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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGOP Patriarchy: rape == having children out of wedlock
Once again, the unifying theory here is that Republicans are hard-core patriarchs and don't believe in women as decision-making humans. For Tom Smith, the only thing that matters is whether he's in control of his daughter's body. That's why he's having such a hard time distinguishing rape from "child out of wedlock." Both situations involve him not being in control, and so they're the same thing in his umwelt.
In this case, the comment came from a wingnut who has no chance of unseating Pennsylvania Sen. Bob Casey Jr. And, believe me, Sen. Casey is no prize when it comes to reproductive rights. But he would never suggest the kind of equivalency his opponent suggests here:
MARK SCOLFORO, ASSOCIATED PRESS: How would you tell a daughter or a granddaughter who, God forbid, would be the victim of a rape, to keep the child against her own will? Do you have a way to explain that?
TOM SMITH: I lived something similar to that with my own family. She chose life, and I commend her for that. She knew my views. But, fortunately for me, I didnt have to.. she chose they way I thought. No dont get me wrong, it wasnt rape.
SCOLFORO: Similar how?
TOM SMITH: Uh, having a baby out of wedlock.
SCOLFORO: Thats similar to rape?
TOM SMITH: No, no, no, but put yourself in a fathers situation, yes. It is similar. But, back to the original, Im pro-life, period.
Notice that he didn't even address the real issue. Mr. Smith's daughter exercised her choice. She wasn't told to do anything against her will. She wasn't impregnated against her will and she didn't have the baby against her will, and her father didn't try to force her to do anything against her will. The question was about a situation where this freedom of action has been eliminated.
But, seriously, do Republicans have some bizarre ideas about rape, or what?
http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2012/8/27/155621/273
Fresh_Start
(11,330 posts)after all a female is merely a baby factory.
any other aspect of being female doesn't matter.
So either you produce a baby or you don't.
How it happens, doesn't matter.
luv_mykatz
(441 posts)K & R.
To Repukes, women are just baby factories, pumping out the new slaves and cannon fodder.
What? We wanna insist that women are actuallly...gasp...human beings? No, only fetuses count.