The Feminist Majority demands Governor Mitt Romney pull his television ad in Indiana endorsing Richard Mourdock for U.S. Senate from Indiana.
This is the only ad Romney has released endorsing a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate and revealed Romney’s ultra conservatism in such selection. But it is intolerable that a presidential candidate would continue the running of such an ad in light of the Murdock’s extreme position on rape.
Last night in the Senate debate in Indiana Mourdock said, “I believe life begins at conception. The only exception […] to have an abortion is in the case of the life of the mother. I struggled with myself for a long time but I came to realize life is that gift from God, even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape. It is something that God intended to happen.”
In response to Mourdock’s remarks, Feminist Majority President Eleanor Smeal said, “Does Mourdock mean that God intended for that rape to happen, and for it to result in a pregnancy? Is the next step not to prosecute the rapist, and to force her to marry the rapist? This is not so far-fetched and is happening in Afghanistan and Morocco. Such religious extremism threatens women’s lives – in fact, threatens all of our lives, and religious freedom itself.”
“Governor Romney now says,” continued Smeal, “he would allow abortion in cases of rape, incest, and to save the life of the woman. But Romney has also said he supports the Personhood Amendment that states that life begins as the moment of fertilization and would outlaw all abortion (it has no exceptions) and may outlaw the pill, the IUD, and some medical treatment for critical illnesses of the women. Now Romney has chosen to single out Mourdock for his only TV ad endorsement of a Senate candidate.”
“If women’s lives count at all to you, pull the ad, Governor Romney. Religious extremism has no place in public decision-making that can cost women their lives and freedom,” concluded Smeal.
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