Archive for pregnancy
Another day, another dangerous Republican nutcase. This time it’s a female lawmaker in New Mexico who introduced a bill that would legally require rape victims to carry their pregnancies to term. Why? Because she wants the fetus to be used as evidence in a sexual assault trial.
This insane bill will probably not pass since Dems hold the majority in both chambers of the New Mexico state legislature, but the fact that it was even introduced is beyond disturbing. Unfortunately, this kind of extremism is becoming more commonplace (and/or perhaps more widely reported), and is not only appalling, it’s downright scary.
So to those of you who need even more proof that there is a War on Women, here it is, perplexingly brought to you by a woman, via HuffPo:
House Bill 206, introduced by state Rep. Cathrynn Brown (R), would charge a rape victim who ended her pregnancy with a third-degree felony for “tampering with evidence.”
Pat Davis of ProgressNow New Mexico, a progressive nonprofit organization opposing the bill:
“The bill turns victims of rape and incest into felons and forces them to become incubators of evidence for the state,” he said. “According to Republican philosophy, victims who are ‘legitimately raped’ will now have to carry the fetus to term in order to prove their case.“
Davis called the bill “blatantly unconstitutional.”
When it comes to rape, Republicans have yet to learn to keep their big mouths shut. Their bizarre, backward attitudes have never served them well, as Richard Mourdock, the guy who says rape pregnancies are “intended by God“ and Todd “Legitimate Rape” Akin can attest, and have spotlighted their insensitivity and ignorance.
But to try to force birth by criminalizing rape victims is beyond the pale.
Cher and Kathy Griffin on Mitt’s efforts to turn back time on women in the latest video from the Actually… series. When lies go unchecked, we all lose. Actually.org spreads the truth, because the truth matters—even in politics. Our team calls ‘em like they see ‘em, and we hope you’ll support the truth by sharing Actually.org videos before Election Day.
Actually… is a partnership between American Bridge and JCER. Schlep Labs is a project of JCER. Actually… was produced by Amy Rubin at Barnacle Studios
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Melissa Harris-Perry’s letter to Richard “when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen” Mourdock sends a painful, heartfelt, powerful message that everyone needs to hear.
Thank you Melissa.
“Rape and sexual assault are complicated experiences for survivors. Some of us fight, kick, scream, and resist at every moment. Some of us eventually give in to save our own lives or to manage the horror. Some of us know that what is happening is rape, others of us just know it is wrong, but don’t have the words to describe why. Some of us push the memories down and try to forget, others of us battle openly with the nightmares and scars every day. There is no one right way to survive. There is no one right way to feel.
As we heal, we learn not to judge ourselves or to judge our fellow survivors, because we learn that judgment can wound as deeply as assault. If a woman finds herself pregnant after a rape, we do not judge the choices she makes. [...]
But the whole point is choice. Consent. You see, Mr. Mourdock, the violation of rape is more than physical. Rapists strip women of our right to choose, of our right to say no, of our right to control what is happening to our bodies. Most assailants tell us it is our fault. They tell us to be silent. Sometimes they even tell us it’s God’s will. That is the core violation of rape– it takes away choice.
Richard, you believe it is fine to ignore a women’s right to choose because of your interpretation of divinity. Sound familiar? [...]
Now let me say this very clearly to you Mr Mourdock, and to all of your shameless endorsers: we did not survive an attack on our consent just to turn around and give up our right to choose to you. Not without a fight.
Are you sure you want to have that fight?
Sincerely,
Melissa”
Complete transcript here.
Today’s L.A. Times letters to the editor, because our voices matter:
Re “A row over new rape comment,” Oct. 25
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Richard Mourdock of Indiana says that when a woman is impregnated during a rape, it is “something that God intended to happen.” Mitt Romney, who appeared in a TV ad supporting Mourdock, is talking like a moderate lately. But this type of thinking is anything but moderate.
Over the last two years, from the Republican Party we women have gotten efforts to require trans-vaginal ultrasounds before abortions and expressions like “legitimate rape.” And now this.
Such remarks are offensive and disrespectful to women everywhere.
Alba Farfaglia
San Clemente
—————————————————————-
I suspect that God’s logic is more humble and better than the Senate candidate’s. Mourdock knows God deliberately controls the result but the devil controls the act? Sounds like he is confused. I am seeking a shred of humility in his uttering and find none.
Mourdock’s logic places a man above all as he maintains that the seed from him is God-directed. Scary. Will he next mandate that a woman be executed for enticing a poor, God-driven man to rape?
Norma Pierson
Altadena
Via WeAreUltraViolet.org
He got a little testy when the radio host tried to nail him on his Romnesia.
Know who else is all over Willard and Todd Akin’s personhood co-sponsor Paul Ryan? The man who will be re-elected for another four years.
He’s making sure America knows that Romney is backing Richard Mourdock, the guy who says rape pregnancies are “intended by God.“
America needs to know that this is Republican policy now, and that it is no longer out of the norm for the GOP. Is being this offensive what Romney meant by “big change”?
If his kind of extremism is “big change” it’s not the kind we can believe in.
Mitt Romney’s “solution to extremism against women? Promote the extremists.
Voiceover:
“Which do you believe? What Mitt Romney’s TV ads say about women or what Mitt Romney himself says:”
Mitt Romney:
“Do I believe Supreme Court decisions should overturn Roe v. Wade? Yes.”
“And it would be my preference that they reverse Roe v. Wade.”
“Hopefully reverse Roe v. Wade.”
“Overturn Roe v. Wade”
“Planned Parenthood, we’re going to get rid of that.”
“I’ll cut off funding to Planned Parenthood.”Voiceover:
“No matter what Mitt Romney’s ads say we know what he’ll do.”
Mitt Romney on Jan Mickelson’s show on WHO-AM in Des Moines. At about 6:20, Romney starts in on Roe v. Wade:
“The right course on Roe v. Wade is to have it overturned.”
“We should have a prohibition on abortion”
“I was effectively pro-choice some years ago… I didn’t ever call myself pro-choice. I said I would preserve and protect the laws as it existed…”
At about 8:50, he gets into an argument about his religion, his “I’m not gonna apologize” for being pro-life” flip flop, and more. Then at about 10:50, off air, they get into a more heated conversation about Mormonism and whether Willard is consistent with his faith:
“Don’t confuse with what I do as a member of my faith with what I think should be done by government.“
After 13:54 things got more intense:
“Every Mormon should be pro-life? … You’re WRONG!”
At about 15:00:
“You don’t understand my faith like I do, so give me for a moment as being a leader of my church… I understand my church better than you do…. You don’t believe that, do you?!”
At about 17:10, things got more heated, for Pete’s sake:
Jan: “I take this stuff real seriously…”
Mitt: “For me it’s just all frivolous [sarcasm]… Come on, I’m running for president!… You’re not giving me the opportunity to explain to you that my faith has very strong beliefs that if I commit abortion, encourage an abortion… I was beaten up in Boston because I pointed out time and time again that I encourage girls NOT to get abortions.”
Then he went on to say his church allows others to make their own choice, “I disagree with that view. .. We should have … a prohibition on abortion.”
“I don’t like coming on the air and having you come after my church… You’re trying to tell me I’m not a faithful Mormon!”
“I’m not running to talk about Mormonism.”
As governor, “I vetoed any bill that was in favor of choice.”
There’s your calm, cool, collected Mr. Moderate.
Danny Bishop on Dec 12, 2011:
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney appears in this video as he sat down with an Iowa radio talk show host when an “intense” conversation ensued. Mr. Romney has claimed (with Katie Couric) that he’d unwittingly been captured on hidden camera. There were in fact two camcorders in plain site, both on tripods.
H/t: @OFA_Jarryd, @ClarksonChuck
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