Icon Bill Bennett doesn't get it
K
Kervo (view)

For those who think there is nothing wrong with what Bill Bennet said:

Blacks account for about 12% of the U.S. population. Whites account for something like 60% give or take. In sheer numbers there are more whites in poverty (a root cause of crime) and white criminals than blacks. If, hypothetically speaking, you wanted to reduce the crime rate it would be more effective to abort all white babies.

Now, why didn't Bill Bennett say to abort white babies. Because the concept of linking the preponderance of crime to whites is inherently foreign to him. For him to say what he did reflects that he attaches less value to the lives of blacks as opposed to his own race.

In this case he feeds the stereotype the blacks are responsible for the majority of crime which is blatantly untrue (maybe certain types of crime, but not all crime).

Bill Bennett is a nice enough guy, well-informed, and a serious policy wonk. He just put his foot in his mouth on this one. After a few of his liberal friends bend his ear about why his comments were wrong-headed, he'll be apologizing by tommorrow ("To those I may have offended with my comments, ....."). Guaranteed.
posted 2005.09.30
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