VA GOP Legislator: Disabled Children Are God’s Punishment

Filed in National by on February 22, 2010

The rhetoric of anti-abortion groups is often a bit incoherent. They believe that children are both blessings and punishment.This statement was particularly vile:

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.

“In the Old Testament, the first born of every being, animal and man, was dedicated to the Lord. There’s a special punishment Christians would suggest.”

Anti-choice groups have been spreading misinformation about abortion for a long time. Ever hear that abortions increase your chances for cancer – that’s anti-abortion propaganda. How will other anti-abortion groups respond? Will they support Delegate Marshall? What about Sarah Palin – will she engage in a feud?

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Opinionated chemist, troublemaker, blogger on national and Delaware politics.

Comments (10)

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  1. pandora says:

    Beat me to this, UI! I can’t believe the crazy. As far as Sarah… can’t wait to hear how this is satire. Truly disgusting.

    Also, notice how it’s just the mother’s fault. What punishment befalls the men who wanted their partners to have abortions, or paid for them? More misogyny.

  2. John Young says:

    i linked in another DL comment thread too, INSANE!

  3. Von Cracker says:

    Reminds me of the time (14 y.o. in New Castle) when a Jehovah’s Witness idiot told my buddy’s dad that his wheelchair-bound daughter (with MS and a plethora of other issues) was punishment for his prior ways. What an asshole! Anyway, I saw some REAL punishment delivered right after those words were uttered. Even funnier, the thumper was the one who the cops arrested! It was hilarious and it was really my first experience with these types of people….hated them and their intolerant fantasy bullshit ever since.

    Moral of the story is that your faith will never protect you from your assholish ways and the repercussions thereafter.

  4. Von Cracker says:

    well let me correct something – that wasn’t the first time i’ve dealt with those folks, the first time was probably when i was a little child and the only house that was completely dark during Halloween were the neighborhood’s only JWs.

    Even at age 5, I thought “What Assholes!”

  5. pandora says:

    They really do believe this nonsense – which makes VC’s description accurate. The bible thumpers believe everything is god’s will – as in he’s either punishing you or testing your faith (as in what you can bear.) If you’re one of them then it’s a test, if not you’re a heathen who deserves god’s wrath. Needless to say, either way you’re screwed.

  6. It doesn’t seem that much different to me than Pat Robertson saying the people of Haiti deserved that earthquake because of some (imagined) misdeeds of their ancestors. It must be a way of keeping your faith when bad things happen, because they happen often. I’m not sure why people would want to worship such a cruel God, though.

  7. aqc says:

    I consider my handicapped son a blessing…and I didn’t even have an abortion before him!

  8. anon says:

    I consider my handicapped son a blessing…and I didn’t even have an abortion before him!

    Think back, there must have been something… Did you vote for a pro-choice politician? Donate to Planned Parenthood? Give to a PBS pledge drive?

  9. Steve Lee says:

    No. Being represented by idiots in government is God’s punishment.