First of all, why on earth are middle-aged politicians jumping up to claim their 15 minutes of fame by defining rape? You'd think that the Republicans might put out a memo to all their cronies asking that these (mostly) men just keep their mouths shut! But each time a throwback-to-the-1950s politician expresses his neanderthal opinion about what is and what isn't rape, it becomes more crystal clear what the Republican agenda really is all about.
It shows their clear disrespect for women and their belief that women are (1) making up stories that they've been raped, (2) to be blamed for rape because of the way they dress or act, (3) not capable of making their own decisions about their bodies, and in some cases, (4) deserve to be raped because they are women.
I am stunned that independent-thinking women who value their own freedom and rights would vote for these buffoons. Even if they believe that Romney will be better on the economy or job creation (or whatever other reason), do they really believe that their rights are not going to be trampled in the next four years if he wins the election?
Here's proof, in their own words, of what Republicans really believe about the worth of women:
And further on back in history:
And the granddaddy of them all:
According to experts, up to 60 percent of rapes in the U.S. go unreported, only 25% of reported rapes result in arrest, and one in six women will be a victim of sexual assault in her lifetime. That means out of sixty of your friends, ten have been or will be attacked. I am so angry that such a serious, invasive, and horrific crime has become treated so lightly and jockeyed about in political rhetoric. How dare they make light of such a serious crime? In response, some clever bloggers have created a (mostly) satirical site: http://www.republicansforrape.org/.
Mitt Romney is much more polished than these kneejerk loudmouths, but he has continued to support Richard Mourdock in the latest of these outbursts. That speaks volumes.
It shows their clear disrespect for women and their belief that women are (1) making up stories that they've been raped, (2) to be blamed for rape because of the way they dress or act, (3) not capable of making their own decisions about their bodies, and in some cases, (4) deserve to be raped because they are women.
I am stunned that independent-thinking women who value their own freedom and rights would vote for these buffoons. Even if they believe that Romney will be better on the economy or job creation (or whatever other reason), do they really believe that their rights are not going to be trampled in the next four years if he wins the election?
Here's proof, in their own words, of what Republicans really believe about the worth of women:
“If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways of shutting that whole thing down”
--Todd Akin, Republican congressman and senate candidate (MO), 2012
--Todd Akin, Republican congressman and senate candidate (MO), 2012
"When life begins with that horrible situation of rape, that is something
that God intended to happen."
--Richard Mourdock, Republican senate candidate (IN), 2012
that God intended to happen."
--Richard Mourdock, Republican senate candidate (IN), 2012
"The right approach is to accept this horribly created, in the sense of rape, but nevertheless...a gift of human life, and accept what God is giving to you...
rape victims should make the best of a bad situation."
--Rick Santorum, Republican senator and candidate for president (PA), 2012
rape victims should make the best of a bad situation."
--Rick Santorum, Republican senator and candidate for president (PA), 2012
"Richard and I, along with millions of Americans, believe that life is a gift from God."
--Republican senator John Cornyn,
supporting Richard Mourdock's statement about rape-induced pregnancies, 2012
--Republican senator John Cornyn,
supporting Richard Mourdock's statement about rape-induced pregnancies, 2012
"If it's an honest rape, that individual should go immedately to the emergency room. I would give them a shot of estrogen."
--Republican senator and presidential candidate Ron Paul (TX), 2012
--Republican senator and presidential candidate Ron Paul (TX), 2012
“I would hope that when a woman goes in to a physician with a rape issue, that physician will indeed ask her about perhaps her marriage, was this pregnancy caused by normal relations in a marriage or was it truly caused by a rape. I assume that’s part of the counseling that goes on.”
--Chuck Winder, Idaho Senate Majority Leader (R), 2012
--Chuck Winder, Idaho Senate Majority Leader (R), 2012
"If you go down that road, some girls, they rape so easy."
--Republican state rep Roger Rivard (WI), 2011
--Republican state rep Roger Rivard (WI), 2011
And further on back in history:
"A real-life description to me would be a rape victim, brutally raped, savaged. The girl was a virgin. She was religious. She planned on saving her virginity until she was married. She was brutalized and raped, sodomized as bad as you can possibly make it, and is impregnated. I mean, that girl could be so messed up, physically and psychologically, that carrying that child could very well threaten her life." --Bill Napoli, Republican state senator (SD), 2006
“By getting married, the woman has consented to sex. That's what marriage is all about. Maybe these girls missed sex ed. It isn't rape. It's a he said-she said where it's too easy to lie about it."
--Republican activist Phyllis Schlafly, 2007
"Rape, ladies and gentlemen, is not today what rape was. Rape, when I was learning these things, was the violation of a chaste woman, against her will, by some party not her spouse."
--Douglas Henry, Republican state senator (TN), 2008
--Douglas Henry, Republican state senator (TN), 2008
"I think that two wrongs don't make a right. And I have been in the situation of counseling young girls, not 13 but 15, who have had very at risk, difficult pregnancies. And my counsel was to look for some alternatives, which they did. And they found that they had made what was really a lemon situation into lemonade."
--Sharron Angle, Republican representative and candidate for U.S. congress (NV), 2010
“A jury could very well conclude that this is a case of buyer’s remorse …It appears to me … you invited him over… the appearance is of consent.”
--Ken Buck, Republican senate candidate (CO), 2010
--Ken Buck, Republican senate candidate (CO), 2010
And the granddaddy of them all:
"If it’s inevitable, just relax and enjoy it.”
--Clayton Williams, Republican candidate for governor of Texas, 1990
(fortunately this comment lost him the election to Ann Richards)
--Clayton Williams, Republican candidate for governor of Texas, 1990
(fortunately this comment lost him the election to Ann Richards)
According to experts, up to 60 percent of rapes in the U.S. go unreported, only 25% of reported rapes result in arrest, and one in six women will be a victim of sexual assault in her lifetime. That means out of sixty of your friends, ten have been or will be attacked. I am so angry that such a serious, invasive, and horrific crime has become treated so lightly and jockeyed about in political rhetoric. How dare they make light of such a serious crime? In response, some clever bloggers have created a (mostly) satirical site: http://www.republicansforrape.org/.
Mitt Romney is much more polished than these kneejerk loudmouths, but he has continued to support Richard Mourdock in the latest of these outbursts. That speaks volumes.
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