Catholic university invited MSNBC host who thanked God for abortion to speak

Loyola University in Chicago invited MSNBC host Touré Neblett, who openly thanked God for abortion, to speak at its MLK Day celebrations on Wednesday.

“[T]here is a reasonable and unsolvable medical debate about when exactly life begins, but I find something undeniably misogynist about the impulse to deny a woman's dominion over her own body and limit her ability to shape her life—and impose another sense of morality on her,” Neblett said back in 2013, honoring the 40th anniversary of the Supreme Court ruling of Roe v Wade.

“I thank God and country that when I fell into a bad situation, abortion was there to save me and keep me on a path toward building a strong family I have now—and I pray that [the abortion] safety net remains in place,” continued Neblett. “People who have children when they're prepared leads to stronger children, stronger families, and thus stronger adults and a stronger America.”

According to Life News, Neblett prepared his speech, titled “How Racism Functions Today,” after receiving an invitation to speak at the Jesuit institution. Loyola’s Department of Student Diversity and Multicultural Affairs sponsored the MLK Day celebrations and includes a keynote luncheon, an evening keynote address, and a book signing, Loyola Communications Director Steven Christensen told Campus Reform in an email.

“[Neblett’s] visit to campus comes at a time when the focus on violence towards African-American males continues to dominate the media landscape and national conversations. College campuses are an ideal place to dialogue about complex issues that need to be addressed in a holistic way,” Christensen told Campus Reform. “At Loyola, our students demand such conversation as a way to problem solve and work toward social justice. As the 2015 Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration speaker, Touré will share his perspective based on his personal and professional experiences.”

Prior to the 2012 elections, Neblett sent out a tweet which read “Girls, get your abortions NOW in case the Republicans win.”

Critics of Neblett and his outspoken advocacy for abortion are now questioning Loyola’s Catholic identity. The Cardinal Newman Society, a Catholic watchdog group that works in “promoting and defending faithful Catholic education,” reported on Neblett’s invite on its website.

“We welcome and foster an open exchange of ideas and encourage debate and sharing differing views and opinions to advance education,” Christensen told Campus Reform. “We believe that discussion around difficult and complex issues results in deeper critical thinking skills and well-rounded citizens. Exploring complex issues with many different perspectives is a mark of strength and vitality and we do not shy away from discussing controversial topics.”

Neblett is a host of The Cycle on MSNBC.

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