Forums: Should the West take responsibility for the inequality in the world?

Read Shelby Steele's article.

"Today the First World is dealing with an embarrassed Third World that is driven to save face against the anguish of an inferiority that is less and less blamable on others," writes Shelby Steele in the Wall Street Journal.

According to Steele, "white guilt" makes some in the West feel responsible for the plight of the Third World. The argument goes that it was through colonialism and slavery that the First World got to where it is. Steele dismisses this notion, saying that terrorism is the frustration of people who can't take responsibility for their own lives. Should the West feel guilty for its prosperity while much of the rest of the world lives in poverty?

Guest:

Do you trust the government to get us through this crisis? Let us know in the forums.

Read Brinkley's article on faith in government.

Blind Faith: Should the Government be Trusted? Listen

President Bush's approval ratings have been hovering near 90% since the September 11th attacks. A war is being waged on Afghanistan, but with the exception of distant photographs, Americans don't know what is really going on there. And the Pentagon isn't sharing much.

Since Vietnam and Watergate, Americans have been notoriously cynical about their leaders. But in this time of crisis, faith in government is at an all-time high. Is that faith justified? Could we be seeing a fundamental change in how we view our elected leadership?

Guest: