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Loading...GOP Rep. Akin: Women Can’t Get Pregnant by ‘Legitimate’ Rape (Video)
Missouri GOP Senate candidate and U.S. Rep. Todd Akin has a novel reason to oppose abortion even in cases of rape.
“From what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare,” Akin told KTVI-TV in an interview. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.”
Akin went on to add, “But let’s assume maybe that didn’t work or something. I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be on the rapist.”
Completely wrong
Of course, Akin is completely wrong about women being able to magically prevent pregnancy using mind powers activated when they are “legitimately” raped. The adult pregnancy rate for rape victims is estimated at 4.7 percent, and there is no mechanism known that would prevent women from getting pregnant when raped.
Such a statement seems obvious — if women could stop pregnancy with magic, they would save a bundle on contraception. Akin didn’t just completely ignore everything known about human biology, though; he also managed to insinuate that the vast majority of women who became pregnant as a result of rape were not “legitimately raped.” That is to say, Akin is saying if you were raped and got pregnant, you really wanted it.
Major Senate challenger
Rep. Akin, R-Mo., is challenging Sen. Claire McKaskill, D-Mo., in a closely-watched race that could determine which party controls the Senate in 2013. Akin, a far-right conservative, won a three-way primary for the right to challenge McKaskill, who has been seen as one of the Democrats’ most vulnerable incumbents.
Abortion rights are not the only issue where Akin has made questionable comments. On Thursday, Akin came out against federal funding for the school lunch program, which benefits 34 million students throughout the country, including millions who use the federal subsidy to meet their basic nutritional requirements. Akin also has said that the only reason Congress hasn’t impeached President Barack Obama is that they are “not quite mad enough,” and that liberals have a “hatred for God.”
Watch the Video
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Read more: 2012 election, abortion rights, Claire McKaskill, Todd Akin, war on women, Women's rights
Image Credit: Donkey Hotey
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204 comments
+ add your ownSo Akin truly believes he can have sex with anyone against her will call it illegimate rape and get away with it? He is kinda scary if you ask me. Who in their right mind would agree with HIM?
If she doesn't say yes, or obviously consent, it's legitimate rape.
Rather than making laws that limit what rape victims do, why aren't they making laws about rapists?
@ Debbie : May I point out that your People already voted into office an ignorant President in the past, namely Georges W. Bush. I wouldn't put it past your voters to elect another one.
As for the GOP, aka "Gand Old Party"... maybe it's time to stop naming them that way. Because grand they are not.
As for Akin, it is quite obvious he is the result of a Christian Taliban (thanks Stanley R.), anti Science upbrigning. For him not to understant basic biology is pathetic.
Is this what all average UniteStaters will sound like in the next generation ?
Heaven help us !!
As for God in all of this... not sure He/She/It is very proud right now !
You can get pregnant in a car.
You can get pregnant in a bar.
You can get pregnant on a hill.
You can get pregnant on the pill.
You can get pregnant near or far
It doesn’t matter who you are.
You can get pregnant in a house.
You can get pregnant by a louse.
You can get pregnant here or there.
You can get pregnant anywhere.
In a plane or on a train,
In a box or with a fox.
Standing up or sitting down,
It matters not when sperm’s around.
You can get pregnant if you are raped
Science truths you can’t escape.
I do not like the awful lies
That hurt the ones whom it implies
Can control their own conception
By “legitimate rape” sperm detection.
You should not lead our sacred land
If anti-science is your plan.
I do not like what you are sayin’,
I do not like it, Mr. Akin.
~ Christy Caine
http://leap-of-fate.com/2012/08/24/the-talk/
Posted by 'Nameless' on another site. Quite good really.
"You cannot currently send a star to Stanley because you have done so within the last week."
WONDER WHAT HE WOULD SAY IF HIS DAUGHTER WAS RAPED AND IMPREGNATED. PHONY BS RHETORIC? I DON'T THINK SO. HYPOCRITE, BETTER CLOSELY WATCH OVER FEMALES IN HIS FAMILY.
The GOP are twisted, ignorant hillbilly yahoos who would like to outlaw abortion totally. They are the far right wing Christian Taliban, the rabid ultra-conservative zealots, the TParty fundamentalists whop would have the USA revert to the 18th Century if they had their way.
I write from Britain where politicians of all parties seem to have a totally different understanding about rape than is prevalent in America’s Republican Party. I have never heard of any rape being classified as legitimate. Rape is brutal, horrific, unlawful and the revulsion rightfully accorded to such a crime results in an average British prison sentence for guilty perpetrators of eight years. How can Todd Akin state calmly that women’s bodies have a mechanism for shutting down this kind of thing? It is important that he is challenged to explain this statement carefully. This is just as much a junk statement as is classifying some rape as legitimate. Rape implies unlawful and excessive force and studies have shown that the majority of rapists show either feelings of anger towards women or self-perceived feelings of inadequacy leading to the use of extreme coercion (Groth and Burgess).
Does Akin have any idea what it would be like to be attacked violently? I guess not. Does he have any compassion for women who have experienced this? I guess not. Does he have any understanding of what it must be like to be treated as an object rather than a human being? I guess not. Does he really understand how a woman might feel at carrying a baby that was conceived by a horrific and violent act? I certainly guess not. I am appalled at how little understanding that the GOP have of half the population in the world, namely females.
Wow... he should step down. We don't want an ignorant man like that to lead us.
What, exactly, is a legitimate rape. ? The rest of his comment is just as ridiculous. Men should have NO VOTE when it comes to ANY ruling regarding WOMEN'S bodies..... unless they want WOMEN to make rulings about MEN'S bodies. That would be a fair exchange. Women.... do we want all men neutered after a certain age ?
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