Representative Todd Akin's comment about "legitimate rape" was no gaffe. It was a glimpse into the GOP War on Women.
Republicans are just days away from ratifying a personhood amendment as part of their party platform, which would ban all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest.1
32,000 rape survivors get pregnant in America each year.2 And the Republican party would ban abortions for all of these women.
Today's New York Times editorial is challenging Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan to amend this "extremist," "mean-spirited and intolerant platform."3
MoveOn members need to join that call with hundreds of thousands of voices, because even if Romney and Ryan won't listen, America is listening. Representative Todd Akin's comments were a wake-up call about Republican views on women.
This shameful moment is our best opportunity to draw attention to the dangerous woman-hating agenda of the Republican Party and expose it to American voters.
But the GOP Convention is next week, and we want to confront Ryan and Romney with a massive petition at an event TOMORROW for the media to see, so we need to act urgently. Can you sign today and ask everyone you know to sign, too?
Republicans, including Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, are trying to run away from the terrible comments of their Senate candidate, Rep. Todd Akin, about "legitimate rape." But they can't.
Here's a brief history of Romney and Ryan's own words and deeds on this issue:
- Ryan and Akin were the original co-sponsors of a bill that would limit the definition of rape to "forcible rape" (Akin's idea of "legitimate rape").4
- Ryan co-sponsored a personhood bill with Akin, which would outlaw some forms of birth control and all abortions, with no exceptions for rape or incest.5
- Mitt Romney told Mike Huckabee that he would have "absolutely" supported a constitutional amendment establishing the definition of life at conception.6
Of course, now that the media is paying attention to their extreme views, the Romney-Ryan campaign stated that they would not prohibit abortion in cases of rape.7 But talk is cheap.
If Romney and Ryan want to prove that they don't stand with Akin on abortion bans for rape survivors, they need to get it out of the party platform. And our job is to make sure the country is watching what they do.
Thanks for all you do,
–Lenore, Elena, Amy, Marika, and the rest of the team
Sources:
1. "GOP party platform sticks with anti-abortion stance, does not address rape exception," The Washington Post, August 21, 2012
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2. "Injury Center: Violence Prevention," Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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3. "What the G.O.P. Platform Represents," The New York Times, August 21, 2012
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4. "How Todd Akin and Paul Ryan Partnered to Redefine Rape," Think Progress, August 19, 2012
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5. "Paul Ryan Sponsored Fetal Personhood Bill, Opposes Family Planning Funds," Huffington Post, August 11, 2012
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6. "Romney: I Would 'Absolutely' Support State Constitutional Amendment to Define Life As Beginning At Conception," Think Progress, October 3, 2011
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7. "Romney Statement on Abortion Contradicts Ryan's Earlier Stance," The New York Times, August 20, 2012
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