Contact: Leslie Palma, 347-286-7277
 
NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2016 /Standard Newswire/ -- Father Frank Pavone, National Director of Priests for Life, and Dr. Alveda King, Director of African-American Outreach, issued the following statement to support Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wisconsin) after he was criticized by the Congressional Black Caucus for statements he made about abortion in the African-American community:

"We commend Congressman Sean Duffy for pointing out the obvious, namely, that far too many African-American leaders are ignoring the devastating impact abortion is having on black lives. Death by forceps or bullets is death all the same.

"Alveda's uncle, Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., said, 'History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the strident clamor of the bad people, but the appalling silence of the good people.'"

Father Pavone and Dr. King commented: "The silence of the Congressional Black Caucus in defending unborn African-American lives truly is disturbing. How many deaths will it take for its members to defend our community – the human community, born and unborn?

"Congressman Duffy spoke the truth in love. If members of the Congressional Black Caucus or any other persons are offended by the truth, they need to examine themselves, not criticize the messenger."

Dr. King has been addressing the issue of the silence of not just the Congressional Black Caucus but many prominent Black leaders over the disheartening and disproportionate rates of abortion among the Black community, most notably in another open letter in July of 2015 amid the Planned Parenthood controversy over the selling of baby body parts.

In related matters, Dr. King addressed the issue of gun violence and abortion in an open letter to President Obama, and Father Pavone commended Iowa Rep. Steve King for his decision to leave his seat empty for the unborn during the State of the Union address on Tuesday.