POLITICS: Bill Bennet and his suggestion for lowering the national crime rate., page 1

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 12:05 AM

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On his radio broadcast "Bill Bennett's Morning in American" he answered a callers questions in reference to abortion by stating his theory for lowering America's crime rate. It is believed that he took this theory from the book "freakonomics" in which the authors theorized that aborted fetuses would have been less likely to grow up in poorer households, thus lowering the national crime rate. His nationally syndicated show airs on 115 radio stations and has an estimated audience of 1.25 million weekly.

mediamatters.org
Addressing a caller's suggestion that the "lost revenue from the people who have been aborted in the last 30 years" would be enough to preserve Social Security's solvency, radio host and former Reagan administration Secretary of Education Bill Bennett dismissed such "far-reaching, extensive extrapolations" by declaring that if "you wanted to reduce crime ... if that were your sole purpose, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down." Bennett conceded that aborting all African-American babies "would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do," then added again, "but the crime rate would go down."

CALLER: I noticed the national media, you know, they talk a lot about the loss of revenue, or the inability of the government to fund Social Security, and I was curious, and I've read articles in recent months here, that the abortions that have happened since Roe v. Wade, the lost revenue from the people who have been aborted in the last 30-something years, could fund Social Security as we know it today. And the media just doesn't -- never touches this at all.

BENNETT: Assuming they're all productive citizens?

CALLER: Assuming that they are. Even if only a portion of them were, it would be an enormous amount of revenue.

BENNETT: Maybe, maybe, but we don't know what the costs would be, too. I think as -- abortion disproportionately occur among single women? No.

CALLER: I don't know the exact statistics, but quite a bit are, yeah.

Please visit the link provided for the complete story.

I am really not sure what to think of this. Was this just something tongue and cheek are does the man actually believe in this? Crime rates are not simply related to blacks. Its everyone, white,black,green, you name it. Criminals are all nationalitys.

It was a horrible statement whether he meant it or not. I think that this will haunt him for sometime. And I would suspect that the NAACP will be getting involved before this is all said and done. Whatever he gets for this comment he deserves when its all said and done. There is enough problems in the world without someone advocating the wholesale slaughter of a race of people based on their color.

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shots

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 09:58 AM

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I am really not sure what to think of this. Was this just something tongue and cheek or does the man actually believe in this? Crime rates are not simply related to blacks. Its everyone, white,black,green, you name it. Criminals are all nationalities

I have been watching several interviews on CNN, MSMBC, etc. and they all seem to agree that what he is saying has been statistically proven to be correct 55% of all criminals in jails are black, something no one can argue with when you get down to the basics.

His tongue cheek remarks all came about when he tried to show a caller an example which was immediately jumped on by Al Sharpeton and others and was not meant as they implied.

SpittinCobra

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 10:03 AM

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If I EVERY run into this guy, I will rise the crime rate of that city.

I just cant believe he said it, I heard it the other day. grrr.....

smallpeeps

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 10:21 AM

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I have been watching several interviews on CNN, MSMBC, etc. and they all seem to agree that what he is saying has been statistically proven to be correct 55% of all criminals in jails are black, something no one can argue with when you get down to the basics.

I haven't been watching those newscasts, but those people are wrong. Sure, that stat may be right, but there is also a correlation between blacks and poverty, so is it poverty or blackness which makes criminals?

This comment is possibly one of the stupidest things I've ever heard someone say over the airwaves. Aborting all black babies? Why would you say those words? Why would any human even use genocide as an argument of any kind --even in jest?!

The image that is conjured up is a hateful one. Black people do not commit crimes because they have black skin. White people have messed black peoples' world over, for decades. There is a systematic degradation of the black american mind which has been policy of the USA since forever. You can't have blacks getting all uppity in America, says Jim Crow and others like him. That's why black youths are made to feel hopeless.

If all the blacks in the world did disappear, you'd see similar crime statistics from the lowest percentile of the remaining white people because it is poverty and despair which encourage people to commit crimes. I live near white trash people who have their heads as far up their behind as any ghetto dweller. The poor white boys commit crimes all day in my county.

White people are not less-criminal, as this radio idiot is tacitly implying.

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jrod

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 10:54 AM

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I read a brochure that said abortion is the number 1 killer of African Americans and abortion clinics are strategicallyplaced in low income areas for reasons not far off of Bennet's suggestion. While is comments are outlandish, sadly I do believe there are many who share his opinion. Here is a link that lays out facts for abortions: www.abortionfacts.com...

skychief

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 12:40 PM

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When will these radio talk show hosts learn that you can't go off spouting comments such as this? To me, this sounds like he looked at the numbers and came up with some half baked theory. Sure, the crime rate is disproportionately higher in the poverty stricken areas of this country and yes those areas are predominately black, but come on. There are so many other factors at play that his theory just doesn't fly. It's more of a class issue and not so much a racial one.

Roper

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 01:24 PM

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Here, read this.
www.washingtonpost.com...

Bennett, a former U.S. education secretary and national drug policy director, is under fire from Democrats, civil rights leaders, black conservatives and, as of yesterday, the White House and the Republican Party for saying Wednesday that "you could abort every black baby in this country and your crime rate would go down."

He added immediately that such a thing would be "an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do."

Me again.

This man is against abortion and has been for a long time. He has been against abortion for all races. All he was doing was making a point that is being bent out of shape by the socialist elite.

Read what he said with an open mind. If one of the elite democrats had said that, there would be no protest.

Roper

ShakyaHeir

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 03:06 PM

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Originally posted by Roper
All he was doing was making a point that is being bent out of shape by the socialist elite.

Read what he said with an open mind. If one of the elite democrats had said that, there would be no protest.

Please refrain from calling democrats socialists. I never call conservatives facists, but that's what conservative idealogy becomes the further along the right side of the political spectrum you go.

And if one of the elite democrats even said something remotely close to this you and I both know Bill O'Reilly and Sean Hannity would jump on it like rabid dogs. Democratic leaders cant get away with getting extra-marital oral sex and then lying about it, I doubt they could get away with saying we should kill the black race.

magnito_student

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 03:16 PM

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Now thats a face keeping alot of secrets

So is this one

Whompa1

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 04:30 PM

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This man is against abortion and has been for a long time. He has been against abortion for all races. All he was doing was making a point that is being bent out of shape by the socialist elite.

Read what he said with an open mind. If one of the elite democrats had said that, there would be no protest.

Thats like saying look at Nazi death camps with an open mind. Same thing. He was making a very very bad point to begin with, doesnt matter what color you substitute. You don't say "hey lets abort all the babies of this paticular race for whatever reason" and not expect people to get pissed about it. And just because some one grows up in a poor improvished neighborhood does not mean they are going to turn to crime. All thats doing is sterotyping the issue. Jesus look at all the rich people who commit crimes nationwide. Perhaps he should have included them as well in his statement.

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CindyfromFlorida

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 04:43 PM

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Just a question, If they aborted all the white babies, wouldn't that lower the crime rate also? If not, are you suggesting that only blacks commit crimes

Whompa1

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 04:46 PM

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He apparently got this idea from a book called "freakonomics" which talked about children who grow up in poor improvished neighborhoods and how that leads to crime. The guy is an idiot regardless.

Roper

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 09:23 PM

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I guess some of you can't read what he said or don't want to admit what he said in full.

[He added immediately that such a thing would be "an impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible thing to do." ]

Yes he should have know better than to say anything about black people because his word will be turned,hammered,filed and covered in goop to promote discourse of the evil conservative.

Roper

Whompa1

posted on Oct, 1 2005 @ 09:30 PM

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Ya, I can read thanks. It doesnt matter that he tried to remove his foot from his mouth after that comment. The damage was already done. It was an idiotic and moronic thing to even suggest.

Roper

posted on Oct, 2 2005 @ 07:47 AM

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America has what, close to 300 million people and it looks like a very large portion of the citizenry are making these words a non-event.

This Bennett speak will be kept alive by the likes of Al Sharpton and crew and those of like mind set.

White people are prohibited from saying whats on their mind. White Americans are the ones in shackles, if you are a Conservative.

Roper

dgtempe

posted on Oct, 2 2005 @ 01:36 PM

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After having heard over and over what this self acclaimed scholar and Republican King Pin has said, i said he DID make a very racial comment and its going to be hard for him to sweep it under the rug.

Maybe he will be more carefull in the future?

Odium

posted on Oct, 2 2005 @ 01:41 PM

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Socialist elite?

Who are they?

As a socialist, there is no 'Socialist Elite' in America...in fact the idea of an Elite group of Socialists displays how little you know of Socialism...

Mayet

posted on Oct, 2 2005 @ 01:42 PM

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Hope everyones voting on this story. Its still in submisison

How wrong of a statement. This guy should be taken out of the public eye and not be able to influence anyone with ideas like that.

smallpeeps

posted on Oct, 2 2005 @ 01:47 PM

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America has what, close to 300 million people and it looks like a very large portion of the citizenry are making these words a non-event.

This Bennett speak will be kept alive by the likes of Al Sharpton and crew and those of like mind set.

White people are prohibited from saying whats on their mind. White Americans are the ones in shackles, if you are a Conservative.

Sounds racist to me, Roper.

Interesting how you speak for 300 million Americans who are making this a "non-event". This thread is evident of what at least a few Americans think, and they are disgusted. "A large portion of the citizenry" are "prohibited"? How is this done? What are they scared of? If they believe strongly that this is a non-event, as you do, why are they afraid to say so?

Tell us more about the American people and their opinions. I'm fascinated.

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ShakyaHeir

posted on Oct, 2 2005 @ 05:07 PM

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Originally posted by Roper
America has what, close to 300 million people and it looks like a very large portion of the citizenry are making these words a non-event.

A majority of those 300 million people also made the collapse of WTC 7 a non-event, that doesn't mean it's not important.

White people are prohibited from saying whats on their mind. White Americans are the ones in shackles, if you are a Conservative.

I think you need to read the Constitution before you go and say that white peope are prohibited from speaking their mind:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

There are no laws against saying that we should kill all black babies, there are no laws against calling someone a "n*gger", making such a law would be unconstitutional.

If you went out and said those things then obviously you shouldn't expect a great reaction from your audience unless your speaking to a Klan rally. That's because the majority of us agree that saying the word "n*gger" or saying that we should kill all black babies to reduce the crime rate is tasteless and bigoted. You have every right to say what's on your mind; what you dont have the right to is what other people will think of you when you do so.

If you're frustrated that you can't say these type of things without people getting angry (because your certainly not prohibited from saying them) then perhaps you should look into joining the KKK or a white nationalist movement where the demographic will more openly accept your ideas.

Does anyone else find it ironic that he said white people are "shackled" in this respect?

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