Yes, Todd Akin, “legitimate rape”, and “women can just shut that down” have me just a little bit riled up today, but POLITUSIC is about ranting, so why stop now?
With all the talk about the Republican Party being “Anti-Women” and waging a “War on Women” it’s important to note that, clearly, not all white, republican men hate all women… most of them are married, for instance. I’d bet many even have mothers. Some probably have daughters (with whom I’m sure they argue a lot lately).
But what needs to be taken out of the closet is: they’re not anti-women, they’re anti a certain type of women: empowered, independent, intelligent women.
I’m certain that these republicans love women when they are… what was the quote from Machmann… “submissive” to men… and act as they are expected… they might as well demand veils as well.
I think the republican war on women is not universal towards the sex. It’s targeted at women who don’t fit the mold of the 1950’s. I’m not the first person, I’m sure, to say it, but it is a really important theme to use as context when looking at all the policy and talk on right-wing radio or news, because in this election, the *real* republican policy of the states and back rooms is being forced upon the national stage.
Sandra Fluk was one of the first this year: a young, smart, single, soon to be powerful woman who clearly is a free thinker. Not the 1950’s.
And all the laws target women who might be less well off economically, maybe even minorities, attacking medicaid and planned parenthood that are the only options for women to get any sort of reproductive health services. And Todd Akin’s “legitimate” rape coupled with his and Paul Ryan’s “forceable” rape is, sadly, a almost a blatant statement that they don’t trust “certain” women who might say that they have been raped.
Republicans don’t hate all women. They hate single women, and they hate poor women. The “kind” of women who… I’m sure in their very confused religious hearts, they describe in their minds as being a Jezebel (though they would say that out loud only in quiet rooms filled with like-minded Christians).
Republicans on their anti-abortion, personhood jihad will shout what I say is not the case, but the policy and the implications all target women with a fair amount of discrimination. All I can do is be amazed. I’d almost rather it be a rhetorical war on all women than the way it is with its murky socioeconomic undertones. But it is what it is. So where from here, then? Other than figuring out a way to educate the public to see beyond the commercials and bumperstickers… I have no idea.
Published: by | Updated: 04-21-2015 18:11:11
