Okay, I've heard it all now. You would think a former Secretary of Education would know better, but then again you would also think he would know better than to get in hock to gambling casinos, so what can you say? Well, you can try to come up with an explanation for his recent remarks to the effect that if you wanted to curtail black crime, or end it, you could simply abort all black babies. And so, in nomination for the grand prize in the category "What the fuck is this idiot thinking", we have the following entries:
1. The New Southern Strategy-Yeah, for sure, white southern racists have been given some cause for concern over the last few years, with all this talk from Republican circles about "compasionate conservativism", and the policy of "no child left behind" and now the recent assertion of the need to use federal money to rebuild New Orleans and address the issue of poverty that has for so long afflicted the mostly black population of New Orleans. So maybe this was simply a trail balloon aimed at easing white southern racist sensitivities.
2. The Black Party Strategy-Yeah, I know this one is a stretch, but let's face it. Ask any white conservative Republican, and you're liable to hear that the majority of black folks just love to party and get high, and fuck all night. Of course, this creates the problem of a good many unwanted pregnancies, and therefore out-of-wedlock births. For far too long have Republicans put themselves across as being insensitive to the partyin' cultural needs of black folks. So perhaps this is merely a need to reassure them that, if Republicans maintain and increase their hold on power, not only do black people need have no fear of interference in their culture and society by Republicans, but they can be assurred that no interference from Republicans will be offerred if they choose to take care of the little problem of unwanted pregnancies by way of the process of abortions. After all, George W. Bush picked up two or three per cent of the black vote in the last election over the usual Republican average. Why not pick up an extra two or three per cent. Well, the only way you can do that is by picking up those wild and crazy party blacks that usually vote Democratic. Hell, who knows, maybe they can get a majority the next time around. And cleverly do so in such a way as to not undermine the strength of the aforementioned Southern strategy.
3. A Moderation Of Pro-Life Policies-Oh sure, Bennett went on to say that it would be immoral and reprehensible to actually abort black babies for the purpose of reducing crime, but still, hee hee hee, he did say it. I could almost imagine him winking as he said it. So here you have a potential trial balloon that could be a hint at a coming moderation in the hard-core Republican stance toward abortion policies. A way to hack away at that Democratic feminist base by, once again, cleverly doing so in a way as to not undermine the Republican hold on Social Conservatives. And white bigots.
4. He is a fucking idiot who has inadverdently revealed the true Republican/Social Conservative mindset in regards to blacks and minorities and other racial issues.
And the winner is-may we have the envelope please (Drumroll)-
NUMBER FOUR (Applause).
No, that's okay Mr. Bennett, no speeches please-PLEASE
In all seriousness, how is it that a former Secretary of Education can come up with such a nutty idea, when it should be obvious to him, of all people, that one of the best ways to address the iussue of black crime, and of crime in general, is by, well, improving education. Improved job training and job opportunities and medical and insurance coverage might be among some of the others. But wherever it would fall on the list in terms of importance, education must certainly be the starting point. But this is a man whose main emphasis in life seems to be on morality issues. He was one of the most vociferous critics of Bill Clinton and is at the vanguard of those who emphasize a return to traditional values in terms of families, and schools. There can be little doubt that if he had his way, there would be a return to not only prayer in the public schools, but probably Bible reading as well, in addition to abstinence only sex educxation, and an overall emphasis on morality as a compass in public education. But whose morality?
Well, up until yesterday, the answer to that would have been, in part, the morality of a man who once asserted that abortion was wrong, presumably for any reason. I guess Bill Bennett is just another one of those who believe there can be exceptions to that rule.
