This letter was written on August 22, 1994 in response to an article by Michael Paul Williams. This was printed in the newspaper. The brackets denote those parts edited out.

Richmond Times-Dispatch
P.O. Box 85333
Richmond, VA 23293
Attn: Editor of Editorial Page

Dear Sir,

I write regarding the August 22, 1994 article by Michael Paul Williams, Midnight Hoops is Fine Program in Crime Fight.

{I would like to tell Mr. Williams, and those who would support this program, a joke. Question - How do you keep five black kids from selling drugs? Answer - You toss ‘em a basketball. Do you find this attempt at humor funny? If not, why? It follows the same type of logic that advances the idea of a midnight basketball program. Why is this blatantly racist stereotype of black people not being met with howls of indignation from the black leadership?}

If I were a black man I would be deeply offended by the belief on the part of my elected representatives that playing basketball is all I may aspire to. Is there nothing else of any substance that might appeal to the black man? I thought we lived in a society that tried to dispel racial stereotypes.

{I would ask Mr. Williams and others, how long do you think a basketball game lasts? On} An average basketball game lasts {maybe} one and one-half hours {(no commercial breaks, etc.)}. What are {these} potential drug dealers and criminals doing before and after this temporary interruption of their criminal activities? {Will the leagues take up all of their spare time?} What are children doing awake and outside of the house at these hours? Where are the parents?

Unless I misunderstood Mr. Williams’ {article} column, the people he interviewed were all older men - one lived in Gilpin Court for twenty-two years. I thought this program was geared toward {prevention and thus} the younger generation.

{I am outraged at what is simply another attempt to garner votes by handing out more of my tax dollars to voting blocks. This idea of midnight basketball is but one of myriad other pork laden social programs that will do nothing to slow down the advance of crime.} Midnight basketball will do nothing to slow down the advance of crime. We have had thirty years of social programs that were supposed to bring American society back from the edge of the abyss. What have we to show for it? {Are we any better off today than thirty years ago? More specifically, Is the black community any better off? If not, why? All this social spending we are subjected to was supposed to cure these ills.

{Mr. Williams, if you and those of your ilk were truly interested in helping the young black man at risk out of his predicament I have a suggestion.} To help the young black men at risk, I suggest lobbying your elected representatives to give Americans - all Americans - some tax relief. {Tell your} Politicians should get off the backs of American businesses and stop regulating them out of existence. Make it more appealing for those of entrepreneurial spirit to risk their money on starting new businesses. {All this instead of doing everything they can to discourage and punish business owners.}

{Now you may ask, But Mr. Bayne, what has this to do with helping the young black man? It’s quite simple really. We are told every day that jobs are needed to provide the black man in this country with an avenue of escape from poverty.} The more businesses you have the more jobs you have. It is truly a very simple and yet effective method, for those who have the courage and honesty to try it. {Or you can continue to throw good money after bad in the deluded effort to stop crime through social spending.}

This would be a more substantive effort with positive, tangible results. I assume that it is what you want, Mr. Williams. Real, positive improvement, not just a chance to go to the hoop at tax-payer expense. It’s time for a reality check folks! I can only hope that common sense may yet prevail.

Yours for Liberty,

Floyd C. Bayne

cc: George Allen
John C. Watkin
Steve Martin
Thomas J. Bliley, Jr.
Charles S. Robb
John W. Warner