Race or rhetoric?Former Education Secretary William Bennett is under fire for his remarks linking the crime rate and the abortion of black babies. Bennett, on his radio show, "Morning in America," was answering a caller's question on Wednesday when he took issue with the hypothesis put forth in a recent book that one reason crime is down is that abortion is up.
"But 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," said Bennett, author of "The Book of Virtues."
He went on to call that "an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down. So these far-out, these far-reaching, extensive extrapolations are, I think, tricky."
CNN is among several news organizations covering the story. Bennett's website has posted streaming audio from the controversial broadcast.
The White House criticized the former education secretary's comments on Friday, saying that Bennett's statements "were not appropriate." As of Thursday evening, Bennett stood by his remarks. What do you think?
Tags: Media, News, Radio, Politics, Current Affairs, William Bennett, African American
4 comments:
That tells me that he is stupid. You could do the same with whites and crime would also go down...where does Bush get these folks and why haven't we started the impeachment process on Bush and his cronies?...
Rose, I wonder how many people share your sentiments. How much do you think America would change if President Bush were impeached? Does this mean you want Dick Cheney as President? Your comments give us a lot to think about.
Reggie, you are right when you say that it is time to be honest - to "get real" in addressing issues such as this one. It is easy for us to shoot down Bennett. But how many of us actually step up to the plate and do something on a regular basis to make a difference for our communities? I applaud people like Rose, who make a difference every day in the lives of children and adults.
Reggie, may you continue to "observe reality," not only on your own site but on this one as well. Thank you for a well-crafted commentary.
No I don't want Cheney, I want Hilary Clinton.. Reggie you are right in your observation but my point is exactly like your observation and killing off any parts of a race would reduce crime...daily I put my money and hands where other puts their mouth. I am an avid social worker who although is in higher management still works closely with my staff and the people we serve to make a positive difference.
John, thank goodness your musings (and mine) are protected under the First Amendment. In the interest of fairness to Planned Parenthood, it would be great if you could produce an official quote from the organization's leadership on this topic. Make sure the quote is in context. Thank you for stopping by.
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