Cecile Richards Tells “Catholic” Georgetown University Abortion “is a Basic Human Right”

National   |   Justin Petrisek, Kimberly Scharfenberger   |   Apr 21, 2016   |   10:21AM   |   Washington, DC

Georgetown University blocked concerned Catholics and reporters from attending today’s campus lecture by Planned Parenthood President Cecile Richards, but tweets from participating students revealed faithful Catholics’ worst fears: Richards spoke to a packed auditorium, flagrantly advocating abortion, deriding pro-lifers and scandalizing students at the nation’s oldest Catholic university.

Richards was introduced by the student group H*yas for Choice, according to a tweet from The Hoya’s Twitter page, once again demonstrating the substantial leeway given by Georgetown to this “unofficial” pro-abortion club. “I can’t wait to come back when this [H*yas for Choice] is a recognized campus group,” Richards reportedly stated upon taking the stage. “A girl can dream.” H*yas for Choice is responsible for numerous scandals at Georgetown, such as hosting “choice weeks,” protesting pro-life conferences and pushing for contraception distribution on campus.

In early March, The Cardinal Newman Society broke the news that Georgetown’s student-run Lecture Fund would be hosting Richards. The Archdiocese of Washington and its newspaper, the Catholic Standard, were quick to criticize the outrageous event, but the University administration refused to rescind Richards’ invitation.

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As expected, the event seems to have been a platform for Richards to indoctrinate students with pro-abortion rhetoric and repeatedly attack the dignity of human life. Richards reportedly denied that Planned Parenthood ever sold fetal tissue and claimed abortion is a “basic human right.”

A campus newspaper, The Hoya, used Twitter to quote Richards throughout the event. Among the tweets:

“The decision to have a child is the most personal… we believe this is not decision to be made by politicians.”- @CecileRichards

On @HyasForChoice, “I can‘t wait to come back when this is a recognized campus group. A girl can dream.” – @CecileRichards

“The world can be cruel and it can be unjust. But here‘s the good news – you can have the power to change it.” – @CecileRichards

“I can‘t wait for the day that partisan politics gets out of reproductive health care in America.” – @CecileRichards

“Planned Parenthood has never sold fetal tissue and never would.” – @CecileRichards on the scam video scandal.

“No woman should be afraid to gain access to reproductive rights.” – @CecileRichards on increased animosity at Planned Parenthood clinics.

“The decision to have a child is the most personal… we believe this is not decision to be made by politicians.” – @CecileRichards

One Georgetown senior, Amber Athey, also sought to expose the event by live-tweeting some of Cecile Richards’ and the Lecture Fund’s most outrageous quotes using the hashtag #CecileAtGU. “[T]o my knowledge the event was NOT videotaped, so this was a way of informing the public #CecileAtGU,”Athey explained at the end of her messaging.

“So far I have heard pro-lifers referred to as ‘crazies’ and protestors had their right to protest questioned #CecileAtGU,“ Athey’s live messaging began. Athey also tweeted that the head of the GU Lecture Fund claimed that “hosting an abortion provider is ‘in the spirit of a Jesuit university,’” and, even more disturbingly, that God is “pro-choice.” The rest of Athey’s tweets capture the disturbing content of Richards’ lecture to students and the dishearteningly positive response of attendees. Georgetown students reportedly gave Richards a standing ovation and cheered when Richards spoke about more abortion clinics being opened.

The following is a selection of Athey’s live-tweeted messages:

So far I have heard pro lifers referred to as “crazies” and protestors had their right to protest questioned #CecileAtGU

According to head of GU lecture fund, hosting an abortion provider is “in the spirit of a Jesuit university” #CecileAtGU

Apparently quiet pro life protestors are being screamed at by pro choice students outside the event #CecileAtGU

Cecile Richards receives a standing ovation from Georgetown students #CecileAtGU

Cecile thinks H*yas For Choice, abortion advocates, should be an official student group at a Catholic university #CecileAtGU

According to Cecile people couldn‘t find information on how to put on a condom before Planned Parenthood website #CecileAtGU

GU students cheering for more abortion clinics being opened #CecileAtGU

Apparently being pro choice is hard… geez Cecile imagine how hard it is to be a minority pro lifer AT A CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY #CecileAtGU

End of Cecile’s talk receives a standing ovation as well… time for Q&A #CecileAtGU

“Nonpartisan” GU lecture fund asks for round of applause for abortion providers #CecileAtGU

LEADER OF LECTURE FUND TELLS US GOD IS PRO CHOICE AND SHE IS A DEVOUT CATHOLIC #CecileAtGU

Cecile Richards shames pro life student and tells her that her statistics are made up #CecileAtGU

The tweets give added emphasis to the prior statement of the Archdiocese of Washington: “What we lament and find sadly lacking in this choice by the student group is any reflection of what should be an environment of morality, ethics and human decency that one expects on a campus that asserts its Jesuit and Catholic history and identity.”

The statement continued:

The apparent unawareness of those pushing the violence of abortion and the denigration of human dignity that there are other human values and issues being challenged in the world lends credence to the perception of the “ivory tower” life of some on campus. This unfortunately does not speak well for the future. One would hope to see this generation of Georgetown graduates have a far less self-absorbed attitude when facing neighbors and those in need, especially the most vulnerable among us.

LifeNews Note: Catholic Education Daily is an online publication of The Cardinal Newman Society, where this originally appeared. Reprinted with permission. Letter reprinted with permission. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of LifeNews.com.

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