Bonnie and Clyde are world-famous. Musicians around the world write songs about the duo, and moviemakers have immortalized them on film more than once. Historians study their crime spree in an attempt to discover why such a brazen, violent pair could be loved by so many. By all accounts, the gang was made up of hardened, vicious criminals with no remorse for the suffering they left in their wake. Historians tend to agree that the Great Depression created a time of hardship much like the American West in which the common man, left down-and-out by the establishment, felt disillusioned by the system. This allowed for people who had been hurt by the hard times to romanticize the robbers in the same way the public turned Billy the Kid or Jesse James into heroes. These outlaws from the Old West flourished in a time of economic stagnation following the Civil War, where successful business owners were stigmatized as "carpetbaggers." While it is important to remember and record history so that it is never repeated, it is wrong to idolize such violent and anti-social people. Somewhere in the pop culture, the movies, the songs, and the festivals, we have to remember the crimes this gang committed, the people hurt, the lives lost, and the property stolen. To fantasize about these robbers is to turn one’s back on good-natured, compassionate Americans.
Which of the following statements is supported by this passage?
A.
The crime rate has steadily declined since the Great Depression.
B.
People should follow pop culture to keep up with current events.
C.
Increases in economic hardship lead to increases in criminal activity.
D.
Bonnie and Clyde were famous because they stood up for people.