Indiana pro-life groups are standing strongly behind pro-life Senate candidate Richard Mourdock after he made comments abortion rape and abortion that pro-abortion activists are using to paint him as an extremist.
During a debate Tuesday night with his Democratic opponent, Rep. Joe Donnelly, who is opposed by pro-life groups, Mourdock explained why he opposes abortion in the case of rape.
“I just struggled with it myself for a long time but I came to realize: Life is that gift from God that I think even if life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen,” he said.
After the debate, Mourdock clarified what he meant.
“God creates life, and that was my point. God does not want rape, and by no means was I suggesting that he does. Rape is a horrible thing, and for anyone to twist my words otherwise is absurd and sick,” stated Mourdock.
Democrats have compared it to Rep. Todd Akin’s assertion that pregnancy can’t result from “legitimate rape.”
Indiana Right to Life Political Action Committee’s (PAC) Chairman Mike Fichter told LifeNews that his group strongly supports Mourdock.
“Richard Mourdock showed Hoosiers that he will stand up for all innocent, human life once elected to the U.S. Senate. Richard recognizes what our Founding Fathers wisely proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence. They declared that we are endowed by our Creator with the unalienable rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” he said.
Richter added, “Rape is a vile act, committed in evil. When a pregnancy results out of this horrific crime, every bit of care and love must be shown to the victim. We believe that life begins at fertilization and with fertilization comes the right to life as affirmed in the Declaration of Independence.”
“While the senate debate in New Albany, Ind. was going on tonight, in West Lafayette, Ind., Rebecca Kiessling was addressing a Tippecanoe County Right to Life event. Rebecca was conceived in rape,” he told LifeNews. “Even though her mother attempted to abort her on two occasions, Rebecca was born and she gives a face to someone conceived in rape. Only God can know the purpose for all human life whether conceived in rape, an unplanned pregnancy or planned circumstances.”
CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE!
“We find it reprehensible that Joe Donnelly would try to make rape a political issue. That type of rhetoric is disrespectful in and of itself to rape victims and individuals conceived in rape,” Fichter concluded. “Richard Mourdock is our pro-life choice for U.S. Senate and we look forward to him representing Hoosier values in Washington.”
The pro-life women’s group Susan B. Anthony List also stands by Mourdock — with its president, Marjorie Dannenfelser, telling LifeNews:
“Richard Mourdock said that life is always a gift from God, and we couldn’t agree more. To report his statement as an endorsement of rape is either willfully ignorant or malicious. Congressman Donnelly should not underestimate our ability to understand Mourdock’s meaning. During the same debate, the Congressman once again claimed that he was a pro-life candidate. Actions speak louder than words, and Joe Donnelly’s vote forcing taxpayers to pay for abortions under Obamacare is all Hoosiers need to know about where Joe Donnelly really stands.”
Micah Clark, Executive Director, American Family Association of Indiana, agreed.
“It is unfortunate that some in the media and certain political leaders would take the heartfelt words of Richard Mourdock, which were based upon his belief that all life matters to God, and attempt to distort them,” he told LifeNews. “This appears to be a blatant effort to capitalize on a different controversy in another state that stalled the race of another Senate candidate. It is obvious what Richard Mourdock meant to convey. To imply that he believes God supports rape is nothing more than a cheap political stunt and a distraction in this tightly contested, and vitally important race impacting so many issues that could actually come before the US Senate.”
