Pop superstar Justin Bieber actually made it clear in his recent interview with Rolling Stone that he believes that the unborn child “is a human” – but people who read the first, or even second, version of the magazine’s transcription of his remarks could be excused for not knowing that.
A few hours after Rolling Stone offered a sneak peek at its new interview with Bieber, fishy things began to happen with his pro-life statements – which predictably made a splash on the blogosphere.
The first version of his statements read as follows:
“I really don’t believe in abortion,” Bieber says. “It’s like killing a baby?” How about in cases of rape? “Um. Well, I think that’s really sad, but everything happens for a reason. I guess I haven’t been in that position, so I wouldn’t be able to judge that.”
Later, a sentence adding heft to his statement about rape appeared just before the final sentence: “I don’t know how that would be a reason.” The omission was chalked up to an “editing error.”
By Friday, however, after the teen’s words had gained major pro-life traction, and major pro-abortion anger, the quotation changed again. The question mark after “it’s like killing a baby” disappeared – an editing choice that, while perhaps meant to indicate an inflection of Bieber’s voice, made little sense. But more importantly, another sentence emerged, this time in the first part of the answer, and one that would no doubt grate against pro-choice ears.
The first part of Bieber’s quotation, as currently available on the magazine’s website, reads: “I really don’t believe in abortion. I think [an embryo] is a human. It’s like killing a baby.” (It seems unlikely that Bieber was really referring to “embryos” instead of the unborn child in all stages of life – another strange editing choice.)
Because the newest sentence was located in an implied ellipsis, it’s not technically foul play; however, the funny business with the first “discovered” sentence – plus the sheer power of a 16-year-old international media darling asserting the unborn child’s humanity – does raise eyebrows.
What exactly is Rolling Stone afraid of?