Posted on 06/07/2013 6:17:07 AM PDT by rhema
Retired six-time Pro Bowl center and former Viking Matt Birk skipped the Baltimore Ravens' visit to the White House on Wednesday for political reasons.
Specifically, the St. Paul native took issue with President Barack Obama's support of Planned Parenthood.
Birk is a staunch Catholic father of six children who's against abortion and has taken a strong pro-life stance. Birk has also spoken out in the past in favor of traditional marriage prior to same-sex marriage becoming legal last year in Maryland.
"I wasn't there," Birk said in an interview on KFAN-FM. "I would say that I have great respect for the office of the presidency, but about five or six weeks ago, our President made a comment in a speech and he said, 'God bless Planned Parenthood.'
"Planned Parenthood performs about 330,000 abortions a year. I am Catholic, I am active in the pro-life movement and I just felt like I couldn't deal with that. I couldn't endorse that in any way. I'm very confused by (Obama's) statement. For God to bless a place where they're ending 330,000 lives a year? I just chose not to attend."
At the close of his speech at a Planned Parenthood national conference in April, Obama said: "Thank you Planned Parenthood. God bless you, God bless America."
Matt Birk, legend.
Bravo Matt Birk!
He can expect his IRS audit in 3...2...1...
Watch your back Matt - revenge is their game
Matt’s retired now. But I applaud his outspoken stance in favor of real marriage and life.
Why is this political. Sounds moral to me.
You’d better be clean as a whistle Mark. They’ ve got all your phone records and credit card info. Don’t think they won’t use it.
May God bless Matt Birk!
Good for him!
Finally something of decency out of the thug and homosexualist infested NFL. ‘Figures he’s retired.
It certainly is. Had he written "moral" instead of "political," the reporter might have gotten a cold shoulder in the newspaper's break room.
Before he retired, Birk wrote this column for the Mpls. Star Tribune:
Good article.
Memo to Matt: Prepare for an IRS audit.
Wow. It’s great to see an NFL player (well, former I guess) with such a strong pro-life conviction.
Maryland “Freak State” PING!
God bless Mr. Birk!
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