California GOP Leader: Rape Pregnancy Is Rare Because “The Body Is Traumatized”

The Republican Party’s total war on intelligence
Wingnuts • Views: 33,020
Caveman via Shutterstock

Oh, for Pete’s sake. When are Republicans going to learn that when the subject of rape comes up, they should shut the front door?

This time it’s the president of the California Republican Assembly, Celeste Greig, who thinks a woman who is raped is less likely to get pregnant because “the body is traumatized.”

Before arriving at the state GOP’s spring convention here, Celeste Greig told this newspaper that pregnancies by rape are rare “because it’s an act of violence, because the body is traumatized.”

Grieg is the president of the conservative California Republican Assembly, the state’s oldest and largest GOP volunteer organization. Ronald Reagan once called it “the conscience of the Republican Party.”

Ironically, Greig was in the midst of criticizing former Missouri U.S. Senate candidate Todd Akin for saying that victims of “legitimate rape” rarely get pregnant because “the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down.” It was a remark that many believe led not only to his defeat in November but also helped tarnish the Republican brand around the country.

“That was an insensitive remark,” Greig said. “I’m sure he regretted it. He should have come back and apologized.”

Greig, however, went on to say: “Granted, the percentage of pregnancies due to rape is small because it’s an act of violence, because the body is traumatized. I don’t know what percentage of pregnancies are due to the violence of rape. Because of the trauma the body goes through, I don’t know what percentage of pregnancy results from the act.”

Anyone want to bet that the Republicans who keep saying these mind-bogglingly stupid things were home-schooled?

Jump to bottom

136 comments
1 Eclectic Cyborg  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 10:49:07am

*sigh*

Over the stupidity of this remark in the first place

*double sigh*

Because it was said by a WOMAN.

*triple sigh*

Because the GOP still DOESN’T GET IT!!

2 Single-handed sailor  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 10:49:13am
3 Eclectic Cyborg  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 10:49:25am

A non wingnut colleague of mine whom I have never known to be very political came in to work this morning ranting about the sequestration mess and blaming Obama for “not getting the damned thing fixed”, she then went on to add: “I will never vote democratic again.”

I’m trying to decide if I should try and set her straight or just leave her be.

Maybe I should send her a link to this story?

4 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 10:51:00am

When these idjits say “I don’t know…” did it ever occur them to go look this shit up before jabbering away?

5 The Mountain That Blogs  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 10:51:11am

re: #2 Single-handed sailor

Impressed that that counter was at 22 before this.

6 Romantic Heretic  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 10:55:34am

This sort of idiocy happens so often I can’t get angry any more. I just shake my head, roll my eyes and make sure all sharp objects are out of the reach of these ignorant children.

My wife’s reaction was different from mine. Specifically she spit out, “Oh, for fuck’s sake!

7 Mattand  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:00:52am

re: #3 Eclectic Cyborg

A non wingnut colleague of mine whom I have never known to be very political came in to work this morning ranting about the sequestration mess and blaming Obama for “not getting the damned thing fixed”, she then went on to add: “I will never vote democratic again.”

I’m trying to decide if I should try and set her straight or just leave her be.

Maybe I should send her a link to this story?

LOL, I just posted a response to this on the previous thread:

I would just point out the Tea Baggers in the GOP triggered this with fighting the debt ceiling, and then refused to consider any revenue/tax increases. The ratio the Dems offered was anywhere between 4:1 and 10:1, cuts vs increases.

After that, just walk away. This is what I hate about people who call themselves “independent”. I don’t expect them to slavishly vote Democratic, but get an effing clue as to who started this mess, and who is refusing to negotiate in good faith.

I wouldn’t send a link to this story if you’re talking just about the sequester. This article is better ammo for bolstering the argument that the GOP is allowing itself to be run by anti-science and ultra-religious loons.

8 GatorsEatsTaters  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:00:55am

I would like to just point out I enjoy the way comments works here. You just click the more comments button and the page stretches, it even tells you beforehand how many comments have been posted since you last refreshed the page.

Meanwhile, every major news website with comments makes you RELOAD THE WHOLE FRIGGIN’ PAGE when you want to click on or refresh the comments!

9 Blue Point  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:02:35am

Says it all.
Grieg is the president of the conservative California Republican Assembly, the state’s oldest and largest GOP volunteer organization. Ronald Reagan once called it “the conscience of the Republican Party.”
What conscience?

10 Fortitudine  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:04:17am

“Granted, the percentage of pregnancies due to rape is small because it’s an act of violence, because the body is traumatized. I don’t know what percentage of pregnancies are due to the violence of rape. “

She is completely clueless on the dichotomy between sentence #1 and sentence #2.

Is dichotomy the word I want to use here? There must be something stronger.

11 Mattand  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:04:57am

re: #8 GatorsEatsTaters

I would like to just point out I enjoy the way comments works here. You just click the more comments button and the page stretches, it even tells you beforehand how many comments have been posted since you last refreshed the page.

Meanwhile, every major news website with comments makes you RELOAD THE WHOLE FRIGGIN’ PAGE when you want to click on or refresh the comments!

I occasionally post over at Freethoughts Blogs.org. Their commenting system is atrocious. My big bitch is that when you reply to a specific comment, you have to manually type out everything: who you’re responding to, quote, the whole shebang.

I mentioned it once and got a few “We like it this way” grumbles. They can get a bit thin skinned over there at times, to put it mildy.

12 The Mountain That Blogs  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:05:50am

re: #10 Fortitudine

Is dichotomy the word I want to use here? There must be something stronger.

“contradictory nature”?

13 Sol Berdinowitz  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:06:05am

It is all about rationalizing an absolute moral view that abortion is immoral under any and all circumstances, including rape and incest.

It makes them open to asinine arguments like this, which, combined with their proclivity to proselytize and demonstrate the strength of their faith, leads them to be unable to keep their mouths shut.

14 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:07:20am

re: #10 Fortitudine

“Granted, the percentage of pregnancies due to rape is small because it’s an act of violence, because the body is traumatized. I don’t know what percentage of pregnancies are due to the violence of rape. “

She is completely clueless on the dichotomy between sentence #1 and sentence #2.

Is dichotomy the word I want to use here? There must be something stronger.

Contradichotomisfirembarassment.

15 122 Year Old Obama  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:10:00am

What is this I don’t even

GOP, YOU DON’T LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES, YOU JUST REPEAT THEM.

16 SpaceJesus  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:11:45am

wtf

17 Gus  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:12:00am
18 Sol Berdinowitz  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:12:56am

re: #15 122 Year Old Obama

What is this I don’t even

GOP, YOU DON’T LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES, YOU JUST REPEAT THEM.

These are not bugs, they are features.

Their ongoing theme is that they lost the last election because the electorate does not deserve a party that is as dedicated to American principles, virtues and godliness as the GOP.

19 Gus  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:15:11am

Well, we know one thing for certain. She sure isn’t a RINO.

20 Eclectic Cyborg  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:15:19am

re: #14 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Contradichotomisfirembarassment.

You left off the -aladocious at the end.

21 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:16:08am

The bottom line: this is how the Republican Party rationalizes denying abortions in cases of rape.

It’s a two-part argument, one part out in the open, and the other implied.

The open part is their stupid comments about rape pregnancies being “rare” because of various idiotic reasons. That lets them say there’s no need for rape exceptions in their anti-abortion laws, because they’re so rare anyway.

The implied part is that if you get pregnant from a rape, it’s probably because you deserved it in some way. Either you’re a slut who was behaving in a way that invited rape, or it wasn’t “traumatic” enough because you secretly enjoyed it.

The second part, the one they don’t actually say out loud, is the REAL reason why they keep coming out with these moronic statements. They’re moralizing religious fanatics with an overwhelming need to control women.

22 Iwouldprefernotto  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:17:48am

When are they going to figure out that they will gain a few voters if they allow abortions for rape or incest? 10 years. 50 years? Never?

23 122 Year Old Obama  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:19:04am

re: #22 Iwouldprefernotto

When are they going to figure out that they will gain a few voters if they allow abortions for rape or incest? 10 years. 50 years? Never?

70 years ago, via integer overflow.

24 Sol Berdinowitz  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:19:24am

re: #21 Charles Johnson

The second part, the one they don’t actually say out loud, is the REAL reason why they keep coming out with these moronic statements. They’re moralizing religious fanatics with an overwhelming need to control women.

I am convinced that a lot of them are so ideologically blindered that they do not even understand the controlling women aspect, to them it is all about maintaining and demonstrating ideological purity at all costs.

The fact that this ideology stems from a desire to control women does not seem to occur to them, they are too busy being righteous.

25 NomadicView  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:19:37am

Just out of curiosity I searched for further information and found this:
[Link: www.christianliferesources.com…]

So this isn’t just ignorance. It is deliberate. There’s a reason why anti-abortion groups want people to believe that rape doesn’t lead to pregnancy and that is so that there can no exceptions.

26 wrenchwench  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:27:51am

re: #25 NomadicView

Welcome, hatchling.

27 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:27:58am

re: #25 NomadicView

Just out of curiosity I searched for further information and found this:
[Link: www.christianliferesources.com…]

So this isn’t just ignorance. It is deliberate. There’s a reason why anti-abortion groups want people to believe that rape doesn’t lead to pregnancy and that is so that there can no exceptions.

Exactly. In the anti-abortion movement this kind of crazy misogynistic BS is absolutely mainstream. People like Todd Akin and Paul Ryan and Celeste Grieg are not on the fringe at all. This is a very common belief on the right, because the anti-abortion groups have been feeding them lies and misinformation for decades.

28 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:29:16am

I think, Charles, that if you are using phrases like “shut the front door” that you’ve an unnatural understandable crush on Stacy London from What Not To Where.

29 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:31:16am

re: #26 wrenchwench

Welcome, hatchling.

What wrench said….

30 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:31:57am

re: #28 Locker

I think, Charles, that if you are using phrases like “shut the front door” that you’ve an unnatural crush on Stacy London from What Not To Where.

Oh go function yourself.

31 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:33:24am

re: #30 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Oh go function yourself.

Unfortunately I can only disfunction myself

32 Charles Johnson  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:34:21am

re: #28 Locker

Not so unnatural, actually.

33 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:34:47am

re: #32 Charles Johnson

You know… gonna have to give you that one… fixed.

34 [deleted]  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:35:05am
35 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:35:17am

re: #32 Charles Johnson

Not so unnatural, actually.

She is probably my wife’s biggest ‘celebrity’ crush.

36 Romantic Heretic  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:35:38am

re: #10 Fortitudine

re: #12 The Mountain That Blogs

Cognitive dissonance, also known as bat-shit craziness.

37 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:35:45am

re: #34 kwb2003

Sex Ed in home schooling. Is that when Dad stops by the kids room to play “Doctor”? ( Relax, children, you’re about to get a gift from God).

Jokes about fathers raping their kids are substantially less funny than you think they are.

38 wrenchwench  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:36:25am

re: #37 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Jokes about fathers raping their kids are substantially less funnier than you think they are.

Thanks. I’m still speechless.

39 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:37:23am

re: #37 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Jokes about fathers raping their kids are substantially less funny than you think they are.

Not expecting that one to be there for long… that’s for damn sure.

40 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:39:03am

re: #35 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

She is probably my wife’s biggest ‘celebrity’ crush.

Mine likes Stacy but there is exactly zero competition in her mind for Jonathan and Drew Scott from The Property Brothers.

41 Iwouldprefernotto  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:40:04am

re: #37 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Jokes about fathers raping their kids are substantially less funny than you think they are.

I don’t think it was really meant to be a joke. Incest/rape happens andthe crazy religious right wants NO exceptions for abortion.

42 Achilles Tang  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:40:21am

I don’t know that Hagel didn’t get $200,000 from North Korea, but of course I don’t know shit.

43 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:41:32am

re: #35 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

re: #37 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

yes you’re right. My apologies.

44 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:41:50am

re: #41 Iwouldprefernotto

I don’t think it was really meant to be a joke. Incest/rape happens andthe crazy religious right wants NO exceptions for abortion.

Are you being intentionally ignorant. That comment was a flame about people who home school or want sex education at home. And it was tasteless, crass and unacceptable.

Say that in my house you’re going out the door head first.

45 Achilles Tang  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:47:48am

re: #8 GatorsEatsTaters

I would like to just point out I enjoy the way comments works here. You just click the more comments button and the page stretches, it even tells you beforehand how many comments have been posted since you last refreshed the page.

Meanwhile, every major news website with comments makes you RELOAD THE WHOLE FRIGGIN’ PAGE when you want to click on or refresh the comments!

We’ve been waiting for years for Charles to sell his system, but then he would retire and then what?

46 Kragar (Antichrist )  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:48:49am

Seriously, what the fuck is up with this horseshit?

47 Eclectic Cyborg  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:51:24am

re: #45 Achilles Tang

We’ve been waiting for years for Charles to sell his system, but then he would retire and then what?

Charles must live long enough for us to figure out a way to transfer his consciousness into a computer.

48 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:53:44am

re: #45 Achilles Tang

We’ve been waiting for years for Charles to sell his system, but then he would retire and then what?

Honestly I’m hoping that Charles will start and lead his own Super PAC. I’m dead serious about this as I think he could easily grow a political action committee focused on bipartisan solutions and cooperation. Progress from the middle baby… lets start some shit!

49 Iwouldprefernotto  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:53:56am

re: #44 Locker

Are you being intentionally ignorant. That comment was a flame about people who home school or want sex education at home. And it was tasteless, crass and unacceptable.

Say that in my house you’re going out the door head first.

Crazies have often used the phrase “gift from god” to refer to all pregnancies, even the ones that are a result of rape or incest. Other than a smart-ass remark, I have no idea how to respond to this BS. I think people should only direct their anger at the pro rape/incest candidates.

50 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:55:33am

re: #49 Iwouldprefernotto

Crazies have often used the phrase “gift from god” to refer to all pregnancies, even the ones that are a result of rape or incest. Other than a smart-ass remark, I have no idea how to respond to this BS. I think people should only direct their anger at the pro rape/incest candidates.

I disagree, strongly. We need to police our own side more vigorously and with more anger than we would our ideological opponents. Keep your own house clean before you start jacking with others. Just my opinion.

51 Achilles Tang  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:56:18am

re: #48 Locker

Honestly I’m hoping that Charles will start and lead his own Super PAC. I’m dead serious about this as I think he could easily grow a political action committee focused on bipartisan solutions and cooperation. Progress from the middle baby… lets start some shit!

Bipartisan is an oxymoron when it involves faith, whether economic or other.

52 makeitstop  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:57:13am

re: #49 Iwouldprefernotto

I think people should only direct their anger at the pro rape/incest candidates.

Obdi has very valid reasons to take offense at a tasteless ‘joke’ like the one that was posted.

And I fully agree. Rape jokes aren’t the lest bit funny, and ones involving children border on the horrific.

53 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:57:59am

re: #51 Achilles Tang

Bipartisan is an oxymoron when it involves faith, whether economic or other.

Don’t have any disagreement on that which is why I’d like to see conversations about the things on which we do agree. Let’s say… closing the “gun show” loophole. Very popular, lots of cooperation to be had, etc.

54 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 11:59:47am

The Brotherhood vs. the Free Press

Egypt’s new rulers are determined to tighten their grip on the media scene in Cairo. I should know — they had me fired.

BY HANI SHUKRALLAH, editor of Ahram Online.

55 Iwouldprefernotto  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:02:34pm

re: #52 makeitstop

Obdi has very valid reasons to take offense at a tasteless ‘joke’ like the one that was posted.

And I fully agree. Rape jokes aren’t the lest bit funny, and ones involving children border on the horrific.

I get it. I don’t want to be offensive, but what’s the response when the RWNJ start claiming that’s god’s will. Other then to keep winning elections…Maybe I answered my own question.

56 NomadicView  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:05:33pm

re: #3 Eclectic Cyborg

I vote “set her straight”- no telling how many others she will infect with her ignorance before she forgets and moves on to the next rant.
Slightly OT but
I was willing to accept ignorance about long past history, but every year what constitutes “long” gets shorter and shorter. We are now at a point where a majority (or less) can’t even recall what happened last year. Like when Paul Ryan praised to heaven the beauty of the sequester (then called fiscal cliff)
“I voted for a mechanism that says a sequester will occur if we don’t cut $1.2 trillion spending in government.”
Then on the Senate Floor he said about the sequester:

It’s a good step in the right direction, and it is a huge cultural change to this institution. Both parties got us in this mess. Both parties are going to have to work together to get us out of this mess, and the real problem, I would add, Mr. Speaker, is the fact that we spend way more money than we take in. We have to address that.
To my friends on the left, I think they would like to take comfort in the fact the way these spending cuts are designed and the way the sequester is designed.
To my friends on the right, we are cutting spending.

57 Achilles Tang  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:06:20pm

re: #53 Locker

Don’t have any disagreement on that which is why I’d like to see conversations about the things on which we do agree. Let’s say… closing the “gun show” loophole. Very popular, lots of cooperation to be had, etc.

That is an argument the majority could win, but the minority will still hold that there should be no rules, on faith. Real bipartisanship implies that other than the nutcases the great majority at least agree on the end result. Even in this case there is no agreement by a very significant minority on the end result at all.

58 wrenchwench  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:07:01pm

re: #54 Killgore Trout

The Brotherhood vs. the Free Press

BY HANI SHUKRALLAH, editor of Ahram Online.

Hasn’t Al Ahram always been a government publication?

59 PhillyPretzel  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:07:56pm

Memo to GOP: Get out of my bedroom and out of my house and do not let the door hit you on the way out.

60 Achilles Tang  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:09:02pm

re: #54 Killgore Trout

The Brotherhood vs. the Free Press

BY HANI SHUKRALLAH, editor of Ahram Online.

No can read without signup.

61 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:09:14pm

re: #57 Achilles Tang

That is an argument the majority could win, but the minority will still hold that there should be no rules, on faith. Real bipartisanship implies that other than the nutcases the great majority at least agree on the end result. Even in this case there is no agreement by a very significant minority on the end result at all.

Right man but a Super PAC’s goal is to advance an agenda like a big plunger. If we successfully advance the bipartisan agenda on an issue then it doesn’t matter what the minority thinks. We won.

62 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:10:04pm

My apologies for the comment I made earlier. Definitely tasteless and over the top. Should have thought about it a sec before I hit the “post it ” button. I’ll go crawl back into my hole, now.

63 Gus  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:10:08pm
64 Gus  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:11:03pm

re: #60 Achilles Tang

No can read without signup.

Just hit escape really fast.

65 Achilles Tang  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:11:09pm

re: #61 Locker

Right man but a Super PAC’s goal is to advance an agenda like a big plunger. If we successfully advance the bipartisan agenda on an issue then it doesn’t matter what the minority thinks. We won.

Personally I would rather make “Super Pacs” illegal.

66 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:11:20pm

re: #62 kwb2003

My apologies for the comment I made earlier. Definitely tasteless and over the top. Should have thought about it a sec before I hit the “post it ” button. I’ll go crawl back into my hole, now.

Hey man if you own your shit and make a correction that’s all you can do. A hole is not required.

67 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:11:24pm

re: #62 kwb2003

No worries.

68 Locker  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:12:10pm

re: #65 Achilles Tang

Personally I would rather make “Super Pacs” illegal.

Good luck hollering at the walls from outside the castle. I tried it for a long, long time… unsuccessfully.

69 Killgore Trout  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:13:33pm

re: #58 wrenchwench

Hasn’t Al Ahram always been a government publication?

I had to check
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

Yes. They do seem to have quite a bit of editorial freedom. Their coverage of Tahir Square was pretty good. They’ve been pretty critical of the Muslim Bros, and have covered the protests fairly freely. It’s actually not a bad paper but the Muslim Bros seem to be working on a media offensive. Prosecutions for offending elected officials has been increasing.

70 Achilles Tang  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:15:41pm

re: #69 Killgore Trout

I had to check
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

Yes. They do seem to have quite a bit of editorial freedom. Their coverage of Tahir Square was pretty good. They’ve been pretty critical of the Muslim Bros, and have covered the protests fairly freely. It’s actually not a bad paper but the Muslim Bros seem to be working on a media offensive. Prosecutions for offending elected officials has been increasing.

What can one expect, past history ignored, from any organization that defines itself as a religion.

71 wrenchwench  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:18:50pm

re: #69 Killgore Trout

I had to check
[Link: en.wikipedia.org…]

Yes. They do seem to have quite a bit of editorial freedom. Their coverage of Tahir Square was pretty good. They’ve been pretty critical of the Muslim Bros, and have covered the protests fairly freely. It’s actually not a bad paper but the Muslim Bros seem to be working on a media offensive. Prosecutions for offending elected officials has been increasing.

I’m no fan of the MB, but the author shouldn’t be surprised. If he was there under Mubarak and thought he had job security, he’s either hopelessly idealistic or not so smart.

72 makeitstop  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:18:53pm

re: #62 kwb2003

My apologies for the comment I made earlier. Definitely tasteless and over the top. Should have thought about it a sec before I hit the “post it ” button. I’ll go crawl back into my hole, now.

No worries. If you’d posted it and not apologized, then a hole would be in order. It happens, we move on.

73 Renaissance_Man  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:26:18pm

re: #3 Eclectic Cyborg

A non wingnut colleague of mine whom I have never known to be very political came in to work this morning ranting about the sequestration mess and blaming Obama for “not getting the damned thing fixed”, she then went on to add: “I will never vote democratic again.”

I’m trying to decide if I should try and set her straight or just leave her be.

Maybe I should send her a link to this story?

I also vote ‘set her straight’. Not with this story, because it’s unrelated, but with simple, clear reasoning. This is why Conservative Cult media is so powerful - it infects the body politic with talking points, and your friend can’t even explain why she is angry at Obama. She’s just been bombarded with so much propaganda that some parts of it have taken root.

Part of the problem in America is that Americans are very unwilling to even discuss things like politics and matters that people have strong opinions on, because there is this underlying idea that opinions are somehow sacrosanct, equal, and should not be challenged. The phrase ‘it’s just my opinion’ excuses everything, regardless of what the opinion is based on. It seems to me part and parcel of the obsession with the illusion of individual choice, and thus challenging opinions and seeking justification for them amounts to taking away their freedom or somesuch.

Getting people to challenge their sacred opinions without being confrontational, though, is the hard part.

74 Tigger2005  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:30:37pm

If this subject is so important to them, why don’t they take time to consult the medical experts and read the research? Why do they keep talking out of their a$$es?

75 122 Year Old Obama  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:32:46pm

re: #74 Tigger2005

If this subject is so important to them, why don’t they take time to consult the medical experts and read the research? Why do they keep talking out of their a$$es?

Controlling women is more important.

76 Gus  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:32:50pm
77 steve_davis  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:35:27pm

Here’s a hint, honey: if you don’t know what the percentage is, that’s probably a good sign that you should keep your mouth shut!

78 steve_davis  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:37:52pm

re: #10 Fortitudine

“Granted, the percentage of pregnancies due to rape is small because it’s an act of violence, because the body is traumatized. I don’t know what percentage of pregnancies are due to the violence of rape. “

She is completely clueless on the dichotomy between sentence #1 and sentence #2.

Is dichotomy the word I want to use here? There must be something stronger.

No, but I’ll upding anyway because I know what you meant, even if you didn’t :-)

79 wrenchwench  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:39:10pm

re: #74 Tigger2005

If this subject is so important to them, why don’t they take time to consult the medical experts and read the research? Why do they keep talking out of their a$$es?

They have their own ‘experts’, thankyouverymuch.

80 Sol Berdinowitz  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:40:21pm

re: #62 kwb2003

My apologies for the comment I made earlier. Definitely tasteless and over the top. Should have thought about it a sec before I hit the “post it ” button. I’ll go crawl back into my hole, now.

Did you get a memo from the Obama administration implying that you would “regret” that comment?

/

81 Stanley Sea  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:42:27pm

re: #74 Tigger2005

If this subject is so important to them, why don’t they take time to consult the medical experts and read the research? Why do they keep talking out of their a$$es?

Their agenda requires this. No abortion, ever.

82 CarleeCork  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:47:18pm

re: #81 Stanley Sea

Their agenda requires this. No abortion, ever.

I’ve said this before, it needs repeating. Abortions will always occur, religious zealots are trying to insure that women won’t be able to have safe abortions.
Ever.

83 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:55:45pm

re: #76 Gus

I laughed!

84 AlexRogan  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 12:57:51pm

re: #52 makeitstop

Obdi has very valid reasons to take offense at a tasteless ‘joke’ like the one that was posted.

And I fully agree. Rape jokes aren’t the lest bit funny, and ones involving children border on the horrific.

George Carlin would have disagreed with you on that, arguing that it’s all in the construction of the joke and its exaggeration; as a matter of fact, he’s the only comedian I know of that has pulled that off.

85 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:04:55pm

re: #84 TedStriker

Louis C.K. managed a funny joke that involved both Hitler and rape.

86 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:09:30pm

re: #50 Locker

I disagree, strongly. We need to police our own side more vigorously and with more anger than we would our ideological opponents. Keep your own house clean before you start jacking with others. Just my opinion.

It always strikes me as very revealing that there is NO policing on the right wing sites.

People could regularly come up with racist fantasies, for instance the tea party “when we stop their wellfare there will be a race war, stock up on bullets” on pj media and except for me, there would never be anything but little nods of agreement. There is no such thing as too far when you’re on the right side.

However, I’m not happy with the word “police”. Self appointed police can be assholes who get rid of reasonable people. Disagree all you want, argue all you want but “police”? Do you get to arrest people? If you police well enough you can end up with a monoculture, where, ironically, there’s noone to argue when something horrible IS considered accepted.

87 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:11:39pm

re: #86 stabby

Protip: Police wasn’t literal there.

88 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:12:27pm

re: #87 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

I wasn’t being literal either.

89 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:15:44pm

re: #88 stabby

I wasn’t being literal either.

Asking “Do you get to arrest people?” makes it seem like you were taking it literally, since otherwise it’s an obviously pointless question.

No clue why you think policing tasteless jokes leads to a monoculture. Can you explain how that works?

90 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:16:21pm

re: #80 Sol Berdinowitz

re: #66 Locker

Heh. No, the only thing I’ve ever gotten from any department in the administration was a note thanking me for my service when I retired from the Army a couple years ago. I’ll have to re-read it, maybe there was something “threatening” there.

91 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:17:23pm

re: #90 kwb2003

What was your MOS?

92 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:17:43pm

Sure, the self appointed “police” act like assholes and all of the sensitive, thoughtful people quit.

I’ve seen it in plenty of online communities, both unmoderated and moderated.

93 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:18:22pm

re: #92 stabby

Sure, the self appointed “police” act like assholes and all of the sensitive, thoughtful people quit.

I’ve seen it in plenty of online communities, both unmoderated and moderated.

But that’s not what’s happening here. What are you talking about? Who are you talking about?

94 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:19:53pm

re: #93 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Sorry I answered a different question, I was responding to the concept of “policing our side” in general, not about tasteless jokes in specific.

95 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:21:14pm

re: #94 stabby

Sorry I answered a different question, I was responding to the concept of “policing our side” in general, not about tasteless jokes in specific.

The concept of policing ‘our side’ is fine. That some people go overboard on it or are assholes is obviously true. It’s not an aspect of ‘policing’, it’s an aspect of assholes.

96 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:22:04pm

re: #91 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

15P Flight Operations. I was Power Point Ranger.

97 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:22:58pm

re: #95 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

It starts with thinking of yourself as “police”, as being privilaged to control what gets said and who can talk.

It’s one thing to register your disapproval once and stop and quite another to make it your job to “police” a forum.

98 efuseakay  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:24:46pm

The GOP should be sponsoring free counseling/therapy for rape victims so their bodies don’t auto-abort the babies!

/

99 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:25:08pm

re: #97 stabby

That’s nice. That’s not what policing our own side means, though.

100 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:25:59pm

re: #96 kwb2003

15P Flight Operations. I was Power Point Ranger.

Cool. Or rather, probably the combination of boring as hell and occasionally funny as shit that most of my military friends say.

Are you doing civilian aviation now?

101 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:30:29pm

re: #92 stabby

Sure, the self appointed “police” act like assholes and all of the sensitive, thoughtful people quit.

I’ve seen it in plenty of online communities, both unmoderated and moderated.

Yes, oh exalted wise one. I kneel to your obvious superior experience and hard won wisdom.

We of the narrow experience cherish the drubs and drabs of knowledge that dribble from your lips.

Teach us.

102 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:30:36pm

I’ve been waiting for a Flight dispatch slot to open at the local Army airfield for a while. They are in a hiring freeze. I guess I’ll just be content living off my pension and disability until then.

103 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:36:20pm

re: #101 b_sharp

how dare I have a meta-opinion on forums.
I mean who do I think I am?
I haven’t EARNED the exalted position of being allowed an opinion.

104 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:37:15pm

re: #103 stabby

how dare I have a meta-opinion on forums.
I mean who do I think I am?
I haven’t EARNED the exalted position of being allowed an opinion.

Have the opinion all you want. And I can criticize it all I want. Stop whining about being criticized all the time and pretending that it somehow is disallowing you something.

105 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:38:20pm

re: #102 kwb2003

If you get desperate, check out Alaska, if you can do small-plane control. A friend of mine works up there as a light airframe mechanic and says anyone aviation-related can find work there as long as you don’t mind danger, deprivation, etc.

106 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:39:39pm

Thanks!

107 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:40:28pm

re: #103 stabby

how dare I have a meta-opinion on forums.
I mean who do I think I am?
I haven’t EARNED the exalted position of being allowed an opinion.

You can have all the opinions you want and you can freely state them. So can I.

My opinion, which I have a right to express, is that your appeal to authority does little here but inflate your ego.

See, I freely expressed my opinion.

Now, if you want to stop pretending you are the only person here with experience at other forums/blogs, then I have the right to change my stated opinion and to express the changes.

108 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:44:04pm

re: #107 b_sharp

Quote me “appealing to authority”.

You’re so confused.

109 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:46:13pm

re: #108 stabby

Quote me “appealing to authority”.

You’re so confused.

Really?

Sure, the self appointed “police” act like assholes and all of the sensitive, thoughtful people quit.

I’ve seen it in plenty of online communities, both unmoderated and moderated.

110 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:48:02pm

re: #109 b_sharp

That’s not what “appeal to authority” means.

Your point of view seems to be that referencing any personal experience is an unacceptable “appeal to authority”

I’m not sure it’s possible to argue with someone like you, so I’m going back to trying to figure out why stuff is quietly refusing to build properly on ARM Ubuntu.

111 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:50:41pm

re: #110 stabby

Yes, appealing to yourself as a source of authority is an appeal to authority. I’ve been on plenty of other forums, and I’ve never seen the phenomenon you’re talking about. I’ve definitely seen people driven out of forums, but not by ‘policing’.

Can you name any of these forums?

112 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:54:22pm

re: #111 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

I could name them, but it’s none of your business what forums I’ve been on.

Since people who aren’t puffed up, authoritarian messes build their opinions on their own experience, your point of view, that it’s invalid to begin an aguement from experience, is at-root either
1) a call for people to hide their own opinions, built from experience or
2) a call for people to utterly avoid having their own opinions built from experience.

Life isn’t science, and you don’t get to demand peer review.

BUT I’m still allowed to think from experience just like a scientist.

113 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:55:19pm

You might want to reload there’s a half written comment that I had decided not to make at the beginning of the previous one.

114 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:56:51pm

A sane response to someone claiming experience that you don’t have is to ask about it and argue about what it means, not to disallow it with some wikipedian “reference needed, no original research allowed” bullshit.

115 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:57:30pm

re: #105 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

As far as “danger and deprivation” goes, in my world, danger was paper cuts and carpel-tunnel syndrome; and deprivation was my hard drive crashing or running out of copy machine toner.

116 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:58:34pm

re: #112 stabby

I could name them, but it’s none of your business what forums I’ve been on.

Or you can’t name them because they don’t exist. There’s no reason to believe you, in the least.

Since people who aren’t puffed up, authoritarian messes build their opinions on their own experience, your point of view, that it’s invalid to begin an aguement from experience, is at-root either
1) a call for people to hide their own opinions, built from experience or
2) a call for people to utterly avoid having their own opinions built from experience.

Have ‘em all you want. But it’s a very weak straw to base an argument on, especially when other people have other experiences. Once you refuse to actually back up your experience, there’s no reason to give it the slightest bit of credence.

Life isn’t science, and you don’t get to demand peer review.

BUT I’m still allowed to think from experience just like a scientist.

That’s not how scientists operate. That you build your life off of your own observations does explain much of you, though. You are a random walk.

117 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:59:22pm

re: #115 kwb2003

As far as “danger and deprivation” goes, in my world, danger was paper cuts and carpel-tunnel syndrome; and deprivation was my hard drive crashing or running out of copy machine toner.

Well maybe it’s time for some, then. Is POG the term for guys like you, or is that just in the Marines?

118 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 1:59:47pm

re: #114 stabby

A sane response to someone claiming experience that you don’t have is to ask about it and argue about what it means, not to disallow it with some wikipedian “reference needed, no original research allowed” bullshit.

You stubbornly miss the point.

119 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:00:30pm

re: #116 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Or you can’t name them because they don’t exist. There’s no reason to believe you, in the least.

Ah you just assume I’m a liar and start with insults rather than arguments.

You’re a pretty good example of the sort of person who drives away more thoughtful commentors, because you’re too unpleasant to be worth engaging.

120 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:00:41pm

re: #116 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Or you can’t name them because they don’t exist. There’s no reason to believe you, in the least.

Have ‘em all you want. But it’s a very weak straw to base an argument on, especially when other people have other experiences. Once you refuse to actually back up your experience, there’s no reason to give it the slightest bit of credence.

That’s not how scientists operate. That you build your life off of your own observations does explain much of you, though. You are a random walk.

A random walk without the retaining wall.

121 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:00:50pm

re: #114 stabby

A sane response to someone claiming experience that you don’t have is to ask about it and argue about what it means, not to disallow it with some wikipedian “reference needed, no original research allowed” bullshit.

This isn’t really comprehensible. Can you try rewriting it?

I think what you’re missing is that you’re talking to a lot of other people who have been on forums, so that if the phenomena you’re describing were common, then we’d have experienced it. See, there’s this cool thing that you can do, which is not only judge things by your own observations, but the observations of others. It’s neat!

122 stabby  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:01:15pm

re: #118 b_sharp

You stubbornly miss the point.

I think I understood the point perfectly.

123 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:02:19pm

re: #119 stabby

Ah you just assume I’m a liar and start with insults rather than arguments.

This is based on our past arguments, because you argue like a crazy person a lot of the time and you get really, really emotional about this stuff.

You’re a pretty good example of the sort of person who drives away more thoughtful commentors, because you’re too unpleasant to be worth engaging.

You are amazingly thin-skinned. You take criticism and lack of credence in your stories as an insult. It’s weird.

124 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:02:23pm

re: #119 stabby

Ah you just assume I’m a liar and start with insults rather than arguments.

You’re a pretty good example of the sort of person who drives away more thoughtful commentors, because you’re too unpleasant to be worth engaging.

Hmm. We have dozens of thoughtful commentors here.

125 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:03:13pm

re: #124 b_sharp

Hmm. We have dozens of thoughtful commentors here.

Stabby thinks we’re all idiotic sheeple, actually. He’s bemoaned our stupidity and hive-mindedness a lot.

See you at tonight’s mind-meld?

126 dragonath  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:03:29pm

re: #119 stabby

Ah you just assume I’m a liar and start with insults rather than arguments.

You’re a pretty good example of the sort of person who drives away more thoughtful commentors, because you’re too unpleasant to be worth engaging.

*cough*

127 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:06:07pm

re: #122 stabby

I think I understood the point perfectly.

Not the point I was making.

Most people here have as much or more experience with other venues as you do yet do not ask us to value their input based on just that experience. People are valued for their ability to express well considered thoughts.

Many of us have been on social networks for more than 30 years so we aren’t naive.

128 b_sharp  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:06:50pm

re: #125 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Stabby thinks we’re all idiotic sheeple, actually. He’s bemoaned our stupidity and hive-mindedness a lot.

See you at tonight’s mind-meld?

Be there with bells on.

129 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:07:20pm

re: #117 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Yes, I was definitely a POG. Even in my two OIF deployments, I never left the wire, at least by land.

130 Glenn Beck's Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:08:50pm

re: #129 kwb2003

My grandfather did both logistics and actual beach landings in ACOE in WWII. He said that the logistics was more dangerous, given how often he nearly assaulting his superior officer over the stupidity of their plans.

131 kwb2003  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 2:20:00pm

Lol. Boy does that ring true. In my first deployment, the only person who wore body armor on a daily basis was the Squadron Commander because he knew everyone hated his guts. One of the Troop commanders had to be physically restrained from pulling out his Beratta.

132 Varek Raith  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 3:33:25pm

re: #125 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

Stabby thinks we’re all idiotic sheeple, actually. He’s bemoaned our stupidity and hive-mindedness a lot.

See you at tonight’s mind-meld?

We are Borg.

133 funky chicken  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 4:34:10pm

re: #10 Fortitudine

Oxymoron

134 labman57  Sat, Mar 2, 2013 10:08:29pm

Once again, conservative politicos are demonstrating their unwillingness to do their homework before taking a stand on important policy positions affecting millions of Americans. Lord knows we don’t want to be informed about the fundamentals of human biology and medical treatments when creating legislation that would impact the health of so many women in America.

If ignorance is bliss, then these scientifically-illiterate, Bible-thumping, socially-regressive Republican politicians must surely be in a state of rapture.

135 NomadicView  Sun, Mar 3, 2013 1:27:51am

re: #79 wrenchwench

They have their own ‘experts’, thankyouverymuch.

Remember Barton… the.. um.. historian? If they can make Jefferson into a Christian saint then they have no fears about a tiny thing like pillaging the truth when it comes to rape pregnancies.

136 Fortitudine  Sun, Mar 3, 2013 6:22:46pm

re: #105 Glenn Beck’s Grand Unifying Theory of Obdicut

If you get desperate, check out Alaska, if you can do small-plane control. A friend of mine works up there as a light airframe mechanic and says anyone aviation-related can find work there as long as you don’t mind danger, deprivation, etc.

Not to mention bears, extreme cold, and mosquitoes the size of a DC-3.


This article has been archived.
Comments are closed.

Jump to top

Create a PageThis is the LGF Pages posting bookmarklet. To use it, drag this button to your browser's bookmark bar, and title it 'LGF Pages' (or whatever you like). Then browse to a site you want to post, select some text on the page to use for a quote, click the bookmarklet, and the Pages posting window will appear with the title, text, and any embedded video or audio files already filled in, ready to go.
Or... you can just click this button to open the Pages posting window right away.
Last updated: 2023-04-04 11:11 am PDT
LGF User's Guide RSS Feeds

Help support Little Green Footballs!

Subscribe now for ad-free access!Register and sign in to a free LGF account before subscribing, and your ad-free access will be automatically enabled.

Donate with
PayPal
Cash.app
Recent PagesClick to refresh