I underestimated the impact of Mourdock’s rape comment

Having now witnessed firsthand the effect Mourdock’s quip has on women, I can say I misjudged the profoundly offensive nature of his warped view and by extension the views of other GOP lawmakers. One women tried to explain to me why she could never explain it to me. Her point was I could never imagine the full effect, the wrenching almost supernatural and creepy punch in the gut, those words conveyed. Even if I had been raped by a man she correctly noted, “You can’t get pregnant, you don’t even have to worry about getting pregnant, so that wouldn’t be the half of it.” [Read more…]

Crazy Joe Walsh rides to Obama’s rescue

You knew the crazy teabagging congressional caucus couldn’t go long keeping their crazy science-y ideas to themselves about the mysterious lady parts. After a dreadful summer topped off by Todd Akin, Quasi-MD., the first debate and subsequent polling seem to finally turn Romney’s way. Which is why I bet crazy Joe Walsh is being told to politely and firmly by his colleagues to please cease and desist before this turns into another Todd Akin flap: [Read more…]

Bacon sparks hate crime investigation in NYC & thougtful discussion at FTB

There’s a lot of wacky claims made by religion and the jihad against bacon, sweet salty innocent bacon, is one result. FWIW, I like bacon, I think bacon tastes good on everything including ice cream. But some wayward bacon left in a New York City park before the Muslim holiday Ramadan raised concerns over religious intimidation: [Read more…]

The religious elephant in the rape room

The GOP elephant in the rape room is this: among the socially conservative base of the Republican Party is a core group of faith-based misogynists who believe 1) women lie about being raped, and 2) that it’s the women’s fault when she gets raped. The code words and dog whistles about “forcible rape” and the jihad against birth control that have come to dominate the GOP are all fueled by that very real fundamentalist sexism. 

I have this to say to conservative and independent voters who are as appalled as the rest of us: you can say you are going to vote for whoever you wish, and once in the privacy of the voting booth you can actually vote for whomever you want, and no one will ever know the difference unless you say so. Pass it on.

GOP to Akin: You are screwing up our agenda to screw over women

So Paul forcible-rape Ryan and friends called on Todd legitimate-rape Akin to drop out of the race. Otherwise, their plans to cut further taxes on conservative zillionaires by fucking over women will be endangered by Akin’s untimely quip about one branch of wingnut pseudoscience used to fuck over women. So far Akin has declined to drop out, and if he does the evangelical base will be miffed. Which means, today, we get to enjoy watching this unholy junta once known as the Republican Party teeter on the edge of a long coming and well deserved collapse. [Read more…]

Todd Akin sits on the House Science Committee

It’s amazing, and yet all too predictable. Rep Todd Akin, the same guy who seems to have bought into wingnut pseudoscience that insists women who are raped can somehow selectively prevent or abort any resulting pregnancy, sits on the House freaking Science Committee. And the good news is, he may stay there, because his bid to win a Missouri senate seat is in real peril now: [Read more…]