2.22.2010

VA State Delegate Bob Marshall Calls Children With Special Needs "God's Punishment"

According to Bob Marshall of Virginia, kids like my son are a punishment for women who chose to abort previous pregnancies (something I actually chose NOT to do, ooh irony).

From Newsleader.com:
"State Delegate Bob Marshall of Manassas says disabled children are God's punishment to women who have aborted their first pregnancy.

"He made that statement Thursday at a press conference to oppose state funding for Planned Parenthood.

"'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."
He goes on to quote the Old Testament as justification for his deplorable statements. I'm no Bible scholar, but have always been under the impression that, for Christians, Jesus' words trump those of his predecessors. And Jesus says:
"And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?

"Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him."

John 9:2–3
If you are a person of intelligence and compassion and think Bob Marshall could use a smack upside the head a reminder that when he says such things, he is acting in a way that brings shame to his professed Lord and Savior, feel free to contact him.

And yes, I know he has since made an attempt to apologize. I don't buy it.

This post has also been syndicated on BlogHer.

11 comments:

  1. In case anyone is naive enough to think this is just a case of the media twisting a man's words...here's a link to the actual audio. http://www.newsleader.com/assets/mp3/AA152371222.MP3

    Call me crazy, but I sure don't hear anything there that could be construed in any other possible way.

    (Irony of ironies: my wordver = "cought")

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  2. I really don't see how we could interpret these words to say anything remotely like "disabled children are not a punishment from God for abortion." Until he can explain his alternate interpretation, or take responsibility for his words, there has been no apology.

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  3. I am a republican and a Christian - and there is nothing more disgusting to me than when people try to use the word of God to justify their own hatred and to make others feel unworthy (in any capacity). Jesus didn't do it, and neither should we.

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  4. This morning Joe Scarborough tweeted the following in response to Bob Marshall's comments:
    I think it pretty much sums up my feelings!

    "That legislator is God's curse to voters who elect stupid politicians."

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  5. I must have had it wrong. I thought morons like Bob Marshall were God's punishment...?

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  6. I did terminate my first pregnancy, and my next child was born with physical disabilities. If she's my punishment, I got off *really* easy.

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  7. What a clown. Thats all i have to say.

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  8. I don't see a form on that link to fill out. Am I missing something or did he remove it?

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  9. Patrice, he must have taken the form down, though the top of his contact page still cites it. Or our collective rage incinerated it.

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  10. All I can say is that Bob Marshall should make sure that his grandkids' (presuming he has any and that they are typical) bicycle helmets are strapped on tight. One does not have to be born with a disability in order to have a disability. The assertion that a child who has a disability is a punishment for anything is discrimination against my son, your son and any others like them.

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  11. I find it so sad that parents of disabled kids have to suffer even more than they have already suffered hearing words like Bob Marshall's. How dare he?

    Claudia | Inspiring Disabled Children
    www.RugbyJones.com

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Respectful disagreement encouraged.