Chris Matthews Compares Kansas Abortion Regulations to Jim Crow Efforts to Disenfranchise Blacks
By Ken Shepherd | July 01, 2011 | 13:00
In the warped mind of MSNBC's Chris Matthews, efforts to regulate the practice of abortion are morally equivalent to literacy tests in the South that were aimed at preventing African-Americans from voting.
The "Hardball" host made that puzzling and arguably insulting comparison on the June 30 program in a segment titled "What's the Matter with Kansas?"
[video posted below page break]
"Kansas may be on track to become the first state in the country to put an end to abortion," Matthews told his audience yesterday, explaining that:
A new law requires the state's abortion providers to comply with strict new regulations that set equipment, temperature and space requirements, and the Associated Press reports that as of today, only one of the state's three clinics met those requirements. Two others were denied permission to operate, effectively shutting them down [when the law takes effect] tomorrow.
Before the commercial break, Matthews had promised "both sides" of the debate, but in truth supplied only one side, interviewing a left-leaning reporter and then an abortion rights activist.
Matthews began his interview of D.C.-based Huffington Post reporter Laura Bassett by asking (emphasis mine):
Laura, give us a sense, is that true, is this basically setting a whole bunch of conditions like they used to do with literacy tests in the South to keep blacks from voting. Is this a bunch of regulations that basically kill any chance of having an abortion legally in Kansas?
An objective reporter might have been taken aback by Matthews incredibly asinine comparison with the Jim Crow south, but Bassett had no problem with Matthews' comparison:
That's what they seem to be and that's what they've done. Actually, I just heard word that the third clinic has been denied a license as well, which means that a woman can no longer get an abortion in Kansas because of these impossible regulations that they were given two weeks to comply with.
For a set of impossible regulations, however, one Planned Parenthood clinic WAS able yesterday, during the 5 p.m. Eastern "Hardball" broadcast to secure a license to continue abortions.
Reports the Kansas City Star this morning:
Shortly after 4 p.m. Thursday, state health officials notified Planned Parenthood that it would be the only abortion clinic to get a license under controversial new rules that take effect today.
A denial would have made Kansas the only state without an abortion provider.
The state’s two other abortion clinics — Aid for Women in Kansas City, Kan., and the Center for Women’s Health in Overland Park — are without licenses and unable to provide abortions.
Both will be in federal court at 3 p.m. today to challenge the new rules. Neither clinic had any abortion appointments scheduled for today.
After Bassett described some of the regulations, Matthews doubled down on his "literacy test" comparison (emphases mine):
MATTHEWS: No, this is like literacy tests in the South.
BASSETT: Exactly.
MATTHEWS: It's not exactly parallel, but it's the kind of game you set. Now, my question is, are they admitting that this is a game, a strategy to kill abortion rights in Kansas?
BASSETT: Republicans are not admitting it. They're saying it's to protect women's health. They're saying it's to protect women's safety that these clinics aren't safe. But doctors are saying that these regulations aren't even being used for hospitals and surgery centers and an abortion procedure is much less invasive than many other surgical procedures that don't have these same regulations and so it raises a few questions.
MATTHEWS: So they never break their game face. They never admit, c'mon, we know what we're doing here?
BASSETT: No.
MATTHEWS: But are the people who backed these regulations really hard pro-lifers?
BASSETT: They are.
Following his chat with Bassett, Matthews turned to Nancy Northup of the Center for Reproductive Rights, lobbing a softball right over the middle of the plate:
It looks to me like this is an attempt to outlaw abortion effectively. Is that how you see it in the state of Kansas?
After Northup opened with her predictable talking points, Matthews continued to help along Northup by echoing pro-choice talking points, even as he pretended to be objective (emphases mine):
MATTHEWS: So what happens? I mean, I'm not going to make the argument here, let you make the argument, you're the advocate, but it seems to me it puts women who want to have an abortion in a two-choice, a double-choice situation: Travel out of state or go to someone who does it illegally.
NORTHUP: Well, absolutely. The--
MATTHEWS: That's effectively where it's going to come to, isn't it?
NORTHUP: The harm of these laws is that they hurt women.
A few minutes later Matthews flatly interjected, "I don't like the law being used this way," adding that he foresees that "if this works" there would be "copycatting" in other states:
MATTHEWS: If you can just start drawing up the most onerous regulations in the world, make the room have to be 1,000 square feet, make it 2,000 square feet, say you have to have a toilet that's 500 feet high in the air.
You can make any rule you want if your goal is to outlaw abortion. What stops it, this direction? What would stop it?
NORTHUP: Well, what needs to stop it is for the court--
MATTHEWS, interrupting: What could, I'm sorry, go ahead.
NORTHUP: We need the court to step in and protect women's constitutional rights and protect the rights of these doctors who are providing services for their patients.
I mean, it is so important to us to remember how critical our Bill of Rights is. And that we need the court -- I mean, your analogy to voting rights was excellent. We need the Court when majorities trample over the rights of citizens...
As Matthews wrapped up the segment, he reiterated his complaint that the Kansas abortion regulations were "a game here, this is not honest lawmaking, it seems to me."
"Whatever side [of the abortion debate] you're on, this is not the way to decide this issue. It should be decided on the principle of a right or not a right," Matthews lectured his audience.
- Ken Shepherd's blog
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Comments
More black babies are mudered
Submitted by richflanj on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:07pm.
More black babies are mudered in the abortion mills of "Planned Parenthood" than ANY other racial or ethnic group, but stopping/regulating abortion is racist.
Sorry, don't get it.
Too bad...
Submitted by tvhall on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 9:54am.
Abortion wasn't legal when Chris' Mom was pregnant with him.
Crist Matthews
Submitted by John21 on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:12pm.
Come on "Tingle Legs" has never been known for brains, common sense or original thought. He is just repeating the far left liberal (Regressive) party line. Does anyone other than the far left actually watch his clown act?
Jim Crow!! Jim Crow!! Jim Crow!!
Submitted by motherbelt on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:14pm.
Is this the epithet of the month???
Reminds me of this
Advance to the 3:10 mark.
Interesting question. Now
Submitted by DaChew on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:21pm.
Interesting question. Now that at least 1 court has decided that the Interstate Commerce Clause can be used to force citizens to buy private healthcare, can it also be used to force women to carry pregnancies to term? A baby has significant effect on commerce, does it not? If citizens can be forced to buy something because it effects commerce, what can't they be forced to do? Babies are needed to help our economy, pay taxes, pay for welfare, pay for Social Security, fight wars - which of these things is not linked to interstate commerce?
My, that would be quite
Submitted by WhoIsJohnGalt on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 2:35pm.
the conundrum for a leftist, wouldn't it?
"I LOVE abortions, but damn, we do need the additional tax money...! I'm so CONFUSED!!!"
Lock 'em up!
Submitted by DontFeedTheTrolls on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:25pm.
I would compare Chris Matthews to Charles Manson, both never murdered anyone, but both are responsible for others deaths.
I guess black genocide doesn't bother Prissy in the least...
Submitted by Dave. on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:27pm.
...given that it was one of the express reasons that that hideous eugenics monster of a NAZI Margaret Sanger created Planned Murderhood in the first place.
Seriously, I think Prissy has taken leave of his senses.
Perhaps it's time his family intervened - before he winds up in a straight jacket, sliding his behind around on the floor like Cheech Marin in Nice Dreams.
-Dave
NAZI's want to control blacks, Dave.
Submitted by Newsbubba on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 2:31pm.
The left has a problem with a double edge. They need the black vote in this country, which they can count on, to control elections; but one day the time will come when they have total power and won't need them any longer.
Truth is, they really don't care for blacks. They just need their help, just as they need Islamic help, to take over. At that point they will begin to try to rid their "perfect" society of the undesirables like the blacks, Latinos, Arabs and all other Islamists.
Their plan will fall apart after they control the USA because blacks, and especially Islamists, are very religious while the NAZI's are anti-God in any form. They will go to war with each other, so in the meantime they will limit the black population to a "manageable" number through abortion, limiting babies (think Al Gore's latest proposal), war in Africa, etc. They will do the same with the Islamic world primarily by keeping them in a constant state of war with anyone available. Bambi's done a great job getting all of the region in an uproar, don't you think? It also keeps Europe on the ropes having to deal with them, so the leftists in this country are free to roll on.
All conspiracies ain't theory. Just look at everything the left is doing in the light of their Fascist desires, starting with The One.
Similar picture that I'm seeing
Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 3:43pm.
That's pretty much the same picture I'm seeing, but break it down further, many blacks have been converting to Islam, especially those that went to prison(high amounts of black on black crime especially) or have been converting to those like Jackson or Wright, especially the latter claiming to be worshipping God, but practice/preach hate. Even some black celebrities have been converting(Will Smith for example) to Islam. The others that are true Christians are getting fewer and fewer in number, and will soon be so few, it won't matter much.
But combine all that, as you say, not to mention those gangs with their turfs, and this is a very potential war zone we're talking about especially in the big cities like LA, Chicago, New York, even Houston. (The four biggest cities in the US) Many of the other big cities that have the Latino cartels and gangs face similar problems.
This can get ugly real fast.
-Jon
God forbid abortion clinics have to adhere to any standards
Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:31pm.
Like say, a taco stand would.
Sounds like Tingles thinks it's OK to perform an abortion in a back alley as long as the "doctor" is licensed.
How about Kermit The Killer Frog's house of horrors in Philly? I'm sure if Tingles toured that joint he'd give it a thumbs-up, right?
What the hell am I talking about - he probably would.
Oh, geez, not this crap again.
Submitted by CobraMan on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:33pm.
Oh geez, not this crap again! So, by increasing and enforcing standards in regards to medical procedures an facilities, we're "disenfranchising" blacks? I guess that means that ObamaCare, which increased the standards for healthcare procedures and facilities, also disenfranchises blacks, correct?
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
According to the Kansas City
Submitted by jdhawk on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:53pm.
According to the Kansas City Star that was referenced above, here are the "draconian" regulations regarding abortion clinics in the state of Kansas:
The new licensing law requires clinics to be inspected twice a year, including one unannounced review. It also spells out standards for operations, supplies, facilities and medical procedures.
The regulations total 36 pages. Among other things, they require any physician performing an abortion to have clinical privileges at a hospital within 30 miles of the clinic. They also require each facility to have drugs and equipment to deal with a medical crisis such as a heart attack or an allergic reaction to medication.
Standards for the building include dressing rooms for the staff that are equipped with a toilet, a sink and a place to store clothes. The procedure rooms are required to be at least 150 square feet, and the recovery area must be at least 80 square feet per patient.
The rules also require temperatures of 70 to 75 degrees for the recovery rooms and 68 to 73 degrees for procedure rooms.
Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/06/30/2986712/planned-parenthood-clinic-i...
First of all, "tingles" is way over the top regarding this whole question of Kansas imposing regulations to run abortion clinics and he knows it. When a liberal fails to mention the facts of the case, as he repeatedly does. Then you know he is lying, as he repeatedly does.
The above rules are not only sound, but if they weren't the practice of the clinics before prudient medical practice ought to have made them so notwithstanding these new regulations.
My bet is that the most difficult compliance issue is for the doctor(s) to have hospital privileges and that the hospital be no more than 30 minutes away. Given the ever reduced fees that doctos and hospitals are provided by government programs such a medicare and medicaide for their services, hospitals have cut way back on how many and which doctors have hospital privileges. In addition to the cut backs, hospitals must insure each care provider. That, also, is an ever more expensive proposition.
Ask yourself, would you go to an abortion clinic knowing the doctor didn't have hospital privileges at the nearby hospital if something went terrible wrong?
In the excerpt of the above article, it points out that one of the clinics that was shut down was a father/daughter team. My bet that if that doctor only does abortions and the nearest hospital simply will not provide him with privileges.
So, again, this is a case where the liberals don't want you to take a sober and contemplative view of the legislative action, but want a mob approach to this issue. I guess, Ann Coulter in her new book, Demonic, How the Liberal Mob is Endangering America, is right. "Tingles" is the chief bomb throwing mobster once again.
you are right
Submitted by Hoosier Conservative on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 1:56pm.
School cafeterias can't feed a teen girl chocolate milk, but abortion supporters look the other way when a germ-riddled clinic gives her an infection.
And let's not forget you
Submitted by dscott on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 4:56pm.
And let's not forget you can't sue an abortionist for maiming or killing the woman either because it is an elective procedure. That's another issue, tort reform, abortion should be subjected to law suits like any other medical procedure.
How about comparing it to trying to get a different permit?
Submitted by TheHistorian on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 2:44pm.
I didn't hear you complain when the Obama administration invoked permit requirements on Shell for drilling in Alaska, where they made the permit requirements so onerous that Shell could not meet them. What's more important, Chrissy, energy or an abortion?
Dennis Prager
Does Chris Matthews receive Communion?
Submitted by NAVYSEALF-16 on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 2:46pm.
The hypocrisy of Chris Matthews is on full display again. How does this man consider himself a Catholic when his actions/words belie all that a true Catholic believes in? Has anyone ever asked him how he reconciles his supposed personal/professional life? You cannot separate the two -- it's who you are.
The man is a true example of a man lacking in character.
I wouldn't want to be in a church that Prissy walks into
Submitted by Dave. on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 2:54pm.
LOL - The roof might just cave in.
-Dave
.
Submitted by Chaitealover on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 3:01pm.
Haven't they gotten his rubber room ready, yet? He's been needing one for a long time.
Onerous regulations discourage an activity?
Submitted by KC Mulville on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 3:02pm.
Wow, what a concept!
Did everyone forget the abortionist in Philadelphia whose squalid facility disgusted the country? How quickly they conveniently forget ...
So NOW they are concerned about 'onerous regulations'
Submitted by Dave. on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 3:10pm.
...discouraging an activity.
Funny, as these same people have no concern whatsoever about the onerous regulations the Obamanistas are throwing at the private sector.
-Dave
Matthes may be correct - by accident
Submitted by Agnostic on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 3:14pm.
Both abortion and the Jim Crow laws were pushed in order to maintain minorities at a lower social level. Morons.
This has evolved into a
Submitted by winston smith on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 4:16pm.
This has evolved into a common tactic of the left: if you don't fully support their political agenda, then automatically, they accuse you of wanting to take this country back to the era of Jim Crow. Ostensibly, this is supposed to induce an immediate and profound sense of humiliation and shame the opponent into agreeing with the liberal bomb thrower. Hopefully, to the liberals, these underhanded tactics will eventually lead to higher taxes and more government regulation --- which is their primary goal.
It could be any issue really. In this case the issue is abortion. But you see the same dishonest tactics by the left with issues such as gun control, state's rights issues, educational issues, taxes, etc... as long as the individual being scorned as a racist is a Republican. This is called 'playing the race card' and it has become a favorite of Democrats and their supporters common bag of dirty tricks.
But, If the individual happens to be a Democrat and gives a speech on the floor of the Senate looking back lovingly to his days as a KKK member, or a Democrat who, for instance, flew the Confederate flag over the state house when he was governer, or Democrats who voted against the civil rights act, and/or voting rights act, or a Democrat who refers to Obama as the first clean, articulate African-American in politics, or another leading Democrat who states that Obama "has no negro dialect" --------- you will never hear liberals and leftists refer ro racsim and the Jim Crow era. In the so-called main-stream media style book, the term Jim Crow can only be used against a Republican --- -even if their beloved Democrats are in the public eye saying blatantly racist things.
Winston- you're right. But
Submitted by jdhawk on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 2:03am.
Winston- you're right. But what is surprising is that "tingles" would use that reference or any other liberal at all because of this:
Jim Crow laws were a product of the solidly Democratic South. Conservative white Southern Democrats, exploiting racial fear and attacking the corruption (real or perceived) of Reconstruction Republican governments, took over state governments in the South in the 1870s and dominated them for nearly 100 years, chiefly as a result of disenfranchisement of most blacks through statute and constitutions. In 1956, southern resistance to the Supreme Court's ruling in Brown v. Board of Education resulted in a resolution called the Southern Manifesto. It was read into the Congressional Record and supported by 96 southern congressmen and senators, all but two of them southern Democrats.
The racists that enacted Jim Crow laws were dimocrats. "tingles" own party!
Southern
Submitted by dscott on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 7:20am.
Southern Manifesto
http://www.strom.clemson.edu/strom/manifesto.html
Interesting read.
Tingles is on a roll this week
Submitted by mrt721 on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 7:17pm.
Chris Matthews: Blacks Need Same-Sex Marriage
What next??
Submitted by jon_torlin on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 7:36pm.
Marriage to animals? Marriage to inanimate objects?
Good grief!
-Jon
It shouldn't come as a suprise any more
Submitted by djwolf12 on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 9:08pm.
what these staunch socialists, err, progressives believe. Remember, when Gray Davis got recalled in California, CNN REALLY STATED when the polls closed that Gray Davis would not be recalled as governer. These idiots live in a fantasy world.
Ahhh, NOW I get it................
Submitted by djwolf12 on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 4:04pm.
Tingles is hinting that If the Black Community somehow, someway changed their heterosexual ways and black women only married black women and black men only married black men, the out-of-wedlock birthrate would go down. But then yet again, abortions would not be an option if tingles gets his way and "gayifies" the black community.
And another thing, if this country follows Tingles' sick, twisted PROGRESSIVE LOGIC by making the black community ALL-GAY, then wouldn't Gay Marriage be sort of like Jim Crow by disenfranchising Blacks by taking away their free will to have children? Didn't a certain political party try to attempt some form of "Gender Birth" in 1930's Germany?
"Show me your friends and I will show you your future".
M.S.S.R. - Lean forward and spread it wide.
Killing black babies equals disenfranchising them...
Submitted by gmaniac1 on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 7:53pm.
got it!
What logic these liberals have. How do they sleep at night with all the lies and treachery they portray to black people?
Chrissy and Jim Carrey in a new movie together...
Submitted by bigdaddy on Fri, 07/01/2011 - 10:42pm.
..."Dumb, Dumber, and Dumbest"...
The greatest Triumph
Submitted by LaVallette on Sat, 07/02/2011 - 2:39am.
The greatest triumph of feminism is the abortion of millions of girl babies!!!
agreed, LaVallette......
Submitted by djwolf12 on Mon, 07/04/2011 - 6:17pm.
watch, this week the idiots over at M.S.S.R. will be saying that Casey Anthony got into this mess because she didn't utilize Planned Parenthood.