GOP racism, misogyny and anti-single mother sentiment has risen to a new level. Kansas GOP Rep. Todd Tiahrt (R-Wingnutteria) has suggested that Barack Obama and Clarence Thomas' mothers may have aborted them if only they could do it for free.
Huffington Post reports:
If you think of it in human terms, there is a financial incentive that will be put in place, paid for by tax dollars, that will encourage women who are -- single parents, living below the poverty level, to have the opportunity for a free abortion," said Tiahrt. "If you take that scenario and apply it to many of the great minds we have today, who would we have been deprived of? Our president grew up in a similar circumstance."
"If that financial incentive was in place, is it possible that his mother may have taken advantage of it?"* Tiahrt asked. "Clarence Thomas, Supreme Court Justice, if those circumstances were in place, is it possible that we would be denied his great mind? The opportunity to have tax-funded abortions, a financial incentive, is something that I think most of us want to oppose in America and it's certainly deserves a clean up or down vote."
Here's the video:
What a shameless, racist remark. Notice that the only "great minds" that we would be in danger of losing were poor women able to actually practice their right to make their own medical decisions are black. You know, Barack Obama, Clarence Thomas.
There's more. It's not just poor women. It's women who are single parents who are economically disadvantaged. And oh, carrying a black baby.
I don't even know what to say to this. This is absolutely stunning and stupefying. Offensive on so many levels. Working class women would just choose to have abortions all the time because it's affordable? Is that why all the rich women always go out and get abortions whenever they get their hair done? And Congressman, so are you suggesting the way to reduce abortions in this country is to take economic stability and economic power away from women? And why just women with black babies?
What a racist, misogynistic bastard.
Appeal: I usually don't ask, but if you feel as strongly as I do that this story needs to get out there and stay out there, please recommend.
Update: I thought you should know. This guy is running for US Senate in Kansas in a Republican primary next year. This is for the base, I suppose. Ugh.
Update II: Demand Tiahrt apologize to the president: as jtb583 suggests below, please sign the petition demanding Tiahrt apologize to President Obama. You can read the diary about it here, and here is a direct link to the petition. My personal opinion is that his apology should go to President Obama, Justice Thomas and every woman with economic hardship in this country, regardless of race.
Update III: So glad this diary made the rec list. Thank you all so much!