Written by karla rove   

Unable to sleep last night, I was attempting to sort out my feelings about the “legitimate rape” comment that ignited a media storm the last two days.

I found myself pondering several things. One, what is the Republican Party so upset about exactly?

Is it wrong to commit legitimate rape since it seems to be a form of birth control? (which they are adamantly, vehemently against?)
The comment reflects magical misogynistic thinking at work again.

The War on Women roots takes us back to the Inquisition’s (Church)* witch hunting. The prevailing thought then was how to determine if a woman was a witch or not. If found guilty during her trial, she was condemned to die by fire or drowning. If she wasn’t guilty her body wouldn’t burn in the fire. If it was death by drowning, if she floated, she was declared a witch, if she sank, and drowned, she was declared innocent.

In 2012, the litmus test is: if a woman becomes pregnant during a violent brutal attack when a man forces himself into her body, raping her body and her spirit, it is not a legitimate rape.

The Republican Party is certainly saying its mea culpa’s about Akins comment - “indefensible”, “insulting, inexcusable, and, frankly, wrong." Oh, they aren't talking about their Human Life Amendment they are busy polishing for unveiling next week, just Todd Akin's poor choice of words. John Cornyn, head of the National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee, told Akin that he was endangering the GOP's hopes of getting a Senate majority by staying in the race, the official said (who wishes to remain anonymous).

What I find deeply disturbing is their concern is not about a women’s right to decide what to do after being raped. Their concern is the “good of the party”, and making sure that they can seize control of the Senate in our upcoming election. With the Republican convention coming up, they are once again getting ready to proclaim their official party ideology with a “human life amendment” to the Constitution that would outlaw abortion without making explicit exemptions for rape or incest, according to the draft language of the platform obtained exclusively by CNN late Monday.

Therein lies my question I asked earlier:

Is it wrong to commit legitimate rape since it seems to be a form of birth control?

The “Right To life" amendment they propose legitimately rapes women by their legislation that dicktates (yes, that is a deliberate choice for all my human spell check readers, I’d still like it if you write me and tell me what you think though) what a woman can or cannot do with her body. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds: there is no concern for the sanctity of life, and on a more pragmatic level, its more government regulation from a group that says they are for less.

And meanwhile, WTF? If the NRA can galvanize its 4.3 million members to be vocal and active about their gun rights, where in the heck are the majority of Americans that believe it is a woman’s right to choose what she does with her body. Why can’t 100 million of us gather together to fight for what the 1st Amendment really stands for?

The answer is simply too simple.

The truth is for those of us who love and believe in the sanctity of all life, we simply could practice what we preach consistent with our moral values. We choose what is right for us, what our own values and conscience dictates.

But that will only happen when people really believe and honor that our constitution states there is a separation of church and state and guarantees each person’s right to decide. That’s called pro-choice and pro-life.

I am pro-life and pro-choice, don't dicktate to my body.

*A little history:

"What is the difference whether it is in a wife or a mother,

it is still Eve the temptress that we must beware of in any woman...

I fail to see what use woman can be to man, if one excludes the function
of bearing children."

- Saint Augustine (the prominent pioneer of Western theology)

"St. Augustine the Blessed" is the patron saint of brewers, printers, and theologians, generally considered as one of the greatest Christian thinkers of all times. His writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity. He believed that the grace of Christ was indispensable to human freedom, and he framed the concepts of original sin and just war. He is also considered a saint.

Wow.

(Thanks to my editor, Jeanell S.)