U.S. Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) has not-exactly apologized on his Facebook page for comments in a TV interview with my friend and predecessor as WXRT-FM morning newsguy, C.D. Jaco. Akin now says he "misspoke" when he justified his stance against abortions for rape victims by explaining pregnancy from rape is "really rare," because "if it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down."
Akin's statement leaves at least three questions unanswered:
* Which part(s) of the interview involved "misspeaking"? The "legitimate rape" phrase? The part about "from what I understand from doctors," pregnancy from rape is "really rare"? The part about how the body "has ways to try to shut that whole thing down" -- a concept The Atlantic's Garance Franke-Ruta compares to the "belief that only witches float"?
* To quote Ann Dwyer, a friend on my Facebook page: "What exactly is a 'legitimate rape'?"
* To quote another FB friend, David A. Schwartz: "What doctors are telling you that a woman's Fallopian tubes can distinguish friendly fire from an assault?"
And one more: When Akin promises rape victims "will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve," does that still come with ... conditions?
1 comment:
re: rape victims "will have no stronger advocate in the Senate to help ensure they have the justice they deserve,"
I think he has made it very clear what justice he thinks they deserve, and that he is the guy to adjudicate what, when and how that justice will be administered. Which is none.
Post a Comment