It isn’t common for a Presidential candidate to be in the midst of controversy as a result of calling for an end to “hateful rhetoric” but for Ben Carson and the murders perpetrated at Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, some are taking offense to the label.
While not coming out and blaming them, the Presidential hopeful went after many in the Pro-Life movement by saying that their aggressive tone “exacerbates the situation.” He called for both pro-life supporters and pro-choice supporters to “tone down the rhetoric and engage in civil discussions.”
The problem with this perspective in the context is that it implies that those on the pro-life side are somehow responsible in part for the murders allegedly committed by Robert Lewis Dear. Reports are coming from law enforcement that he spoke of “baby parts” when arrested, likely alluding to the videos that were released this year that showed people associated with Planned Parenthood engaging in the sale of body parts belonging to aborted babies.
Source: Colorado shooting suspect spoke of ‘baby parts’ – https://t.co/blP9KeqzJJ https://t.co/1TtSlyVgvH
— Citizens UnTied (@CitizensUnTied) November 30, 2015
Leaders from several pro-life organizations are speaking out against Dr. Carson’s claims. Breitbart has a laundry list of quotes from many of the leaders:
Guess Whose Bumper Sticker Just Got Peeled Off My Car-> Carson Condemns Pro-Lifers, Pro-Lifers Return the Flavor https://t.co/cAwtWA7eAs
— Caroline d’Anjou (@Plantagenet39) November 30, 2015
Here’s our take on the situation. The shootings were tragic and only a microscopic percentage of pro-life people would condone such an action. If the reality matches the current narrative that this was a deranged man making a political statement about Planned Parenthood, that shouldn’t detract from any activities by pro-life organizations.
The videos have been polarizing to say the least, but whether you agree with them or not is irrelevant. They weren’t in any way calling for violence and anyone who calls for violence should be condemned. However, the “hateful speech” that Carson refers to on both sides is heated, emotional, and polarizing, but it never calls for the type of violence that took place last week.
As with most situations that involved deranged individuals, the political passions driving them should not be blamed for their actions. This is a case of mental illness and should not be used against the pro-life movement.
The post Will Ben Carson’s condemnation of ‘hateful rhetoric’ come back to bite him? appeared first on Social Business Today.
