Akin and His Critics

[mikesilvia]

Todd Akin would do his party and his country a service by stepping aside. The rest of the campaign will be dominated by this side issue, possibly denying Republicans a key Senate seat. To use the words "legitimate" and "rape" in the same phrase betrays a serious lack of judgment. Only about 1 percent of women undergoing abortions report that they were raped, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute. One percent is not zero.That much having been said, I must offer a mild dissent to the widespread view expressed by both Republicans and Democrats that what Akin said was...

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[habsheaven]

I actually kind of agree with this article. I knew what Akin was trying to say by using the word "legitimate". And I don't think it is out of the realm for him to think what he was saying was true. I have to reserve judgement on whether or not doctors actually told him that though.

[Wickabee]

I actually kind of agree with this article. I knew what Akin was trying to say by using the word "legitimate". And I don't think it is out of the realm for him to think what he was saying was true. I have to reserve judgement on whether or not doctors actually told him that though.

I agree. I don't know why everyone is focused on "legitimate". They should be focusing on what he said and the fact that, while he's so uneducated about women on a clinical level, he's still in a position to make decisions regarding their bodies.
I don't care if a doctor once told him or not. It's not right to have any position of power and be that stupid.

[JustAlex]

I agree. I don't know why everyone is focused on "legitimate". They should be focusing on what he said and the fact that, while he's so uneducated about women on a clinical level, he's still in a position to make decisions regarding their bodies.
I don't care if a doctor once told him or not. It's not right to have any position of power and be that stupid.

OK, I think I can explain a little.

You see, there are people who think that not ALL rape is "legitimate rape".

For example, "Date Rape" to some people is not real, legitimate rape......nor is "Marital Rape".

People like Akin and other Republicans think the ONLY "Legitimate rape" is the very violent kind where a man beats a woman into submission and violates her in a very brutal way.

Any other type of "rape" is not real.....at least in their nonsense world.

[Wickabee]

OK, I think I can explain a little.

You see, there are people who think that not ALL rape is "legitimate rape".

For example, "Date Rape" to some people is not real, legitimate rape......nor is "Marital Rape".

People like Akin and other Republicans think the ONLY "Legitimate rape" is the very violent kind where a man beats a woman into submission and violates her in a very brutal way.

Any other type of "rape" is not real.....at least in their nonsense world.

So you're saying he said date rape won't end in pregnancy because etc?

[JustAlex]

So you're saying he said date rape won't end in pregnancy because etc?

No, no....Akin said that "Legitimate rape" won't end up in pregnancy because the female body will "shut down".

In other words, other rape (such as Date rape, Marital rape) are NOT "Legitimate rape" because the women did NOT "shut down".

It's literally the stupidest thing I've ever heard in terms of rape.

[Wickabee]

No, no....Akin said that "Legitimate rape" won't end up in pregnancy because the female body will "shut down".

In other words, other rape (such as Date rape, Marital rape) are NOT "Legitimate rape" because the women did NOT "shut down".

It's literally the stupidest thing I've ever heard in terms of rape.

Sorry, yes that's what I meant.

This whole idea of legitimate rape as you've explained it is ridiculous. In my mind "legitimate" means "actual" and what he was saying was if rape ends in a pregnancy she wanted to have sex and it wasn't actually rape.


I'm not sure which is stupider.

[habsheaven]

I am sure when he said "legitimate" rape he was referring to "actual" rape. I do not think he was separating it from statutory rape, date rape, or consenting sex that got out of hand. He was separating it from women "claiming" rape in order to get an abortion with no hassle.