(originally published October 4th, 2005)

Last week William Bennett, the former Secretary of Education under Bush Sr, said a very bad thing on his radio show that I’m not going to repeat. It made headlines, kind of, for a day and then it disappeared. He didn’t apologize; didn’t even see why he had to apologize, and I thought that was sad.

So I sent the link out to a few people so they could read the comment. I also opened up conversation on it at my online networking group. I was stunned, I’d have to say. There were people I expected who might not get it. Some of the people who didn’t really get it, though, weren’t the people I expected. And that has left me troubled and wondering if I’m still in touch with people as much as I thought I was.

Bennett’s comments, for those who knew what he said, were hurtful for one main reason. He singled out a particular race for his example, and with one sentence brought back every negative stereotype the race has fought to erase. Sure, things aren’t perfect, but no one group has every member being perfect. There are times when comments don’t need one particular group being singled out to make a point; he chose to single one out.

I’m dismayed that he’s basically been allowed to sweep it under the rug. This entry probably won’t get any responses either; none that I might expect, anyway. Then again, I’m beginning to believe, at times, the unexpected should have been the expected all along.