Congressman Trent Franks: Good Time to Pick Up Foot, Insert in Mouth
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Rep. Franks, a virulent anti-abortion activist and extreme right-wing conservative from Arizona, suggested in an interview with blogger Mike Stark that the Black community was better off under slavery than it is today.
“In this country, we had slavery for God knows how long. And now we look back on it and we say what was the matter with them? You know, I can’t believe, you know, four million slaves. This is incredible. And we’re right, we’re right. We should look back on that with criticism. It is a crushing mark on America’s soul. And yet today, half of all black children are aborted. Half of all black children are aborted. Far more of the African-American community is being devastated by the policies of today than were being devastated by policies of slavery.”
This started as an interview discussing civility and outrageous language within political parties and correspondents before Franks went on a tangent about abortion. And for the record, for over 250 years, that’s how long. For over 250 years slavery legally occurred in America.
30 years ago the political climate carved out by the Civil Rights Movement and the recently won Roe v. Wade wouldn’t have allowed this comment to be just another in a line of horribly misguided and offensive item out of a politician’s mouth. To argue the “policies” of slavery as better for the Black community because of strident anti-abortion beliefs wouldn’t have been tolerated.
The implications are staggering. Just pause and think about this. The most immoral time in American history used to decry abortion? I’m not arguing there isn’t racism present in reproductive wellness. Neither is Franks. He’s using this as his platform for his own pro-life beliefs.
In a moment in which I’m sure he intended to come across as self-deprecating Franks says one of the only things that is spot on. When Stark tells him that “you believe what you say and say what you believe” Franks responds “sometimes I miss the curve once in awhile.”
Yes, yes you do.
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