The difference in comments by Dick Durbin and William Bennett ?

[kentuck]

Remember just a few weeks ago when the GOP got all upset and got ontheir high horses to demand an apology from Dick Durbin for a comment they took out of context about the "Nazis" or Abu Graib? They stood up on the Senate floor to demean and accuse him. But now, with these latest comments by Bill Bennett, they hear nothing. Selective hypocrites?

[Armstead]

1. Yep total hypocrites

[malaise]

2. The worst part of Bennett's comments

was his assumptions that Afro-Americans are responsible for a significant percentage of crime in this country. His entire hypothetical bullshit was not based on a serious statistical breakdown of crime in the US. Sadly that is what all but Al Sharpton missed.
Aborting the babies of an ethnic group which only represents 12% of the population is like a teacup in the ocean. The entire premise was based on bullshit.
The major crime committed by Afro-Americans is smoking some herb. US prisons are full of poor people -black and white- who had no money to find decent lawyers. The real big crimes are committed by rich white men. Sadly Bennett et al have bought into the illusions promoted on MSM for decades about Afro-Americans and crime.
Tell him to produce the stats then we'll all be able to decide who to abort.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. The key is context

I think both men were taken out of context and that is a function of the partisan atmosphere in the world right now.

Both statements were ill advised, in my opinion.

[Mandate My Ass]

4. Please enlighten me

as to which context would make Bennett's statement even remotely appropriate.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

8. Here's the quote

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.



It was obviously a hypothetical. He qualified it by saying it would be "impossible, ridiculous and morally reprehensible." That is his context.

I still say it was ill advised. A person in public life must know that every thing they say will be examined with and without context.

I've never cared for Bennett ever since the gambling thing broke, but it does not do our position any good if we get breathless over out of context statements. We are supposed to be the folks who base their arguments on reality.

[Zynx]

9. I don't see how it wasn't really what he said.

He said "I know" if you aborted every black baby crime would go down. He says that it is morally reprehensible and impossible to do, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't believe he what said earlier.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

10. Well, now you are right about that

we "normal" people assume when one says something is "morally reprehensible" that means that they would never think of doing it.

He never said THAT, did he?

In the back of his mind he might be thinking (as Hitler probably did) "there are those who might think the final solution is morally reprehensible but I see the big picture more clearly."

Interesting debate

He's still a creep, though.

[Zynx]

12. Indeed. He would never say, "It's morally okay to get rid of black babies.

He's a fat, disgusting, racist, probably sexist, pseudo-moralistic, Republican creep.

[bpilgrim]

14. But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could

But I do know that it's true that if you wanted to reduce crime, you could abort every black baby in this country, and your crime rate would go down."

he targeted blacks and said he believes this to be TRUE :puke:

that is the problem with what he said.

Durbin was saying what we all know to be true about our current torture policy but because he spoke ill of our fuhrers troops it was attacked.


more...
http://GlobalFreePress.com

psst... pass the word ;->

peace

[0007]

16. Durbin was !00% right on!

[TallahasseeGrannie]

20. A basic difference

is that Durbin was commenting on and creating an analogy for a situation that exists.

Bennett was coming up with a spurious hypothetical. Kind of like "if we get rid of all the Jews we will pay lower prices."

[bpilgrim]

21. "creating an analogy" - that analogy was already in existing before durbin

an especially well known in international circles but we all know how the neoCONs despise international opinion ;->

minor nit :hi:

peace

[oasis]

17. He says essentially "I know that a black fetus is a future criminal".

"Guilty at birth" but to abort them would be "reprehensible".

[soupkitchen]

13. What is not out of context is this

He used the term black babies. To make his point he could have said, if you abort every baby in America the crime rate would go down. But when he specified black he made a race baiting statement. Probably not conciously, (these guys never smell their own shit) but another stone, nonetheless, thrown into the pool of race agitation sending out its racist ripples to welcoming shores.

[KharmaTrain]

18. Durbin Described Conditions, Bennett Was Purely Racist

Durbin referred to Gitmo as a Consenstration Camp. Letsee...are people being detained there without any rights? Without an identity? Living under questionable living conditions with no outside monitors? Now is wouldn't this fit into the definitions of a Consentration camp? This was what my Senator was referring to...not the American servicemen or the country on the whole. This was distorted to slap down Durbin who has been a thorn in the side of the right wing for several years.

I don't care how many ways you parse it, Bettamillion Bennett's spew is not only racist, it's elist as well. It was intended to be said that way and any spin that says different points out to me what big cowards and even greater bigots these assholes and their enablers are.

Bennett doesn't have the juevos to stand up to his own words...claiming they were "misunderstood". Bullshit. Either he defends what he's saying and back this bile up with facts or appologize to the millions that were offended by those comments and then vanish from the public stage for a good 10 to 50 years or longer.

[TheCowsCameHome]

5. Bennett is one of them. Durban isn't. They shield their own.

[pretzel4gore]

6. bennett is georgebushamerica

he and pat robertson, cat torturer frist, the felons delay and guckertgannon etc are perfect representatives of an evil regime...CNNT/foxnews have their work cut out for them

[cantstandbush]

7. Comments by Bennett and Barbara Bush demonstrate a mindset

of white, conservative, RW and/or liberal bigots. They exist on both sides of the political spectrum. They really can't help it. They are racists to the bone and don't even understand that they are because they have a few select friends who are economically well-off and black. It's in their genes. This is not an excuse, just an observation. Nevertheless, I would not even suggest that aborting the fetuses of their off-spring would reduce or eliminate the problem.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

11. I would suggest that more than racists

they are classists. (if there is such a term)

It is the poor they disdain. Like you say, the all have black friends so they can't be racists, right?? right???

[bpilgrim]

15. they are both

and FASCIST as well... the german high command were also known to have some jewish friends, right, RIGHT???

peace

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

19. Durbin was correct in his observations/opinions but did not defend himself

and pretty much crumbled under the criticism while Bennett( whose opinion most would contest) clearly said "he believed" blacks=criminals, said it twice, and then has gone on to defend himself staunchly with no remorse whatsoever.