Friday, January 25, 2013

The crazy world of Republican myths about rape

One might say that a major contributor to the defeat of at least two Republican candidates for the Senate was . . . rape.   Or, rather, their crazy ideas about rape.

Todd Akins of Missouri, initially favored to defeat incumbant Claire McCaskill, killed his chances when he opined that pregnancy as a result of rape is very rare, because women's bodies have a way of shutting the process down.

Richard Mourdock lost his senate race in Indiana after claiming that any pregnancy, even including those resulting from rape, was part of God's plan.  This was his explanation for why he opposes including an exception for rape in his anti-abortion stance.   Actually, I think that is a principled stand -- if you really believe abortion is killing a person, this is the logical outcome.

So which is it:   Pregnacy by rape can't happen?    Or it's God's plan?

Well now, another Republican has weighed in on this, making it 2 to 1:   rape can lead to pregnancy.   But hold on, this one is even crazier.

Rep. Cathrynn Brown, a Republican in the New Mexico legislature, has introduced a bill that would make it a crime for a woman to have an abortion following rape.   Here's the wording:
“Tampering with evidence shall include procuring or facilitating an abortion, or compelling or coercing another to obtain an abortion, of a fetus that is the result of criminal sexual penetration or incest with the intent to destroy evidence of the crime."
You read that right.    If a woman is raped and becomes pregnant, she must carry it to term because having an abortion would be destroying the evidence of the rape.

Who is giving the prize for craziest, wild myths about rape and pregnancy?   It sure seems like they're all trying to outdo the last nutty idea.

Ralph

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