Comments on: For Mr. Akin, from a woman who conceived her child through rape

By: Paul Renault

Paul Renault — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:35:00 +0000

Agreed: He could parade a series of not-pregnant rape victions….

Better, force him to read this:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/wp/2012/08/20/study-rape-victims-have-a-higher-pregnancy-rates-than-other-women/

I’d have linked to the Springer article myself, but it’s behind a paywall.

Edited to add: Noted Über-genius Mike Huckabee weighed-in:
http://gawker.com/5936386/mike-huckabee-would-like-to-remind-you-that-rape-has-created-some-extraordinary-people

By: foobar

foobar — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 06:43:00 +0000

Because a fully developed female human is less of a person than a blastocyst. Duh.

By: Daemonworks

Daemonworks — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 05:58:00 +0000

Or say that it probably wasn’t really rape. Though, I imagine, not to her face.

By: evets32

evets32 — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 01:24:00 +0000

Of course, if Mr. Akin met the girl, he would happily point out that his policies would save more girls just like her…

By: ldobe

ldobe — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 22:17:00 +0000

Also, his statements can easily be turned around in yet another direction:

How is forcing a woman, who was involuntarily impregnated, to carry a fetus to term and undergo the painful (I know, epidurals and c-section, still painful), and dangerous birthing process in any way not punishing her?

By: pickledbeatnik

pickledbeatnik — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:37:00 +0000

The issue is not semantics here. The issue is that this person displayed hatefulness and ignorance against not only women who are victims of rape, but women in general. Women, common sense, and science. He made a glib statement on something that is extremely serious, and if you can’t see that this is what the article is about, you may as well keep your opinions to yourself.

By: Jason Carl

Jason Carl — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:20:00 +0000

How about contribute to his opponent Claire McCaskill instead, please? http://clairemccaskill.com/

By: Zach Jacobs

Zach Jacobs — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:13:00 +0000

Sign the Petition and ask him to step down: http://www.change.org/petitions/congressman-william-todd-akin-drop-out-of-the-us-senate-race-for-the-remarks-regarding-rape-and-abortion

By: rebaj

rebaj — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:11:00 +0000

Anyone see how the asshat from Iowa (steve king) is supporting what Aiken?
With a statement that he personally doesn’t know anyone who has gotten pregnant from a rape or incest. As though basing his work as a lawmaker and a representative of the people is appropriately guided only by what he personally knows, not the way the world actually works.

One of the first worst things I had to do in my first year of OB Gyn residency was deliver a baby of a 13 year old girl who had been impregnated by her grandfather. I’ve since delivered at least 3 babies that I knew were the result of incest (two of them to girls under the age of 15), 2 that were a result of rape, and performed about 6 abortions for rape victims. Yes it is “infrequent” in the scope of the hundreds of deliveries and dozens of abortions I’ve done. But the fact that it is rare doesn’t make it any less traumatic for the woman it happens to.

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:31:00 +0000

Yes and no.

Problem is, Akin can use the same excuse when given a single anecdote. Only definitive proof shuts up people like him, and even then, probably not (cf Creationists)

By: Scratcheee

Scratcheee — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:15:00 +0000

I’m surprised that nobody seems to have noticed what he said a couple sentences later:

“But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something. You know, I think there should be some punishment but the punishment ought to be on the rapist and not attacking the child.”

His implication is that someone who chooses an abortion after becoming pregnant from a rape has, in fact, chosen to “attack the child” instead of punishing the rapist. I actually disagree with that sentiment much more than the first.

By: robdobbs

robdobbs — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 19:08:00 +0000

It seems to me the offending part of his comment was the bit about the woman’s body being able to “shut things down” if the rape is “legitimate”.

Classic ‘blame the victim’ mentality.

By: Mark_Frauenfelder

Mark_Frauenfelder — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:38:00 +0000

Textbook concern troll post: "I agree with this issue, but [bullshit concern]"

By: Christopher

Christopher — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:22:00 +0000

And that’s why Maureen Herman says, “I’d like to show you how dead wrong you are when you say that women rarely get pregnant from rape”. (Emphasis mine.)

There may be places where Akin’s statement has been interpreted as “women never get pregnant from rape” but this is not one of them.

By: benher

benher — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:21:00 +0000

Outrage begins at home.
This is only the most recent of thousands of attempts by GOP thugs to send America back to the dark ages. Anti-science, Anti-woman, Anti-melanin…
Recall every last one, while there is still time!

By: Tim Newsome

Tim Newsome — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:14:00 +0000

While Akin is a jackass, his statement wasn’t “women can’t get pregnant from rape,” but “women rarely get pregnant from rape.” One rape pregnancy does not disprove that. (Maggie had a link earlier to a site that does disprove it.)