A rape exception is now the liberal position in the GOP's abortion policy
Barb ShellyThe abortion debate has veered so far to the right that condoning a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy that began as a result of rape or incest is becoming the Republican Party’s liberal view.
As we learned from Congressman Todd Akin’s disastrous comment, many GOP elected officials now draw a distinction between rape by force and rape by other forms of coercion. (And who would be the arbiter of what constitutes forcible rape, I wonder.)
Vicky Hartzler, the freshman Congressman from mid-Missouri, is in that camp. She, like Akin, was a co-sponsors of a proposed constitutional amendment that extends “personhood” rights from the moment of fertilization. She and Akin also co-sponsored a bill that called for a ban on taxpayer-supported abortions with an exception only in the case of “forcible rape.”
“I believe that all life is precious and deserves to live, no matter how it was conceived,” Hartzler said in an interview with a Columbia Tribune reporter.
So there it is — no consideration at all for the woman or her circumstances.
Mitt Romney’s vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan said something similar during a recent interview with a TV news reporter. “I’ve always adopted the idea that the method of conception doesn’t change the definition of life,” he said.
Ryan, Hartzler and Akin all come by their opposition to abortion sincerely and genuinely. But theirs is a cold, cold viewpoint. Try telling a rape victim that the method of conception doesn’t matter in her obligation to give birth to that child.
Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney says he opposes abortion but supports an exemption for victims of rape and incest. Romney has been all over the board in regards to abortion rights, but right now he’s a moderate in his party. Maybe even a liberal.
George Hunsucker
Northland
8 months, 3 weeks agodrum, drum, drum, drum…
Let’s keep up the killing of babies—
The law of the land(thanks to an active SCOTUS) is that killing babies is legal. You libs are just throwing another hissy fit that you are being called on your lust to keep the killing of babies going….
Sorry you don’t like the heat in the kitchen
Again, I am ok with first trimester abortions. Anything after that that is not medically necessary the mother should merely carry to term and give the baby up for abortion IMO. Why do you people support killing viable babies?????????
Dan Hartshorn
8 months, 3 weeks agoAmerica - the killing fields. 53,000,000 babies dead and counting. And those who do speak up are shouted down - actually, screamed down - by the libs calling for their personal destruction.
America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!
Ring hollow, really.
Dan Hartshorn
8 months, 3 weeks agoAmerica - the killing fields. 53,000,000 aborted babies dead and counting. And those who do speak up on their behalf are shouted down - actually, screamed down - by the libs calling for their personal destruction.
America! America! God shed his grace on thee And crown thy good with brotherhood From sea to shining sea!
Ring hollow, really.
Darci Reyes
8 months, 3 weeks agoHAHAHA… the first thing my comment box said was “Be Nice” OMG Barb.. I’m with ya.. I have to say… RAPE is RAPE I don’t care if it was while the woman/girl was asleep, drugged, threatened or if it was from her dad… RAPE IS RAPE and I’ll be damned if I am going to FORCE a woman to keep a Rape Baby… The question here is not whether women will be forced to stop having abortions… the REAL issue is whether they will do it home or in a safe environment.
George Hunsucker
Northland
8 months, 3 weeks agoWhy can’t you do it the first 3 months Darci???
Why wait for the baby to become viable? The joy or actually killing someone who is viable? Why, why, why????
Johnathon Busby
8 months, 3 weeks agoI’ll try and explain, George, but for myself (can’t speak for Darci). I for one oppose all abortions, at any age. When it’s come up in my life I was vocal… some might say overly-so… in saying they should not get an abortion.
What I support, what the pro choice support, is that in the end it wasn’t my decision, it was theirs. Just like it’s not Darci’s decision for anyone but her, nor your decision for anyone but you. By all means, if it comes up, tell that woman you know to avoid the abortion. At length.
But it’s still her choice.
George Hunsucker
Northland
8 months, 3 weeks agoEven partial-birth Chuck where the baby is viable?
William R. Nelson
8 months, 3 weeks agoI’d rather talk about executing rapists, rather than killing the unborn.
Johnathon Busby
8 months, 3 weeks agoThen by all means, talk about executing rapists. No one really wants to hear your talk on abortion, that’s the point; it’s their decision, not yours.
Phil Cardarella
8 months, 3 weeks agoExecuting rapists? Clever idea… but for the minor detail that it might result in ALL rape-by-force victims being murdered to prevent their testimony. Oh, and under the law, a teenage boy who has sex with his teen-age girlfriend can be a “rapist” — like in Romeo & Juliet. Or a guy who had sex with a girl who drank too much and regrets having sex, or… like in rural Iran, where if a couple get caught having sex, the guy has to be hung as a rapist to keep the girl from being murdered by her male relatives as a whore or stoned as an adulteress.
Executing folks is not usually a good idea for guaranteeing justice. Sorta screws up the system.
BUT…letting a woman decide for herself whether to have an abortion or use the Morning After Pill or even use regularly prescribed contraceptives? What a revolutionary idea!
Fact is, 99.9% of all abortions take place very early in a pregnancy. Ironically, the anti-abortion campaigns have succeeded in making it more difficult for a woman to procure safe medical treatment — resulting in delays that result in MORE abortions occuring in the 2nd trimester.
The fantasy that a woman would carry a pregnancy nearly to full term and then — apparently for recreational purposes — chose to have an abortion is simply insane. Can you imagine how difficult and wrenching a decision it would be? Or how severe the circumstances? Moreover, even those rare late term abortions ARE subject to a great deal of regulation by the states.
Ray Cyst
8 months, 3 weeks agoJohnathan, so people can tell me not to kill you, it’s still MY choice? Would you like a say in this?