Posted on 02/22/2010 12:50:25 PM PST by trumandogz
n an interview with TPM, state Del. Bob Marshall (R-VA) disputed the full accuracy and context of a local news article that quoted him as saying that an increase of disabled children was a punishment from nature for abortion.
"I don't believe that disabled kids are God's punishments, period, end of discussion," said Marshall. "I have defended disabled kids. I was almost kicked out of the Republican caucus because I forced a vote on a bill, because autism parents did not get a vote in a subcommittee."
Marshall insisted that his comments had been taken out of context. (Here's the exact quote, which I read to him, and he said sounded accurate: "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.") However, he said, he was discussing an increased rate of birth defects, not all birth defects in and of themselves.
(Excerpt) Read more at tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com ...
Some clarification on a matter from an earlier thread that was pulled.
Thanks for posting this response.
(Virginia list- previous thread was pulled)
I doubt that the original newspaper would made up a quote mentioning the Old Testament. Would like to see a video of the press conference.
It was a reprehensible quote, and he is right to retract it. I don’t believe him until I see the video.
That is not a quote one can simply walk away from as he admits he said it in the first place.
Since Bob Marshall has been around a heckuva lot longer than you, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt.
His statement was not a retraction it was a “that’s not what I said.”
Conservatives do not believe that any children are punishments.
Sounds like the left MSM sliming someone else.
Thanks. Misquoted by the press, imagine that.
Marshall does not deny that he said”
“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.”
I knew the press had misquoted Marshall, they always do because he stands up for traditional pro-family & pro-life issues.
Not even Bob Marshall is claiming that he was misquoted.
Correct, he is not denying that he said that. He’s clarifying that he didn’t say it was “God’s punishment.”
Medically and statistically speaking he is correct about an increased number of complications for women who have had abortions.
But he is not saying that abortions cause all birth defects, or that all women who have had abortions will have complications.
I should have chosen a better term. The point is, the way the article portrays him does not accurately reflect his beliefs. It is fair to point out elevated birth defects from a given cause, if true, and make the connection between them. What would be inaccurate is stating that all birth defects are derived from abortion, or that birth defects after an abortion are always punishment, or that all abortions lead to subsequent birth defects. IMHO, the writer of the original article did a poor job in getting Marshall’s meaning straight the first time around.
I will not give the media the benefit of the doubt. What was the context?
Was he talking about abortions damaging the womb and causing problems for other pregnancies?
“Nature takes it’s vengeance” == Scientifically speaking, evidence shows that there is an increased risk of birth defects after an abortion.
It is funny hearing a solidly religious figure using the term “Nature takes it’s vengeance”, which is more usually associated with new-age thinking. But I know Marshall doesn’t believe in some Nature-god who extracts punishment, nor did he use “vengeance” to mean punishment.
But it is a good example of why we on the right should never try to adopt the tactics or language of our opponents, even if we are trying to communicate to them. Because their language doesn’t work, and will just be used to attack us.
http://www.newsleader.com/assets/mp3/AA152371222.MP3
This is the audio of his statement. As I suspected, the original quote was completely accurate.
Marshall is now back-pedaling.
I agree with Dale Evans. I always have. Raising children with disabilities...entertaining angels unaware. I read this book as a child and it had such a powerful impact on me even as a child.
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