Why is Missouri pro-life group defending intentions of rioters at deadly Capitol siege?
Missouri Right to Life sent out an email this week defending the motivations of those pro-Trump rioters who hoped to assassinate lawmakers and overturn an election.
“Truly what has gone on, even in the hearts of many of those who gained access to the U.S. Capitol was a true concern for the U.S. Constitution and the protection of this country that we love so much,” it said.
If that was concern and patriotism, I guess I don’t know what bloodlust and fascism look like.
Whatever your views on abortion rights, something has sailed way off the tracks when those who see themselves as standing up for life are urging us to see an armed insurrection against Congress as an expression of loving care.
Five people died, and many more would have if those concerned patriots waving the Confederate flag and chanting, “Hang Mike Pence!” and “Where’s Nancy?” had succeeded.
The message from Missouri Right to Life repeated the same election fraud lies that stoked this domestic terror attack.
It asked pro-lifers to thank Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley for leading the way in refusing to certify that President-elect Joe Biden won the White House in a free and fair election.
This is the kind of disinformation that can only invite further violence, and it is in no sense pro-life.
‘Establish the truth of these irregularities’
Here’s the whole email:
“For every pro-lifer and patriot, the past week has been difficult. There is a multitude of evidence of irregularities in the presidential election in several states. President Trump since the election has been trying to establish the truth of these irregularities and to have the rights of the people for fair and free elections to be protected.
The Senators and Congressmen who challenged the electoral college votes, did so to protect our rights and to protect our republic. What has happened in this country is so much bigger than just one person. Truly what has gone on, even in the hearts of many of those who gained access to the U.S. Capitol was a true concern for the U.S. Constitution and the protection of this country that we love so much.
Today, we ask you to send a message to our U.S. Senator, Josh Hawley and thank him for standing up for the U.S. Constitution and the legitimacy of our national elections.”
Hawley has undermined the legitimacy of our elections, and is not standing up for the U.S. Constitution by implying — you’ll notice that he never says it outright — that the election was stolen, when there just isn’t any evidence of that.
He keeps saying he’ll “never apologize for giving voice to the millions of Missourians and Americans who have concerns about the integrity of our elections.”
They have those concerns because they’ve been lied to for months, and now, even after all that’s happened and all that may yet happen, with the FBI warning that “armed protests” are being planned at every state capitol in the country, they’re still being lied to. Including in this pro-death email.
At the Missouri Right to Life office, the woman with whom I left a detailed message said no one was available to talk to me about the email, but she’d have someone call me back. If that happens, I’ll let you know.
Trump administration declared election most secure in history
Donald Trump’s own administration, in a statement from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, said the 2020 election was “the most secure in American history.” Sixty-one courts have dismissed allegations of irregularities.
It was highly irregular, though, for Trump to pressure Georgia election officials to “find” enough votes to make him the winner.
He was willing to put his own vice president’s life in danger by pushing Mike Pence to do something that the Constitution does not give him the power to do; Trump wanted Pence to single-handedly nullify the real election results.
A thoughtful, pro-life evangelical Christian I have interviewed before forwarded the Missouri Right to Life’s shameful message to me, saying, “I decided I needed to share this with you because it was too awful.” Notice, he said, there’s “no condemnation of the violence and insurrection at the Capitol.”
Yes, I couldn’t help but notice.
The sender, William Payne, a 32-year-old law student at the University of Missouri, said, “I was very upset when I got this email” on Wednesday. “I sent a reply asking why they were doing this but did not receive a response. Building a culture of life must be based on truth. Violence must be condemned. I’m sure they’re against violence but it would have been better if they had made that explicit in this email given the context of violence and death threats that we’re living in right now. Every human being is made in the image of God and their lives have worth and value, including the lives of the five people who died as a result of the insurrection at the Capitol last week.”
Missouri Right to Life, that you relate to rioters and purport to know what’s in the hearts of those who broke our hearts on Jan. 6 is telling. And that you describe those who came armed with pipe bombs and zip-tie handcuffs as simply having “gained access to the U.S. Capitol” is damning.
This story was originally published January 15, 2021 at 4:15 PM.
