William (Bill) Bennett's Words in Their Entirety

**40sondacurb** · 10-02-2005, 09:45 AM

Quote:

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 occurs among single women, no?

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

Bennett: All right, well, I mean, I just don't know. I would not argue for the pro-life position based on this, because you don't know. I mean, it cuts both [ways]. You know, one of the arguments in this book Freakonomics that they make is that the declining crime rate, you know, they deal with this hypothesis, that one of the reasons crime is down is that abortion is up. Well--

Caller: Well, I don't think that statistic is accurate.

Bennett: Well, I don't think it is either, I don't think it is either, because first of all, there is just too much that you don't know. 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. That would be 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.

The Controversy:

"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. That would be an impossible, ridiculous, and morally reprehensible thing to do, but your crime rate would go down."

**40sondacurb** · 10-02-2005, 09:52 AM

I wouldn't say something like:

"Keep in mind that I don't actually believe in abortion, but we should abort all white babies to stop serial killers

It's statistically true, more whites are serial killers than any other ethnicity. Therefore if we aborted all their children, we would have less serial killers to worry about.

It would be a very unethical thing to do mind you, but we would have a lower crime rate."

and not expect to be called an a**hole, it's just an a**hole thing to say period.

**jgvernonco** · 10-02-2005, 01:19 PM

We could abort ALL of the babies, which would solve the social security problem, a lot of the crime, and reduce polution, disease, etc, etc.

Mr. Bennett has had a high speed blow-out.

May he RIP...

**mgoldb2** · 10-02-2005, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 40sondacurb

"Keep in mind that I don't actually believe in abortion, but we should abort all white babies to stop serial killers

Find me one place in that interview that he said that we should do it. He said if and could but never should. On the contrary he made it very clear that we should NOT do it.

I think you taking what he said way out of context. He was never making the case we should abort all black babies. His point was that blaming our social security problems on abortion is not sound logic. I pretty sure what he was trying to do was to make a statement as broad as saying abortion cause social security problems with something on the opposite extreme to show the Fallacy of the caller argument.

People should try to look at the meaning of what being said rather then take a sound bite that missrepresent what the actural point is.

**Fox** · 10-02-2005, 05:26 PM

I don't take a stance on abortion, but I disagree with this claim-

Our social security system works based on a constantly growing population, and we're working here with a steadily declining birth rate, so in the long-run, I don't think it would really solve the problem. We don't need more people, we need a reform of the social security system to one which puts less strain on taxpayers.

And we need to resolve the war as quickly as possible, it's a major drain on resources- I don't think there's anyone, republican, democrat or otherwise that would disagree with that.

**jgvernonco** · 10-02-2005, 05:54 PM

You know, mgold, if I was sitting around someplace with you and 40, I might make just the point that he was making, and I am sure that both of you would understand what I was trying to say.

However, Mr. Bennett needed to remember that he was speaking in public. It was just wrong for him to use the example that he used.

Why? Well, this guy doesn't support anything that gives any credance to racism. If you look at the stats, poor people commit the overwhealming majority of all crimes. If Mr. Bennett had made it an economic issue, rather than a racial one, it would be just fine.

I know what he was saying; I just didn't like the way he said it...at all.

**Fox** · 10-02-2005, 06:02 PM

Wow if for every point of this thread I missed, I had a dollar, I would have one dollar.

**mgoldb2** · 10-02-2005, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgvernonco

However, Mr. Bennett needed to remember that he was speaking in public. It was just wrong for him to use the example that he used.

I understand that you have to be careful in speaking in public but to my knowledge he did not plan on what he said before saying it. You telling me when you try to making an argument on the spot you never maybe said something that you would not have said if you was given a moment to think about it. He was trying to come up with an example on the spot.

I just don’t think we should crucify people for being raciest with out real reason to believe they are raciest. Can you really say based on that interview alone he raciest?

Now I have not listened to Bennett so maybe he has a past history for this stuff. If this is true I am wrong and he should be in trouble but I have not heard anything he said in the past to know this.

If he has no past history he should apologize for his bad wording and anyone he offended and that should be the end of it.

**bruiser** · 10-03-2005, 06:08 AM

Bennett has no past history of making racist comments. However, because he is a conservative, he is automatically: racist, homophobic, sexist, bigoted, hates poor people, hates the homeless, and any other stereotype the left can come up with. Why, Bennett should be taken and burned at the stake, and if that can't happen, then his freedom of speech should be curtailed by removing him from his radio show.

bry623 · 10-03-2005, 06:14 AM

The message of abotion neither solves or contributes to problems was a valid one, a white guy inferring that we should kill black babies is wrong. Bennet's comments were reactionary, far far right, just like Howard Dean is a radical, far far left. Intersting to note that only the radicals get praised for their testicular fortitude.........

**RavenMind** · 10-13-2005, 11:11 PM

Not knowing anything about this man, and only reading the article that 40's posted, it sure looks like a racist thing he said. I don't think he was saying we should abort black babies, but he appears to believe that the crime rate is derrived from blacks. I'm all for forgiving people for saying something stupid, that makes them appear to believe something they dont. (Lord knows I've done it a time or two in my life!) So maybe we should all give the guy a break on this one.

And I totally agree with JG's thought that crime rates are linked much more closely to socio-economic status than race.

10-02-2005, 09:52 AM	#2 (permalink)
40sondacurb #64 & #36 BACKBONE Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 5,676 OS: xp	I wouldn't say something like: "Keep in mind that I don't actually believe in abortion, but we should abort all white babies to stop serial killers It's statistically true, more whites are serial killers than any other ethnicity. Therefore if we aborted all their children, we would have less serial killers to worry about. It would be a very unethical thing to do mind you, but we would have a lower crime rate." and not expect to be called an ahole, it's just an ahole thing to say period. Last edited by 40sondacurb : 10-02-2005 at 09:56 AM.

10-02-2005, 01:19 PM	#3 (permalink)
jgvernonco Old Timer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 7,957 OS: Vista Home Premium, SP 27	We could abort ALL of the babies, which would solve the social security problem, a lot of the crime, and reduce polution, disease, etc, etc. Mr. Bennett has had a high speed blow-out. May he RIP... __________________ Donations keep TSF moving forward. Please help. http://www.myspace.com/speedbumpthecelt

10-02-2005, 05:26 PM	#5 (permalink)
Fox Moderator, Microsoft Support Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,519 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	I don't take a stance on abortion, but I disagree with this claim- Our social security system works based on a constantly growing population, and we're working here with a steadily declining birth rate, so in the long-run, I don't think it would really solve the problem. We don't need more people, we need a reform of the social security system to one which puts less strain on taxpayers. And we need to resolve the war as quickly as possible, it's a major drain on resources- I don't think there's anyone, republican, democrat or otherwise that would disagree with that. __________________ Antec Neo Power 500W- $35, ABIT IP35-E- $65, Intel E2180@2.66Ghz- $83, Corsair XMS2 2x1GB DDR2-800- $25, PNY 8800GT $160-25, 320GB Seagate- $65, Total: $419 * lazy college student alert *- If I've inadvertently ignored a thread, please Let me know about it Have I helped you solve your problem? Donate to Techsupportforums Klart Skepp!

10-02-2005, 05:54 PM	#6 (permalink)
jgvernonco Old Timer Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Northern Arizona Posts: 7,957 OS: Vista Home Premium, SP 27	You know, mgold, if I was sitting around someplace with you and 40, I might make just the point that he was making, and I am sure that both of you would understand what I was trying to say. However, Mr. Bennett needed to remember that he was speaking in public. It was just wrong for him to use the example that he used. Why? Well, this guy doesn't support anything that gives any credance to racism. If you look at the stats, poor people commit the overwhealming majority of all crimes. If Mr. Bennett had made it an economic issue, rather than a racial one, it would be just fine. I know what he was saying; I just didn't like the way he said it...at all. __________________ Donations keep TSF moving forward. Please help. http://www.myspace.com/speedbumpthecelt

10-02-2005, 06:02 PM	#7 (permalink)
Fox Moderator, Microsoft Support Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: NJ Posts: 7,519 OS: XP Pro, CentOS My System	Wow if for every point of this thread I missed, I had a dollar, I would have one dollar. __________________ Antec Neo Power 500W- $35, ABIT IP35-E- $65, Intel E2180@2.66Ghz- $83, Corsair XMS2 2x1GB DDR2-800- $25, PNY 8800GT $160-25, 320GB Seagate- $65, Total: $419 * lazy college student alert *- If I've inadvertently ignored a thread, please Let me know about it Have I helped you solve your problem? Donate to Techsupportforums Klart Skepp!

10-03-2005, 06:08 AM	#9 (permalink)
bruiser TSF Enthusiast Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,523 OS: xp	Bennett has no past history of making racist comments. However, because he is a conservative, he is automatically: racist, homophobic, sexist, bigoted, hates poor people, hates the homeless, and any other stereotype the left can come up with. Why, Bennett should be taken and burned at the stake, and if that can't happen, then his freedom of speech should be curtailed by removing him from his radio show.

10-03-2005, 06:14 AM	#10 (permalink)
bry623 Manager, The Conversation Pit/Analyst, Security Team Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: NW Territory circa 1787 Posts: 10,356 OS: winxp pro sp2	The message of abotion neither solves or contributes to problems was a valid one, a white guy inferring that we should kill black babies is wrong. Bennet's comments were reactionary, far far right, just like Howard Dean is a radical, far far left. Intersting to note that only the radicals get praised for their testicular fortitude......... __________________ Scarlet and Gray in L.A. 9/13/08

10-13-2005, 11:11 PM	#11 (permalink)
RavenMind I helped the forums. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Salt Lake Posts: 1,009 OS: WinXP SP2	Not knowing anything about this man, and only reading the article that 40's posted, it sure looks like a racist thing he said. I don't think he was saying we should abort black babies, but he appears to believe that the crime rate is derrived from blacks. I'm all for forgiving people for saying something stupid, that makes them appear to believe something they dont. (Lord knows I've done it a time or two in my life!) So maybe we should all give the guy a break on this one. And I totally agree with JG's thought that crime rates are linked much more closely to socio-economic status than race. __________________ ========================================== If TSF has helped you, please consider making a donation to help keep the board running. Last edited by RavenMind : 10-13-2005 at 11:13 PM.