January, 13 2010, 02:45pm EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Drew Courtney or Josh Glasstetter,Phone: 202-467-4999,Email:,media@pfaw.org
PFAW Condemns Pat Robertson's Comments on Haiti Earthquake
Religious Right Leader says Haiti “swore a pact to the devil”
WASHINGTON
People For the American
Way President Michael B. Keegan today condemned a
statement made by Religious Right leader Pat Robertson (VIDEO),
who said that the nation of Haiti has been cursed ever since it "swore a
pact to the Devil."
In discussing the earthquake, which the UN says has killed thousands of
people, Robertson said:
And you know Kristi, something happened a long time
ago in Haiti
and people might not want to talk about it. They were under the heel of the
French, uh you know Napoleon the third and whatever. And they got together and
swore a pact to the Devil. They said we will serve you if you'll get us free
from the French. True Story. And so the Devil said "OK, it's a deal."
And they kicked the French out. You know, the Haitians revolted and got
themselves free. But ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the
other, desperately poor. That island is Hispaniola
is one island. It's cut down the middle. On one side is Haiti, on the other side is the Dominican republic.
Dominican Republic
is prosperous, healthy, full of resorts, etc.. Haiti is in desperate poverty. Same
island. Uh, they need to have, and we need to pray for them, a great turning to
God and out of this tragedy. I'm optimistic something good may come.
Michael B. Keegan, president of People For the American Way, issued the
following statement:
"Pat Robertson's comments about the
victims of this earthquake are reprehensible. Unfortunately, they fit right
in with his history of mean spirited attacks accusing his opponents of causing
natural disasters and terrorism. To blame the victims of this disaster
for what they've been through is appalling. Regrettably, Pat
Robertson can't be written off as an eccentric aberration of the
right-wing--he's still a leading figure in the conservative
movement.""At a time when our attention should be focused
on helping the victims of this disaster, Robertson's comments are beyond
the pale."
People For the American Way works to build a democratic society that implements the ideals of freedom, equality, opportunity and justice for all. We encourage civic participation, defend fundamental rights, and fight to dismantle systemic barriers to equitable opportunity. We fight against right-wing extremism and the injustice it fosters.
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