The state of Missouri has been in the national spotlight recently because of comments made by Republican Congressman Todd Akin who claimed that raped women rarely get pregnant. After his statements hit the Internet, immediate outrage burned across the country. Akin later apologized, but his statements have rekindled a nationwide debate. One that republicans desperately do not want to have, lest they alienate a wide majority of female voters.
Sharon Barnes, a high ranking state Republican, came to the defense of her conservative colleague who she believes only "phrased it (his statement) badly." Barnes was quoted by The New York Times saying, "abortion is never an option." Barnes went on to biblically claim that, "If God has chosen to bless this person (The Rape Victim) with a life, you don’t kill it." Barnes did not elaborate on her views for post-pregnancy care, or costs.
Barnes has been a figure in conservative St. Louis politics for years, and currently holds all of the following titles according to her Linkedin profile:
President of The 2nd Congressional District Republican Women President of The Republican Women's Club of St. Louis Vice President, Membership Committee at National Federation Of Republican Women Vice President of The Missouri Federation of Republican Women Chairman of The St. Louis City Republican Central Committee State Committeewoman, 4th Senate District at Missouri Republican Party Committeewoman, 24th Ward at Missouri Republican Party Volunteer at GOP Missouri Republican Party
As her comments become more known the GOP will attempt to spin Barnes' clout in the party as little, when in reality she is a big player behind the scenes.
If God meant to bless that woman with THAT particular combination of sperm and egg, would He make the rapist a nice guy with whom the woman wanted to have sex. Why would He in His supposedly infinite power choose rape?
Oh wait. Let me guess. It's divine punishment for some sort of sin the woman committed. Am I right?
Keep it coming! I hope they all come out of hiding with these hideous beliefs and are seen for what they are - morons - and promptly dispatched to unelected/unappointed obscurity.
Post by basilosaurus on Aug 21, 2012 18:24:27 GMT -5
This is why I'm not all up in arms about Akin. His pov exactly new in pro life circles. He just forgot to dog whistle this time. I'm glad people are finally taking notice
Post by cattledogkisses on Aug 21, 2012 18:25:42 GMT -5
This stuff kills me even more when it comes from other women.
I'd guess that none of these people, male or female, have ever been raped, or had a close friend or family member who was raped. I need to believe that the only possible way someone could think like this is because they don't understand what an immense physical and mental trauma rape is.
This stuff kills me even more when it comes from other women.
I'd guess that none of these people, male or female, have ever been raped, or had a close friend or family member who was raped. I need to believe that the only possible way someone could think like this is because they don't understand what an immense physical and mental trauma rape is.
Not having a close acquaintance that was raped is no excuse to stall one's empathy. It's their definition of god that's to blame.
This is why I'm not all up in arms about Akin. His pov exactly new in pro life circles. He just forgot to dog whistle this time. I'm glad people are finally taking notice
Seriously.
Did anyone read what Huckabee said in defense,
Paraphrase: "a lot of great people were born from rape."
This stuff kills me even more when it comes from other women.
I'd guess that none of these people, male or female, have ever been raped, or had a close friend or family member who was raped. I need to believe that the only possible way someone could think like this is because they don't understand what an immense physical and mental trauma rape is.
Not having a close acquaintance that was raped is no excuse to stall one's empathy. It's their definition of god that's to blame.
Oh, I'm definitely not saying it's an excuse, not at all. I'm just trying to wrap my head around how people can possibly think like this, and it's probably easier if rape is some abstract thing in your head that you've never personally had any experience with.
Obviously having personal experience is not a requirement for empathy.
This stuff kills me even more when it comes from other women.
I'd guess that none of these people, male or female, have ever been raped, or had a close friend or family member who was raped. I need to believe that the only possible way someone could think like this is because they don't understand what an immense physical and mental trauma rape is.
See, I think you've got to be wrong here, though. If the stat I read "somewhere" (yeah, I know, "somewhere is not exactly a reliable source, but I'm pretty sure it's accurate and I'll look for it later) is that 20% of women are victims of unwanted sexual contact, and even Akin is probably one degree of separation from a just such a woman. But these women's basic human rights do not outweigh the rights of one sperm cell and one egg cell that came together against the will or intent of the "person God blessed with the pregnancy" as the result of a crime and in fact, those cells' rights outweigh those of the host aka victim.
ETA: Women's Law Project publication, 11/11 ... . Counting both completed and attempted forcible and alcohol/drug facilitated rape, the NISVS study found that 1 in 5, or 18.3 percent of U.S. women were forcibly raped at some time in their lives and estimated that nearly 1.3 million were raped annually.13 The NISVS study also found that 1 in 2, or 44.6 percent of women experienced sexual violence other than rape (sexual coercion, unwanted sexual contact and non-contact unwanted sexual experi-ences) in their lifetime, while 1 in 20 or 5.6 percent of women experienced sexual violence in a 12 month period.
"This prick is asking for someone here to bring him to task Somebody give me some dirt on this vacuous mass so we can at last unmask him I'll pull the trigger on it, someone load the gun and cock it While we were all watching, he got Washington in his pocket."
Post by gretchenindisguise on Aug 21, 2012 22:15:28 GMT -5
Ok, I'm tired and maybe didn't read well, but don't a lot of pro-lifers agree with this? Every baby/life is a blessing, that's why they shouldn't be aborted.
Maybe it was the town I grew up in, but I thought this was a fairly common belief.
Ok, I'm tired and maybe didn't read well, but don't a lot of pro-lifers agree with this? Every baby/life is a blessing, that's why they shouldn't be aborted.
Maybe it was the town I grew up in, but I thought this was a fairly common belief.
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I'm honestly starting to believe more and more that the lawmakers at the very least (and not necessarily all prolifers or even most, but some) don't view the "precious blessing" of the fetus as the motivating factor for opposing abortion. That's the pretty, feel-good line, but the reality is that they want to punish the mother for her sin. If a fetus is precious, a baby would be equally precious to these people, and we know that isn't the case. I think people with extremely low level reasoning skills might actually believe that, but they have no concept of what happens after that child is born.
Well, she does have a vagina, so her opinion is therefore welcome and valid, right?
I'm sort of wondering why you thought this was the best place to put this.
I'm sorry. Did I miss the other thread in which a female politician expressed her pro-life views in a way that made people uncomfortable? I think it's the perfect place to put it.
ETA - While I don't agree with her that every baby is a blessing TO the woman who is carrying it, I am of the opinion that all life is precious and sacred. In a thread yesterday people were talking about inconsistency in the pro-life movement and about how they don't understand how someone could view abortion is murder and then allow it in some circumstances, like rape and incest. So, then we have a politician speaking out about how she believes all life is a blessing, regardless of the circumstances in which it was conceived and people get upset. To me it seems like pro-lifers can't really win. If they are consistent with their views people are upset with them. If they are inconsistent with their views people are upset with them. What's a pro-lifer to do?
And once again, my official disclaimer - I'm not agreeing with anything this woman said. I recognize that a woman often does not view a baby as a welcome blessing, whether it's the product of rape or not. Whether or not God can use the bad things in our lives as blessings is an entirely different idea than believing He intended for the bad things to happen.
Ok, I'm tired and maybe didn't read well, but don't a lot of pro-lifers agree with this? Every baby/life is a blessing, that's why they shouldn't be aborted.
Maybe it was the town I grew up in, but I thought this was a fairly common belief.
I think the belief that all babies are blessings is a common belief among religious believers.
However, the way the politician phrased her comment -- that it was God's will that this woman be raped in order to "bless her" with a child -- is what has people all "WTF?!?"
I think that view is disgusting and heinous, but I am somewhat surprised that so many of you are shocked that she would have these views, or even Huckabee. These views are pretty standard in certain evangelical circles.
I think that view is disgusting and heinous, but I am somewhat surprised that so many of you are shocked that she would have these views, or even Huckabee. These views are pretty standard in certain evangelical circles.
I am not surprised she has these views. I am surprised that the Republican party - usually so good at controlling the message - "let" her make these comments in wake of the uproar over Akin's comments. I would think they would try to kind of play down these views at the moment, you know?