[CS-FSLUG] OT: William Bennett's Stupid Comments

[Don Parris]

Brothers,

If any of you are not aware, William Bennett recently made remarks to
the effect that aborting black babies would reduce the crime rate. 
Even given his remarks about the immorality of abortion, he still
believed that aborting black babies would reduce crime.  I will not
accuse him of being a racist.  I will accuse him of making one of the
most ridiculous remarks ever made in public.  As some have pointed
out, we could reduce the Mafia by aborting all Italian babies as well.
 We can go on with this kind of list.  Furthermore, his remark
erroneously quoted some study that suggested that aborting low-income
babies reduces crime.

I am not a flaming "liberal" - I'm a moderately conservative
evangelical Baptist.  I am pro-life, pro-love, pro-family, and
pro-a-number-of-other-important-Christian-values.  Never mind the
liberal media.  Never mind the conservative media.  Never mind who the
real racists are.  I have a problem with this statement.  I agree that
"there is no context in which a statement like this fits".  I don't
care if people really believe it.  In truth, the only way to reduce
your crime rate is to destroy  humans, period.  We are, after all,
sinners.  O.k., so God chose a different method to solve the problem
of sin.

So the guy said something truly ignorant. He should definitely know
better.  He certainly should confess and repent.  That's my stand. 
Now I must ask a question or two.

(1) Where is the "Christian Right" in all of this?  I am unaware of
any major figures that have criticized bennett for his remarks.  Maybe
they have, and I don't know it.  The Church's silence on such an issue
would be a critical mistake.  It would be particularly difficult for
the "Evangelical Right" to overcome.

(2) Is classism a euphemism for racism?  I suspect it is, and have for
some time.  I have heard white people suggest that classism is the new
problem, and that racism is no longer much of an issue.  Yet, here in
Charlotte, the old-time problems of white flight and other issues are
prominent.  Racial tensions eddy beneath the surface, and I fear an
eventual explosion - especially if conditions are right.

Anyway, I felt a need to condemn Bennett's comments and to express my
concern that other Christians might be falling down on their
responsibility to speak up.  I confess that I have been ignorant of
this issue over the last two weeks, and am sure others have as well. 
However, I'm certain that those in greater leadership positions than
myself should have known and responded.

I previously was very actively involved in racial issues, but
eventually just dropped it for various reasons.  Remarks like this
bring to mind the need for me to add a few more Google Alerts. ;-)

Blessings,
Don
--
DC Parris GNU Evangelist
http://matheteuo.org/
gnumathetes at gmail.com
"Hey man, whatever pickles your list!"