Last week, Senator Dick Durbin made comments that should have won him the “Most Racially Insensitive Remarks of the Year Award.” His statements were made in a committee markup. An audio recording of the heated exchange between Senator Durbin (D-IL) and Senator Brownback (R-KS) revealed the unfortunate bias of the Senator from Illinois. Senator Durbin justified the fact that 41% of pregnancies in DC are terminated by abortion by essentially saying, “It’s a black thing!” His exact words are listed below:
Durbin: In terms of safe, legal and rare, to the Senator from Kansas, I will tell you two things. First, it is a fact that a disproportionately large number of African Americans seek abortion in America, not just in the District of Columbia, but all across the nation.
Brownback: 41 percent?
Durbin: No, but it’s also a fact that a disproportionately large number of African Americans live in the District of Columbia.
Brownback: 41 percent?
Durbin: I’m telling you, look at the numbers.
Brownback: I’m telling -- I’m just asking you, aren't there enough [abortions] here?
Durbin: Look at the numbers, and you will find this to be true.
Brownback: This -- this is not high enough?
The problem with Durbin’s flippant, patronizing remarks were that they were classic statements of a bureaucrat that does not care about the welfare of people in the District of Columbia.
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