You had the feeling it was just a matter of time until Colorado State Rep. Gordon Klingenschmitt said something, in his position as a lawmaker, that was so grotesque that it should be widely reported and thoroughly condemned. That time has arrived.
The progressive organization Right Wing Watch reported that Klingenschmitt said in an online video that the horrific attack on a pregnant woman in Longmont on March 18 is a "curse of God upon America for our sin of not protecting innocent children in the womb."
Right Wing Watch reported this morning:
On his "Pray In Jesus Name" program today, Klingenschmitt discussed the story and tied it to a passage from Hosea in which God curses the people of Samaria for their rebellion by declaring that "their little ones shall be dashed in pieces, and their pregnant women ripped open."
"I wonder if there is prophetic significance to America today in that scripture," he said. "This is the curse of God upon America for our sin of not protecting innocent children in the womb and part of that curse for our rebellion against God as a nation is that our pregnant women are ripped open"
This is the kind scream for media attention that Klingenschmitt used to launch regularly, before he was legitimized as a state representative from Colorado Springs. He'd brag about performing an exorcism to root out the "foul spirit of lesbianism" from a woman. He'd rail against abortion and gays.
But since he joined the Colorado state legislature in January, Klingenschmitt, who goes by the name of Dr. Chaps, has been somewhat restrained. Sure, he compared Planned Parenthood to ISIS, but at least he did it in a somewhat roundabout way. Perhaps that's why it was reported by left-leaning media entities and mostly ignored by other news media.
But how can Klingenschmitt's latest statement possibly be ignored? It's along the lines of Pat Robertson blaming abortion and gays for 9/11.
Dr. Chaps isn't another right-wing nut on YouTube. He's an elected official making laws under the gold dome in Denver. Where's the outrage by reporters and other watchdogs?
And what about his fellow Republicans? His statement has the effect of casting all Republicans -- not just Klingenschmitt -- as being completely out of touch, cold-hearted and mean -- unless they thoroughly denounce it. But will they?
If Klingenschmitt is going to politicize a horrific tragedy in the name of his anti-choice agenda, he should be called out by reporters and denounced by anyone with a brain. Ignoring him is the wrong way to go.