Rape: How Many Different Kinds Does The GOP Believe There Are?

Richard Mourdock’s “God intended” rape. Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape.” Paul Ryan’s “forcible rape.” Why does the GOP classify rape as anything but what it really is?

The GOP has throughout the years, increasingly fostered the false concept that there are “different kinds” of rape. “If it’s a legitimate rape,” Todd Akin recently, and infamously, told a local reporter. Last night, GOP Senatorial candidate Richard Mourdock of Indiana, claimed children born of rape are “God intended,” echoing former Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum‘s urging to accept the rapist’s offspring as, “a gift of human life.”

No one — as some GOP pundits attempted today to claim — is attacking the children of rape. Of course they are children and human beings. But to claim that women’s bodies can prevent themselves from becoming pregnant — as long as they didn’t “enjoy it” — is absurd. And massively offensive. And a GOP talking point.

From Linda McMahon’s “emergency rape,” to Ron Paul‘s “honest rape,” to Paul Ryan‘s “forcible rape,” the GOP is a master hive mind of classifying rape as anything but what it really is: rape.

Because if you can make it the woman’s (or, actually — the victim’s) fault, then you can control them. And maintain dominance.

Mitt Romney endorsed Richard Mourdock on Monday. “I came to realize that life is that gift from God,” Mourdock said at his debate on Tuesday, adding, “And even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen.”

On Wednesday, the Romney campaign tried to distance itself from Mourdock’s comments, but refused to pull the endorsement, just as the Republicans swore they’d drop Todd Akin like a lead balloon, threatened him, until he won the GOP nomination. Now, Todd Akin is A-OK.

Why are there no instances of Democrats talking about women, and rape, like this?

And why are there no consequences for bad behavior?

I remember the first “rape joke” I ever heard. It was November 24, 1976. I was in my parents’ kitchen. I was 14-years old.

Tex Antoine, the local New York City ABC News affiliate weatherman came on, after a report of a five-year old girl having been raped. Five years old. “With rape so predominant in the news lately, it is well to remember the words of Confucius: ‘If rape is inevitable, lie back and enjoy it’,” Antoine said.

It was his last appearance on ABC, and the end of his career, sans a few months on a very very local station the next year.

What’s happened to America if a weatherman can get fired in 1976 for making inappropriate comments about rape, but four decades later, U.S. Congressmen and congressional candidates are not only keeping their seats, but getting re-elected, seemingly because of their comments about rape?

Image via DailyKos, used by permission with thanks to connecticutie whose original version was updated by Brainwrap, who wanted no credit, but asked we mention RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, and the Jamie Leigh Foundation.