Let’s talk about Ron Paul. Ron Paul is the Kucinich of the right. He is a strange, elfin little man who says many things that are out of the mainstream of political discourse. Occasionally, he stumbles upon an essential truth and for that he is valuable. Then he goes on tv and, when asked if he would support a family member receiving emergency contraception or an abortion after a rape, he says this:
“If it’s an honest rape, that individual should go immediately to the emergency room, I would give them a shot of estrogen.”
I’ll give you a moment to pick up the tiny pieces of exploded head that are littering your computer keyboard right now.
I’m not going to rehash the politics of abortion and why Paul is out of line for denying the choice to be pregnancy-free for women who were denied the choice to refuse sex. Nor am I going to berate him, a gynecologist, for not knowing about the fancy new-fangled technology of oral emergency contraception. Instead, I am going to make this blanket statement: the only thing men should be allowed to discuss within the topic of rape is developing programs to teach other men that rape is criminal. The thesis statement for such a program should be “If you are even a little unsure that your partner wants to engage in sexual activity with you, you should go home and masturbate.”
Next we have some sub-group of the conservative American Family Association calling themselves One Million Moms (which is way too close to the name of this blog and makes me annoyed because it’s all about me) who is mad at JC Penney for hiring Ellen DeGeneres as a spokesperson. They seem to think that Ellen fans are a weird fringe minority and not representative of the wholesome, non-gay families who really shop at JC Penney.
I’d like to take an informal poll here. Who would you rather have a beer with? Ellen DeGeneres or some uptight right-winger who thinks Ellen is a big old pervert? Yeah. Me too. And I’m going to keep shopping at JC Penney because their maternity jeans fit me well. So there. And I should also DVR Ellen.
Finally, Rick “Frothy Mix” Santorum won three primaries last night. WTF?
Definitely all WTF items. I keep wondering when people will realize how ludicrous this stuff is. I can’t understand the thinking behind these people.
I really don’t know what an honest rape is. I think what he meant (again, WTF do I know?) is that if its just a girl who wants an abortion and using rape as an excuse, well then it’s a “dishonest rape.”
I can only try and understand the workings of a mad man.
That being said, if abortion is outlawed and you can only get it if you say you were raped, what are the social implications of that. Do women who are desperate say they were raped even if they weren’t? Do the police get involved in ever situation where a woman needs an abortion? Is she required to provide the name of the “rapist” with details?
It just seems completely not thought out. AT. ALL.
May I just chime in that it is one of my Pet Peeves, this solemnly questioning the male candidates about What If It Happened To Your Wife? (See: Dukakis, Michael.) Leaving aside the issue of whether a person who does not own a uterus should be weighing in on how best to make use of same, the whole premise of the question pisses me off because: compassion, people. It’s not just for the women you deem worthy and so the answer to the question (which is, I believe, about abortion rights) shouldn’t depend on the identity of the uterus’s owner.
well said – as usual.
people just make my head hurt. honestly – wtf is wrong with people???
Oh, I need to move. Siberia sounds nice right about now…
When are the level-headed, non-fanatic, moderates going to step up and castigate these fringe groups for dividing this country? I am a rabid liberal, but I don’t believe that I should force the world to think as I do. Stop trying to force your whacked out (conservative, liberal, religious, atheist, capitalist, socialist) views on everyone else. Sheesh!!!
All of these things are seriously messed up, but I thought I was being punked when I saw the Santorum business.
An “honest” rape? You really can’t make this shit up, can you? As for those “One Million” moms, this was my take on their boycott threat:
Funny, I didn’t hear this outcry when Ellen became spokeswoman for Cover Girl. Oh, sure. It’s easy to just go shop at another store. Not so easy to find a great mascara, is it ladies?
Santorum: There’s no underestimating the stupidity of the American voter.
Paul has a policy for separating the Honest Rapes from the Asking For Its.
I will try to google him as a Judge in Pa. later today and see what I get. Surely the localelectorate when appraised of his conduct could start a recall which could cause the powersthat be to act………………..William