Posted on 08/25/2012 6:52:05 PM PDT by kathsua
The only mainstreamers coming to Todd Aiken's defense so far have been Tony Perkins of the Family Research Council and now Mike Huckabee. His detractors have been legion, from almost all major media figures to politicians at the top levels. Why the uproar over one ill-advised comment? Has the country lost its senses completely?
Any serious explanation of affording legal protection for unborn human persons engenders intensively vitriolic hate in America. We have become a nation of God haters, and Aiken's comment has exposed who they are, whether we are talking about media blabbermouths Coulter, Hannity, Limbaugh, Palin and others too numerous to mention, so-called religious leaders, RNC political bosses, or political figures from the top level down, Romney, Ryan and Obama, they have one thing in common. At some level they all hate God the Creator and Author of life.
Don't they know that life is so sacred that there can be no justification for deliberately murdering human persons at any stage of life, hence no abortion exceptions? Why are they so intent on making an abortion exception for pregnancies that rarely occur, as Aiken himself pointed out? And unless we distinguish between real and fake rape situations, i.e. women claiming to have been raped who actually have consented, this valid rationale for denying an exception is completely lost.
Rape and abortion are both bad for America. We need lawmakers and leaders willing to make the hard decisions, and pay the political price if necessary, to deal with these problems, not more wimps.
This is precisely the sort of thinking that turns people away from "the religious right". And when they turn away, they also turn away from causes that are important and valuable to many conservatives. So it becomes a very small place for the smug and sanctimonious who live in an echo chamber and are incapable of listening to others. I for one, will never meet the standard of purity demanded.
This is also not an approach that persuades others to see the value of life, that gives them a different perspective on when life begins, on the worth of all. Persuasion is invariably more effective than browbeating and prideful scorn. Christ taught us in stories and parables that persuade us to see and think differently.
You know, the quarterback.
Akin changed the debate. Republican candidates who want to win elections need to be talking about jobs, the economy, spiraling debt and Obamacare. Now thanks to Akin, everyone with an (R) after his name is going to have to field questions about "legitimate rape" --and Democrats couldn't be happier because they sure as hell don't want to talk about jobs and the economy.
Just a stupid, stupid thing to say when a simple "I am 100% pro-life. Let's move on." would've sufficed and ended the questioning right there.
Easier said than done when you have the entire media ready to paint all Republicans as crackpots who believe what Akin stated.
I believe you misunderstood. The poster (nhwingut) was characterizing the idiocy of the opposing viewpoint.
Norma McCorvey ("Roe" of Roe v Wade) did exactly that, trading on the understandable emotional response of most people, including some judges. Given that up to 50% of rape allegations prove to be unsubstantiated, it is a reasonable interpretation of his words.
Thanks for pointing out... I don’t take it too personal. He’s fired up. This Akin mess is infuriating.
No, that’s not what I’m saying. I only listed rape as a reason because that has been the recent focus. So here goes...
legal abortion for convenience - no
legal abortion for rape - yes
legal abortion for incest - yes
legal abortion for life & legitimate serious health risks - yes
The baby conceived in any scenario is no less innocent. I agree with that. I don’t claim to hold a consistent, pure, pro-life position. As such, in those cases where a woman had no choice, when she was a victim of a crime, I don’t think she should have to bear the responsibility of carrying the baby to term. Saying that she could give it up to adoption ignores what all she has to go through to make it that far.
As I said, I realize the obvious logical problems with this position. But I’m hardly alone. Just compare the % of Americans who claim to be pro-life to the % that shares your view of no abortion at all (except maybe for life of mother???). They don’t match up. Clearly a lot of pro-lifers favor exceptions.
Overall, the vast majority of Americans think there should be exceptions for rape, incest, and life of the mother. On the other hand, the vast majority also opposes unrestricted abortion rights. The consensus view of Americans, if there is one, is either than abortion should be legal, but with significant restrictions, or that it should be illegal, but with exceptions. So the party platform for both the GOP (exception for only life of mother) and the Dems (abortion on demand) is out of step with the majority of Americans.
The problem for the GOP is that the media will focus on and highlight their ‘extremism’ while of course giving the Democrats a complete pass on theirs. So Republicans have to try and point out that it is the Democrats who are more out of touch with the American people on abortion.
The only way we’ll get close to what you want is for Roe to be overturned.* The only way Roe will be overturned is by winning the Presidency and the Senate, and then getting to replace Ginsburg and hoping Roberts doesn’t go left again. The Senate part of the equation has become much harder because Akin opened his mouth and let out idiocy. The Democrats couldn’t have scripted anything dumber, and more fitting of their caricature of pro-lifers. A likely pickup has now become a likely hold for the Dems. Add that to Florida where another vulnerable Dem now likely to escape because of another bad Republican candidate in Connie Mack Jr and it’s not looking to good.
Should Romney win and the GOP takes the Senate, and there is a Sup Court opening, Romney will have to nominate a solid conservative or risk abandonment from the base. But if he wins, and the Dems take the Senate, would Romney even try to get a conservative through? I doubt it. I don’t think he’d want to expend political capital on a fight he’s doomed to lose. And he would lose; if the Democrats have the Senate, they would either vote down a conservative judge outright, or if there is a chance of a few Dems crossing over, they might do something unprecedented and filibuster a Sup Court pick. The best we could hope for would be another Sandra Day O’Connor. And she was terrible; Reagan’s biggest mistake.
So I want Akin out because I think that increases our chances of finally getting a genuine conservative Sup Court. Such a Court would overturn Roe, and return the matter to the states where it belongs. It’s not inconceivable that it could come down to one or two Senate seats.
*I don’t accept judicial supremacy as legitimate. I don’t think the President, Congress, and the States are compelled to obey an outrageous, unconstitutional decision like Roe. But on this I am probably out of touch. Judicial supremacy is firmly entrenched and the people (along with the other lesser branches of govt) have been conditioned to meekly obey whatever nonsense the Sup Court hands down. Unless that changes (it won’t) our only hope is a good, Constitutionally-bound Sup Court.
The media have been misrepresenting Aiken’s comments. He’s not claiming the rape itself is “legitimate”, only the complaint. One of the problems of allowing abortion in the case of rape is that some women will claim rape to get an abortion.
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Exactly !
...and even the New York Times, admitted this.
From the NEW YORK TIMES:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2921226/posts
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‘’Last year, when the Pennsylvania Legislature modified the law to say it only covered rape or incest reported to law-enforcement authorities, the number of publicly funded abortions dropped from 35 a month to 3.’’
I’m as pro life as they come, but if a daughter of mine got raped and eed up pregnant and wanted an abortion I’d let her.
I’m as pro life as they come, but if a daughter of mine got raped and ended up pregnant and wanted an abortion I’d let her.
Ditto.
Same here and I agree.
I posted this scenario on another thread; How many men here would raise the child fathered by the man who raped their wife? As a husband and father myself, I couldn't do it. Sure, I'd understand that such a child was innocent. Nonetheless, I wouldn't want this child anywhere near my family.
I was referring to Romney.
People say that a lot, I have not seen any evidence which supports that conclusion.
I posted a time line awhile back of his abortion actions, and yes in January of 2012 Romney said in effect, call me pro-life now."
I'm not buying it. IMO, if Romney truly felt differently about abortion, he would have voiced at least some sort of regret, sorrow, repentance, etc. over the abortions he set into motion in MA. I've heard nothing of the sort from him.
According to his colleagues in MA, he decided to run for president, and BOOM! He went from abortion-supporter to pro-life overnight (among other instantaneous reversals of opinion).
If you want to talk pro-life, then consider this. If we don't get ObamaTax overthrown in the upcoming year, then the HHS Secretary will soon be dictating that every insurance company in America cover abortion. And there won't be a damn thing we can do about it. I know that Claire McCaskill will vote against repeal. I also know that any generic Republican from Missouri will vote in favor of repeal. But the most important fact here is that Todd Akin won't get a vote because due to his stupidity, he won't ever be in the US Senate.
I agree with you, but these knuckle-dragging socons don’t see it that way.
They’re on a holy crusade from God.
Just like the jihadis
Some will call you a godless , baby murdering ,abortionist RINO sinner.
Others will say it couldn’t happen because of the magic uterus.
Others like myself agree with you.
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