Quote Of The Day

"In a recent issue of American Spectator, conservative writer Ben Stein announced that 'in the 5-1/2 years since Sept. 11, 2001, there have been roughly 40,000 killings by gangs and gang members in this United States of America, mostly in the African-American and Hispanic sections of large cities.' Stein goes on to say that the innocent members of those communities, infant to elderly, 'are living in a nonstop reign of terror.' It is good that Stein has noticed this and that he is making clear to his conservative readership that it has kept its head in the sand while thumping its chest and declaring its deep resolve to stand up to terrorism.....I have wondered these same things for years and have come to the conclusion that the black and Latino communities have been left on the chopping block of anarchic urban terrorism because the realities of American life now challenge too many prefabricated opinions based on ideas about victimization or lack of individual drive. In other words, we can never 'blame the victim' because we all should know that so-called minorities are inevitably helpless to stand up against the economic and environmental circumstances that shape them into a decidedly small percentage who actually join gangs and the drug crews responsible for so many cold-hearted murders. On the other hand, if these people had more pluck and a stronger work ethic they wouldn't even be there when the bullets fly, killing innocent people of all ages who actually should be living in the suburbs, watching the carnage with their white neighbors. Both 'visions' are cowardly. What we need in this time of extraordinary urban and domestic terror is actual leadership focused on the preservation of American lives. One of the first things liberals, conservatives and moderates who would lead need to think about is what they would do if those responsible for nearly 40,000 murders among so-called minorities were not 'people of color,' but white gang members and drug posses.....I think that all of those running for President in 2008 need to confront this issue of national terrorism and tell us what they intend to do about it other than wring their hands. This should be a defining issue for both parties and all political persuasions. It is time for those who would lead to lift their heads from the sand of denial and face the harsh murderous light of anarchic terrorism in the big cities of this country." — Stanley Crouch, moderate-conservative columnist for the New York Daily News