Those people looking at the world through the "victimization lens" of the left can't even begin to relate to the people that Mr. Sowell talks about at the begining of his article. Today's folks probably look at Mr. Sowell's friends as fools rather than people of character and integrity. It is sad for all of us.

Go Obama.

I find it disappointing that Obama would defend reverend Wright, only until it became personal. Once Wright went after Obama, only then did Barack disassociate himself with his pastor. I am all for change within our government and leaders, but I have no clue as to what Obama would do in the White House. It is frustrating that we citizens are having to face an uphill battle to better our own lives, because many incompetent officials keep putting roadblocks in our way. Unfortunately, until American citizens realize that THEY are in charge of their own life will we actually see change.

I find it interesting that the people that the people who spread the idea that it is somebody elses fault that they are poor were once poor and were able to get ahead in life.

Look at Bill Cosby, many of the black leaders hate him. His message it, if you want to get ahead in life, get off your butt and stop whining.

Wright preaches victimhood to benefit himself and no one else. Look at the million dollar plus mansion in a predominantly white neighborhood he'll be living in. Such are the rewards of successfully preaching victimhood. Compare that to the way nuns working in the slums or rescue mission workers live. Who really cares about the people they "serve"?

Sowell rocks. Love your analysis.

Thomas Sowell's column: SSDD. Same stuff, different day. *yawn*

Hello, we live in America, one of the greatest countries on earth. Don't you think "a little" entitlement is justified?

Do you feel entitled to a high school educations for yourself and your family?
Do you feel entitled to a fair and legal trial if you are accused?
Do you feel entitled to safe food and drugs?
Do you feel entitled to police and fire protection?

There is nothing inherently wrong with entitlement. In fact, that's the reason that people join together, so they can obtain things for themselves that they couldn't get alone.

We have government for a reason, not just for starting wars, but for the good of all of us. As long as we are fair, and give equal opportunities to everyone, then I see nothing wrong with being entitled.

Rev Wright's statements about blowback were dead on; Ron Paul said the same.

Sowell is a right wing political hack that is useful to the neocons because he happens to be black and therefore feels entitled (pardon the expression) to rail against Obama at every opportunity yet can't be accused of racism in doing so.

Jeremiah Wright, James Cone, and other race hustlers have the blood of thousands of African-American young men on their hands.

By preaching a gospel of perpetual alienation, rejection of "middle-class values" (aka basic responsibility) and exaggerating America's guilt for racial sins (i.e. "the government created AIDS to kill off black people), these guys perpetuate myth that a black American can't possibly succeed in American society. (Rev. Wright's $2 million house in a lily-white suburb would seem to contradict this, but his listeners don't seem to notice.)

This alienation is *absolutely* responsible for the the huge numbers of young black men who are swept into the destructive thug lifestyle, whose ruthlessness and rejection of "middle-class" values (like "don't father a bunch of illegitimate kids and shoot your neighbor) is the natural result of Wright's ideology, whether he admits it or not.

Wright & Co. don't care about the truth. I hear their kind accusing the government of intentionally injecting black men with syphilis in the Tuskegee study, which isn't true. (Read up.) The truth is bad enough, but only a traitor intentionally exaggerates his country's flaws.

You pick obvious things to which we claim "entitlement". We have a right to a fair trial, not because the government grants us that right, but because we are humans. Same holds true for food, drugs, police and fire. We have a right to those things as individuals and there is nothing wrong with banding together to get them. But where do you draw the line on "entitled"? How much of your money am I "entitled" to? "Victims" as Mr. Sowell is referring to often claim "entitlement" to others money. That is wrong.

Mr Sowell once again hits a home run. Thank you.

to entitled...To answer your question, no, I do not think we are entitled to any of those things. I also do not accept your premise of banding together to gain entitlements. I believe people band together to use their collective strengths and resources to make life better for all those involved. In order to reap the rewards, you have to be a contributor. This is the message the left does not want spread. Just being born did not get you membership in the club. You must come forward with your strengths and resources, and put in the work like all the others. I can complain that my neighbor uses his savings to go on a great vacation every year while I spend mine at the arcade...but the choice of how I blow my resources was made by me....Although, it might be nice if Obama wins, and my neighbor has to give me his vacation money...

I really think that the only reason we are entitled to anything is because we, as united citizens, decide that we are entitled.

Drawing the line is the challenge that we constantly have to change and update. Many rural people feel it is unfair for them to support city amenities that they never use. We've gotten used to free high school education for everyone, but some think we should go further and offer a college education, while some home-school people don't think they should have to pay anything.

That's the purpose of a free exchange of ideas, to hopefully decide on the best options while eliminating those that are seriously flawed or too expensive.

In a democratic society we can vote for even more entitlements, and if the majority decides that's want we want, then that's most likely what will happen. And THAT is how much of your money I am entitled to. (Or you of mine, as the case may be.)

Anybody checked out McCain's Rev. Rod Parsley?
He want America to destroy Islam.
Lots of wacky stuff on the net about this lunatic.
who just happens to be McCain's "spiritual adviser"

The problem with a democracy is that a majority can be tyrants over the minority. In the entitlement arena, it is the majority voting for expensive things (education, health care, social security, etc.) and sending a large portion of the bill to the minority (the rich).

Not that many of those things are not good things (I think a good education is important for everyone) but that we have created a general mentality that everyone is entitled to a steak dinner even when they only work hard enough to afford a hamburger.

Hmmm.
Let's see.
McCain's Rev. Rod Parsley believes it is America's duty to destroy Islam.
McCain says we might be in Iraq for 100 years.
I thought this is what the GOP might be trying to pull from now until November.
Watch for a replay of "Dems hate America!" or "Liberals (aka democrats) hate our troops!"
or "If you don't support this administration and 'staying the course' you are supporting Islam!"
I guess we'll see what happens in November and if the American people have had enough of this hawkish crap.

Tyranny you hit it on the head! But it never seems to sink in that the super rich, just like the evil corporations people love to vilify, do not, and never will absorb taxes...they always pass them on to those below who depend on them for their livelihood and possibly more. Since those who voted for the entitlement are usually not the ones who can pay anything toward said cause, it falls once again to the middle class to cover the cost. But take heart folks, we can fix that too. We will just redefine rich so we can rationalize taking all that cash from those poor working stiffs.

They (the powers that be) don't give a (blank) about you.
They realize THEIR buying power increases drastically as YOUR buying power diminishes.
It's simple economics.
Hiding behind one bogus ideology after another to continue their "God, it's a great time to be rich!"
way of life.
And NOW they want to come after your social security while demonizing everything as socialism.
And our dumbest of the dumb are going right along with all of is.

To "Wrong 4:45" - you are wrong, the rich pay roughly the same percentage of their income in taxes that the middle class do, which is about 25%.

The people voting for the entitlements are the rich people that we keep sending to congress. The problem is that they will never tax themselves because they are smarter than us, and more responsible with their money (that was sarcastic). Plus it would destroy their supporters, and they don't want to cut off future contributions.

If you look at pay increases vs inflation, the poor and the rich have mostly maintained the same difference in buying power.