Legislator apologizes, says abortion remark was misconstrued
February 23rd, 2010
From the Washington Post, [Norfolk] Virginian-Pilot:
As detractors organized an online petition calling for his resignation, Republican Virginia state delegate Bob Marshall apologized for public remarks suggesting that women who have abortions risk having children with disabilities as a punishment from God.
“The number of children who are born subsequent to a first abortion who have handicaps has increased dramatically,” Marshall said last week at a news conference calling for an end to state funding for Planned Parenthood. “Why? Because when you abort the firstborn of any, nature takes its vengeance on the subsequent children.”
“In the Old Testament, the firstborn of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord,” he added. “There’s a special punishment Christians would suggest …”
In a statement on his website, Marshall said he regretted his “poorly chosen words.”
He said his broader point was that published medical research suggests abortion raises the risk of miscarriage and birth defects in subsequent pregnancies, and that those findings echo the Bible’s teaching that abortion is wrong.
“I’m saying look at the medical journals,” said Marshall, who produced two studies to buttress his contention. “That’s not saying ‘Bob Marshall thinks a Down syndrome baby is a punishment.’ “
UPDATE: Press release from The Arc: Arc of VA families outraged by elected official’s remark
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February 23rd, 2010 at 11:49 am
Isn’t it always the way that when our representatives say something disgusting and then there is a public outcry, they try to say their comments were “miscontrued.” I think his were pretty darn clear and I hope he has many days of squirming and back-tracking ahead. Thanks to the Internet, we all have very long memories. I am a person of faith, but I am sick and tired of hearing people in the public arena speak for God and proclaim his judgment on those they disagree with.