I say yes, you say no, OR People are Strange

This seems to harken back to the idea that women out alone at night, wearing provocative clothes etc. are actually asking to be raped.  Eugene Robinson says in his column that there are those in our society who believe that the only rapes that are "legitimate" are when a ski masked stranger climbs in the window and beats the woman up before, after, or during the rape. 

 I think the furor over Akins remarks from certain quarters is not necessarily because of disagreement with his fundamental view of rape, abortion, and of women but because he publically displayed those views in an incredibly stupid statement and therefore became a political liability to those who prefer to keep extremist and stupid views behind closed Congressional doors.

 Sorry, everyone, can't stop my fingers.  

Alexandria - know how your fingers feel!!!!  I am off the walls angry about this - and for much the same reason - how many people are trying to SHUT HIM UP - cuz they don't want their REAL VIEWS aired in "public" -

I can almost HEAR Hillary Rodham Clinton at the  UN Conference on Women in 1995, Beijing China saying: "Women's rights are human rights."  I am hoping those who are ANGRY now, will speak out! 

eta - Hope everyone heard the President of the United States speak out yesterday, went to the Press Room to make his statement VERY VERY PUBLIC.  Courage.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-repugnant-code-behind-todd-akins-words/2012/08/20/7e91ed12-eb08-11e1-a80b-9f898562d010_story.html

Susie, your husband won't be able to catch up to you!

I want me some of that illegitimate cancer! Would that mean it never really happened?  

What Sunflowers said...excellent comparison, Lassie!

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/eugene-robinson-todd-akin-comment-brings-war-on-women-back-to-prominence/2012/08/20/c4570fae-eafd-11e1-9ddc-340d5efb1e9c_story.html?hpid=z2

thanks to Alexandria

what lindasa said.  Let's remember it is NOT just one sex, it is, however, only one sex who can get pregnant.  This is as Alexandria quoting Robinson says, see my link above, A WAR AGAINST WOMEN.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/21/opinion/new-frontiers-of-extremism-from-the-gop.html?_r=1&hp

we are not alone in our fury

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ruth-marcus-self-preservation-meet-cynicism/2012/08/20/a2d48f66-eb05-11e1-9ddc-340d5efb1e9c_story.html

In case you missed the President of the United States comments, made to the press in PUBLIC on this, the bottom line was he said:

“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."

 

And it all goes hand-in-hand with current rampant anti-intellectualism and the sytematic destruction of the educational system in the United States, the increasing discussion that "maybe everyone shouldn't go to college" -- and the disdain directed at the college-educated elites.



*sigh*




L

Well, all...thank you for the thought-provoking conversation.  I am off to hike in the sunshine...  Have a good day everyone... 

Linda - thanks for the lighthearted and funny post!!

Sunflowers - thanks for being back! and for bringing me back to my senses in some areas.    Since I know a few people who had (and have) no desire for a college education and wanted to go into the trades, I wasn't really paying attention to much of the discussion regarding higher education.  Thanks for keeping me on my toes!

Chickadee - I am so glad to hear the news about your son.  Worry about our children can be debilitating.  What a load off your mind.

And THANK-YOU President Obama for standing up for women's rights.  I was talking to my husband the other day about this subject.  The "discussion" recently in regards to contraception absolutely blew me away.  I have a fair number of fears about various things, but contraception???  Why would the group that HATES abortion also be against preventing the conception in the first place?  I don't get it.  Now a discussion about pregnancy and "legitimate rape".  It all just blows me away, and occasionally I tell myself that there's no WAY that this group will get elected.  But...  I keep remembering eight years ago.  I couldn't believe that Bush got re-elected AND I couldn't believe the "swift boat" attacks.  There are NO guarantees.  Everybody has to actually get out and vote.  I cannot tell you how much I wish I was already retired.  If I was, I'd be in one of those states that have changed the voting rules lately trying to help people get picture id so they can vote this fall.

I've read the Handmaid's Tale.  They're not pulling this **** on me! 

As an aside, I wonder, sometimes, about younger women who grew up with so many of the rights us older women had to fight for.  I think they take them for granted.  And it should come as no surprise, their platform will be no different from what was said 2 days ago. 

Garden, It seems contradictory that the group most against abortion is also against contraception but really isn't.   All of this, including the discussion about "legitimate" rape is trying to push the clock back and get those women back in the kitchen where they belong.  If women don't have contraception, we will return to a time when only unmarried and chaste women could have careers.  If women fear  sexual attack for which they will be blamed and then have to bear the child of their rapist, then maybe they will stay in their homes or only venture out under the protection of men.  Sort of like Saudi Arabia.

I actually was thinking of proposing a law, myself, requiring all Americans to have their dna on a national data base.  If anyone anywhere would die for lack of a kidney (or any other bodily part that can be donated by a living person), and someone somewhere in American is a match, then the law should compell that person who matches to donate a kidney, regardless of the donor's wishes, regardless of any inconvenience to the donor, regardless of whether it could cost the donor his job, and regardless of the possibility of pain or medical complications, as long as the donor is not going to actually die, he is legally required, under threat of imprisonment for refusal, to undergo surgery to donate the body part.  After all, the person is need of the transplant will die without the donation - and isn't preservation of life the highest goal?  And an operation to remove spinal fluid or a kidney isn't all that serious.  Oh, and the donor's medical insurance has to cover his part of the transplant operation, and if it doesn't, he has to pay out of pocket for his medical expenses from the donated transplant.  How many legislators do you think will sign up for this?