Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
LUCINDA CREIGHTON WAS asked today if, given the chance, she would have aborted Hitler before he was born.
The Renua leader faced the question on the Leinster House plinth after it was recently asked of two US presidential candidates.
The matter was raised with Creighton as the abortion debate was back in the news today. Creighton is well-known for her strong anti-abortion views having quit Fine Gael over the Protection of Life during Pregnancy Bill over two years ago.
The Dublin South-East TD was taken aback by the question of whether she would have aborted Hitler in the womb and gave this brief response:
I haven’t followed that [debate] and thankfully I think the debate hasn’t descended to that low level in this country yet.
Stood beside her, Renua’s deputy leader Billy Timmins said it was “a crazy question”.
A version of the question was first posed in a poll of New York Times magazine readers last month.
They were asked if they would kill baby Hitler with 42% saying they would:
Then earlier this month the same question was asked of the Republican presidential candidate and former Florida governor Jeb Bush who had received the query in an email.
The Huffington Post asked him if, given the opportunity, he would kill baby Hitler.
“Hell yeah, I would! You gotta step up, man.” he told the website.
Bush was emphatic even when it was put to him that the future Nazi leader could have been a cute baby:
It could have a dangerous effect on everything else, but I’d do it — I mean, Hitler.
Bush’s Republican rival Ben Carson, who is strongly anti-abortion, was also asked a variation of the question earlier this month when a reporter asked if he would be “in favour of aborting baby Hitler”.
“I’m not in favour of aborting anybody,” was his brief response:
No other Republican presidential candidates have yet faced the question.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Jesus Christ, when did we descend to this level of stupidity ?? Are they just handing press passes in cornflake boxes now or something ??
No child is born evil, but this question proves that some are born stupid…
@ Old Gabby Johnson. It would be a good book. You could call it. ‘If Lucinda did in fact go back in time and kill baby Hitler…’ It would quite literally be describing a parallel universe of ones own invention…
If we all went back in time how many of us would change our vote…???
Silly Question
You don’t have to ask her any questions, she does what says on the tin. Remember
What a supid question. Something only americans could come up with,
Stupid on so many levels, it’s staggering. Given that the global conditions existed for World War 2 to happen anyway, what if you did kill him and someone else took his place who actually won the war? We can safely say that the US presidential debate has now reached the level you’d usually find in a pub around closing time.
Would you be killing him out of revenge or for prevention? Stupid question is an understatement. Of course there’s no reason to name the ‘journalist’ who posed it…
Too much fat and sugar can destroy brain cells, a US study shows.
Is this the level debate has descended to? Next up, candidates to be quizzed if Coca Cola is better than Pepsi and who’s their favourite member of One Direction.
Can’t stand her but that was a great answer.
‘I haven’t followed that [debate] and thankfully I think the debate hasn’t descended to that low level in this country yet.’
To put this into context. Here’s Lucinda Crighton elevating the level of debate on gay marraige:
“I have many gay friends who don’t support gay marriage either.”
Like I said: “Can’t stand her but that was a great answer’
Given the standard of debate in the dail and the media here (and her contribution to both) it was a ridiculous answer.
Oh come on Andrew, given the context of the question, I can’t think of a better answer that doesn’t involve foul language.
Its disingenuous. What surprises me is why she didnt take the opportunity to put forward her own views on abortion (which she usually does). It occured to me that somebody somewhere has decided that the better option is to let Labour do the the heavy lifting (they’ve already dropped it but what the hell lol
True dat. Labour is working overtime to achieve obscurity.
@ Andrew
You’re not “putting her answer in context”.
You are doing the exact opposite – you are applying a different context entirely by clouding abortion with gay marriage.
Her answer on this stupid, offensive question was good. Her answer on gay marriage was, in my opinion, bad.
It is possible to have different views on different topics. It’s also possible to give some good and some bad answers.
“Then earlier this month the same question was asked of the Republican presidential candidate and former Florida governor Jeb Bush who had received the query in an email.
The Huffington Post asked him if, given the opportunity, he would kill baby Hitler.
“Hell yeah, I would! You gotta step up, man.” he told the website.”
The ironic thing is, Jebs Grandpa, Prescott Bush, was a war profiteer who gained much of his fortune and influence as a result of Hitlers world war. So, if Jeb killed baby hitler, his daddy may never have been head of the CIA and later President, which in turn led to Dubya riding into the Whitehouse on the coattails of his daddys legacy, and Jeb would not himself now be running for President.
***citation needed***
@ W.O.C. No citation needed. It’s a piece of well known history followed by a little speculation. What would the citation be needed for.
W.O.C. asking for a citation has to be one of the journals funniest moments ever ..
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2004/sep/25/usa.secondworldwar
“How Bush’s grandfather helped Hitler’s rise to power
The Guardian has obtained confirmation from newly discovered files in the US National Archives that a firm of which Prescott Bush was a director was involved with the financial architects of Nazism.
His business dealings, which continued until his company’s assets were seized in 1942 under the Trading with the Enemy Act, has led more than 60 years later to a civil action for damages being brought in Germany against the Bush family by two former slave labourers at Auschwitz and to a hum of pre-election controversy.
The evidence has also prompted one former US Nazi war crimes prosecutor to argue that the late senator’s action should have been grounds for prosecution for giving aid and comfort to the enemy……the new documents, many of which were only declassified last year, show that even after America had entered the war and when there was already significant information about the Nazis’ plans and policies, he worked for and profited from companies closely involved with the very German businesses that financed Hitler’s rise to power. It has also been suggested that the money he made from these dealings helped to establish the Bush family fortune and set up its political dynasty.”
Lol The Guardian!!!
I’m going to hazard a guess the Guardian is not a credible source for WOC.
Nah, only StormFront or the Express will do for WoC et al!!
Tell us, which genius in the press corps thought this was a worthwhile question, and when are they planning to ask it of Gerry Adams?
Hi John. I enjoyed you appearance on Vincent Browne the other night completely losing your excrement about taking the fight to ISIS.
I was just wondering if you have applied yet to join any of the fine Armies involved in the fight?
No, but when the revolution comes, I’ll be happy to send you. Two birds, etc.
So incendiary Rhetoric: good, active participation: bad. Is that what we are to take as your position?
Careful John.
Ha ha Jamming you walked into that one
You might start telling the truth.
Johns the quintessential chickenhawk, and I recommend everybody watch his appearance on Vincent Browne last week. Willing to fight ISIS to the last drop of everyone elses blood.
From 35 mins.
http://www.tv3.ie/3player/show/41/101573/0/Tonight-with-Vincent-Browne
And Jamming you’re happy to have a personal go at posters here frim the anonymous comfort of your armchair. Why don’t you stop whinging and answer my question or at least confirm you won’t. What parties and Taoiseach do you consider a credible alternative to the current set-up?
As pointed out to you 3 times last night a broad left coalition possibly with the SocDems in place. The next election is the most unpredictable in the history of the state, and you made yourself look silly predicting the outcome last night.
Had such a coalition been in place 7 years ago the banking debt would not have been placed on our backs, 2 years ago the prom notes would not have been turned into 40 years of sovereign debt etc.
But, please james, jump up and down with your fingers in your ears shouting ‘there is no alternative’ to child poverty doubling, a health system collapsing, homelessness at record levels while the little dictator has his head rubbed for his obedience by ze Germans.
‘No alternative’ to edna kenny, classic.
I know who I’d like to “wipe off the face of the earth”, and I’m not talking about the Israeli Secret Intelligence Service.
Jamming no party make-up or potential Taouseach. Just a generalisation. Why can’t you suggest a specific alternative given your criticism. You think ‘no alternatuve to Kenny’ is ‘classic’ yet don’t suggest one???? Quote me the line where I looked silly predicting the outcome last nite? Must have forgotten that..
People will just sit back and accept the same shite over and over and over. The same shite that they keep electing. Then they will complain about it. Does my head in. People can complain about the left all they want, but the left have never bankrupt this country. That an undeniable fact.
I’ll do better than that, I’ll post the highlights (which are quite hilarious)
http://www.thejournal.ie/nurses-strike-enda-kenny-michael-martin-2464190-Nov2015/#comments
James Gorman
“Jammin ‘there’s always alternatives’ – and runs away from the question again. Hilarious hypocrisy.”
For Connolly
“Apologies james, I thought you adsorbed the information the first time I answered your question. You were probably too busy typing your standard reply to do so.
A broad left coalition minority government.
You should bookmark this page, as you seem to have issues retaining basic information.
Anything else cupcake?
(Off you go now, explain how I’m, like everyone else who doesn’t fly the little blueshirt flag, a big doo doo head or whatever. And tell us, in your best Thatcherite voice how ‘there is no alternative’)”
James Gorman
“Jamming ‘anything else cupcake’? Yes an answer would be nice you priza waffler. Unbelievable – still running from the question and then wondering why I’m still looking for an answer.”
For Connolly
“The answer is in my last post.
Read it sloooowww if that helps.
Good lad.”
James Gorman
“Sorry Jamming you know you are running from the question. I will suggest a couple of alternatives; 1. The existing govt with same Taoiseach and might need some independent support to buffer them. 2. FG/FF govt with Kenny as Taoiseach. Both above have potential to have eneough seats. Now over to you for your credible left alternative please and no waffle??”
For Connolly
“The numbers may well be there for a broad left minority government, possibly with the SDs on board.
You DO realise minority governments can be formed in this state james, yes?
(Oh, and cheers for doing exactly what I’d said you do. Good lad.)”
James Gorman
“Jamming so for all the whining you do here about the status quo you cannot recommend a credible alternative govt and Taoiseach to my suggestions. I sense your total discomfort in having to deal with the question. You have no credibility whatsoever knocking endlessly without recommending to the audience an alternative. That’s exactly the dilemma for the other moaners here as well.You have NO ANSWERS when it comes down to it.”
For Connolly
“So, like I said….
1. james asks what the alternative is
2. An alternative is given
3. james claims its not credible (despite more socialist leaning governments delivering world class free healthcare, free education, and subsidised/free childcare for its citizens in other countries)
Cheers for being so utterly, utterly, predictable.
Off you trot now, to ask everyone else the same question. They’ve probably answered you before as well.
Good lad.”
James Gorman
“Jamming you’re the scalded car here running from the question. Can you not give an alternative to my two above? Go in I promise not to laugh”
James Gorman
“Yes Jamming and you have been belittling and lecturing people who say they can’t see an alternative. When it comes down to it after all that moaning you can’t recommend an alternative to them. Stop dodging, answer the question or go running again and stop wasting my time”.
For Connolly
“Can you not give an alternative to my two above? ”
I gave it.
Now, I know you think there’s no ‘credible’ alternative to a government which has doubled child poverty, broken the health service, loaded debt on our kids and grandkids, and has the homeless numbers at record levels, but not everyone thinks as you do
And if you don’t agree with me james, I shall wear it as a badge of honour.”
James Gorman
“Comment still applies. Can we agree you don’t have an alternative so you can stop wasting my time and future negativity from you can be viewed in that light. Oh and stop throwing in red herrings about whats wrong in this country. You were asked a simple question and ten replies in you are still waffling.”
For Connolly
“My alternative is a broad left coalition minority government, with possibly the SocDems included.
That’s the third time in this thread, plus the time previous, that I answered the same question.
Would you like me to print it in reverse on a t-shirt for you so you can read it every time you look in the mirror? You might adsorb it eventually.”
Incidentally james, can you give a single instance of somebody suggesting an alternative that you actually agreed with rather than going on like a toddler?
Helloooo????
Can you give a single instance of somebody suggesting an alternative that you actually agreed with rather than going on like a toddler?
Jeb Bush’s grandfather bankrolled Hitler.. Funny ol world.
There are no words for that level of imbecility really, are there?
‘imbecility’ is the perfect word for it.
Stupid question. Offers no insight.
This is the kind of stupid hypothetical questions one asks, when there is no other reasonable answer to why we believe we have the right to kill the vurnerable human being in the womb.
So you’d have let Hitler live?
@ Neal Ireland Hello So you believe we should kill all preborns, in case they become a Hitler?
Paddy, considering your organisation promotes the values of a church who were up to their necks in collaboration with the Nazis, I’d skip this one.
Paddy, that’s a totally different question, and obviously only a madman like Hitler would have come up with such an idea, he sterilized and killed kids so they wouldn’t grow up as adult Jews. At the moment it’s a hypothetical question to which any right minded person would have to say yes.
It’s not really a different question it’s just one is asked with the value of hindsight. We know Hitler was a monster so it’s easy to ask if of him but the next Hitler could be born as we speak, should we preguard against it by killing all unborn babies?
I have no interest in this debate, but the question of killing a baby you know to be Hitler vs killing all babies in case they grow up to be Hitler is completely different. It is also a straw man argument to imply that someone who would be in favour of killing baby Hitler would also be in favour of killing all babies, which is what paddy has done in his reply here. Anyway, carry on.
Paddy, fine Gael and eoin o Duffy were big fans of Hitler even going as far as to put their lives on the line for him, so for any fine Gael voter to be anti abortion is denying their past.
W.O.C it is of course a different question, the original question was would you kill Hitler apon knowing how he turned out.the second question that was preposed was should all babies be killed in case they turn out to be genocidel maniacs. Personally I would be extremely squeamish around killing people but if push came to shove and saving millions of people from the madness of ww2 through a back to the future type scenario arising well then of course you’d have too.
@Paddy Scully: If it’s “vurnerable” it has no chance anyway!
C’mon Hugh, why not name and shame the absolute infantile eejit who asked that profoundly dumb question? Thank God the Journal wouldn’t stoop to such levels of gutter journalism, eh?
What a total “gotcha” question how any self respecting journalist can ask it with a straight face is beyond me.
Imagine having to tell your son or daughter that you had deliberately arranged to have their brother or sister killed?
Ps Not many of the pro choice brigade are in favour of the death penalty for rapists while they have no problem killing the innocent child of the rapist
“It could have a dangerous effect on everything else, but I’d do it”… The Bush doctrine in one sentence.
Have these people ever watched Star Trek.. Killing Hitler would mean the current timeline would not exist. It would basically erase the last 70 years. Major temporal consequences ……..
Gutter press question in the first instance but to ask Lucinda the question given her views was distasteful and shabby to say the least. Tell us who this inquisitive moron was please.
Ah sure why not go back further and abort Gavrilo Princip assassin of Franz Ferdinand. Oh wait What about Bismarck orchestrator of the 1870 war. Or what about Rosseau and his influence of individual liberty being bent and submitted to the public general will beloved of demagogues from Hitler to Stalin to Pol Pot. How reductive does that argument get. Moronic.
Just go back even further and tell the first ape trying to walk upright, to just quit, as humanity doesn’t amount to anything and will only ruin the planet, problem solved
I weep for modernity…
What s stupid question…
I remember that question in school: “If I gave you a million pounds, would you eat that dog’s shit?”
hahahahahahhahahahaha. Easy question.
A pro-choicer would never be subjected to such a juvenile and suggestive line of questioning by a member of the media. A pro-choicer instead would just be subjected to light-weight questions, designed to facilitate and encourage the pro-abortion point of view.
I think it’s a reasonable question. I’m sure if lucindas family were directly effected by the actions of someone like Hitler and she had current knowledge and emotions around it I’m sure she wouldn’t have been so casual about it. I’m sure if my whole family had been gassed or my kids shot at point blank range or guillotined and I was told that I could prevent it them I’m sure I would, as would anyone I’m sure.
You’d definitely end up with a bigger family anyway.
Lucinda just pack it in. Renua came onto the scene without as much as a pencil or paper. Total wish wash. Take Fianna Fail with you….Michael Martin the impish drivilling hypocritical shleeveen….how deluded….please go away
Had she a thing for Hitlers father, what a stupid question.
This question says that mothers of unborn children can predict their future 30 to 40 years a head… Or is it about second cousins marrying?
Would Ben Carson stay awake when answering a question more like???
It was Hitlers life experiences that made him who he was and not being born, so questioning would you kill a baby proves only how sadistic the question is?
Lucinda looking as grim as usual
what if it looked like chuckie from them movies..surely you would have to do the job then??
Since when is Lucinda’s failure to answer a question newsworthy?
Maybe the question should be, lucinda, would you have aborted Enda………..
Maybe the question should have been, lucinda, if given a chance, would you have aborted Enda
Trump would abort baby Hitler as long as he was a muslim.
*Sentence still makes more sense than any of trump’s diatribes
The real question here is who asked this stupid question. I notice The Journal doesn’t mention that. I think the public have a right to know which idiot jounalist thought this was appropriate.
But sure when Hitler was a baby you couldn’t have possibly known or imagined how horrendously depraved he would turn out to be. So why would you abort him?
A sick question to ask, also a stupid one.
Hyperbole Question
Hilarious question coming from a yank. They are so far up there own arse. Invaded countries for oil , mass area bombed cities , nuked 2 cities . Used the CIA to over throw various government’s and murdered the majority of native race.
have your say