Republicans and Rape

[Black Dog]

Not sure if this warrants its own thread or not, but we'll see how it goes. In teh past few days a number of mens have made the news with some pretty heinous and ignorant comments about the crime of rape.

Kicking it off was Republican Representative Todd Akin who made comments in a television interview that women could not get pregnant from “legitimate rape” (presumably opposed to the other kind of rape where its just sluts making things up). Akin has backtracked since, but others are doubling down: Mike Huckabee, former GOP Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee said, on his radio show that, essentially, rape isn't all that bad because some rape babies grow up to be neat people. Weird. And, just to show that membership in the Rapeublican party isn't restricted to right wingers, UK MP George Galloway, a prominent hard leftist, went online to defend Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, saying that the allegations of sexual assault Assange faces aren't so much criminal as bad “sexual etiquette” (which I always meant things like farting in the middle of the act, not doing it without your partner's consent). Yessir, Rapeublicanism isn't about left or right, but penises: who has them, who doesn't and who gets to decide when and where they are used.

[Black Dog]

Rep. Steve King, one of the most staunchly conservative members of the House, was one of the few Republicans who did not strongly condemn Rep. Todd Akin Monday for his remarks regarding pregnancy and rape. King also signaled why — he might agree with parts of Akin’s assertion.

King told an Iowa reporter he’s never heard of a child getting pregnant from statutory rape or incest.

Link.

[Black Dog]

Can't forget "Honest" Ron Paul here.

Ron Paul sat down with CNN's Piers Morgan the other day, and the interview led to this rather remarkable exchange:

MORGAN: You have two daughters. You have many granddaughters. If one of them was raped -- and I accept it's a very unlikely thing to happen -- but if they were, would you honestly look at them in the eye and say they had to have that child if they were impregnated?

PAUL: No. If it's an honest rape, that individual should go immediately to the emergency room. I would give them a shot of estrogen

"Honest rape" being, I presume, similar to "legitimate rape;" neither involves sluts making things up.

[kimmy]

And, just to show that membership in the Rapeublican party isn't restricted to right wingers, UK MP George Galloway, a prominent hard leftist, went online to defend Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, saying that the allegations of sexual assault Assange faces aren't so much criminal as bad “sexual etiquette” (which I always meant things like farting in the middle of the act, not doing it without your partner's consent). Yessir, Rapeublicanism isn't about left or right, but penises: who has them, who doesn't and who gets to decide when and where they are used.

I'd file Galloway under a different category. I'd file that comment under the same heading as Whoopi Goldberg's "it wasn't rape-rape" comments in defense of Roman Polanski. I think that Galloway's desire to try to minimize the charges against Assange come from exactly the same mentality as Goldberg's desire to minimize the charges against Polanski. It's what you get when partisanship becomes more important than principle.

In a broader sense, I think that "progressives" who made sexist attacks against Sarah Palin and Kathleen Harris and Belinda Stronach are guilty of the same thing. Or "progressives" who heaped verbal abuse on Bill Clinton's accusers. Or Vancouver Canucks fans who insist to this day that Todd Bertuzzi was innocent.

-k

[Moonlight Graham]

Akin has backtracked since, but others are doubling down: Mike Huckabee, former GOP Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee said, on his radio show that, essentially, rape isn't all that bad because some rape babies grow up to be neat people.

To be fair to Huckabee, he didn't say "rape isn't all that bad", he was clear to say rape was in every way a horrible act, but his position that some "extraordinary people" came as a result of rape is just to support his argument against abortion. Doesn't mean I support his position though.

Akin is an idiot. This whole thing just proves how dumb a lot of people are.

[kimmy]

“At that point, if God has chosen to bless this person with a life, you don’t kill it.”

Missouri Rapeublican Sharon Barnes says rape pregnancies are a blessing from God.

-k

[bleeding heart]

I'd file Galloway under a different category. I'd file that comment under the same heading as Whoopi Goldberg's "it wasn't rape-rape" comments in defense of Roman Polanski. I think that Galloway's desire to try to minimize the charges against Assange come from exactly the same mentality as Goldberg's desire to minimize the charges against Polanski. It's what you get when partisanship becomes more important than principle.

I think you're right. (But don't quite know what to make of Barbara Amiel's impassioned defense of Polanski; Amiel's no "Progressive," self-labelled or otherwise.)

Amiel aside--and she does sort of see women (girls?) as accessories to powerful men, in a weird way, I think--you're quite right.

I especially remember the dyed-in-the-wool Clinton liberals shooting down all his accusers--quite reflexively, it seemed.

As for Galloway..he wouldn't be Galloway if he wasn't contradicting himself and putting his foot in his mouth at every opportunity.

Edited August 23, 2012 by bleeding heart

[CANADIEN]

“At that point, if God has chosen to bless this person with a life, you don’t kill it.”

Missouri Rapeublican Sharon Barnes says rape pregnancies are a blessing from God.

-k

If a friend of mine said to me "I have been raped, I'm pregnant and I'm not sure I want to keep the baby", I'm not sure I'd find what words to say to convince her to keep him/her. A thing is sure: I wouldn't say she has been blessed, and I would not ask her If she was forcibly raped.

[waldo]

apparently, this instructive graphic is a part of the upcoming Republican convention delegates information packet

[waldo]

the Romney-Ryan-Akin Platform!

[Guest American Woman]

To be fair to Huckabee, he didn't say "rape isn't all that bad", he was clear to say rape was in every way a horrible act, but his position that some "extraordinary people" came as a result of rape is just to support his argument against abortion. Doesn't mean I support his position though.

I'm not so sure his statement is just to support his argument against abortion; I feel that his statement is true. Some rape victims do choose to carry the resulting pregnancy to term, and the children are no less wonderful than any other person. They aren't born deserving a scarlet letter on their forehead. So that may be what Huckabee is saying, too; children of rape need to know that they are just as deserving of life as the kid sitting next to him/her in school, and just as special. Perhaps that is part of the message here.

[Canuckistani]

I'd file Galloway under a different category. I'd file that comment under the same heading as Whoopi Goldberg's "it wasn't rape-rape" comments in defense of Roman Polanski.

Take a look at what Assange might be charged with (since he's been charged with nothing so far) It's the lowest category of rape, involving putting emotional pressure on somebody, and in his case not using a condom. Maximum sentence is 4 years. When we hear the term rape, we think of a violent sexual attack, so this wasn't rape rape if it was anything at all. We don't even use the term anymore in Canada.

Edited August 23, 2012 by Canuckistani

[Guest American Woman]

We don't even use the term anymore in Canada.

What term don't you use any more in Canada?

[Canuckistani]

I'm not so sure his statement is just to support his argument against abortion; I feel that his statement is true. Some rape victims do choose to carry the resulting pregnancy to term, and the children are no less wonderful than any other person. They aren't born deserving a scarlet letter on their forehead. So that may be what Huckabee is saying, too; children of rape need to know that they are just as deserving of life as the kid sitting next to him/her in school, and just as special. Perhaps that is part of the message here.

What Huckabee is saying is that abortion should not be allowed even in cases of rape, because some babies that result from a rape grow up to be wonderful people. The woman having to carry the baby is apparantly immaterial in all this. If she wants to carry the baby to term and raise a wonderful human being, nobody is preventing her from doing so. Just, you know, she may not want to, and may not feel all that wonderful about the baby.

Apparently in 30 some states, rapists have visitation rights to any babies born from the rape.

[Canuckistani]

What term don't you use any more in Canada?

Rape.

[Canuckistani]

apparently, this instructive graphic is a part of the upcoming Republican convention delegates information packet

[Guest American Woman]

Rape.

Ummmm. Yeah. I think you do.

[Guest American Woman]

What Huckabee is saying is that abortion should not be allowed even in cases of rape, because some babies that result from a rape grow up to be wonderful people. The woman having to carry the baby is apparantly immaterial in all this. If she wants to carry the baby to term and raise a wonderful human being, nobody is preventing her from doing so. Just, you know, she may not want to, and may not feel all that wonderful about the baby.

I know what he said; I jut pointed out that he may not have said what he did JUST to support his position .... and I then elaborated on that.

[Canuckistani]

Ummmm. Yeah. I think you do.

In 1983, the Canadian Criminal Code provisions on rape, attempted rape, sexual contact with a psychologically challenged person and indecent acts were categorized into three levels of "sexual assault" as follows:

Level 1: Sexual assault undefined - an indictable offence or offence punishable on summary conviction; maximum punishment of imprisonment for a term of ten years if indictable.

Level 2: Sexual assault with a weapon, threats to a third party or causing bodily harm - an indictable offence; maximum punishment of imprisonment for a term of fourteen years.

Level 3: Aggravated sexual assault - an indictable offence; maximum punishment of imprisonment for life.

[Canuckistani]

I know what he said; I jut pointed out that he may not have said what he did JUST to support his position .... and I then elaborated on that.

And this distinction matters why?

[Black Dog]

Take a look at what Assange might be charged with (since he's been charged with nothing so far) It's the lowest category of rape, involving putting emotional pressure on somebody, and in his case not using a condom. Maximum sentence is 4 years. When we hear the term rape, we think of a violent sexual attack, so this wasn't rape rape if it was anything at all. We don't even use the term anymore in Canada.

Continuing to **** someone when they ask you to stop ****ing them is rape (which is one of the allegations facing Assange, regardless of what we call it here.)

[Guest American Woman]

Take a look at what Assange might be charged with (since he's been charged with nothing so far) It's the lowest category of rape, involving putting emotional pressure on somebody, and in his case not using a condom. Maximum sentence is 4 years. When we hear the term rape, we think of a violent sexual attack, so this wasn't rape rape if it was anything at all. We don't even use the term anymore in Canada.

I think you need to learn a bit more about the allegations; when a condom breaks and the woman wants to stop as a result, and the man continues with the act regardless, it's no longer "consensual." It's also no minor thing, as the woman could become pregnant. Also, a man 'helping himself' to sex when the woman is sleeping is not "consensual sex."

And this distinction matters why?

Try following along. It matters for the reasons I stated.

At any rate, You said you 'don't use the term rape in Canada any more.' You most certainly do. It may not be the term used in the criminal charge, but the term most definitely is used in Canada.

Edited August 23, 2012 by American Woman

[Canuckistani]

Continuing to **** someone when they ask you to stop ****ing them is rape (which is one of the allegations facing Assange, regardless of what we call it here.)

I haven't heard that. If true, yep, that's rape. Remember that he hasn't even been charged, never mind convicted.

I did year that one of the women complained that he was more interested in his computer than her.

[Canuckistani]

At any rate, You said you 'don't use the term rape in Canada any more.' You most certainly do. It may not be the term used in the criminal charge, but the term most definitely is used in Canada.

You're absolutely right, I should have been more clear in my meaning. Forgot I was communicating with Hilary Clinton.

[Guest American Woman]

I haven't heard that. If true, yep, that's rape. Remember that he hasn't even been charged, never mind convicted.

He hasn't been charged because he's refused to return to Sweden.