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Archbishop Blasts Plan to Sterilize Poor

Lawmaker's proposal 'an egregious affront, blatantly antilife'

By Harry Kimball,  Newser Staff

Posted Sep 26, 2008 8:01 PM CDT

(Newser) – The Archbishop of New Orleans slammed a Louisiana lawmaker yesterday for a plan to sterilize the poor, the Times-Picayune reports. Archbishop Alfred Hughes called it "an egregious affront to those targeted and blatantly anti-life." State Rep. John Labruzzo floated the idea this week to fight poverty by paying men and women $1,000 each to undergo sterilization or a vasectomy.

Tax incentives may also be a way to get the college-educated to have more kids, Labruzzo said. Hughes attacked both sterilization and the idea of altering birth rates to limit a part of the population. Vasectomy are tubal ligation are both opposed by the Catholic church. "Our lawmakers would do better to focus on policies that promote education and achievement to counteract poverty and the bigotry of low expectations," Hughes said

Archbishop Alfred Hughes has opposed a plan to pay the poor to be sterilized, calling blatantly antilife.
Archbishop Alfred Hughes has opposed a plan to pay the poor to be sterilized, calling "blatantly antilife."   (Getty Images)
New Orleans Archbishop The Most Reverend Alfred Hughes, right, blesses Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal and his family Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008 in Baton Rouge, La.
New Orleans Archbishop The Most Reverend Alfred Hughes, right, blesses Gov.-elect Bobby Jindal and his family Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008 in Baton Rouge, La.   (AP Photo/Tim Mueller)
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