go down? If you’re using a national average, then what would happen to the crime rate in areas that are overwhelmingly white? Is your assumption that all crimes are disproportionately committed by black people?
I don’t think crime and race should not be discussed; they absolutely should be. But since the subject of race – and race relations – in this country is so very sensitive (on all sides), people need to be sensitive of both the audience, and their own underlying belief systems.
Lee:
From this morning's Washington Post. Relevant to us both.
A Specious Experiment
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