White pro-lifers are racist hypocrites. That was the word on Tiffany Cross's MSNBC show on Saturday. Cross played a clip from the recent congressional testimony of abortion rights advocate Loretta Ross. Referring derisively to white pro-lifers as "white saviors," Ross said:
"I’m tired of white saviors saying that black women aren’t smart enough to make our own decisions about our lives. That’s what I’m tired of. That is the ultimate in racism to accuse us of being less smart, less human an less caring about our children than you do, when your actions speak louder than your mealy words. Because you vote against children having lunches, getting good schools, getting rid of guns, so that they can survive."
When the clip ended, Cross said:
"I think she makes a really good point . . . This pocket of white women who vote overwhelmingly Republican. Yet, there are still significant many who under the guise of conservative [air quotes] Christianity who vote against things like universal pre-k for everybody, but are definitely for taking a woman’s right to choose away from them."
Observations:
When has a pro-life advocate ever been heard, as Ross claimed, saying that black women "aren't smart enough," are "less smart, less human, and less caring about [their] children?"- Moreover, as per statistics from a recent year, white women had more abortions than any other racial group. So this isn't about any group being smarter than another. It's about opposition to taking the lives of innocent, unborn, children.
- Both Ross and Cross echoed the standard left-wing line that pro-lifers are hypocrites because they don't support the liberal, big-government agenda. The issues are distinct. One can oppose abortion while not supporting the liberal vision for America.
- With her air quotes around "Christianity," Cross also seemed to suggest that you can't be a Christian unless you support abortion rights and/or the liberal social agenda.
- Question: what if every single social program and gun ban that Ross and Cross mentioned was adopted? Would they then support outlawing abortion? Of course not. Theirs isn't a principled position: it's a bit of cheap sophistry.
MSNBC accusing white pro-lifers of being racist hypocrites was sponsored in part by Liberty Mutual and Sleep Number.
Here's the transcript. Click "expand" to read more.
MSNBC
The Cross Connection
10/2/21
10:20 am EDTTIFFANY CROSS: I want you to take a listen to Loretta Ross, she's co-founder of Reproductive Justice, and what she said on Capitol Hill this morning. We'll talk about it on the other side.
LORETTA ROSS: Well, I'm tired of white saviors saying that black women aren't smart enough to make our own decisions about our lives. That's what I'm tired of. That is the ultimate in racism, to accuse us of being less smart, less human, and less caring about our children than you do, when your actions speak louder than your mealy words.
Cause you vote against children having lunches, getting good schools, getting rid of guns, so that they can survive.
CROSS: I think she makes a really good point, Michelle. That obviously, progressive movements have been hacking away at this pocket of white women who vote overwhelmingly Republican.
Yet, there are still a significant many who, under the guise of conservative [air quotes] Christianity, who vote against things like universal pre-k for everybody, but are definitely for taking a woman's right to choose away from them.
