Traveling North America decades back as a 20-something social justice reporter covering homelessness, poverty, addiction…my faith got fleshed out. While I have rejected much of the beliefs I held even then, I do believe in God. And I believe that we are all beautiful creations. Of God. And God within. Ridiculous, prejudicial and hateful statements by blubbering politicians and figures of the media spotlight rarely deserve extra air time for their ignorant gaffes. But, I'm going to lower myself enough repeat this one because it violates all that I believe about People with DisAbilities and I want people of all sorts to note how vile these comments and to have their sense of compassion gut-punched–their sensitivity heightened to the reality that we live in a world where My Kind are still maligned like this. (Yet, another reason to eliminate the "R" word.)
Congratulations! This Virginia state delegate belongs in the Pat Roberson Hall of Fame! (You know: "Haitians did
witchcraft and got punished with an earthquake." And, what was it that
one of his cronies said about AIDS being the blight of Gays?) Geez,
people, you give God a bad name. Not to mention Jesus' followers. Ugh.
Contorted. Now, I'd love to hear Sarah Palin speak out on this! And
I'll venture out to say this is just the idiot type talk that our
country's extremist marcher to the Right are calling forth….
RICHMOND [VA]—
State Delegate Bob Marshall of Manassas says disabled children are
God's punishment to women who have aborted their first pregnancy.
"The number of children who
are born subsequent to a first abortion with handicaps has increased
dramatically. Why? Because when you abort the first born of any, nature
takes its vengeance on the subsequent children," said Marshall, a
Republican.
http://www.newsleader.com/article/20100222/NEWS01/2220318
——————————–
Marshall insists he did not make this statement. Read and listen it for yourself: "Nature takes its vengeance on subsequent children." I'd say that sounds like "God's punishment" to me….
(And yes, if you are a practitioner of Nonviolent Communication, I am conscious that I abandoned the practice here with this post.)
