Legitimate Rape

[filkertom]

Jeez, get off the internet for a couple of days, and you miss all kinds of WUT I DON'T EVEN:Rep. Todd Akin, a tea party candidate who is challenging incumbent Democratic Sen. Claire McCaskill in the closely watched race, was asked in a local television interview about whether he supports access to abortion in the case of rape

Comments

[mimiheart]

I have just been absolutely livid over this. And hurt and in tears... because how. fucking. dare. he.

Y'know, I don't care what the statistics are. I don't care if it's one in twenty or one in a hundred or one in a million, because when you are THAT one, nothing else matters. You've already had one choice taken away from you. And while the choice regarding the pregnancy may be a difficult one, it isn't Akin's to make. And it isn't HIS to decide if it's a 'legitimate' rape or not. And yet there are people defending this assclown.

Edit: because 'not' is an important word in that sentence

[alverant]

If the GoTP wants to prove Akin does not speak for them, they should yank their support and funding away right after he said it. He recently gave a non-apology by saying he misspoke, except his record is pretty clear that's what he meant and he only regrets getting caught on camera when he said it. As long as he's running under the GoTP banner using their money, they are supporting him and what he said.

[redneckgaijin]

As it happens, the national Republican committee AND Karl Rove's Crossroads USA thing have both announced they are withdrawing support for Akin.

Focus on the Family and the American Family Association/Council/Whatever, however, are doubling down on support for Akin, and Akin himself is trying to fundraise off of the Republican Party's pressure on him to quit.

And if he doesn't quit by 5 PM tomorrow, it'll take a court order for Republicans to be able to replace him if he quits later.

[alverant]

I hope traffic delays him until 5:01 tomorrow so his opponent can run unopposed. Like I said, he committed the only real crime in the GoTP, embarrassing the party even though what he said is in like with their philosophy.

[stevemb]

So far, Akin insists that he's staying in the race, and is actually buying "sorry if I offended anyone" ads.

After 5:00 CST today, he would have to request a court order (the party can't do it without his consent) and pay the cost of new ballots if he has a rush of brains to the head and bows out.

Pass the popcorn....

Origins of this theory

[gavroche42]

Justine Larbalestier has a post on the origins of this 'theory.' Tracing it back to Soranus of Ephesus, from the 2nd Century.

http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2012/08/20/legitimate-rape-and-other-craptastic-beliefs-from-the-olden-days/

Re: Origins of this theory

[invader_tak_1]

Nah Galen at least TRIED to use science as well as it was understood, which is more than can be said about the present Republicans.

And in his defense, Galen had to GUESS at human anatomy as the CHURCH refused to let him autopsy humans.

Re: Origins of this theory

[cybermystic]

"And in his defense, Galen had to GUESS at human anatomy as the CHURCH refused to let him autopsy humans."

Really? I thought it was because of a Roman law that predated Christianity. Galen lived in the second century and unless my history is off the Church didn't gain that much influence until a little later.

[smoooom]

My first thought was "legitimate" rape? As opposed to bastard rape? Perhaps not the best gut reaction, but it's so stupid as to be, offensive. Then I looked up numbers and found the same stat you did.

I weep for America, I really do.

[idancewithlife]

I agree with all of this, but his comment:
"I think there should be some punishment..."

SOME punishment? Like, take away his cookies? Slap his hand? Put him in jail for less time than it takes for her to bear the child of the rapist?

This country is going to hell in a handbasket.

[batyatoon]

What really upsets me about that phrase is that he is equating abortion with punishment.

Like this is about getting back at the rapist somehow, through his unwanted offspring.

Bastard.