How do men with thinking like this even get elected into office? And how can anyone think he knows how a woman's body works? It's just completely embarrassing that there are people like this representing the people...
does this kind of news actually shock people!? ... c'mon ... the entire political landscape is dotted with morons ... everyone should be more pissed at themselves for allowing these idiots to control everything ...
does this kind of news actually shock people!? ... c'mon ... the entire political landscape is dotted with morons ... everyone should be more pissed at themselves for allowing these idiots to control everything ...
That's what shocking, that we vote these idiots into office...
I am assuming he may have been thinking of the different types of rape
when he said legitimate, as in statuary rape which is by law rape but can be consensual. Legitimate as far as the physical reactions he believes takes place in the body.
Not agreeing nor condoning his statement, just understanding what he meant,
nor am I into attacking him as some here are....
looks like the blue brigade showed up
I am pro choice not pro abortion.
Based on these comments and his past comments I think we're understanding him just fine.
Really no blue bias blinders?
say that three times fast
but it's the name of the blame game that our country is sinking into every election year
really every moment of every year...
so sad so sickening ...
let me know when everyone tires of this crap
and we, as in one, can try to turn the country around.
No, I assure you that if he was a liberal I would think he was just as stupid.
What blame game? He said it! Nobody forced him to say it. He didn't get trapped into saying it. These are his beliefs and what's sad is he represents thousands of people with these beliefs.
This show, another show, a show here and a show there.
Really no blue bias blinders?
say that three times fast
but it's the name of the blame game that our country is sinking into every election year
really every moment of every year...
so sad so sickening ...
let me know when everyone tires of this crap
and we, as in one, can try to turn the country around.
No, I assure you that if he was a liberal I would think he was just as stupid.
What blame game? He said it! Nobody forced him to say it. He didn't get trapped into saying it. These are his beliefs and what's sad is he represents thousands of people with these beliefs.
No I meant the blame game that continually goes on between
the red side and blue side in politics...
not pertaining to this incident... just in general across the news.
We are hot and heavy in it now.
Yes he does represent thousands with similar beliefs, interestingly.
I am assuming he may have been thinking of the different types of rape
when he said legitimate, as in statuary rape which is by law rape but can be consensual. Legitimate as far as the physical reactions he believes takes place in the body.
Not agreeing nor condoning his statement, just understanding what he meant,
nor am I into attacking him as some here are....
looks like the blue brigade showed up
I am pro choice not pro abortion.
this isn't about being blue, red or green.. this is about respecting women, not reporting things as fact when they aren't and pretty much making sure what you saw in public discourse is accurate. In this case he wasn't.. this is about right and wrong not left and right.. this guy was wrong to say what he said or even think this. It's a blight on his character and disrespectful to women and rape victims both men and women. Everyone understand what he meant.. it was an uneducated comment. He needs to shut his mouth unless he knows what he is talking about in the future. We can't let extremists (on both sides) state they think obama was responsible for shooting, that government should be run by only religious thinking and unfounded and stupid comments about something as serious as rape.
I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
ST. LOUIS • Republican U.S. Senate nominee Todd Akin said Sunday that women who are victims of "legitimate rape" generally won't get pregnant — an assertion that has no apparent medical weight but may carry some heavy political implications going into the fall election campaign.
U.S. Rep. Akin, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., made the comment during an interview on KTVI, the St. Louis Fox affiliate. In one part of the interview, Charles Jaco asked about Akin's stance against abortion rights even in cases of rape.
"First of all, from what I understand from doctors, (pregnancy) is really rare" in rape cases, Akin said, according to a video of the interview posted Sunday on YouTube. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."
He added: "But let's assume that maybe that didn't work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child."
McCaskill, whose campaign has pressed the case that Akin is too extreme a conservative, jumped on the comments. In a tweet shortly after the clip went online, McCaskill said: "As a woman & former prosecutor who handled 100s of rape cases, I'm stunned by Rep Akin's comments about victims this AM."
She later elaborated in a written statement issued by her campaign: "It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape. The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive."
Condemnation of the comments came not just because of the assertion — apparently baseless — that rape victims are unlikely to get pregnant because of some internal biological defense mechanism. Critics also were incensed at the implication that some rapes aren't "legitimate" rapes.
"The female body also has ways of shutting down your whole election," said Twitter user Michelle9647, in one of dozens of tweets — virtually all chiding Akin — that were posted under the hashtag #LegitimateRape within hours of the video's release.
Akin's campaign on Sunday issued a statement to reporters via email, and later on its website and on Twitter, specifying empathy for rape victims.
"In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year," said the statement. "Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve."
The statement continued: "I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action."
The statement didn't specifically retract Akin's assertion that rape victims are unlikely to become pregnant because of some biological defense mechanism, nor did it offer any source for that assertion. Akin's campaign, when pressed on that issue, said there would be no further statement Sunday.
While much in the abortion debate is debatable, Akin's contention about the rarity of rape-induced pregnancies isn't. Medical experts say that contention, touted in some corners of the anti-abortion movement, has no basis in science. Akin is on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
"There is no difference between people getting pregnant after rape — there's no biological barrier there," said Dr. Anthony Shanks, assistant professor of maternal fetal medicine at Washington University.
A 1996 study by the American Journal of Obstetricians reported a 'significant" rape-pregnancy rate of 5 percent among victims ages 12-45, with more than 32,000 rape-related pregnancies annually in the U.S.
It's not the first time Akin's strong views have created political problems for him. In 1991, Akin supported a law cracking down on marital rape but took criticism for worrying that it might be misused "in a real messy divorce as a tool and a legal weapon to beat up on the husband."
Last year, Akin co-sponsored a bill that would have limited federal help to pay for abortion for victims of only "forcible rape," drawing a furor from critics who asked what other kind there was. The language was ultimately dropped from the bill.
Sunday's controversy comes after a few controversial weeks for Akin. McCaskill's initial attacks against him after he became the GOP nominee on Aug. 7 accused him of wanting to privatize Medicare and Social Security and do away with federally backed college loans — prompting the unusual reaction from Akin's campaign of unapologetically confirming the substance of the attacks and standing by it.
Last week at the Missouri State Fair, Akin said he believed that the federal government should not only get out of all elementary education issues but should also drop school lunch subsidies for underserved children. McCaskill's response noted that such a move would hurt not only the children served by those meals, but also the farmers who ultimately provide the government with the food.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
local news is reporting today that gop higher ups are asking him to withdraw from the race.
:corn:
edit to add, anyone who went through sex ed in 5th grade should know that there is no auto shut off function in the female body. :fp:
He was born in 1947 did he get sex ed in fifth grade ?
Did he get any at all?
maybe, maybe not.. it doesn't matter.. Even if he forgot what he was taught at sex education it doesn't make it right... just plain ignorant. ignorant is ignorant and as a person in power like he is you would expect better most of the time..
I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
ST. LOUIS • Republican U.S. Senate nominee Todd Akin said Sunday that women who are victims of "legitimate rape" generally won't get pregnant — an assertion that has no apparent medical weight but may carry some heavy political implications going into the fall election campaign.
U.S. Rep. Akin, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., made the comment during an interview on KTVI, the St. Louis Fox affiliate. In one part of the interview, Charles Jaco asked about Akin's stance against abortion rights even in cases of rape.
"First of all, from what I understand from doctors, (pregnancy) is really rare" in rape cases, Akin said, according to a video of the interview posted Sunday on YouTube. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."
He added: "But let's assume that maybe that didn't work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child."
McCaskill, whose campaign has pressed the case that Akin is too extreme a conservative, jumped on the comments. In a tweet shortly after the clip went online, McCaskill said: "As a woman & former prosecutor who handled 100s of rape cases, I'm stunned by Rep Akin's comments about victims this AM."
She later elaborated in a written statement issued by her campaign: "It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape. The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive."
Condemnation of the comments came not just because of the assertion — apparently baseless — that rape victims are unlikely to get pregnant because of some internal biological defense mechanism. Critics also were incensed at the implication that some rapes aren't "legitimate" rapes.
"The female body also has ways of shutting down your whole election," said Twitter user Michelle9647, in one of dozens of tweets — virtually all chiding Akin — that were posted under the hashtag #LegitimateRape within hours of the video's release.
Akin's campaign on Sunday issued a statement to reporters via email, and later on its website and on Twitter, specifying empathy for rape victims.
"In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year," said the statement. "Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve."
The statement continued: "I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action."
The statement didn't specifically retract Akin's assertion that rape victims are unlikely to become pregnant because of some biological defense mechanism, nor did it offer any source for that assertion. Akin's campaign, when pressed on that issue, said there would be no further statement Sunday.
While much in the abortion debate is debatable, Akin's contention about the rarity of rape-induced pregnancies isn't. Medical experts say that contention, touted in some corners of the anti-abortion movement, has no basis in science. Akin is on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
"There is no difference between people getting pregnant after rape — there's no biological barrier there," said Dr. Anthony Shanks, assistant professor of maternal fetal medicine at Washington University.
A 1996 study by the American Journal of Obstetricians reported a 'significant" rape-pregnancy rate of 5 percent among victims ages 12-45, with more than 32,000 rape-related pregnancies annually in the U.S.
It's not the first time Akin's strong views have created political problems for him. In 1991, Akin supported a law cracking down on marital rape but took criticism for worrying that it might be misused "in a real messy divorce as a tool and a legal weapon to beat up on the husband."
Last year, Akin co-sponsored a bill that would have limited federal help to pay for abortion for victims of only "forcible rape," drawing a furor from critics who asked what other kind there was. The language was ultimately dropped from the bill.
Sunday's controversy comes after a few controversial weeks for Akin. McCaskill's initial attacks against him after he became the GOP nominee on Aug. 7 accused him of wanting to privatize Medicare and Social Security and do away with federally backed college loans — prompting the unusual reaction from Akin's campaign of unapologetically confirming the substance of the attacks and standing by it.
Last week at the Missouri State Fair, Akin said he believed that the federal government should not only get out of all elementary education issues but should also drop school lunch subsidies for underserved children. McCaskill's response noted that such a move would hurt not only the children served by those meals, but also the farmers who ultimately provide the government with the food.
I tell yah if I was a women in this country I would want to move ANYWHERE ELSE.. the men in power treat women and their issues like they know everything and therefore can rule on what they like and in some cases draw out bills to change scientific research and fact.. it's farcical.
I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
this very interesting the history behind the notion....
I stopped after I read medieval.. clearly anything that is outdated as medieval is something that has been ruled medically as incorrect more then once.
I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
I am assuming he may have been thinking of the different types of rape
when he said legitimate, as in statuary rape which is by law rape but can be consensual. Legitimate as far as the physical reactions he believes takes place in the body.
Not agreeing nor condoning his statement, just understanding what he meant,
nor am I into attacking him as some here are....
looks like the blue brigade showed up
I am pro choice not pro abortion.
this isn't about being blue, red or green.. this is about respecting women, not reporting things as fact when they aren't and pretty much making sure what you saw in public discourse is accurate. In this case he wasn't.. this is about right and wrong not left and right.. this guy was wrong to say what he said or even think this. It's a blight on his character and disrespectful to women and rape victims both men and women. Everyone understand what he meant.. it was an uneducated comment. He needs to shut his mouth unless he knows what he is talking about in the future. We can't let extremists (on both sides) state they think obama was responsible for shooting, that government should be run by only religious thinking and unfounded and stupid comments about something as serious as rape.
Actually I saw it as no disrespect. He believes a woman can not conceive unless aroused,
consensual as can happen in statutory rape etc. This what he means by legitimate rape,
that the rape would be an assault causing a woman's body to not allow a pregnancy.
Please read the origin of the his beliefs in the link I posted.
I disagree with "shutting one's mouth" as you say because I believe in the basic right
to freedom of speech in our great country and also the consequences that goes with that.
I am assuming he may have been thinking of the different types of rape
when he said legitimate, as in statuary rape which is by law rape but can be consensual. Legitimate as far as the physical reactions he believes takes place in the body.
Not agreeing nor condoning his statement, just understanding what he meant,
nor am I into attacking him as some here are....
looks like the blue brigade showed up
I am pro choice not pro abortion.
this isn't about being blue, red or green.. this is about respecting women, not reporting things as fact when they aren't and pretty much making sure what you saw in public discourse is accurate. In this case he wasn't.. this is about right and wrong not left and right.. this guy was wrong to say what he said or even think this. It's a blight on his character and disrespectful to women and rape victims both men and women. Everyone understand what he meant.. it was an uneducated comment. He needs to shut his mouth unless he knows what he is talking about in the future. We can't let extremists (on both sides) state they think obama was responsible for shooting, that government should be run by only religious thinking and unfounded and stupid comments about something as serious as rape.
Actually I saw it as no disrespect. He believes a woman can not conceive unless aroused,
consensual as can happen in statutory rape etc. This what he means by legitimate rape,
that the rape would be an assault causing a woman's body to not allow a pregnancy.
Please read the origin of the his beliefs in the link I posted.
I disagree with "shutting one's mouth" as you say because I believe in the basic right
to freedom of speech in our great country and also the consequences that goes with that.
freedom of speech in one thing.. but if it's bigoted or discriminatory I would say their right for free speech SHOULD be broken.
anyway.. he can believe what he likes but then their are the facts.. I can say I believe the sky is green when in actual fact it isn't. Clearly their have been countless pregnancies attributed to rape of every kind..
lastly, I have a problem with your use of consensual or statutory rape definition.. if they are of a certain age they can't give consent no matter if they don't say no, or if they say yes, or if they make the first move... it's all rape and shouldn't be split into different definitions.
I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
this very interesting the history behind the notion....
I stopped after I read medieval.. clearly anything that is outdated as medieval is something that has been ruled medically as incorrect more then once.
but we see it is still some people's beliefs...
I understand the mechanics of getting pregnant, the hows and the whys,
some do not.
This man believes that under the great stress of rape, when in the form of an assault,
the woman's body would not allow a pregnancy. The statistics to support this, either for or against,
are hard to prove as so many rapes go unreported.
Another thing that's shocking (yet not shocking) is that Pandora is supposedly a female and is defending this guy... What does that say about how idiots like this get into office?
Another thing that's shocking (yet not shocking) is that Pandora is supposedly a female and is defending this guy... What does that say about how idiots like this get into office?
it is understandingnot defending nor condoning
I realize understanding is not a concept you understand
Do you think your little personal jab there isn't a jab when you put a smilie in?
freedom of speech in one thing.. but if it's bigoted or discriminatory I would say their right for free speech SHOULD be broken.
anyway.. he can believe what he likes but then their are the facts.. I can say I believe the sky is green when in actual fact it isn't. Clearly their have been countless pregnancies attributed to rape of every kind..
lastly, I have a problem with your use of consensual or statutory rape definition.. if they are of a certain age they can't give consent no matter if they don't say no, or if they say yes, or if they make the first move... it's all rape and shouldn't be split into different definitions.
Our right to freedom of speech should not be tampered with...
tell that to the young man of eighteen who just made love to his future bride who is 16...
yes in the eyes of the law true... in the heart of young woman's body ... not so much so.
this very interesting the history behind the notion....
I stopped after I read medieval.. clearly anything that is outdated as medieval is something that has been ruled medically as incorrect more then once.
but we see it is still some people's beliefs...
I understand the mechanics of getting pregnant, the hows and the whys,
some do not.
This man believes that under the great stress of rape, when in the form of an assault,
the woman's body would not allow a pregnancy. The statistics to support this, either for or against,
are hard to prove as so many rapes go unreported.
yeah well I haven't got time for people who believe in things that have been proven wrong again and again and in the process seem to alienate a whole bunch of people. Our politicians have got a lot of power over us small people and shouldn't they make sure what they say in public is correct information? They have a lot of influence.. hence tea baggers believe Obama is Muslim (therefore he shouldn't be president). This was an irresponsible comment.
rape isn't about force it's about consent and consent only.
I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
Another thing that's shocking (yet not shocking) is that Pandora is supposedly a female and is defending this guy... What does that say about how idiots like this get into office?
it is understandingnot defending nor condoning
I realize understanding is not a concept you understand
Do you think your little personal jab there isn't a jab when you put a smilie in?
smilies do not change a message they add to a message yes?
Another thing that's shocking (yet not shocking) is that Pandora is supposedly a female and is defending this guy... What does that say about how idiots like this get into office?
I was thinking the same thing. I was also shocked that she was suggesting that those of us who are baffled as to how he felt it was ok to say those things have "blue bias blinders" and are just shocked because we're democrats.
Which I guess proved "democrat" means "not a moron" in this case.
freedom of speech in one thing.. but if it's bigoted or discriminatory I would say their right for free speech SHOULD be broken.
anyway.. he can believe what he likes but then their are the facts.. I can say I believe the sky is green when in actual fact it isn't. Clearly their have been countless pregnancies attributed to rape of every kind..
lastly, I have a problem with your use of consensual or statutory rape definition.. if they are of a certain age they can't give consent no matter if they don't say no, or if they say yes, or if they make the first move... it's all rape and shouldn't be split into different definitions.
oh boy are you one of those? :?
tell that to the young man of eighteen who just made love to his future bride who is 16...
yes in the eyes of the law true... in the heart of young woman's body ... not so much so.
Yes I'm one of those people..
well if you ARE ONE OF THOSE people who want to redefine the laws of adulhood and make it legal to have sex with anybody then jebus help us.
BTW in NJ a 18 year old can have sex with a 16 year old unless they are a teacher, family member or some authority figure.
Post edited by Zoso on
I'm just flying around the other side of the world to say I love you
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
Another thing that's shocking (yet not shocking) is that Pandora is supposedly a female and is defending this guy... What does that say about how idiots like this get into office?
I was thinking the same thing. I was also shocked that she was suggesting that those of us who are baffled as to how he felt it was ok to say those things have "blue bias blinders" and are just shocked because we're democrats.
Which I guess proved "democrat" means "not a moron" in this case.
She paints everything blue and red, rather than human, not human, woman, man, etc. Being stuck on the colors only keeps America separate by party rather than focusing on human issues with actual solutions.
Actually I saw it as no disrespect. He believes a woman can not conceive unless aroused,
consensual as can happen in statutory rape etc. This what he means by legitimate rape,
that the rape would be an assault causing a woman's body to not allow a pregnancy.
Please read the origin of the his beliefs in the link I posted.
I disagree with "shutting one's mouth" as you say because I believe in the basic right
to freedom of speech in our great country and also the consequences that goes with that.
there is no scientific basis for his beliefs. he is passing this off as proven science. please stop defending him for doing that.
"You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry." - Lincoln
I stopped after I read medieval.. clearly anything that is outdated as medieval is something that has been ruled medically as incorrect more then once.
but we see it is still some people's beliefs...
I understand the mechanics of getting pregnant, the hows and the whys,
some do not.
This man believes that under the great stress of rape, when in the form of an assault,
the woman's body would not allow a pregnancy. The statistics to support this, either for or against,
are hard to prove as so many rapes go unreported.
yeah well I haven't got time for people who believe in things that have been proven wrong again and again and in the process seem to alienate a whole bunch of people. Our politicians have got a lot of power over us small people and shouldn't they make sure what they say in public is correct information? They have a lot of influence.. hence tea baggers believe Obama is Muslim (therefore he shouldn't be president). This was an irresponsible comment.
rape isn't about force it's about consent and consent only.
Yes are you contradicting yourself? :? I think that is exactly this mans thought
but not necessarily defined within the law.
I believe rape is also force not just consent.
Again these are beliefs, opinions, and a smart voter sees this and does not take it as fact.
Comments
Did he get any at all?
Like I said, he can espouse his view on abortion without dragging rape survivors down along the way.
"I need your strength for me to be strong...I need your love to feel loved"
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
That's what shocking, that we vote these idiots into office...
No, I assure you that if he was a liberal I would think he was just as stupid.
What blame game? He said it! Nobody forced him to say it. He didn't get trapped into saying it. These are his beliefs and what's sad is he represents thousands of people with these beliefs.
the red side and blue side in politics...
not pertaining to this incident... just in general across the news.
We are hot and heavy in it now.
Yes he does represent thousands with similar beliefs, interestingly.
this isn't about being blue, red or green.. this is about respecting women, not reporting things as fact when they aren't and pretty much making sure what you saw in public discourse is accurate. In this case he wasn't.. this is about right and wrong not left and right.. this guy was wrong to say what he said or even think this. It's a blight on his character and disrespectful to women and rape victims both men and women. Everyone understand what he meant.. it was an uneducated comment. He needs to shut his mouth unless he knows what he is talking about in the future. We can't let extremists (on both sides) state they think obama was responsible for shooting, that government should be run by only religious thinking and unfounded and stupid comments about something as serious as rape.
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
Akin says 'legitimate' rape won't cause pregnancy
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/govt ... 0f31a.html
ST. LOUIS • Republican U.S. Senate nominee Todd Akin said Sunday that women who are victims of "legitimate rape" generally won't get pregnant — an assertion that has no apparent medical weight but may carry some heavy political implications going into the fall election campaign.
U.S. Rep. Akin, who is challenging incumbent Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., made the comment during an interview on KTVI, the St. Louis Fox affiliate. In one part of the interview, Charles Jaco asked about Akin's stance against abortion rights even in cases of rape.
"First of all, from what I understand from doctors, (pregnancy) is really rare" in rape cases, Akin said, according to a video of the interview posted Sunday on YouTube. "If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."
He added: "But let's assume that maybe that didn't work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child."
McCaskill, whose campaign has pressed the case that Akin is too extreme a conservative, jumped on the comments. In a tweet shortly after the clip went online, McCaskill said: "As a woman & former prosecutor who handled 100s of rape cases, I'm stunned by Rep Akin's comments about victims this AM."
She later elaborated in a written statement issued by her campaign: "It is beyond comprehension that someone can be so ignorant about the emotional and physical trauma brought on by rape. The ideas that Todd Akin has expressed about the serious crime of rape and the impact on its victims are offensive."
Condemnation of the comments came not just because of the assertion — apparently baseless — that rape victims are unlikely to get pregnant because of some internal biological defense mechanism. Critics also were incensed at the implication that some rapes aren't "legitimate" rapes.
"The female body also has ways of shutting down your whole election," said Twitter user Michelle9647, in one of dozens of tweets — virtually all chiding Akin — that were posted under the hashtag #LegitimateRape within hours of the video's release.
Akin's campaign on Sunday issued a statement to reporters via email, and later on its website and on Twitter, specifying empathy for rape victims.
"In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks, it's clear that I misspoke in this interview and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year," said the statement. "Those who perpetrate these crimes are the lowest of the low in our society and their victims will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve."
The statement continued: "I recognize that abortion, and particularly in the case of rape, is a very emotionally charged issue. But I believe deeply in the protection of all life and I do not believe that harming another innocent victim is the right course of action."
The statement didn't specifically retract Akin's assertion that rape victims are unlikely to become pregnant because of some biological defense mechanism, nor did it offer any source for that assertion. Akin's campaign, when pressed on that issue, said there would be no further statement Sunday.
While much in the abortion debate is debatable, Akin's contention about the rarity of rape-induced pregnancies isn't. Medical experts say that contention, touted in some corners of the anti-abortion movement, has no basis in science. Akin is on the House Science, Space and Technology Committee.
"There is no difference between people getting pregnant after rape — there's no biological barrier there," said Dr. Anthony Shanks, assistant professor of maternal fetal medicine at Washington University.
A 1996 study by the American Journal of Obstetricians reported a 'significant" rape-pregnancy rate of 5 percent among victims ages 12-45, with more than 32,000 rape-related pregnancies annually in the U.S.
It's not the first time Akin's strong views have created political problems for him. In 1991, Akin supported a law cracking down on marital rape but took criticism for worrying that it might be misused "in a real messy divorce as a tool and a legal weapon to beat up on the husband."
Last year, Akin co-sponsored a bill that would have limited federal help to pay for abortion for victims of only "forcible rape," drawing a furor from critics who asked what other kind there was. The language was ultimately dropped from the bill.
Sunday's controversy comes after a few controversial weeks for Akin. McCaskill's initial attacks against him after he became the GOP nominee on Aug. 7 accused him of wanting to privatize Medicare and Social Security and do away with federally backed college loans — prompting the unusual reaction from Akin's campaign of unapologetically confirming the substance of the attacks and standing by it.
Last week at the Missouri State Fair, Akin said he believed that the federal government should not only get out of all elementary education issues but should also drop school lunch subsidies for underserved children. McCaskill's response noted that such a move would hurt not only the children served by those meals, but also the farmers who ultimately provide the government with the food.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
maybe, maybe not.. it doesn't matter.. Even if he forgot what he was taught at sex education it doesn't make it right... just plain ignorant. ignorant is ignorant and as a person in power like he is you would expect better most of the time..
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
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this very interesting the history behind the notion....
and the radio just said he is standing by his comments and his position :fp:
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
I tell yah if I was a women in this country I would want to move ANYWHERE ELSE.. the men in power treat women and their issues like they know everything and therefore can rule on what they like and in some cases draw out bills to change scientific research and fact.. it's farcical.
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
I stopped after I read medieval.. clearly anything that is outdated as medieval is something that has been ruled medically as incorrect more then once.
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
consensual as can happen in statutory rape etc. This what he means by legitimate rape,
that the rape would be an assault causing a woman's body to not allow a pregnancy.
Please read the origin of the his beliefs in the link I posted.
I disagree with "shutting one's mouth" as you say because I believe in the basic right
to freedom of speech in our great country and also the consequences that goes with that.
freedom of speech in one thing.. but if it's bigoted or discriminatory I would say their right for free speech SHOULD be broken.
anyway.. he can believe what he likes but then their are the facts.. I can say I believe the sky is green when in actual fact it isn't. Clearly their have been countless pregnancies attributed to rape of every kind..
lastly, I have a problem with your use of consensual or statutory rape definition.. if they are of a certain age they can't give consent no matter if they don't say no, or if they say yes, or if they make the first move... it's all rape and shouldn't be split into different definitions.
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
I understand the mechanics of getting pregnant, the hows and the whys,
some do not.
This man believes that under the great stress of rape, when in the form of an assault,
the woman's body would not allow a pregnancy. The statistics to support this, either for or against,
are hard to prove as so many rapes go unreported.
it is understanding not defending nor condoning
Do you think your little personal jab there isn't a jab when you put a smilie in?
tell that to the young man of eighteen who just made love to his future bride who is 16...
yes in the eyes of the law true... in the heart of young woman's body ... not so much so.
yeah well I haven't got time for people who believe in things that have been proven wrong again and again and in the process seem to alienate a whole bunch of people. Our politicians have got a lot of power over us small people and shouldn't they make sure what they say in public is correct information? They have a lot of influence.. hence tea baggers believe Obama is Muslim (therefore he shouldn't be president). This was an irresponsible comment.
rape isn't about force it's about consent and consent only.
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
:corn:
Reported
I was thinking the same thing. I was also shocked that she was suggesting that those of us who are baffled as to how he felt it was ok to say those things have "blue bias blinders" and are just shocked because we're democrats.
Which I guess proved "democrat" means "not a moron" in this case.
Yes I'm one of those people..
well if you ARE ONE OF THOSE people who want to redefine the laws of adulhood and make it legal to have sex with anybody then jebus help us.
BTW in NJ a 18 year old can have sex with a 16 year old unless they are a teacher, family member or some authority figure.
Sha la la la i'm in love with a jersey girl
I love you forever and forever
Adel 03 Melb 1 03 LA 2 06 Santa Barbara 06 Gorge 1 06 Gorge 2 06 Adel 1 06 Adel 2 06 Camden 1 08 Camden 2 08 Washington DC 08 Hartford 08
She paints everything blue and red, rather than human, not human, woman, man, etc. Being stuck on the colors only keeps America separate by party rather than focusing on human issues with actual solutions.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
but not necessarily defined within the law.
I believe rape is also force not just consent.
Again these are beliefs, opinions, and a smart voter sees this and does not take it as fact.