Speaking at a Liberty University event in Virginia, Senator Rand Paul (R-Ky.) warned that genetic testing could lead to eugenics à la the 1997 movie Gattaca, reports the Associated Press.
"In your lifetime, much of your potential — or lack thereof — can be known simply by swabbing the inside of your cheek," Paul said. "Are we prepared to select out the imperfect among us?" He was campaigning in Virginia for gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli.
Other aspects of Paul's speech referring to the dystopian movie, though, resembled the Wikipedia entry on the movie, Rachel Maddow pointed out on her show on Monday. USA Today notes that Paul has not responded to those accusations.
Paul added that he was not against science, noting that he is a physician, and he praised the decrease in childhood mortality rates and the increase in life expectancy during the past 100 years, according to the video at USA Today.