By Diana McFarland

News editor

Republican Delegate Rick Morris’ statements equating abortion to slavery stirred up cries by Virginia Democrats to have his statements condemned by his own party.

Morris represents Isle of Wight County and made his six-minute speech on the House floor the day after Gov. Terry McAuliffe gave his State of the Commonwealth speech. In his speech, McAuliffe said he would veto any bills that roll back progress on women’s access to health care.

Morris called abortion “our national sin” as was slavery in its time, he said, and also referred to the Black Lives Matter movement.  He repeatedly referred abolitionists as “abolooshinists.” as he tried to make his point. {mprestriction ids=”1,2,3,4,5,6″}

“Our national sin is the murder of our unborn children, and evil is alive, along with Planned Parenthood who harvests the brains, organs and body parts of those murdered children,” Morris said.

The Democrats quickly responded.

“I am appalled that Delegate Morris would equate his personal feelings about abortion to slavery and the black lives matter movement,” said Senator Mamie Locke, chairwoman of the Virginia Legislative Black Caucus.

“As an African American and as a woman, I am insulted that he made these ugly and factually inaccurate remarks.”

Democrats of Virginia Chairwoman Susan Swecker called on Republican leaders to condemn Morris’ comments.

“The abhorrent comments on the House floor have no place in Virginia and I call upon Republican leaders in the Commonwealth to condemn this hateful rhetoric that disparages African Americans, women, and all who seek civil political discourse,” she said.

The Republican Party of Virginia did not respond to a request for comment.

Last year, the Center for Medical Progress released videos alleging some Planned Parenthood officials sold fetal tissue for a profit in violation of federal law.

Planned Parenthood recently filed a federal lawsuit against the Center for Medical Progress, calling it a criminal enterprise conceived and executed by anti-abortion extremists, according to the suit. Ten states have cleared Planned Parenthood of all wrongdoing, as alleged in the videos, and another eight states declined to investigate finding nothing to substantiate the Center’s claims, according to the suit.  {/mprestriction}