Today at Virginia Girl's State, I had the chance for Q&A with Virginia Republican Delegate Mark Berg. Here is the question I asked: "Since you are a man and a republican, I would like to know what your position is on women's rights? Such as equal pay, justice for rape victims, and the right to govern our own bodies and medical decisions." Now, I must note that this was said in front of 80 girls of various ethnicities, his reply is as follows: "I do not believe in laws for specific groups of people... I feel that if you make a law for a specific group that is under a large umbrella law, say, the Equal Opportunity Employment Act, that it would cause them to rise up over the other groups... Let's say, the Indians over at the Indian Health Group say 'Oh, the Asians have that right, we want that too.' Everyone would be clamoring for laws... I think that our laws for the general populace are enough..." While I was unable to write down his other replies to equally in-depth questions, I listened intently as he rambled and stumbled over his words, openly avoiding the actual question. I found him to be ignorant and incompetent, comparing discussing welfare among the senate to postponing a vacation. As a doctor, one would have thought he would have supported expanding Medicare, yet he was entirely against it, for reasons he did not explain. I do not see this man as someone looking out for the citizens of my home state. Delegates like him are why I worry for our future.
