'Legitmate Rape'? - Right Wing Folly

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'Legitmate Rape'? - Right wing folly Aug 22, 2012
Anti-abortionist, Republican Congressman Todd Akin has caused a big stir in the States over his use of the term 'legitimate rape':

..on Sunday, he was asked by a local news station if he would support abortions for women who have been raped.

The 65-year-old lawmaker replied: "It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that is really rare.

"If it's a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."

The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists has said Mr Akin's claim "contradicts basic biological truths".


He is now asking for forgiveness and even Romney is encouraging him to drop out of the race for the Missouri seat.

However, a few editorials in the US point out that Akin's view are a 'widely held belief among many fierce abortion opponents':

A New York Times editorial says that while Republicans are distancing themselves from Akin's comments, his views "expose a widely held belief among many fierce abortion opponents that a rape exception will be abused by women whose rapes were not 'legitimate'".

The Washington Post expands on that argument, saying: "Unfortunately, Mr Akin's remarks are not the first, nor are they likely to be the last, in a long-running effort to downplay the horror of rape as a way to restrict access to abortion. What they're really saying is that not all rape victims are victims, and so we shouldn't worry if they have to deal with unwanted pregnancy."

And the Atlantic says proponents of no-exception anti-abortion policies have tried to downplay or deny the occurrence of rape- or incest-related pregnancies: "The idea that trauma is a form of birth control continues to be promulgated by anti-abortion forces that seek to outlaw all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest."

Meanwhile, the San Francisco Chronicle says Democrats are trying to link Mr Akin's comments to vice-presidential candidate Paul Ryan's position on abortion: "This is the Democratic National Committee playbook: Delegitimize a respectable position - that abortion is the taking of innocent life - not by refuting it but by assessing guilt by association."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-19339362

I wonder if anyone here would come out and support Akin's view? I certainly don't.

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Shafique

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Re: 'Legitmate Rape'? - Right wing folly Aug 22, 2012
I wonder if anyone here would come out and support Akin's view? I certainly don't.


That's kind of a silly question; this forum is about Dubai and all abortion is illegal with the exception of the mother's health with "significant restrictions" in the UAE.

http://www.pregnantpause.org/lex/world02.htm

Anyway, I find it odd someone opposed to choice is trying to portray himself as different from Todd Akins.
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Re: 'Legitmate Rape'? - Right Wing Folly Aug 22, 2012
I wasn't referring to whether abortion is legal in the UAE or not, but rather to Akin's extreme (and ill-informed) view on 'legitimate rape' - and what the editorials quoted say your fellow extremist American Christians believe in about 'downplaying the horror of rape'.

I don't support Akin's view.

(And to my knowledge you're the only anti-choice poster here, aren't you?)

Cheers,
Shafique
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Re: 'Legitmate Rape'? - Right Wing Folly Aug 22, 2012
I wasn't referring to whether abortion is legal in the UAE or not, but rather to Akin's extreme (and ill-informed) view on 'legitimate rape'


So you think Julian Assange is a rapist?

Your hero, Georgie-boy Galloway would disagree.
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Re: 'Legitmate Rape'? - Right Wing Folly Aug 22, 2012
You're getting your threads mixed up eh - this one is about a right-wing American anti-abortionist's view about 'legitimate rape'.

It sounds like you agree with him on this point (as well as his anti-abortionist stance).

For me, rape is rape. I have no idea whether Assange is a rapist or not, but I do know I don't agree with Akin or you on 'legitimate rape'.

Cheers,
Shafique
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Re: 'Legitmate Rape'? - Right Wing Folly Aug 22, 2012
You're getting your threads mixed up eh - this one is about a right-wing American anti-abortionist's view about 'legitimate rape'.


My guess is that Todd Akin would not view Julian Assange a legitimate rapist. Do you disagree?
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Re: 'Legitmate Rape'? - Right Wing Folly Aug 22, 2012
You are best place to guess what Akin's views are - I bow to your greater knowledge of your fellow right-wing Christian anti-abortionist's views.

I suggest that you try and stick to the thread's topic in future and try and stop the trolling.

Cheers,

Shafique
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Re: 'Legitmate Rape'? - Right Wing Folly Aug 23, 2012
Shaf, I was gobsmacked when I heard this guy talking about "legitimate rape" and explaining how if it was legitimate the body has a way of naturally getting rid of a pregnancy (micarriage) in those cases. So basically, any woman who becomes pregnant and doesn't miscarry wasn't "legitimately raped". What stupidity to make such a claim!
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