To the Louisiana House of Representatives and Speaker Jim Tucker for removing Rep. John LaBruzzo from his position as vice chairman of the House health care committee. In my opinion he should have been removed from the committee entirely, but at least our lawmakers had the presence of mind to address in some way LaBruzzo's outrageous suggestion that we pay the poor citizens in this state $1000 to be sterilized.
It is precisely people like LaBruzzo and his constituents who give our state its reputation for racism and ignorance. Can you imagine young, educated professionals reading stories like this and deciding Louisiana would be a great place to settle and raise children? Is it no wonder that our best and brightest college graduates decide to move elsewhere after college?
Yes, it is true that Louisiana has an unacceptable number of families on welfare, but the blame lies with our substandard educational system and the lack of a coherent plan to prevent poverty. If we are serious about solving the problems afflicting the poor in this state, we need to stop laying blame on their reproductive choices and start giving everyone access to quality education and job training.
LaBruzzo is an idiot. If anyone should think twice about reproducing, it's him.
Labels: John LaBruzzo, Louisiana, poverty, Sterilization, welfare
