Another Gay Hate-crime that never happened.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Akins gaffe was a pretty bad one - I think that's the problem for politicians who have to come up ideas on the fly that they don't necessarily believe themselves just so they can use a publicity opportunity to sell themselves to a particular voter demographic.

I doubt Akins actually believed that himself and really is that ignorant (although I could be wrong about that), I think he probably had someone in his ear telling him to say X,Y,Z.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Martin Wellbourne

[JohnR! 5,495]

The word homophobia is misleading. It's not a fear.

In most cases, it's unreasonable and extreme hatred.

The word could be considered a myth. The attitude isn't, sadly.

According to psychologists, homophobia can be caused by latent homosexual tendencies.

One cannot accept in others that which one cannot accept for oneself. Must be sad...

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

According to psychologists, homophobia can be caused by latent homosexual tendencies.

One cannot accept in others that which one cannot accept for oneself. Must be sad...

You have to wonder. I do find it quite interesting reading comments on here just how passionate people are about their opinion on homosexuality. How often is homosexuality on some of these people's minds?

Personally I have no strong feeling about it, it's only because people start posting dubious arguments about how gay sex is 'against nature' that I feel the need to say something. Beyond that, the topic never comes up. Not in conversation, not anywhere.

The whole thing is very odd to me.

Edited August 22, 2012 by Martin Wellbourne

[JohnR! 5,495]

You have to wonder. I do find it quite interesting reading comments on here just how passionate people are about their opinion on homosexuality. How often is homosexuality on some of these people's minds?

Personally I have no strong feeling about it, it's only because people start posting dubious arguments about how gay sex is 'against nature' that I feel the need to say something. Beyond that, the topic never comes up. Not in conversation, not anywhere.

The whole thing is very odd to me.

I share the same point of view.

IMHO I believe people express themselves so passionately for their own benefit, as though they are trying to convince themselves with their words.

[rocks 494]

Akins gaffe was a pretty bad one - I think that's the problem for politicians who have to come up ideas on the fly that they don't necessarily believe themselves just so they can use a publicity opportunity to sell themselves to a particular voter demographic.

I doubt Akins actually believed that himself and really is that ignorant (although I could be wrong about that), I think he probably had someone in his ear telling him to say X,Y,Z.

I don't believe it was a gaffe. There is a doctor who has spread this theory around. This same doctor endorsed Romney in 2007.

The argument was most recently – and perhaps most fully – articulated by National Right to Life president John Wilke in a 1999 essay titled “Rape Pregnancies Are Rare.” Wilke made a pretty similar case to Akin: That the “physical trauma” of rape has a way of preventing pregnancy.

“To get and stay pregnant a woman’s body must produce a very sophisticated mix of hormones,” Wilke wrote. “There’s no greater emotional trauma that can be experienced by a woman than an assault rape. This can radically upset her possibility of ovulation, fertilization, implantation and even nurturing of a pregnancy.”

Rep. Todd Akin is wrong about rape and pregnancy, but he’s not alone

Dr. John Willke, A Founder Of The Pro-Life Movement Nationally & Internationally, Endorses Gov. Romney

“Today, Dr. John Willke, a founder of the Pro Life Movement, endorsed Gov. Mitt Romney and his campaign for our nation’s highest office,” reads a Romney campaign press release from October 2007. “Dr. Willke is a leading voice within the pro-life community and will be an important surrogate for Gov. Romney’s pro-life and pro-family agenda.”

Akin source was Romney surrogate

It’s ”just downright unusual” for a woman to get pregnant from a rape, Willke said in an interview Monday. He said studies have shown this to be true, but produced little evidence beyond a few footnotes that cite a handful of decades-old papers.

“This goes back 30 and 40 years. When a woman is assaulted and raped, there’s a tremendous amount of emotional upset within her body,” Willke said, adding that this trauma “can radically upset her possibility of ovulation, fertilization, implantation and even nurturing of a pregnancy.”

“No one really knows” how often those emotional effects prevent pregnancy, Willke said, but he estimated that there are just one or two pregnancies for every 1,000 rapes.

Todd Akin not alone in adhering to bogus rape theory

It goes on and on, sadly.

[Penny Lane 8,159]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/08/22/how-many-republicans-agree-with-todd-akin-on-abortion/

Rep. Todd Akins statements on legitimate rape and his position on restricting abortion have left him with a shrinking number of defenders, even within his own party.

But despite his ill-chosen words, the basis of his position on abortion that it should be illegal in all cases is shared by a significant number of Republicans, even as there is a wide range of opinions on how far to go.

Overall, 63 percent of Republicans think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases according to a new poll from the Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation. Drilling down further, a quarter of Republicans take the absolute position that it should always be illegal. (The question did not lay out precisely what the exceptions would be, but generally they are rape, incest and the life of the mother.)

Edited August 22, 2012 by Evylin

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Maybe. I think there are plenty of politicians out there who will say whatever they think their voters want to hear.

[rocks 494]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2012/08/22/how-many-republicans-agree-with-todd-akin-on-abortion/

Indeed, they're all in on it, unfortunately.

The Republicans tried to close the only abortion clinic in the state by implementing rules that were impossible to follow. A federal judge had to intervene to keep it open temporarily. Meanwhile we have 9.1% unemployment.