In a surprise news conference Monday, President Barack Obama addressed the controversy surrounding a remark by Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) that women who suffer "legitimate rape" rarely get pregnant.
"The views expressed were offensive," said Obama. "Rape is rape. And the idea that we should be parsing and qualifying and slicing what types of rape we are talking about doesn't make sense to the American people and certainly doesn't make sense to me. So what I think these comments do underscore is why we shouldn't have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women."
Obama did not call on Akin to leave the race, as some Republicans have done. "He was nominated by the Republicans in Missouri," he said, "I will let them sort that out." He did, however, use the opportunity to contrast his approach toward women's health care with that of the GOP.
"Although these particular comments have led Governor Romney and other Republicans to distance themselves, I think the underlying notion that we should be making decisions on behalf of women for their health care decisions, or qualifying forcible rape versus non-forcible rape, I think those are broader issues," Obama said. "And that is a significant difference in approach between me and the other party."
You know the idea that anybody has to clarify that "rape is rape" in 2012, is nothing less than chilling. And that the fact that many, if not most, in the Republican party seem to believe that certain types of rape are less traumatic than others should literally scare the crap out of women in this country.
Just imagine if you were the victim forced to assign a number to just how "raped" you had been, and that THAT would determine whether or not you would be forced to raise your rapist's baby or not.
Apparently barbarism is alive and well in the Republican party of 2012.
Come on ladies, are you REALLY having trouble deciding which political party is on your side here?
Update: For those who want to watch a video of the President's response, that can be found here.
It is 2012 - and GOP members of the US congress AND the almost VP nominee are more concerned with women's "private parts" than the economy, employment, world affairs, the military, the drought, education, housing, failing infrastructure, health care for everyone - etc etc
ReplyDeleteThis is why the world knows that the USA is heading for major decline unless they stop electing religious, home schooled, creationist idiots. I'm amazed that some of them know how women get impregnated - probably still look under cabbage leaves.
Please, please please - leave out the "home-schooled" crap.
DeleteThere are many homechoolers who are just as left, secular, intelligent and academic valuing as you are.
With the voucher crap going on in quite a few states, today there are many, private and even publicly schooled (yeah Louisiana and Indiana - talkin' to YOU) students who are taught creationist right wing garbage IN school.
Yes, we are going to have to re-evaluate our perceptions of home schooling. What was once used for religious purposes has now been changed to giving children a BETTER education.
DeleteOutdated books, discouraged teachers, teaching to a test so the schools can receive money, books that no longer teach facts but rather what someone in Texas deems relevant..our schools need a complete overhaul immediately.
I personally know several families that are home schooling their children because they were being taught at a level that was at least 2 years behind what they should have been taught. These children are now learning above the public school levels for their age. With only religion being taught in perspective to each culture/history/affect on those societies.
I had to change my thinking myself as I was one of the ones who would cringe when I heard 'home schooled'. I applaud the parents who are refusing to wait for the school systems to be fixed and are making their child's education their number one priority.
As a rural Alaskan, our small school is doing the best it can, but I find myself teaching quite a bit at home to supplement in order to keep my kid at the same levels he should be if he were in school in "town". Especially in the science areas. It may come down to it, should the school fall even farther behind, that I end up home schooling far more than I intended.
DeleteAnon 7:37
DeleteHome schooling is an issue - a huge issue. There are many parents doing a good job but there are far too many that are stunned & stupid in charge of educating their kids and it's being accepted.
Give thought -- Palin was talking home schooling and we have heard her 'stupidy' and to think that that's what's being passed on. That's a 'free for all' and then you set those kids free for 'real life'. That's setting them up for failure before they begin and there are many, many more like her.
When someone mentions something, yes it may 'hit home' but people have to step outside the box and look at the whole picture - outside themselves. That's a huge problem in the U.S. and I say that just because you got defensive when it was mentioned. Case in poing - I have said to my sister on many occasions when she got all defensive about home schooling because seriously -- she a uneducated moron and isn't qualified to home school her kids. She could be classed as illiterate, failing more years than she passed. In fact, it's became so bad when we lived in the same area, I would not allow the kids for sleepovers at her house, etc. as there is not a 'reality' bone in her kid's bodies. To attempt any kind of conversation with them, you could only shake your head in disbelief as what came out of there mouths easily could have been like the comments made by Akin about rape.
I'm the offended OP - grouping one way or another is equally offensive.
DeleteI have no problem with homeschooled kids being required to take an annual neutral state exam that public schooled kids take, or, as an alternative for advanced kids, the Iowa/Stanford? Explore or CT high school and college entrance tests.
In the state of Indiana, all public schooled students take the ISTEP - homeschooled students are barred from taking it- would mess up the "school results" for crap sake, it's a computerized test primarily - like hs and private school kids couldn't be coded not to be included in school totals? And th estate WON'T cover Explore/AC testing to the tune of $100 per kid per yer, but will spend THOUSANDS to send kids to the RCC pedophile schools.
Oh, please, all you commenters who've homeschooled legitimately (like that word?), responsibly, using factual textbooks...you aren't the people commenters like TS -- and me -- are talking about.
DeleteWe're talking about the morons who have obviously spurned factual textbooks in favor of the kinds of books the Texas Board of Education is increasingly favoring.
http://thinkprogress.org/politics/2010/03/12/86595/texas-education-board-cuts-thomas-jefferson-out-of-its-textbooks/
OTOH, maybe some of you ARE the latter...
Fuck off - if you take away the right to homeschool, you force MY extremely gifted (as in proven by tests taken at my expense) child to be incarcerated in public schools, bored to tears or suicide.
DeleteI'm also tired of getting THAT look when we say we homeschool so, let me repeat in language you understand - Fuck off.
And remember, those Texas books are in PUBLIC schools.
Their constant concern for women's pvt parts are, in my opinion, is due to their very own repressive religion. Google "Republican sex scandals" and you get a very long list. Google "Democratic sex scandals" and yes, you get a scant few.
DeleteI really woke up to this when Palin came on the scene and used her sexy looks to get her own way with certain people, namely men...and her being such a devout Christian, as all these many GOP politicians are.
Meh..the GOP is indeed going backwards in time. Their destroying their party now and they seem to not really give a shit.
I think it would be a good idea to also remind folks in every post on this topic that not only would the Republians force you to carry the baby of the rapist - but that the rapist could sue for custody or visitation - so you would be forced again and again to interact with him and suffer having your child raised by him
ReplyDeleteEXACTLY!
DeleteTrue Story. While I was in College my next door neighbor was raped by this man who was obsessed with her. He was her co-worker and raped her after work. He was arrested and went thru that process. A couple of months later, she finds out she is pregnant and 1, cant afford abortion and 2, her parents forced her to carry the baby and give it up for adoption. Which she agreed to do. The "father/rapist" found out she was going to give the child up for adoption and the state gave him parenting rights, which forced her to keep the child. Had she not kept the child, she would have to give him custody and pay him child support for raising the child. So, now, this man, who is still obsessed with her is in her life forever. Last thing i heard from her was that he drags her to court all the time, doesn't support the child and is just a low life scum. But I guess that is what Jesus wanted for this girl, who was aspiring psychologist.
I posted this in the last thread on the topic and I'm grateful for you posting it again. And anon 7:30's story of her neighbor is a living nightmare and the exact reason why women need to have a CHOICE about reproduction.
DeleteThis is why these things should NOT be discussed publicly. I am adopted and a result of rape. It's offensive that people say no woman should be forced to carry a baby conceived THROUGH VIOLENCE.
DeleteThat is NOT how I view myself. I am grateful to be alive. My birthmother, whom I've met 4 times, has her issues but she and her kids (all significantly younger than me) are great.)
I understand what Akin was saying. He was overspecifying. I don't believe he meant harm. People are crazy in general when i t comes to politics. They pick and choose what things to lash out about.
I am curious why is it offensive to want all women to have a choice over their reproductive rights ? and why protection a woman's right to choose to not carry the child of rapist to term is offensive?
DeleteI have total respect for you, your birth mother and all the choices you and she have made in all aspects of your life. I am just finding it difficult why it is offensive to legally protect women who may conceive through violence? No one is suggesting to force them to chose an abortion? And no one is forcing them or the resulting child to view it as Violent. But for those who do - shouldn't they have a legally protected right of freedom to chose?
Anon at 7:52 am. Yours is not the situation being discussed. If a woman is raped and the rape results in pregnancy, she should have the RIGHT TO CHOOSE whether she terminates the pregnancy or has the child. Your mother, I assume, chose to have you and that is fine. Once you were born, the rape part should have never been spoken of. It's unfortunate that it is a burden for you. What is at issue here is CHOICE and that choice should only be made by the victim of the rape.
Delete@7:52 - I'm sure your situation has given you some psyche issues - you should seek help. There are ways you can call Akin the ignorant misogynist he is and still keep your self respect - if you seek the obviously needed counseling.
DeleteAnonymous7:52 AM
Delete"This is why these things should NOT be discussed publicly. I am adopted and a result of rape."
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You back rape baby troll? After being humiliated the other day? I guess it's true, you have no shame and are a stupid moron. Typical rethug teabag american taliban.
Of course it should not be discussed publicly. It should also not be decided publicly and it should not be decided by politicians. This is a personal decision between a woman and her doctor. If we believe that you, anonymous internet person, are the product of rape, then like it or not, your conception is the result of violence. If you birth mother made a choice to carry you to term, good for her for acting on her own beliefs and feelings. Other women deserve the same right.
DeleteI'll repeat, no woman should be FORCED to carry an embryo or fetus conceived THROUGH VIOLENCE.
Keep your opinions and beliefs off my body and the body of my sisters, daughters, and friends.
None of us would be here if our mothers chose to abort. Not to be harsh, but so what? We wouldn't know it and I'm certainly not going to dwell on it.
I'm begining to think that all this is code for words. That since we hear so much about the Coach and church leaders, and yea incest that those rapes are not in the same league with other rapes. I can remember yrs and yrs agothere was a case where a judge said a 5 yr old lead the adult on, so didn't give him a long sentence. Not long ago ( this past yr) the Catholic board or someone on it said they were going after the victims, no longer were they taking their word. In other words attacting the victim. That's what it's coming down to, say anything against churches corp or ppl in power they will make you sorry.
ReplyDeleteI remember the case that you mentioned: the very young child "had enticed the man, had acted sexy". If it's the same case, there was such a nationwide uproar that the judge finally had to step down. I had thought about that case earlier today, tried to google it but nothing came up. Sadly, a forgotten part of our history.
DeleteLook how long it took to bring Sandusky into court...the 'victims' were ignored for decades. Somehow the culture allows men to use their sexuality as a weapon against women and kids, and there are still people who support Sandusky, as if a 12 year old kid wants to be sodomized.
DeleteWhere Akin is heading - and Ryan - is back to the days of "no such thing as marital rape." After all saying I DO was a blanket consent to all future sexual desire by the husband.
DeleteThey’ve had their noses rubbed so hard… if they still don’t get it, there’s no hope for them.
ReplyDeleteI hope Akin stays in the race.
ReplyDeleteot http://warisacrime.org/content/was-mary-nazareth-hooligan
Mary the hooligan
Akin's comments about rape is the most disgusting thing I've heard in a long time. Rape creates a lot of shame anyway, and he's just adding fuel to the fire. It's more of that blame the victim bull****.
ReplyDeleteWomen who are raped, whether they get pregnant or not, AND whether they decide to keep the baby or not, deserve compassion and support. I cannot imagine what it would feel like to get raped, and then have a politician tell me that my rape didn't actually happen because I got pregnant. *shakes head*
Does this idiot even KNOW how pregnancy works?
Uh, no. If you want some great insight into his misogynist attitude - see feminist blog Pandagon (no offense, Gryph, but Marcotte is really good at explaining it.)
DeleteIn short - knowledge of = participation in.
In Akins world "ladybits" = dirty if he knows ABOUT them, that means he is "slimed" with the dirt.
Yes, it' sa pretty sick way to live - ties into Gryph's other post about religious indoctrination - remember Akin is a product of religious indoctrination.
Here, let's help 'em out.
Deletehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/expd/7831952736/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/expd/7832487058/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/expd/7832117616/
This is a vary convenient argument for Akin to make and I wonder where this misconception came from- if she is truly raped her body will not conceive. Alternatively, if she becomes pregnant, she was not actually raped. Like women's bodies have some sort of reject mechanism. Seriously, making up biology to justify cruel and inhumane policy. I guess such idiotic reasoning works for this jackass. I guess if you believe all the religious hooky, you'll believe this crap too.
DeleteGood ones. Thx nswfm.
DeleteIts all about power for modern day conservative republican men. They want women downtrodden, pregnant, ignorant and brood mares to kick out children for cannon fodder and low wage jobs.
ReplyDeleteAnd as the President said--rape is rape. But the GOP wants the witch trials back again. If a woman accused of witchcraft sunk to the bottom of a pond she wasn't a witch--but she was dead anyway. If she floated, she was a witch and the men killed her. Thus the crap they all believe but are freaked out that everyone now knows is if you were really raped--you couldn't possibly be pregnant so you are just a lying whore who should just shut up and have the baby of your rapist.
I really am beginning to loathe the GOP. Before I just had contempt for them all. Now I wish they would all shut the hell up and stop breeding
as it just is not fair to bring children into their regressive idiocy.
And Sarah was their go-to girl. It explains their ridiculous protection of her and Bristol.
DeleteOnly a bunch of idiots would choose another idiot to be an opinion leader. And only would a bunch of RW Taniban types would do so knowingly.
DeleteNotice there is no Palin weigh-in when she simply "has" to put her two cents in on anything and everything. We all already know what SHE thinks, and it certainly isn't siding with women.
ReplyDeleteSo is Bristool praying for Todd Akin today? Or is she praying for Sarah "Stillman"? Brancy is such a joke, using her blasphemy to repair Bristool's image because of her self-imposed national humiliation.
DeleteWay o/t -- but I visited "Bristol's" blog for the first time.
ReplyDeleteA week or so ago, she was photographed with Tripp (who was mugging for the camera).
Two observations:
Bristol was in in long-sleeve hoodie and long pants.
She dressed her son to go rock climbing in a sleeveless t-shirt and shorts. ??? Scrapes, cuts, bruises for the child? Heat exhaustion for Bristol? One was dressed inappropriately.
Second, the child looked as long as six-year-old Suri Cruise. There's no way Tripp's long arms and legs are those of a three+ year old.
He was wearing a jacket that was tied around his waist. This is unnecessary judgment and random. He doesn't look the least bit uncomfortable.
DeleteUhhh, that is the Butte and what people wear. I find your judgment call weird and unwarranted. For one thing, you fail to mention he had a shirt tied around his waist.
DeleteI have a grandson who is actually 3 and a half...he still has baby cheeks and arms and legs that haven't elongated yet...he's three. Tripp looks at least a year older, and maybe more. When he starts losing teeth, it will be itneresting. My grand daughter is 5 (6 this October) and lost her first tooth in July. The second one is very loose. So it does happen before seven. If Tripp starts losing them in the next year, then we'll know for sure.. no way a 4 year old loses baby teeth. Even a stud.
DeleteSo what was her daddy wearing when he told Shailey Tripp "You light up my life"?
DeleteWell, even if Tripp was born in December 2008 as announced, he's 3 years 8 months old. That's closer to 4 than 3+.
DeleteBut I agree, he looks AT LEAST a full year older.
TROLL DETECTED!
DeleteAnonymous7:53 AM
He was wearing a jacket that was tied around his waist. This is unnecessary judgment and random. He doesn't look the least bit uncomfortable.
Anonymous7:54 AM
Uhhh, that is the Butte and what people wear. I find your judgment call weird and unwarranted. For one thing, you fail to mention he had a shirt tied around his waist.
-------
Just look for the words "judgement" and "random". 99% chance of troll post.
Sorry, Sally in MI, but my daughter was 4-years-old (month shy of 5) when she lost her first tooth. Totally shocked me because I didn't think she would start to lose them so early, either. All her baby teeth were gone before she was half-way through 3rd grade.
DeleteThis reminds me of how my mother blamed, screamed at my older sisters when an older married man at work made inappropriate sexual advances. Once one went into the bathroom pinning my sister against a wall. Our mother was angry at her daughters. Mother believed men can't control themselves so her daughters were...sluts. My oldest sister quit her job and moved away from home. The other obediently returned to work for a man chasing her skirt. I was much younger and felt sick how my mother treated us. That sister taught her son he can have sex whenever and wherever with as many and label sexual partners as "trashy girls". Men can't control themselves so rape is the females fault.
ReplyDeleteMy mother in many ways was like Precious's mother. Sick
Thank God we have a sane President and First Lady!
ReplyDeleteThe Republican party is a total mess and I don't see how anyone can vote for any of their candidates across the nation. They are anti womens rights and should do down just based on that matter.
Romney and Ryan are liars and Ryan sits on the side of Akin.
OBAMA/BIDEN 2012
And yet, I got into it on FAcebook when my southern niece posted "The $50 Lesson" which she pretended was an incident that happened to her. It was not...she stole it from the ever-right
DeleteSodahead and gave no credit. But it running around the net, so be ready. They are certain that liberals are just tree huggers and that Obama has not done one damn thing to help this country..not one. So they will vote for the regressive a=holes who WILL take away as many female rights as they can get away with, and ASAP. I gave up on my niece..and her 'friends' who agree with her. I will not return to Facebook and be called names.
Word is that Representative Akin will "abort" his Senate run, based on all this bad press and the words right out of his own mouth making him a sitting idiot. The Republicans are demanding he quit.
ReplyDeleteSorry Akin/Republicans...while I understand this is an unfortunate turn of events and you feel like you have no way out of this mess....
Akin should have to carry his candidacy to term....
shellyamberstone@yahoo.com
shellyamberstone@yahoo.com
DeleteWell put. I hope you send this message to as many news shows, news casters, show hosts and reporters as possible.
Nope - he came out and said he's staying. "I'm not a quitter." Little slam at $carah there for supporting Stillman?
DeleteInteresting metaphor there, Shelly. One would hope that having to listen to the feedback from women all over his state for the next three months might give Mr Akin some insight into just how wrong-headed he's been, probably his entire adult life. This might sound preposterous, but for balance of the moral equivalence between being forced to bear a child and to continue a campaign, I'm going to push your idea past the date of the election because "campaigns are people, too, my friend."
DeleteYeah, life seems tough right now for Mr Akin. But nothing is free. However, Akin CHOSE to enter the race, and if it is politically expedient for his Dominionist cause, he can CHOOSE to get out if the race, allowing another RW candidate to pick up where he left off. But what if Todd Akin weren't allowed to discontinue his campaign? Because a lot of Democrats didn't think he should have that choice.
For some measure of equivalence, Akin would be required to run a continuous campaign for the next 18 years without winning a race. All of his free time should be spent knocking on doors where he's often shamed or berated by those in his community that disagree with him but offer him no relief from his burden. No, these people don't want him to win a senate seat. They just want him to have to do all if the grunt work without help, because that's the way they feel.
Akin will learn to love his campaigning, because he has no choice otherwise. His campaign will be a labor of love that will cost him dearly financially over the next several years. But no political donations will be available to him. He has to pay out of his pocket---gas, printing, meals, telephone, advertising, staffing, etc. Oh, if he absolutely cannot make it financially because running his campaign causes him a hardship in maintaining regular employment---see, being a candidate takes up all your time and resources, and you can still never do everything you'd like to do--- then the state can provide a small dubsidy for meals and maybe rent, but only if he's living below the poverty line. And he has to be working or in an approved training program, all of which will affect his campaign activities.
See, Mr Akin, you wanted to be a candidate but it sounds like Shen the rubber meets the road and the responsibility starts, you want to pack it in and quit to make life easier. Shouldn't you have thought about all of that before you filed as a candidate? Oh sure, you thought that just paying a few hundred dollars and filliing out a few papers were the extent of what was required. How irresponsible and un-Christian of you!
Get out there and campaign, Mr Akin. All day and into the evening. And plan to do the same tomorrow and the next day and the next. 18 years is a good start. I don't want to hear any complaints out if you. Sure your campaign manager helped talk you into entering the race, and but where is he now? It doesn't matter. It's your problem and there's only one way to deal with the situation. Get off your ass, Mr Akin. We have a lot of doors to knock on..
You'ld be wrong, he's staying in.
DeleteWe hope so. It's easier to campaign against someone who has shown his ignorance to the entire country and embarrassed his party. Still, they might choose to electt Akin and it's their choice, of course. Having Akin in DC will help to explain why the personhood platform is a disaster waiting to happen if the Repugs ever manages to get a veto-proof 60+ Senste majority.
DeleteWhere were those GOP leaders when the House Republicans went into full gear "war on women" from January 2011 to the present? No complaints then; in fact the GOP declared that the Democrats were waging the "war on women." They're only afraid that they won't unseat Claire McCaskell. They could care less about women's freedom to choose how to care for their bodies. In fact I bet 99% of the GOP leaders agree with Akin - just not this close to a presidential election.
Deletethe cee of pee seem to have taken insanity to new levels - the GOP can't find Akin to force his resignation because President Obama has hidden him away.
ReplyDeleteAlso too - everyone is talking about Akin because Romney didn't beg Sarah to speak at the convention
What is in the food these people eat? Only smart thing Sarah Palin has done - staying well away from her fans.
We own C4P.
DeleteWho are ¨we?¨
Not friends of Sarah, I can tell you.
Are all of those who are left at the PeePond drinking out if the same water supply, perhaps? Is there fracking going on nearby? Does constant exposure to and absorption of Methane cause mass delusions?
DeleteThere's got to be an environmental cause of some type for all of those C4Pers to be of the same mindset, which has broken away so far away from reality. So strange and creepy. They exhibit many of the danger signs of a cult.
Anonymous 6:45 am - Thank you for reminding us of the situation that would potentially occur if a woman or girl is forced to carry a rapist's pregnancy to birth.
ReplyDeleteIt is important to remember that research points out that rape is not a sexual act but rather a power play. Thus it seems it makes it all the more likely that the attacker might force himself on the victim as often as possible, especially in a manner the law would allow.
Do not try to tell me that these legislators pushing all this crap about being family oriented etc. mean it. They are cruel to the point of being Hitlerite and without empathy.
I am an "elderly" but energetic and active LOL and in my past, only daughter with 2 brothers, I did not escape molestation from uncles, male baby sitters and strangers intercepting me on my way home from school.
I was never beaten, am from an upper middle class extremely bright family. Twice I was stopped in broad daylight while crossing the street in an upper class neighborhood, by different men naked from the waist down with an erection, asking directions and insisting I watch them fondle themeselves. I escaped both times.
My young son was coming home from a Christian school nearby 40 years ago and a couple in a car attempted to kidnap him. He escaped before they could harm him.
Do these stupid, ignorant, uneducated, "super religious" REthugs have a brain anywhere among them that can decipher the message that sick predators are out there every day seeking victims?
I did not share my incidents with my mother after attempting to do so once (1942) and she told me to stop making up stories. I handled all the remaining incidents but one.
It was when a recently released sexual predator (1946) tried to break into a relative's home while I was babysitting my 2 cousins one evening. She and my uncles came to investigate. The predator was identified by a neighbor and returned to jail the next day.
Anon 7:30
DeleteYou're a strong person and it's important that others listen to voices like yours based on experience and reason. Thanks for sharing your wisdom.
It is official, I am a Values Voter:
ReplyDeleteI value the right for a woman to choose
I value the right for every citizen to vote
I value the right for people to marry the people they love - regardless of anything
I value the right to religious freedom which also means people are free to choose no religion
Do you think I'll be invited to the convention?
If I had a convention, Shari, you would be the guest of honor and the keynote speaker.
DeleteHere's a good comment about marriage and society:
ReplyDelete"It's none of anyyyyyones business if someone divorces or cheats. Shit happens and if that's the path they want to chose then so be it. It's not up to me or the government to legislate morals. However for the whole gay marriage thing, LEGALIZE LOVE. Marrying your cousin is allowed in more states than marrying someone the same sex as you. Also the only reason adultery is called "illegal" is for divorce courts so the system can fuck over the cheater. It's not punished as in you go to jail"
This is perfect. There should never be a judgment call about anyones personal life No one knows squat about anyone else or what theyve experienced. Keeping this in mind will or should change how our politics work and get us as a country back to ONLY discussing things that affect the country, not things that just bring personal entertainment and harness our need for shadenfreude. The petty attacks and unnecessary judgment are sad and unwarranted. It's also how lies start and grow.
My Fellow Women:
ReplyDeleteSTOP! If you are even THINKING of voting Republican, think again, and start reading up on all the laws they're trying to pass.
If it's up to them we would all be barefoot and pregnant.
(A fine trick for me; I'm 61, but I DO like going barefoot.)
And remember, all this drivel about rape and abortion in the House of Representatives in early 2011 was done by the GOP when they should have been debating and passing legislation that would have expanded the job stimulus that they had forced President Obama to reduce earlier. Redefining rape was the first salvo in the GOP war on women and was designed to divert attention from the fact that the GOP-controlled House was doing absolutely nothing to improve the economy.
ReplyDeleteRyan was leading the way his own little self.
DeleteBoth Romney and Ryan are on the record supporting the same views that Akin "misspoke" about. The only reason the conservatives are freaking out about this is because it's a window into their world of RWNJ attitudes. Akin said what they all think and it makes them look as stupid and ignorant as they really are. The GOP wouldn't care about what Akin said if they weren't afraid they would lose the Senate seat.
ReplyDeleteHis sickening "please forgive me" speech was predictable. Boohoo, please forgive me, I'm a good Christian man.
It's my guess that the behind the scenes pressure is: step down and you'll still have your committee positions in the House. Stay in, lose the seat and you'll have your committee positions taken away". But, there's a chance that Akin will win - wouldn't surprise me. I would guess that he's been taking in big money from the fundamentalists who probably love what he was "bold" enough to say.
We are so lucky to have a president who's smart enough to break it down into three simple words: Rape is rape. That's what I love about President Obama. If that doesn't wake a bunch of women up, I don't know what will.
When I was very young, a friend of mine's younger sister was parked with her boyfriend. Three men in their 20's approached the car, beat the 16 year old boyfriend into a coma and gang-raped the girl who was also 16. One of them bit her nipples off. Horrible, brutal attack. All three were arrested and of course, in their trial, the defense attorneys did everything they could to paint the girl as being a whore. Brought boys into say that they had all had sex with her - as if even if true (which it wasn't) that mattered! Jesus. It didn't work, they were all convicted but the damage done to her was unbelievable. I thought of that case yesterday when thinking of the "legitimate rape, forcible rape" bullshit. Those words are just another way to blame the victim, to defend and excuse the rapist no matter what.
If Akin stays in, the GOP will throw everything into the race to guarantee winning that Senate seat. It may work.
There was some righty female on NPR saying that Obama was being disingenuous when he said men should keep out of women's health affairs because the ACA was FORCING people to pay for birth controla nd abortion when it was against their religious beliefs. And the host let her lie. Until journalists actually present FACTS, how will this end?
ReplyDeleteNPR has been taken over by RWNJs. Don't expect any improvement in reporting there any time soon.
DeleteSarah says 'I toldja so'...
ReplyDeleteMomma Grizzly Sarah Palin, the GOP champion of women and women’s rights as the Tea Party sees them, has weighed in on Congressman Todd Akin‘s rape comments by saying… nothing at all? Up until last night, Palin had been strangely silent on both Twitter and Facebook, the two main platforms used by the former Republican Vice Presidential candidate, former Governor of Alaska, former chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, former Mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, former “Miss Congeniality,” former sportscaster, and former head of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Now Palin has uttered one veiled statement, which all but has to be about Akin:
@SarahPalinUSA
Sometimes we're actually right when we go with our gut and stand on principle in supporting underdog candidates.
Jennifer Rubin, a Tea Party shill at the Washington Post, noting Palin had supported another GOP candidate in the primary Akin just won, calls the tweet “an I-tol-ya-so drumbeat.”
So, rather than condemning the concept of “legitimate” or “forcible” rape, rather than educate her millions of followers that 32,101 women each year become pregnant by their rapists, rather than denouncing ideas that make women responsible for being raped — suggestions that allow anything other than 100% of the responsibility for rape to be placed on the rapists, all Palin could muster was, “Sometimes we’re actually right when we go with our gut and stand on principle in supporting underdog candidates.”
Wow.
Palin, the Republican Party’s previous vice presidential candidate in 2008, could be attacking, if she chose — Rep. Akin, and attacking Paul Ryan, but she has remained essentially silent on this issue that has gripped not only the GOP, but America.
Crickets…
Palin has weighed in on every cockamamie issue from Obama’s birth certificate to “Obamacare” to Sasha and Malia to, most recently, NBC’s new glorification of war, “Stars Earn Stripes.” Yet Palin cannot open her mouth — even to support women and denounce “legitimate” or “forcible” rape — on what is perhaps the biggest issue confronting the Tea Party and the GOP in months?
How brave! How courageous! What an icon! What a great Mama Grizzly!
Congratulations, Sarah. ROAR!
http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/sarah-palin-weighs-in-on-todd-akin-rape-comments/politics/2012/08/21/47079
Exactly what I said above. Requiring women to pay for their own rape kits, her "boys will be boys" attitude, and tolerance of her husband-in-name-only's pimping, she can't say a WORD.
DeletePalin would be stupid enough to compare it to Letterman's joke that she went nuts on.
DeleteThe same as Joe Scarborough this morning when the discussion was about Romney being more forceful on his statement about Akin. Scarborough made the comparison of why should Romney as Obama has not said anything about Bill Maher and his comments about Republican women and his donation to a PAC.
Are you kinding me?? This is another time of when Scarborough is exposed for his stupidity and makes me furious that they continue to allow him a show on MSNBC. One has nothing to do with the other in that Akin is a 'sitting' congressman - Maher is not. He's not an elected official being paid by taxpayer funds. The donation also did not go direct to Obama's campaign.
Since the GOP platform IS exactly what Akin said, little Sarah Steelman would support the same legislation as Akin. They are the SAME.
DeleteWell, I'm glad this is FINALLY getting some media attention. The hilarious part is that no matter how much the GOP attempt to distance themselves from this, the records of Congress show just how much effort they've expended in trying to restrict abortions, defund women's health services and redefine what "rape" means.
ReplyDeleteIt's all right there in the congressional record: Jobs bills = 0, anti-women's rights/health bills = 120+
I hope the Dems keep the pressure up and continue shining a spotlight on the FACTS of Republican "ethics".
O/T 'Stars & Stripes' Sinks In Second Week
ReplyDeleteOn NBC, the second episode of Stars Earn Stripes garnered a 1.1 adults 18-49 rating, down 35% from last week's 1.7.
http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/
Good. I hope it goes down the tubes faster than BP:LAT.
DeleteOn Huckabee just now, Akin says his final decision is to stay in the race.
ReplyDeleteCongrats, Dems keep that senate seat.
On facebook posts all morning from various source about a lot of Repubs in the past saying similar outrageous lies and misconceptions about rape, pregnancy, etc. -- would be awesome to have all of them in one big post so we could all see just how many uneducated, women hating Repubs there are holding office or running for office (this page has a lot of the posts: http://www.facebook.com/#!/ReligiousFreeWomen)
ReplyDeleteSome examples:
Republican Congressman Steve King ---> http://dems.me/Ni5w8i quote "I've never heard of a girl getting pregnant from statutory rape or incest.
*****
In 1995, North Carolina state Rep. Henry Aldridge told the House Appropriations Committee that "The facts show that people who are raped — who are truly raped — the juices don't flow, the body functions don't work and they don't get pregnant. Medical authorities agree that this is a rarity, if ever." Plan B: If your secretions can't kill evil sperm, you just "dry up" and brush yourself off after you're done being raped, baby-free. No biggie! Lawmaker Says Rape Can't Cause Pregnancy
http://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Lawmaker-Says-Rape-Can-t-Cause-Pregnancy-3036411.php
****
Chuck Winder, Republican Idaho Lawmaker, Suggests Women Use Rape As Excuse For Abortions
The sponsor of an Idaho mandatory ultrasound bill, state Sen. Chuck Winder, made some highly controversial comments Monday during his closing arguments, suggesting women might falsely use rape as an excuse to obtain an abortion.
Just before the Idaho's Senate passed the bill, which requires woman to have an ultrasound prior to obtaining an abortion, opponents of the bill pointed out that it makes no exception for rape victims, incest victims or women in medical emergencies.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/20/chuck-winder-rape-abortions_n_1366994.html
...
Sharron Angle: Rape is God’s plan.
http://exposingreligionblog.tumblr.com/post/7292092720 in 2010 once affirmed that if you are a victim of rape who has become pregnant as a result, you just need to "have a little faith." Angle doubled down months later, when she responded to a hypothetical question about a case of incest that resulted in a pregnancy with an anecdote about a 15-year-old she had apparently counseled to have her baby: "[T]hey found that they had made what was really a lemon situation into lemonade."
Idaho lawmaker Brent Crane put this same logic to work in 2011.
Speak of "Hooah" ... where IS she?
ReplyDeleteWhere is she hiding out?
And WHY is she so quiet of late?
Anybody? Bueller? Bueller? Jesse?
Sarah is curled up in the fetal position, shatting herself.
DeleteI sincerely believe the GOP has become a direct threat to my daughter.
I have two sons,
One daughter.
I am a Republican.
The only reason the Thugs (as that is what they truly are) are calling for Akin to withdraw is to save their own ass -- It's all about the WIN -- nothing to do with the what the comment meant.
ReplyDeleteThe platform for the Thug convention includes the continuation of the 'Personhood' amendment to the Constitution -- in the same form as Ryan was pushing under H.R. 3 with the slight amendment to remove the wording of 'forced' rape.
The statement put out by Thug Romney that he & Ryan support abortion in the cases of rape and incest - that's wording used for that moment. No different than he has displayed throughout the primaries and this general campaign. He speaks with forked tongue to the surrounding he is in. How quickly will it fall out of either Thug Romney or Ryan's mouth when asked a question about abortion. Romney can't help himself & he'll put his feet in his mouth in no time.
Everyone notice how this campaign has become no different than 2008 for the Thugs? The Presidential nominee shows no strength or drawing power unless his VP pick is with him. Both Romney & McCain 'tried' the separate campaign speeches but quickly came back to be joined at the hip as both Romney & McCan't were weaklings in speaking. No facts, no nothing. They need their pitbulls with them in order to prop them up.
I believe we had Palin I, Palin II and now we have the Palin III version who happens to have 'balls' attached. It's the same tired BS campaign full of hate as we watched for the 8 weeks or so that Palin stumped.
What Ryan and his cronies wanted to do, was redefine rape - and only forcible rape would be considered rape - we'd be back to courts of law badgering the victims of rape that they didn't resist enough - "what, you only have a few bruises, some stitches, and a broken arm, unless you are dead, you gave in and liked it so it wasn't rape."
DeleteYou notice the GOP is not calling for him to step down from his Rep position? No just pull out of the Senate race to save the GOP face. They all agree that what he said is exactly what should be, it is in their party platform.... no abortion for rape victims.
DeleteTo Anon 8:57
ReplyDeleteSt. Sarah HAS to be quiet on the "legitimate" rape doesn't result in pregnancy thing dontcha know since her own daughter's "rape" in a tent resulted in a pregnancy.... AWKWARD
Good catch!!
DeleteOh yeah, forgot about that. Wonder why Bristol's body didn't "shut it down."
DeleteIt should be noted that Akin's comment and what he thought in his small mind -- that the 'rapist' should be the one punished and not the 'child'.
ReplyDeleteHe's talking no different than Ryan and Romney as their 'joint' statement was pure BS and Flip Flop No. ???? - as they've already granted 'personhood' by referring to 'Child'
Rush Limbaugh On Akin’s Rape Comments: ‘That’s Just Absurd, It’s Not Intelligent.’
ReplyDeleteLimbaugh said that he was not prepared to throw Akin “under the bus” as have so many conservative pundits and lawmakers. However, he said Akin’s comments are reflective of a personality that is sequestered in only pro-life circles and rarely, if ever, encounters a dissenting opinion.
“This whole business that a woman’s body shuts down after rape – there’s no evidence for that,” said Limbaugh. “That’s the kind of thing that people who do nothing but talk amongst themselves will conjure up – a belief system like that – and they’ll grab onto anything they can to support what their empirical belief is.”
Limbaugh said that he has heard similar claims about pregnancies that result from rape before from pro-lifers. He called that point of view “absurd” and “not intelligent.” He went on to say that Akin’s defense of life was noble, but that he went about making his case with “glorious ineptitude.”
http://www.mediaite.com/online/rush-limbaugh-on-akins-rape-comments-thats-just-absurd-its-not-intelligent/
Rep. Steve King Claims He Hasn’t Heard Of A Girl Getting Pregnant From Statutory Rape Or Incest
ReplyDelete— but they haven’t defended his actual remarks that victims of “legitimate” rape do not get pregnant.
Speaking to Iowa’s KMEG-TV Monday afternoon, however, conservative stalwart Rep. Steve King (R-IA) refused to condemn and seemingly defended Akin’s assertion regarding pregnancy and rape, telling the reporter that he has never heard of a child getting pregnant from statutory rape or incest.
“Todd Akin is a strong Christian man, with a wonderful family,” King said when asked about how both Republicans and Democrats have asked the embattled Akin to drop out of the Senate race following his comments.
The Iowan congressman also said that instead of focusing on Akin’s remarks about abortion, Missouri voters should be more concerned with the big picture issues instead of what King believes to be a “petty” attack:
“I think this election should be about, how did Todd Akin vote and what did he vote for and what did he stand for and, in this case, I’m seeing the same thing, petty personal attacks substituting for strong policy,” he said.
In the interview, King affirmed his support for the “No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act,” which would ban federal abortion funding except in cases of “forcible rape.” Currently, federal Medicaid funds must cover abortions for young victims of statutory rape or incest.
Rep. King claimed he’s not aware of any such victims.
“Well I just haven’t heard of that being a circumstance that’s been brought to me in any personal way,” he told the reporter, “and I’d be open to hearing discussion about that subject matter.”
http://www.mediaite.com/tv/rep-steve-king-defends-akin-claims-he-hasnt-heard-of-any-young-rape-victims-getting-pregnant/
Guess King hasn't heard of Jaycee Dugard or would he blame the 2 pregnancies/children on the fact she was kidnapped.
DeleteFrom Daily Kos post on introducing Steve King today to Steve King of last week:
Delete"I would also like to introduce Rep. Steve King to—let me check the name, here—ah, a Rep. Steve King, coincidentally also a congressional Republican from Iowa and who shares Mr. King's home, office, family and bank account, who said this not more than a few goddamn effing weeks ago:
[I]f there's a sexual predator out there who has impregnated a young girl, say a 13 year old girl, and it happens in America more times than you and I like to think, that sexual predator can pick that girl off the playground at the middle school and haul her across the state line and force her to get an abortion to eradicate the evidence of his crime ..."
Another forked tongue spews
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/08/21/1122581/-Rep-Steve-King-backs-Akin-Says-he-s-never-heard-of-child-pregnancies-from-rape-incest?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+dailykos%2Findex+%28Daily+Kos%29
He really should read the papers more. It wasn't that long ago that the newspapers were all abuzz about the 9-year-old in Cental America who was raped by her cousin. Abortions were illegal in that country unless medically necessary, and for some reason, being 9 didn't constitute medical necessity. There was a big hullaballo because her parents managed to find a way to keep a kid from having a kid.
DeleteLOL I love the: "well, *I've* never heard of it, so it probably doesn't exist" argument. Like we're supposed to believe that King is so on top of all things that he should never be expected to actually investigate anything and we should all just buy whatever his point of view is, because he is clearly awesome and knows everything.
DeleteWHat a gigantor douchenozzle.
What the FUCK!?
DeleteThe female body doesn't distinguish between wanted sperm and unwanted sperm and there are tons of cases of girls getting pregnant as a result of incest. These guys have gone of the deep end. I guess we should be glad they're spewing in public so sane voters can really see what's up.
King is such an ass - as if no pregnancy = no rape - WHAT??????? Does the idiot even know about semen testing, rape kits?
DeleteOOH, Bristol was raped by her boyfriend who she chased and stole from another girl saying something to the effect. Tough, I'm in love with him, get lost.
ReplyDeleteAnd then we have this from the science people....
ReplyDeleteSex and the Female Brain: Protein in semen acts on female brain to prompt ovulation:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120820152100.htm
Akin is like the rotted log in the forest - when you turn it over, all the creepy crawlies underneath scramble to hide from the light of day. Misspoke my a$$, it is what he and many other Republicans (Paul Ryan for example) believe when they attempt to qualify the definition of rape. Apparently however, Mitt Romney is schooling his young apprentice in the ways of the flip flop.
ReplyDeleteSince this is such a gender issue, my sincere gratitude goes out to all men who defend and protect gender equality and the right of all citizens to be treated with dignity by the law.
ReplyDeleteWomen who do not support women's sovereignty over their own person have my unmitigated scorn.
After this caveat, here are my proverbial two cents worth before my stuttering, by now thoroughly chilled brain seizes up and freezes over at the horror of all of this:
Rape is Rape is Assault.
Assault with a Weapon.
A possibly DEADLY Weapon.
Attached to the male body.
As are hands, feet, teeth.
All of which can become Weapons of Assault.
(Yes, I am shouting and not apologizing!)
That the weapon is a part of the anatomy of the perpetrator and has the potential to sire a new life is really at the core of the matter.
If it were not part and parcel of it all, it would leave a very straightforward court case.
If there were no laws concerning themselves with individual sovereignty over the genitalia of the victim, prevention of a possible pregnancy would be standard upon request, determination of extent of injury and damage followed by conviction could be swift and it would help heal the victim both physically and emotionally.
Sounds simple to me once the whole moralistic "shame the female" notion is thrown upon the trash heap of history.
Now enter misogyny, add dogma of all variants of paternalistic religions and here we are once again fighting for the respect and dignity Woman deserves... but I repeat myself.
Very good posts here. Being raised by a Republican father, who's totally head-over-heels in love with Sarah (though she's old enough to be his own daughter), I can honestly look back and see the Republicans' hate of women. Oh, these right-wing nuts like the looks of Sarah all right - and because that is the case, ALL women MUST look like Sarah with the come-hither, you can look but you can't touch, personality (read = high-class slut). The blonde bimbos on Fox News serve as a perfect example of a Republican's idea of what a woman should look and act like. No wonder why they are threatened by INTELLIGENT women who don't play games such as the like of Sarah.
ReplyDeleteSarah NEVER has been a beacon of light for women's rights because her bread with buttered from these creepy old guys, who, by the way, treat their own wives and daughters like 2nd-class citizens - in their eyes, women only exist to have sex with and have children (breeders). Rape is ALWAYS the woman's fault and if they get pregnant, that's their fault too. But since they CHOSE to get raped and pregnant, these unfortunate women should NEVER have an abortion - OMFG, that is unthinkable.
Believe me, President Obama is going to have a second-term with this idiot, Todd Akin's, remarks ticking off the majority of women in this country. I love the timing because the Republicans' fate is now sealed IMHO. Bye bye you Rethug jackasses and take the likes of Rush Limpballs and Bill O'Really with you. You're going down, down, down. It's about time.
President Obama got the upper hand in this news conference while remaining neutral as to what Aching Aiken's fate in the GOP should be, he has them twisted in pretzels, knock kneed and wee wee'd up.
ReplyDeleteWe Women need to keep pounding this point home until election day.
Aiken isn't going down without GOP leadership ( ha ha ha) reigning him in, and in the mean time, Romney and Ryan are walking on eggshells because they're both on record with similar views.
Which candidate is going to win the Women's vote, and the men and women who love them?
This asshat did the Democrats a huge favor!