The statement has been edited to read:
FACT: The U.S. health care system serves the most diverse population
of any country in the world. This fact affects statistic by which we
are compared to other countries. Black women, for a variety of
reasons, are more prone to underweight babies than are Caucasian and
Asian women. This fact contributes to Sweden having a lower infant
mortality rate and Japan having a longer life expectancy.
Here's what it used to say:
FACT: The U.S. health care system serves the most diverse racial and
ethnic population of any country in the world. This fact adversely
affects every statistic by which we are compared to other countries.
Black women, for a variety of reasons, are more prone to underweight
babies than are Caucasian and Asian women. It is not surprising that
Sweden has a lower infant mortality rate, or that Japan has a longer
life expectancy than the United States does. They are nearly racially
pure: we are not.
Former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer is on record defending the
racial purity remark. St Paul Pioneer Press:
Kiffmeyer said the page dealing with health care and its mention of
racial purity must be understood in context. That phrase, she said, is
simply descriptive.
"That's a genetic term," said Kiffmeyer, who is a nurse by training.
"It does matter when you are doing medical studies."