African-American leaders and pro-life activists are calling for the Smithsonian to remove the bust of Planned Parenthood founder Margaret Sanger from the National Portrait Gallery.
Bishop E.W. Jackson, president of STAND and Ministers Taking A Stand, said Sanger is responsible for the death of about 285,000 black babies each year.
“No wonder the KKK loved her. She began her career by trying to reduce the population for black and other minorities through eugenics,” Jackson said at a press conference outside of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington.
“The sterilizations that later happened in this country were largely inspired by Margaret Sanger’s movement. One of her most favorite slogans was, ‘More children from the fit, less from the unfit,’” he added.
Jackson challenged the media to inform the public about Margaret Sanger’s beliefs.
“I challenge the press to take seriously this issue of racial disparity because we apply it in every other circumstance,” he said. “We’re killing 37 percent of the babies that are impregnated in the black community; 37 percent of them are being killed by abortion and we’re only 11 percent of the population. Why doesn’t the press ask why?”
Jackson said the coalition of activists has gathered 14,000 signatures in support of removing the bust from the taxpayer-funded “Struggle for Justice” exhibit.
Brent Bozell, president of the Media Research Center, applauded Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) as the only presidential candidate to stand with the coalition. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) also drafted a letter calling for his colleagues to back the effort to remove the bust.
Bozell suggested the Smithsonian take the bust down but leave the stand.
“Let it quietly represent that hero, that man or that woman we will never know because they were aborted,” Bozell said.
Star Parker, the founder of the Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education, said the Congressional Black Caucus should join the effort.
“Sanger is no hero,” Parker said. “I want the Congressional Black Caucus to take the lead in the Congress to make sure it comes down.”
A spokesman for the Smithsonian recently denied requests to remove the bust, explaining that the museum honors some individuals with “less than admirable characteristics.”
Kenneth Blackwell, former U.S. Ambassador to the UN Commission on Human Rights, and Bishop Harry Jackson, senior pastor of Hope Christian Church, are among the other African-American leaders calling for the bust’s removal.
Throughout the event, the group chanted, “You must remove the bust.”
Lila Rose, founder of Live Action, said abortion should not be portrayed as empowerment for women.
“She [Sanger] was for women having to have birth permits in order to give birth, that the government should give them permission to make sure that they were fit to give birth, that’s the legacy of the woman that’s being honored in this building. My heart also grieves for the fact that abortion is being touted as empowerment,” she said. “That is an outrage and a disgrace to all of us.”
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