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Gospel Answers Discussion Forum -> Is Bill Bennett a Racist or Conveniently Misunderstood? -> Context, context, context...whatever happened to it?
Post Info TOPIC: Context, context, context...whatever happened to it?
Topscholar1


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Context, context, context...whatever happened to it?
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Bill Bennett made comments recently that have caused much controversy.  I won't bother to repeat them out of context here, but I will foward you to his website so that you can see and hear what he said for yourself so that you can make up your own mind.  The comment seemed racist, but everything that seems to be something isn't necessarily what it seems.  Please go to: http://www.bennettmornings.com/agnosticchart?charttype=minichart&chartID=11&formatID=1&size=3&useMiniChartID=true&destinationpage=/pg/jsp/general/featured.jsp#0


After you have reviewed that, go to this next website and hear the actual audio in context:


http://www.bennettmornings.com/pg/jsp/charts/streamingAudioMaster.jsp?dispid=303&headerDest=/site/preview?pid=31025


I read a newspaper article by an African-American that tried to use Mr. Bennett's distorted words to prove he (and the Republican party) was a racist.  I felt the need to chide him on making false claims about someone by taking him out of context:


 


 Mr Herbert:


It has well been said that a text without a context is a pretext.  As an African-American who has lost faith in the pro-abortion, pro-homosexual Democratic party, I have to say that I find it fascinating that newspaper writers such as yourself would find nothing wrong with ripping a man's words out of context and proclaiming to the world that he said something he really didn't say.  Did you even listen to what the man said in context? 
 
Apparently not, because your article on 10/6/05 in the Palo Alto Daily News shows that you simply "heard" about what Bennett said, but you didn't listen to what Bennett himself said in proper context. 
 
When I heard about what it seemed Mr. Bennett had said, I looked into it.  But since I am a  published author, scholarly and academic writer who believes in the accurate reporting of facts, I know all too well how a person's words can be taken out of context so that you can make him seem to be saying what he is not. 
 
For example, I could write in a piece the words "All black people are stupid."  Yet since I am black myself, that doesn't make much sense, until you read the CONTEXT of what I might have said: "Some racist white people think all black people are stupid."  I don't think you would appreciate it if your words were distorted to make you seem to say what you didn't, and it is neither fair nor right for you and others to do the same thing to Mr. Bennett. 
 
What you should have done before writing your "opinion" is go to Mr. Bennett's website and look up what he said in context, and THEN render a just judgment.  It was not what Mr. Bennett said that was ridiculous and totally repugnant.  It was your "opinion" piece which ignored the facts and distorted what Mr. Bennett said.  The right thing to do would be to follow up, do some homework, and then write an apology "opinion."  But I doubt that will be forthcoming. 
 
What is so "insulting to blacks" and "hostile" to their interests in my view is when writers like yourself abuse your media power by writing opinions which have no factual basis as if they were facts.  Maybe there are racists in the Republican party (and the Democratic party), but opinion pieces like yours won't prove that to thinking and critically-minded people, and it certainly will not prove to me that Mr. Bennett is one.  What your piece proves to me is that you would rather write speculative and distorted opinon rather than hard facts.
 
Here are some articles you should read:
 
Bennett himself:  Bill Bennett: Quotes And Statements
 
others on what he said: Townhall.com :: Columns :: Bennett's Critics Prefer to Misunderstand Him by Jonah Goldberg
 
This ends the email letter sent to Mr. Herbert of the Palo Alto Daily News.  I'm wondering what his response will be, and if he bothers to respond, I will post it here.  What do you think?  Is Bill Bennett a racist?  Was his comment racist?  Chime in if you have an opinion.
 

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