GOP can't stop making assy comments about rape and pregnancy

[lilah]

I feel equal parts rage-strokey and hopeful that maybe they will successfully alienate every woman from ever voting republican again?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/08/2 ... 34234.html

rying to distance himself from the "legitimate rape" comment that Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) made last week, Pennsylvania Senate candidate Tom Smith ® stirred up further controversy by comparing a pregnancy caused by rape to "having a baby out of wedlock."

Smith said Monday at the Pennsylvania Press Club that although he condemns Akin's comment, he agrees with Akin that abortion should be banned without any exceptions, including for rape and incest victims. Pressed by a reporter on how he would handle a daughter or granddaughter becoming pregnant as a result of rape, Smith said he had already "lived something similar to that" in his family.

"She chose life, and I commend her for that," he said. "She knew my views. But, fortunately for me, I didn't have to ... she chose the way I thought. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't rape."

When a reporter asked Smith to clarify what kind of situation was similar to becoming pregnant from rape, the candidate responded, "Having a baby out of wedlock."

He added, "Put yourself in a father's position. Yes, it is similar."

Smith's comment comes at an inconvenient time for Republicans, who have been scrambling to distract voters from the firestorm of controversy over Akin's comment last week. Addressing the subject of an abortion exception for rape victims, Akin said that victims of "legitimate rape" rarely become pregnant because "the female body has ways to shut that whole thing down."

Smith, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D-Pa.) in the November election, told reporters that he does not agree with Akin's remark at all. "He should have never said anything like that," Smith said.

UPDATE: 8:45 p.m. --

Megan Piwowar, a spokeswoman for Smith, clarified on Monday evening that the candidate's comments were misunderstood and that the "out of wedlock" pregnancy in his family was not his daughter's.

"Tom Smith is committed to protecting the sanctity of life and believes it begins at conception," she said in a statement. "While his answers to some of the questions he faced at the Pennsylvania Press club may have been less than artful, at no time did he draw the comparison that some have inferred. When questioned if he was drawing that comparison, Tom's answer was clear, 'no, no, no.' Tom was speaking to the difficult decision faced by his family, not the nature of his daughters conception.â€

[longskirtlotsakids]

Oh yes, having a baby by consensual sex out of wedlock is JUST as stressful as a rape.

What a fucknut. Shows how much he still thinks women are shamed by having teh sexs outside of marriage. I

First, dickwads, ban rape and make RAPE a crime that actually gets prosecuted. Then assign every fetus a tax deduction and the right to carry life insurance and be counted in their local school census. Then make it a felony for a man to not pay child support. THEN, we will talk about banning abortion.

Since I am 100% confident they will never get close to doing this, I am pretty confident in offering it as a negotiation point....

[Chowder Head]

Long skirt c :clap: ould not have said it better.

[fundyfunland]

Abortion law in Afghanistan: "Abortion is illegal in Afghanistan, a Muslim nation, unless the life of the mother is directly threatened by the pregnancy." lifenews.com/2009/01/09/int-1042/

Abortion law in Iran: Legal abortion is now allowed if the mother's life is in danger, and also in cases of fetal abnormalities that make it not viable after birth (such as anencephaly) or produce difficulties for mother to take care of it after birth, such as major thalassemia or bilateral polycystic kidney disease. There is no need for a consent from the father, and request and consent of mother with approval of three specialized physicians and final acceptance by legal medicine center suffices http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Iran

Abortion law in Zimbabwe: legal for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Namibia: legal for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Bangladesh: legal during first trimester for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Bahrain: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother, social concerns, on demand pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Botswana: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape & incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Burkino Faso: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, mental health of mother, and during first trimester for rape & incest pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law under a new Republican government? no exceptions for health of mother, incest or rape, fetal defect.

Way to become one of the most backward countries in the world America!!!

[luckystone]

I'm so SICK of hearing these articles! All these politicians, gross old men, minimising the harm from rape. They have NO IDEA what they are talking about. It's not about abortion or marriage or anything, they are just ANTI-WOMEN.

And I don't understand what's dragging it to the forefront this year when in past elections/years marriage/abortion have been fringe issues...are they feeling threatened?

[JaChelle Sugar]

Akin's assy comment's REALLY piss me off. HOW does an ignorant twat like him get elected to public office? Did he SLEEP his way through basic reproductive biology?

Politics piss me off in general though. Also people who think that their party knows the truth and means well but the other party is basically a bunch of mustache-twirling villains. One of my fb friends actualy said 'conservatives get angry when they hear lies, liberals get angry when they hear the truth'. How about, there are well-meaning people and assy people on BOTH sides of the fence?

[Sunnichick31]

Abortion law in Afghanistan: "Abortion is illegal in Afghanistan, a Muslim nation, unless the life of the mother is directly threatened by the pregnancy." lifenews.com/2009/01/09/int-1042/

Abortion law in Iran: Legal abortion is now allowed if the mother's life is in danger, and also in cases of fetal abnormalities that make it not viable after birth (such as anencephaly) or produce difficulties for mother to take care of it after birth, such as major thalassemia or bilateral polycystic kidney disease. There is no need for a consent from the father, and request and consent of mother with approval of three specialized physicians and final acceptance by legal medicine center suffices http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Iran

Abortion law in Zimbabwe: legal for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Namibia: legal for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Bangladesh: legal during first trimester for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Bahrain: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother, social concerns, on demand pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Botswana: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape & incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Burkino Faso: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, mental health of mother, and during first trimester for rape & incest pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law under a new Republican government? no exceptions for health of mother, incest or rape, fetal defect.

Way to become one of the most backward countries in the world America!!!

Thank you for posting this. You know the GOP is effed up when Iran and Afghanistan are more progressive than them.

* starts searching for a new country to move to*

[Anxious Girl]

I can't believe 3 or 4 politicans have said there's a difference between "forcible" and "non-forcible" rape. And women actually vote these asshats into office? :evil:

[Handmaiden of Dog]

For a handy quick guide here are 8 things that Congress doesn't know about sex: http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2012/08/8-things-congress-doesnt-know-about-sex.html

[StarrieEyedKat]

I can't believe 3 or 4 politicans have said there's a difference between "forcible" and "non-forcible" rape. And women actually vote these asshats into office? :evil:

There are women that agree with them. Emmiedahl and I got into a REALLY long debate yesterday with someone that thinks rape is only legitimate if it's "violent, sober" rape. :shock:

[JenniferJuniper]

Oh yes, having a baby by consensual sex out of wedlock is JUST as stressful as a rape.

It seemed clear from listening to him (this is PA Republican senate candidate and Piece Of Shit, Tom Smith) that his daughter being pregnant by her boyfriend was viewed BY HIM as being no different than her being pregnant by a rapist, and was equally stressful TO HIM!

Beyond being a misogynistic pig and a threat to his potential female constituents, what an utter asshole of a father this guy is.

[Guest Anonymous]

More on Tom Smith can be found here: http://freejinger.org/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=12437

[Witsec7]

There are women that agree with them. Emmiedahl and I got into a REALLY long debate yesterday with someone that thinks rape is only legitimate if it's "violent, sober" rape. :shock:

Yea I've been running into it over on the Advancenets. The latest is that all of the rape talk has been blown out of proportion and we should just 'close the door on it now.'

[deelaem]

There are women that agree with them. Emmiedahl and I got into a REALLY long debate yesterday with someone that thinks rape is only legitimate if it's "violent, sober" rape. :shock:

Do your jaws hurt from clenching your teeth? Does your head pound? Does your throat hurt from screaming in frustration? I know mine would. Debating with anyone that idiotic can't be good for one's health. ;)

I had a good laugh a little earlier upon seeing a headline that claims the GOP is reaching out to women and Latinos. I guess you do have to reach to stab someone in the back. Or the uterus, as the case may be.

[Guest Anonymous]

The GOP would never stab a woman in the uterus. How would she make babies?! She'd be useless. :roll:

[JMarie]

Akin's assy comment's REALLY piss me off. HOW does an ignorant twat like him get elected to public office? Did he SLEEP his way through basic reproductive biology?

Politics piss me off in general though. Also people who think that their party knows the truth and means well but the other party is basically a bunch of mustache-twirling villains. One of my fb friends actualy said 'conservatives get angry when they hear lies, liberals get angry when they hear the truth'. How about, there are well-meaning people and assy people on BOTH sides of the fence?

No fear. He was down by 19 points BEFORE he made this comment. I know I'll be voting for his opponent, Bob Casey.

[FundiesInMyFamily]

Abortion law in Afghanistan: "Abortion is illegal in Afghanistan, a Muslim nation, unless the life of the mother is directly threatened by the pregnancy." lifenews.com/2009/01/09/int-1042/

Abortion law in Iran: Legal abortion is now allowed if the mother's life is in danger, and also in cases of fetal abnormalities that make it not viable after birth (such as anencephaly) or produce difficulties for mother to take care of it after birth, such as major thalassemia or bilateral polycystic kidney disease. There is no need for a consent from the father, and request and consent of mother with approval of three specialized physicians and final acceptance by legal medicine center suffices http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abortion_in_Iran

Abortion law in Zimbabwe: legal for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Namibia: legal for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Bangladesh: legal during first trimester for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Bahrain: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape/incest, mental health of mother, social concerns, on demand pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Botswana: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, cases of rape & incest, mental health of mother pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law in Burkino Faso: legal during all terms for life & health of mother, fetal defect, mental health of mother, and during first trimester for rape & incest pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Abortion law under a new Republican government? no exceptions for health of mother, incest or rape, fetal defect.

WOW. This really opened my eyes. You know you are in big trouble when your ideals are more restrictive than the countries where women are considered property and have no legal rights.

[Minerva]

Republican women get raped at the same rate as democrat women. I wonder how the survivors among them are dealing with this.

[Dollypeeps]

I am like What and then What and I dont stay in the US.

Our laws on rape are dismal cos of the percentage that actually manages to get to court. I think its like 6% if that.

[emmiedahl]

Do your jaws hurt from clenching your teeth? Does your head pound? Does your throat hurt from screaming in frustration? I know mine would. Debating with anyone that idiotic can't be good for one's health. ;)

I had a good laugh a little earlier upon seeing a headline that claims the GOP is reaching out to women and Latinos. I guess you do have to reach to stab someone in the back. Or the uterus, as the case may be.

srsly. I have what an article I read today calls "rape fatigue". I am tired of talking about rape--why you cannot rape me, ever, for any reason, whether I am sober or incautious or whatever. I am sick of explaining this to people. And having to argue with them for hours because I am as attached to the idea of not being raped as they are to the idea that I deserve it sometimes.

[StarrieEyedKat]

Do your jaws hurt from clenching your teeth? Does your head pound? Does your throat hurt from screaming in frustration? I know mine would. Debating with anyone that idiotic can't be good for one's health. ;)

You have no idea. We've gone a number of rounds with her before but this was easily the most draining. This is an exact quote from her: "I'll flirt with you all night, we'll make out, go to the bed room, get so drunk we pass out, we have sex...but I ddin't want to have sex, you should have read my mind."

To which both emmiedahl and I were like "NO - It's NEVER OK to have sex with an unconscious person!!!"

Then she started on about how women aren't careful enough and rape is a consequence of that.

[dawn9476]

I want them to say this crap to the 13 year old girls over in Africa, who get pregnant every day because their "husbands" or men, who have attacked their village or refugee camp, has raped them. Well, if they manage to find one that was able to survive giving birth. Many of those girls, who have been raped by strangers or men who they know but aren't their husband, are abandoned by their families and end up giving birth on their own so they usually end up dying. If these nuts expanded their worldview and read something other than "research" by hack doctors, they would know girls and women can get pregnant from rape and it happens all over the world.

[shesinsane]

Republican women get raped at the same rate as democrat women. I wonder how the survivors among them are dealing with this.

They probably keep silent. In some situations, for a woman to say she was raped gives carte blanche for those around her to speculate on whether or not it was "legitimate". A GOP rape victim knows the wisest thing is to say nothing and hope someone changes the topic of conversation.

Sad, but easier than publically going against the party platform.

[fencesitter]

I can't believe 3 or 4 politicans have said there's a difference between "forcible" and "non-forcible" rape. And women actually vote these asshats into office? :evil:

Considering the state of the US economy, I can't believe anyone is talking about this crap or thinking about anything other than how to improve the economy and decrease the debt, especially an elected politician... Of course I don't know why politicians talk about a lot of things. I wish politicians would stop acting like their moral compasses are more in tune than ours and start stabilizing the economy so it will grow. Funny how congressmen will kick the can down the road on passing a budget, but by gosh we have to talk about womens' uteri ad nauseum and NOW!

[BayLee_10]

What tires me out about politics is hearing, "The fact of the matter is...." and "What the American people want..." The fact of the matter is what the American people want are peace and prosperity, freedom from lawmakers mandating our personal lives, socialized health care, rebuilding our infrastructure before our roads are undrivable an our bridges collapse into whatever they are built over and JOBS.. Feel free to add your list to mine. Here's what I have to say to say to all politicans of whatever stripe. If you can't see your way clear to provide those things, then go the fuck home. I used to believe in Democracy, but it won't work here where more than half of the people...and that is a kind estimate...apparently are morons.