Wednesday, October 24, 2012

American Taliban




You have never heard me call George W. Bush a Nazi. I certainly don’t think the world will end if Mitt Romney is elected President in two weeks. I have strong political views and just about all of them are well to the Left of President Obama. Yet I try to maintain a sense of proportion. I don’t like the hyperbole often employed by the Left when someone on the Right says or does something Liberals find distasteful. But, in this one case, strong language is justified.

Republican Senate candidate from Indiana Dick Mourdock said yesterday in a debate, “"I think that even when life begins in that horrible situation of rape, that it is something that God intended to happen." His belief in this case is one I disagree with. I do not believe in a God whose plan would include rape as a tool. But even this belief is not what pushed me into some extreme language of my own.

Rather, it is his legislative reaction to this belief this has made me think of the extreme right wing of the Republican Party as the American Taliban. Do they not see this themselves? Mr. Mourdock believes that women who have gotten pregnant as a result of rape should not have access to a safe, legal abortion. His belief that God has planned the pregnancy makes him support a law that women who have been raped MUST have the baby that results. How is this any different from Sharia law? I am thankful to men like Mr. Mourdock, Representative Paul Ryan, and Senate candidate Todd Akin of Missouri for reminding voters of the existence of the Talibanist wing of the Republican Party and its fear of women having any say over their own lives.

1 comment:

  1. Couldn't have said it better myself. As a woman I'd have too many harsh comments on the likes of these politicians. It makes me angry. A while ago I read a story about this Afghan woman receiving 12 years after reporting being raped for "adultery". She and the daughter she had, as a result, are in prison. If she agrees to marry her rapist they will let her out, in not she risks being killed by her own family for "shaming" them. This story is not uncommon sadly. I think those people are crazy as hell and the perfect place for these politicians to run for public office. They don't belong in this country. Nice article though!

    ReplyDelete