Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh told the University of Michigan today that he no longer wanted to be employed there. Actually, that’s not what he said exactly. But he did call abortion “horrendous” so that’s pretty much the same thing.

In a discussion with Jay Nordlinger, a childhood friend and senior editor of the National Review, Harbaugh talked about the Coronavirus and how he hoped sports would begin again soon.
And then things got kind of awesome.
USA Today: “Even now, as we all go through what we’re going through with COVID-19, I see people more concerned about others,” Harbaugh said. “More prayerful. As I said, God has virtually stopped the world from spinning. I don’t think it’s coincidence — my personal feeling, living a faith-based life, this is a message or this is something that should be a time where we grow on our faith for reverence and respect for God. You see people taking more of a view of sanctity of life. And I hope that can continue. I hope that continues and not just in this time of crisis or pandemic. And lastly, abortion, we talk about sanctity of life, yet we live in a society that aborts babies. There can’t be anything more horrendous.”
Insert outrage here.
Ryan Young of Yahoo Sports nearly crapped himself he was so upset that someone somewhere thought abortion was wrong.
Now, Harbaugh is certainly allowed to take that stance on abortion. It’s his right to do so. However hearing those comments from him, a college football head coach at one of the most storied programs in the sport’s history, is truly stunning.
Not only are there more important matters at hand — like the more than 518,000 confirmed cases and 20,100 deaths due to the coronavirus in the United States as of Saturday afternoon, according to The New York Times — but his comments are sure to drive a deep wedge between Wolverines fans across the country.
Weird, that Harbaugh would talk about saving lives of human beings and then transition to…saving the lives of human beings. Harbaugh is actually the one being consistent here.
Ryan Young’s comments here boggle the mind a bit. So, abortion is NOW DEEMED NON-IMPORTANT by Ryan Young because other far more important matters are at hand. Well, technically, I hate to get all mathy on him, but if Mr. sportswriter wants to go there, there are thousands of abortions every day in the U.S. Over 600,000 per year. Soooooo…do the math.
So the stunning thing is not Coach Harbaugh talking about the sanctity of life (ALL LIFE) but how others choose to ignore it.
I’m betting the University of Michigan will not take kindly to this. I’d have to imagine the professors are all saying things like “Why, I never…” and are already sending nasty emails to the athletic director and the university president. I’m betting there will be a petition from the Women’s Studies department within the week asking to fire Harbaugh because the wrongness of his ideas amounts to violence against women. Or something.
April 13, 2020 at 5:52 pm
Thanks for sharing this with us! I'll include Harbaugh in my prayers…
April 13, 2020 at 10:48 pm
Well said Coach Harbaugh. I am a Badger (yes, even Saints are Big Ten alums), but, for this and your Catholic Faith, I will pray for Michigan's Coach. You are very likely to get enormous push-back for your great statement of faith. My guess, however, is that you will stand up to it. All Catholics should also be with you. Sadly, this will not be true, as so many Catholics and Christians have embraced evil and sanctioned the taking of innocent life by its Mother.
The fact of your strength in showing your Faith is a testament to you. Perhaps other Catholics, including the many, many clergy who are sycophants to the Church's leadership and thereby soft on opposing abortion, will be moved to change, and endorse a Pro-Life position. You are an example of the power of True Faith, Sir. Thank you for this.
April 14, 2020 at 7:21 pm
When I taught public school (yes, yes, I know, leisurely days seizing Bibles, trampling the flag, going on strike, promoting Communism, blah, blah, and blah), I said much the same thing when the subject came up, and among my students there was agreement. The promoters of infanticide are noisy and menacing, but, I think, few.