Todd Palin and Todd Akin probably have more in common than their first names.  “Legitimate Rape” according to Todd Akin the Republican candidate for Senate in Missouri, often doesn’t result in pregnancy because women have a way to “shut things down.” Here is his actual statement:

This is the guy who is running against Claire McCaskill, the Democratic incumbent Senator from Missouri. Akin is the person who beat Sarah Steelman, endorsed by Sarah Palin, in the Missouri Senate race, because she was “hot.”

A “legitimate rape” is an oxymoron. By definition “legitimate” presumes something is proper or authorized by law.  “Rape” by definition is an unlawful act. It is the forceful use of force or threat to have sexual intercourse with another person.   I guess Mr. Akin meant that “Date Rape” wasn’t really “legitimate rape.” Do you think Mr. Akin would consider the four women in Utah who have reported being raped by Mr Peterson when they thought they were going on a date, to be “illegitimate rape?” Mr. Peterson is a member of the Latter Day Saints Church in Utah, and is a “prominent Republican activist.”

In fact one of his victims was at a Republican fundraiser hosted by a singles group of the local LDS Church.

Whatever your opinion regarding abortion, surely you oppose rape. Surely we would not elect anyone to the U.S. Senate who thinks that only actual injury or abuse would justify the criminal charge of “rape.

Estimates are that 9000 abortions in America, every year,  are the result of pregnancies due to rape. Those women would have liked to “shut things down” so that they could have avoided having the abortion, but didn’t have Todd Akin around to show them how. The sad truth is that one out of every six women in America have been the victim of an attempted or actual rape. Over 17 million women in America have been the victims of an attempted or completed rape. Fifteen percent of rape victims in America are under 12 years old.I wonder if those girls appreciate the nuances of a “legitimate” and “illegitimate” rape. Fortunately for them they probably don’t have to be knowledgeable about how to “shut things down” since they are too young to get pregnant.

Claire McCaskill has been a Senator committed to protecting the interest of the members of the military, and opposes earmarks of any type. She has served in the Senate for one term. Some people suggest the comments of Todd Akin will cost him some female votes. I am hopeful that his comments will cost him votes of both men and women, and ultimately the election. If you are interested in making a small donation to Senator McCaskill’s campaign, please join me this morning and go to this site.  It takes a credit card and 30 seconds.  Let Todd Akin know what you think about his comments.

Todd Akin obviously considers some types of rape to be “harmless crimes.” Perhaps the more appropriate oxymoron would be to call Todd Akin a “Republican woman’s advocate.”

 

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curioser sent us this link of a man appointed by Sarah Palin who seemed to share the same views as Akin.  Thanks curiouser for the link!

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