'Horrifying': NBC News reporter's definition of 'courageous' will make you sick

NBC News’ intelligence and national security reporter Ken Dilanian spotted something he considered “courageous,” and here it is:

Courageous column, @ruthmarcus “I would’ve aborted a fetus with Down syndome. Women need that right.” https://t.co/rgKeEZx49s

— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) March 10, 2018

Wait, what was that?

"courageous"

— [shrug emoji] (@jtLOL) March 10, 2018

We thought that’s what he said.

Courage is raising a child with special needs. Selfishness is getting rid of the fetus, not because you don't want to be a parent, but because it isn't perfect.

— commonsense (@commonsense258) March 10, 2018

Talk about an out-of-whack standard when it comes to defining “courage.”

There are so many words that come to mind when I read this article. Heartbreaking. Depraved. Nauseating. Ghoulish. Greed. But not one cell in my body thinks "courageous."

— Meg (@Watwood6pack) March 10, 2018

“Courage” certainly does not apply.

https://twitter.com/molratty/status/972436198881931270

No there isn’t.

Monstrous evil unashamedly displayed. You would never say that women need the right to abort, say, a fetus predisposed to be gay, or a fetus predisposed to be alcoholic, or a fetus predisposed to be (*cough*China*cough*) female. https://t.co/vTSprDqjaw

— Gabriel Malor (@gabrielmalor) March 10, 2018

Seriously, I have three learning disabilities. Am I "life unworthy of life," too? Should I just kill myself? Should ppl with Down syndrome kill themselves? And if we don't kill ourselves, will you courageously "help" us to die?

It's not courageous to advocate for evil

— (((Aaron Worthing))) (@AaronWorthing) March 10, 2018

Aborting children with Down syndrome is motivated by the sinister idea that "abnormal" people are better off dead. That no life at all is better than a life touched by suffering. But what life doesn't have suffering? And aren't we all still lucky to be alive? https://t.co/zSXpNiZO2d

— Alexandra DeSanctis (@xan_desanctis) March 10, 2018

“Courageous” is choosing life:

Killing a helpless human being because his or her intellectual capacity is less than yours is not courageous. https://t.co/t9aSnugNl2

— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) March 10, 2018

Women like Mikayla Holmgren have the right to life pic.twitter.com/QkmF2hswqe

— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) March 10, 2018

Men like John Cronin have the right to life pic.twitter.com/3AtAuzZ1Or

— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) March 10, 2018

Men like John Truel have the right to life pic.twitter.com/jwjowPyMOh

— Matt Wolking (@MattWolking) March 10, 2018

Dilanian responded to a reply from a father for whom this subject hits very close to home:

Hmm, my oldest son has Down Sydrome. The absolute light of my life. Adorable is how he is described by everyone who meets him.

— mikemcconn (@mikemcconn) March 10, 2018

And you made the right choice for you—a choice to be celebrated and respected, as the column clearly says. She is affirming her legal right to make a different choice for her own family.

— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) March 10, 2018

Dude, stop digging and just say you used the wrong word:

https://twitter.com/davidharsanyi/status/972321932703141888

That would have been much more fitting.

If you have the "legal right" to do something then it's ok to do, no matter what, and it's indefensible to suggest otherwise, right? https://t.co/Dde9ln8Ttj

— Sister Toldjah ? (@sistertoldjah) March 10, 2018

I’m so disgusted by this that I’m struggling to find the right words.

— Laurie Ann (@youre_not_in_it) March 10, 2018

People have the legal right to do terrible things to other people. It doesn't mean it's the right thing simply because it's legal. I just cannot believe how sick and twisted some people are in this world.

— John, P.E. (@johnwow) March 10, 2018

Editor’s note: This post has been updated to include additional tweets.

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