- UPDATE
- Pat Robertson Responds Regarding China's Abortion
Policy
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- From Mike Nelson 9-4-1
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- Hi Jeff,
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- I sent the story
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- Pat Robertson Condones China's Forced Abortion Policy
http://www.au.org/press/pr417012.htm
that was also reproduced on http://www.rense.com/general13/condones.htm
to Pat Robertson on his CBN website's prayer line.
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- Pat robertson states the following in his return e-mail:
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- Date: Tue, 04 Sep 2001 08:07:00 PDT From: Prayer@cbn.org
To: MNelson@excite.com Subject: Prayer Request - Other
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- In an interview held with Wolf Blitzer and which aired
on CNN Monday evening, I did not express my full conviction in regard to
the question of population growth of Mainland China. I have been and will
always be strongly
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- pro-life, and my teachings over the past forty years
in private and in public reflect my deeply held convictions.
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- In the CNN interview, I did not preface my remarks with
my long-held view, but I merely expressed what to me seemed obvious...that
the Chinese people with a population of 1.2 billion will face a tragic
dilemma of massive proportions if they permit their population to explode
upwards of 2 billion people.
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- The Chinese Government has by law restricted the birth
rate to one child per
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- family. Given their situation, intelligent family planning
reflects an obvious necessity; however, I am unalterably opposed to the
policy which would result in forced abortions or sex selection.
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- I regret that my unrehearsed comments on Wolf Blitzer
were not spoken with sufficient clarity to communicate my life-long opposition
to voluntary and forced abortion as a means of population control.
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- Pat Robertson
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- -----
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-
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- TV Preacher And Christian Coalition Leader Says Chinese
Are 'Doing What They Have To Do' To Curb Population Growth
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- TV preacher and Christian Coalition founder Pat Robertson
has condoned China's policy of forced abortions, telling CNN's Wolf Blitzer
last night that the Chinese are "doing what they have to do"
to keep the lid on a spiraling population.
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- Robertson, who has repeatedly blasted legal abortion
in the United States, said during an interview on "Wolf Blitzer Reports"
that the Chinese policy is necessary because the country's population has
topped 1 billion.
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- Asked by Blitzer to give his thoughts on the forced abortion
policy, Robertson replied, "Well, you know I don't agree with it.
But at the same time, they've got 1.2 billion people, and they don't know
what to do. If every family over there was allowed to have three or four
children, the population would be completely unsustainable."
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- Robertson, who acknowledged that he has business interests
in China, went on to say that China suffers from "tremendous unemployment"
and is plagued with "antiquated factories" owned by the government
that will have to be shut down, spawning more loss of jobs. "And the
leadership is like on a teeter-totter board," he said. "They
can fall off if the population gets too restive. So, I think that right
now they are doing what they have to do. I don't agree with forced abortion,
but I don't think the United States needs to interfere with what they're
doing internally in this regard."
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- Blitzer then asked Robertson if he was worried about
conservatives accusing him of justifying the Chinese abortion policy. Robertson
refused to back down, stating that China is courting "a demographic
catastrophe" by aborting more girls than boys. He speculated that
in 10 or 20 years Chinese men will have to import wives from Indonesia.
This move, he said, "will, in a sense, dilute the--what they consider
the racial purity of the Han Chinese."
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- Barry W. Lynn, executive director of Americans United
for Separation of Church and State, called Robertson's comments "mind
boggling."
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- "This is more proof of just how extreme Robertson
really is," said Lynn. "He wants to ban all abortions in the
U.S. and allow forced abortions in China. Robertson seems deeply confused.
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- "With these comments, Robertson has taken a position
so radical that it would probably alienate nearly every American,"
Lynn added. "I wonder how many Christian Coalition members will quit
when they hear this outburst."
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- Lynn noted that this is not the first time Robertson
has justified repressive policies in China in order to advance his business
interests. In September of 1998, Robertson traveled to China where he met
with top government officials and praised religious freedom in the country.
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- Other conservative leaders have criticized China for
persecuting Christian groups and forcing them underground, but Robertson
said he believes the country respects religious freedom. At the time, Robertson's
U.S. Media Corporation was involved in a business deal with the Chinese
government to produce children's television programming.
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- Concluded AU's Lynn, "These statements tell us a
lot about Robertson's true priorities. Apparently, he's willing to put
profits ahead of principle whenever convenient."
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- Americans United is a religious liberty watchdog group
based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, the organization represents
60,000 members and allied houses of worship in all 50 states.
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- Originally published 4-17-01 http://www.au.org/press/pr417012.htm
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