Rape Remark Was a Welcome Reminder

Sunday, October 28, 2012

I think we all owe a great debt of gratitude to Indiana GOP Senate candidate Richard Mourdock. No, really. I mean it. At a time when it was looking like people might start actually believing flimflam artist Mitt Romney's transparently false attempt to shake his Etch A Sketch and "tack to the center," someone like Mourdock comes along to remind us of what the Republican Party really stands for.

I've got to tell you, if I were Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus, I'd have sent out a memo months ago telling every GOP candidate for every elected office, from president to prom king: "For God's sake, if anyone brings up rape, change the subject!" Because it seems that anytime the subject comes up, some far-right ideologue manages to say something (a) stupid; or (b) downright horrifying.

Problem is, the difficult topic of rape keeps coming up. It forces the right to face one of the thornier problems of its stance against a woman's right to choose: Would you force a woman to carry a pregnancy to term if the pregnancy was the result of rape or incest?

Different candidates have dealt with this question in different ways. A few weeks ago, you had Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin, who dealt with the question by denying scientific reality and essentially making up his own. He claimed that he'd heard from doctors that pregnancies from rape are "really rare" - that "if it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

This led to a firestorm of indignation and well-deserved derision. While some on the right, particularly Mike Huckabee and the Family Research Council, defended Akin, the bulk of the party decided to back away from defending the idea that you could separate sexual assault into "legitimate" and "illegitimate" categories, not to mention the completely bogus notion that a woman's body provides a magic shield against becoming pregnant by rape if it's "legitimate."

At least they did at first. Now, it seems, some conservative Super PACs, such as Sen. Jim DeMint's Senate Conservatives Fund, are deciding to try to raise money for the guy who believes in "legitimate rape."

Just as the Akin furor was dying down and Mitt was playing at being a moderate once again by claiming, "There's no legislation with regard to abortion that I'm familiar with that would become part of my agenda" (after claiming he'd be a "proudly pro-life president" and promising to defund Planned Parenthood), along comes Mourdock.

Asked if there'd be any exception to his anti-choice stance, Mourdock allowed as how he'd graciously let a mother choose to live if her pregnancy might kill her. As for rape or incest, he said, "I think that even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen."

Really? A woman gets raped, her rapist makes her pregnant, and that's all part of God's perfect plan?

In addition to "legitimate rape," we're now supposed to believe in "rape with pregnancy intended by God"? I'm glad that, while I do believe in God, he's not a God that thinks women being made pregnant against their will is just what he intended. Such a God would be some kind of sadistic cosmic psychopath.

Mourdock, however, isn't getting the Akin treatment. The party is still sending him cash. No doubt the leadership reasoned, "Hey, if we start throwing every nutball under the bus after he says something stupid or offensive to women, pretty soon we won't have any candidates left."

Honorable John McCain said Mourdock should apologize, but then walked the demand back the very next day. As for Romney, even though spokeswoman Andrea Sauls asserted that "Gov. Romney disagrees with Richard Mourdock's comments, and they do not reflect his views," Lord Romney, the High Sheriff of Flip-Flopshire, has endorsed Mourdock.

He's even cut a campaign ad on his behalf that's running in Indiana right now. This is called "trying to have it both ways." It's also called "transparently cynical and unworthy of a man who claims he's a leader." Among other things.

So thank you, Mr. Mourdock. Thanks for reminding us, once again, of what the GOP really is: the home of right-wing religious crazies who try to parse and partition various "kinds" of rape, and the alleged moderates who have to grit their teeth and embrace them for political gain.

Meanwhile, I just voted for the president who says unequivocally, "Rape is rape," and that we don't want "politicians, mostly male, making decisions about women's health care decisions."

Dusty Rhoades lives, writes and practices law in Carthage. Contact him at dustyr@nc.rr.com.

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justpassingby2 6 months, 3 weeks ago

The republican party stands for tax breaks for the rich, wars where there is oil, lying, denial of human rights like at gitmo and places like Darfur where there is no oil. It stands for stupidity, hypocrisy, and rewarding big business for stealing and moving jobs out of the country. The republican party ignores the plight of our inner cities and public schools. They believe in, oh wait, holy crap, those are things OBAMA and the democrats apparently believe in because that's what obama gave us for 4 years! Hmmm..does mathews and madcow know about this because I know they sure were upset with that bush about the very exact same things. Called him the devil. mathews nearly had tears in his eyes when discussing the plight of the poor and $2 gas after those unfair tax breaks!

MikeNC 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Big Bird, Binders, Sandra Flucke and taxpayer funded birth control and abortions and now Senate candidate Richard Mourdock and dumb remarks while disregarding all the important American economic issues and also the administrations fiasco and cover up in Benghazi. You guys are on a roll...Keep it up! So predictable on your Sunday columns...negativity. Nothing to focus on what needs to be done to get our country back on track. No problem...Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan has 100% of the country in mind and their plan to lead our congress and nation back into common sense and reason and their plan evens includes you. Romney has mentioned on how Obama is concentrating on small things when BIG issues are on the agenda for him. Once again you and others verify that small thing fixation. You are stuck on stupid and negativity once again...Mike

by MikeNC

packwilleat 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Obama digs old white men, Dusty you sound like his type............

http://www.wnd.com/2012/09/claim-obama-hid-gay-life-to-become-president/

CC85 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Good article Dusty. The extreme views expressed by Mr. Mourdock are a reflection of today's GOP. They've sold their soul to the lunatic fringe of their party and it will deliver a 2nd straight defeat in the Presidential elections.

The Republican brand will be as good as dog food after November and they will have to redefine themselves in order to survive.

OldPilot 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Another brilliant comment from "packwilleat". Is he being sarcastic or serious? Does he believe the claptrap in the article he attaches? Guys like Mourdock and Akin are the gift that just keeps on giving. .

skylinefirepest 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Dusty R...what a silly write up! You seem to want Romney to apologize for the comment of some unknown politician but it's perfectly all right for obumma to ignore the stupid comments of the lunatic jokester Biden!!!

JimHeim 6 months, 3 weeks ago

firepest - Would that be the 'unknown politician' that Romney has endorsed? Why yes it is.

bufordsplay 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Obama knows about rape alright. He stood by and allowed our Ambassador to be RAPED ans MURDERED while he watched for seven hours!! The possablility that Obama did nothing because he did not want it to undermine his campaign of "We got Osama and Al Qaeda is on their heels?" If he is guily of that ,and I believe he is, then there is no punishment harsh enough! The deaths of those brave men rest solely on the shoulders of Obama but being the gutless coward that he is, he will continue to shift blame as he always does.

packwilleat 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Wow that's crazy, a republican endorsing another republican. Maybe they were so close of friends they got together and raped little puppies while worshipping satan.

packwilleat 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Oldpilot ~ there now maybe that was some clear sarcasm even your old eyes can see.

skylinefirepest 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Jimmy Heim...and who is obumma sticking with??? Ryan??? Why no, silly, he's sticking with the jokester himself, idiot Biden!!! Imagine that Jimmy!

nothingspecial 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Want the real story on this topic from a writer who - unlike this one - will actually cover the topic in an intellectually honest way?

I recommend Mona Charon's latest commentary:

Rape, God, and Liberals: The press continues to paint pro-life politicians as extremists. By Mona Charen

CONCLUSION QUOTE: "It’s obviously a ghastly thing for a woman to be raped and to find herself pregnant as a consequence. What Mourdock was saying, if inartfully, was that the child so conceived is innocent, and doesn’t deserve to die because of the crime of his or her father. He understands that this is a tough issue. It makes everyone horribly uncomfortable. But the liberal answer — abort the child or else be accused of approving of rape — is a slimy abuse of tragedy and a disgrace to civil discourse."

http://www.nationalreview.com/articles/331675/rape-god-and-liberals-mona-charen

fugitiveguy 6 months, 3 weeks ago

This provides an excellent contrast to the well constructed, civil, thought provoking piece by Mr Levy. So it is not entirely useless.

fugitiveguy 6 months, 3 weeks ago

http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2012/10/27/des-moines-register-endorses-romney/

For the first time in 40 years, Iowa's largest and most influential newspaper is backing a Republican for president.

OldPilot 6 months, 3 weeks ago

"packwilleat", your "sarcasm" and "references" are so obtuse that one can not tell if you are being serious or are just generally opposed to science, rational thinking and all manifestations of common sense, quoting Dilbert.

turntheothercheek 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Women have the right to health care, the same as men do. Men, and the far Right, do not have the right to make decisions on a woman’s body. Why is this a topic that is up for debate? It is sickening; we poor simple minded little women don't have the smarts to make up our own minds?
Please note I'm not saying Republicans, I'm saying the far right. As easy as it is to lump all republicans in together it simply isn't true. I have plenty of family and friends who are republicans, but believe in Gay Marriage, Women’s Rights, and all other kinds of crazy new wave ideas.
But, sadly, what my friends and family don't realize is that if they were to try to run for office, and be honest about their ideals, the Republican Party would not support them. This is one of the main problems with the Reps of today. I just can't figure out why the majority of the party doesn't realize what a bunch of hate mongers they are lumping themselves in with. All of these far Right should simply call themselves what they really are, either Tea-baggers, or what they really are which is a Hate Group. If the Reps really want to move forward, and represent "all 100%" of this country (which again, Romney is not, HE SAID IT HIMSELF, how can people still try to deny his 47% comment) then they need to step back and realize that a separation of their party is needed. To represent the country, you have to take into account the changes in the people.
LGBT members no longer have to hide their lifestyle in fear of being beaten or killed. Women no longer have to go to sketchy clinics, or resort to a coat hanger. And guess what, women and African Americans are now allowed to vote. So, supporting or defending people who make uneducated, dark aged comments are not helping your party! I think my own Grandfather, a hard core Republican, is rolling over in his grave at the hated his party now supports.

fugitiveguy 6 months, 3 weeks ago

"I think my own Grandfather, a hard core Republican, is rolling over in his grave at the hated his party now supports."

Then again, he might tell you to not be so darn gullible and believe all the garbage the left is distributing. He might tell you to be more concerned about the 16T national debt. He might tell you to be a little curious as to why big media is not more curious about what went down in Behghazi. He might tell you birth control pills are about $20/monthly or roughly 4 visits to Starbucks so stop whining about it.

The_AnonymusProfit 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Tra la la la la la, la la la la la, I here smurfs

SThomas826 6 months, 3 weeks ago

I agree, Dusty. And MikeNC, it's spelled "You're," a contraction of the two words "you" and "are," if you're trying to say, "You're stuck on stupid."

RmeMP 6 months, 3 weeks ago

But DR and his fellow libs have no problem with moochelle saying, "all this for a damn flag"...

You people are worse than excrement; but, that's ok - enjoy the next 8 days, because on the 9th, its game over for you delusional freaks :)

packwilleat 6 months, 3 weeks ago

Oldpilot ~ don't worry my friend, there will be somethings that you just can't comprehend. "I see poker is not your game, I know, how about a spelling contest?" Doc Holliday

Rape Remark Was a Welcome Reminder

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