[mlizzy]

If Akin loses I want to see EACH Akin supporter write their own mea culpa which would include the admission that not all people who want him to drop out are ESTABLISHMENT types. That some of us WERE GENUINELY OFFENDED by what he said and are bonafide conservatives too.

No mea culpa is necessary when one fights on the side of life (and Christ). The following straightforward quote explains why most people are upset with Akin (you either understand what he's saying or you don't):

Our founders understood that life is a fundamental right granted to us by our Creator and that the government’s role is to protect this right. A government that doesn’t protect innocent life fails at one of its most basic roles. I believe that life begins at conception and I’m appalled that we do not protect the innocent lives of our unborn children. --Todd Akin

[Redmen4ever]

Protecting life within the womb is not a black or white thing, as you imply.

Here is what I object to Akin’s statement: That a woman who is pregnant by what she claims was a rape must not actually have been raped because the woman’s body shuts down when there is an actual rape (he used the word “legitimate” rape).

Now, do I believe the state should protect life from conception? No, I do not. Without debating the merits, I am with the large majority of Americans that are somewhere between the protect life from conception position, and the allow abortion for any reason at any time and pay for it by taxes position.

Given the realities of our two-party system, “soft pro-lifers” such as myself generally support “hard pro-lifers” who win our party’s primaries, and expect visa versa. But, supporting a candidate (with my financial resources) who re-victimizing women who have been raped is another thing.