Pat Robertson: ‘Ask God’ Why He Didn’t Smite Justices Who Legalized Abortion

If you want to get an insight on just how unhinged the religious right is, yesterday’s edition of “The 700 Club” provided a lovely example. One of Pat Robertson’s viewers wondered why the Supreme Court justices who voted to legalize abortion on demand weren’t held to account. The Virginia Beach Ayatollah’s response? Only God knows why those justices were allowed to stay alive.

Pat Robertson in Lima in 2006 (from Chuck Holton's Flickr)
Pat Robertson in Lima in 2006 (from Chuck Holton’s Flickr)

During the daily “Bring it On” segment, Robertson and co-host Terry Meeuwsen fielded a question from “Eugene” about the Roe v. Wade decision. People for the American Way got a clip.

Watch the whole segment here. Eugene’s rant begins at the 1:09 mark.

Eugene, a lifelong supporter of Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network, noted that the 7-2 majority in that decision was made up mostly of Republican-appointed justices–contrary to the modern stereotype of Republicans opposing abortion and Democrats supporting it. For those of you keeping score, Chief Justice Warren Burger and associate justices Harry Blackmun and Lewis Powell, Jr. were appointed by Nixon, while associate justices Potter Stewart and William Brennan were appointed by Eisenhower. There were only two Democratic-appointed justices on the court–FDR appointee William Douglas and LBJ appointee Thurgood Marshall.

Eugene wondered–loudly–why these seven justices hadn’t been “called out for their genocide against the unborn.” He couldn’t understand why they all lived to be “such an old age” after being responsible for a decision “that has brought a curse upon the land.” Robertson replied, “You’ll have to ask God why he didn’t kill them.” After all, Robertson noted, God decides whether Supreme Court justices go on to ripe old ages.

Now you’re probably wondering why Robertson didn’t even try to calm Eugene down. Well, Marion Gordon knows his audience. He knows that whenever the Supreme Court announces a decision related to abortion or gay rights, most of his followers are going to wonder why God doesn’t smite anyone who votes the “wrong” way.

You have to remember, folks–thanks to Robertson and his ilk, a significant sector of this country has been brainwashed into thinking that those who oppose them are doing the devil’s work. How else do you explain how Eugene could wonder why Burger, Blackmun, Powell, Stewart, Brennan, Douglas, and Marshall weren’t struck dead for legalizing “genocide”?

Robertson likes to say there’s a culture war in this country. You’re right on that one, Pat. But this episode only proves that you and others of your ilk are the bad guys. After all, the fact that anyone could call for justices to be struck dead on national television proves how much you have poisoned the political climate in this country.

Darrell is a 30-something graduate of the University of North Carolina who considers himself a journalist of the old school. An attempt to turn him into a member of the religious right in college only succeeded in turning him into the religious right's worst nightmare--a charismatic Christian who is an unapologetic liberal. His desire to stand up for those who have been scared into silence only increased when he survived an abusive three-year marriage. You may know him on Daily Kos as Christian Dem in NC. Follow him on Twitter @DarrellLucus or connect with him on Facebook. Click here to buy Darrell a Mello Yello.