Why the Akin Mess Matters

WHY THE AKIN MESS MATTERS

            Unless you were on Mars for the past couple of days, you have no doubt become aware of the comments made by Congressman, and Senatorial candidate, Todd Akin of Missouri, regarding “legitimate” rape, and how these particular kind of rapes rarely result in pregnancy. To some, this is just another gaff made by a politician in a brutal political year. To others, it is an insult to women, especially rape victims. And for still others, Congressman Akin’s comments reflect their belief, not that pregnancy by rape is rare, but that a fertilized egg is a human life and must be afforded constitutional protection.  Well, it certainly is more than just a gaffe; it is an extreme insult to women; and it does speak to the personhood issue. So, all of the above are relevant to this discussion.

            That this was more than a gaffe is pretty obvious, as evidenced by the fact that the Republican party has thrown Akin under the bus, and are trying mightily to distance themselves from his statement. However, is this really that much more offensive -- and just plain wrong --  than other statements made by Republicans denigrating women? Or the legion examples of the outright racism that has become the stalwart of the GOP of late?  Is this more offensive than the ridiculous “birther” nonsense advocated by those intellectual heavy hitters of the Republican party, namely Donald Trump and Joe “Bull Connor” Arpaio? More offensive than calling a law student a whore? More offensive than that other intellectual giant, Joe the Plumber, suggesting immigration solutions for Arizona, like building a wall and then to start shooting? What is so different about Akin’s comments that he is now the political pariah of the moment? I’m not so sure.

             It is clear that the Republicans want to distance themselves from Todd Akin. But why not from all the other people mentioned above? It is also clear that the GOP is not doing as well as they thought they might be doing, especially with women and ethnic minorities, lately polling at ZERO with African-Americans.  Perhaps they are starting to read the handwriting on the wall and realize that their party can’t win elections by alienating themselves from huge demographic constituencies, like women, blacks, Mexicans, etc. Since their efforts at deliberate and fraudulent disenfranchisement of ethnic minorities and poor people (this is a subject for another blog post), have been discovered and uncovered for what they are – cheating; ethnic minorities are unlikely to move toward the GOP at this time. So, if they are to have a chance at all, they have to hang onto the white male vote (another future blog) and salvage the women’s vote, if at all possible. And they have to act quickly to get out in front and on top of the messaging.  Never mind that personhood amendments have been introduced in several states by Republican legislators, or that VP candidate, Paul Ryan has introduced legislation distinguishing between “rape” and “forcible rape.” Aside from the extraordinarily ignorant statement about how women become impregnated, the sentiment expressed by Congressman Akin was the same Republican verbal assault on women we’ve been hearing for some time now.

            Akin’s comment did, however, contain an ignorance the sort of which I have not heard since 7^th grade. His flippant remark added insult to an already injured, and growing larger by the day, demographic of women, who favor President Obama by at least 15 points in the polls. I have spoken to zero women – of different ages, ethnicities and ideologies – who were not offended by Akin’s ignorance and insensitivity. Reactions ranged from moral outrage to shock and utter disbelief.  Most men I know were also, at least, taken aback by these comments. And this man has daughters?

            The women I spoke to who were most offended were victims of rape and sexual assault, as well you might imagine. The word “legitimate” suggests that some rapes might be “illegitimate,” which suggests one of 2 things: 1) That there are occasions that women claim to be raped, but really weren’t; or that 2) women will demand abortions, falsely claiming rape, just so they can qualify for an exception to a complete ban on abortions, enabling them to terminate their pregnancies. Either way, it suggests that we women simply can’t be trusted tell the truth, or even to know what rape is.  Apparently suggestion wasn’t enough for Idaho Republican Chuck Winder, who said just that:  that women don’t know what rape is. Well, if women don’t know, how do these men know what rape is? Why is it that these men have to pretend that they know everything about everything when they don’t?  Even conservative women that I know are embarrassed and a little afraid of what a bunch of stingy, mean-spirited and arrogant ignoramuses the Republicans have become.

            What is the most troubling from my vantage point, is the outrageous and scientifically baseless claim coming from someone who, not only does not know what he is talking about, but delivers his ignorant remarks with a very condescending, demeaning and paternalistic attitude toward women. This false sense of superiority allows men like Akin to discount our credibility and suffocate us with their macho need to dominate us, all the while claiming to protect us. We are not stupid. We are not making up lies in order to get abortions. How people like this get elected is beyond me.             

Why is it that women always seem to be the absolute last in line when it comes to being recognized as having any rights at all? We know that true equality between the sexes is nonexistent at this time. Women earn slightly more than 75% of what a man makes for the same work. And now, we are not to be afforded a say over a zygote that cannot survive without the most internal resources of our own bodies? This form of life, exclusively dependent upon our insides to even have a chance at life, should enjoy constitutional protections that an actual, real (not potential), in the flesh, live woman does not? Preposterous!

This situation clearly underscores the need for women to step up efforts to elect strong and smart women to political office, as well as empowering young women by encouraging them to pursue educations and careers in all areas of life. 

            We need to get out there and educate the men who obviously don’t know what they don’t know. It is up to us.

I HONOR MY BLEEDING HEART

            I am, unabashedly, a “bleeding heart liberal.”  I am neither proud, nor ashamed of that fact.  It just is.  Even though I grew up in a Roman Catholic household and still observe many Catholic rituals, such as burning votive candles with images of the Virgin Mary and, yes Jesus’ sacred bleeding heart, my personal faith takes on more of a Taoist nature these days.   In my study of other religions and disciplines, I gain a greater and more complete understanding of Jesus of Nazareth, the man, not the myth.

            I grew up poor in a small rural American town in the 1960’s.  My family was on welfare for a time and my brothers and I were able to take advantage of the many great and sustaining programs of Lyndon Johnson’s ‘Great Society,’ starting with, the then brand new, Project Headstart.  I was ten  years old and my teenage brother, who landed a job as a TA, took me with him to work to volunteer there, reading to little kids and playing with them. This was my first experience in giving back to my community and would plant the seed that told me I would always need to give something of myself to others because, no matter what I was going through, there would always be someone out there who needed whatever I had to offer.  I learned that being human was about asking for help when I needed it, and always giving whatever I had to offer of myself to others, also in need.  I learned that what goes around, comes around and that no one person is superior to another.

            As I grew up, there would be more encounters with assistance from government programs:  job corps gave me work and a paycheck when I was an awkward adolescent, pell grants, loans, scholarships, as well as affirmative action opportunities (for which I make no apologies to anyone) all along the way provided a pathway to UCLA Law School and greater opportunities for success, not just for me, but for countless others.  I learned useful skills, met many people who would write letters of recommendation in support of my future endeavors, earned my own keep, started paying taxes at the age of thirteen, and learned how to break the shackles of hopeless poverty – one link at a time.

            I have tried to explain to my conservative friends how these opportunities, engineered by the genius of Sargent Shriver -- forever my hero, created layers upon layers of tax payers and job creators.  I always get the same answer – it was just too expensive, i.e., not worth it.  The implication being that they resented their tax dollars contributing to my success, as it left less in their pocketbooks.  I suppose they would have preferred that I spend my life in domestic labors, as did my grandmother and my mother.  I would be paying a lot less in taxes if that were the case, and I could not have created the jobs and other opportunities that I have created in my legal career, as well as through my participation in various volunteer efforts and non-profit board responsibilities through the years.  And that’s just my story!  I also had two brothers who also benefitted from the Great Society, and went on to further education, jobs, and volunteer activities; from mentoring and tutoring students, to volunteering for Amnesty International and Catholic charities.  We didn’t ever just take.  As we were receiving with one hand, we were giving of ourselves with the other.  My story is not unique.  It is one of millions that speak of learning to give and receive and to honor ourselves by giving back to what gave to us.  As a young lawyer, I met others who had reaped like benefits, and extended friendship and opportunity to me – a cycle of giving and sharing.  For when we give, we create more – more learning, more sharing, more loving and, of course, more money – for everybody.

            It appears to me, that whatever benefit was spent on my family over a decade of time has been more than paid back, and not just in dollars and cents.  Between the three of us siblings, we have more than paid it back just with our tax liability over the past forty years.  But beyond that, we have volunteered hours upon hours of our time to those whose needs we could not ignore, as we recognized our own story in those we assisted and encouraged in many ways.  Certainly, by any empirical measure, our communities – local, state and national, have been repaid multiple times over, not just with dollars, but with volunteer effort – blood, sweat and tears.

            So, all of this leaves me beyond puzzled.  How did the term “bleeding heart” become such a nasty term?  I am not ashamed of my bleeding heart, and I wouldn’t imagine that Jesus would be ashamed of His.  So, why is it considered evil and stupid to care about what happens to other people?  Is it because they see this as a waste?  I cannot deny accusations of waste and abuse and fraud.  I only know my own story, and it is one of plenty created from lack, with just a little bit of support and encouragement from my government – my President, my Congress, my local elected officials.  I felt motivated to honor the efforts of those who created this opportunity for me.  I felt cared about by my community when I was growing up.  Children growing up in poverty today don’t have that same experience.  They are looked down upon and hear people in suits call their parents worthless and lazy.

            This brings me to the crux of the matter.  For me, identifying as a “Christian” is not about ritual or dogma; it is about being like Jesus.  Acting like Jesus, healing like Jesus, sharing like Jesus, loving others, like Jesus did -- unconditionally and without judgment.  You see, being like Jesus has nothing to do with homosexuality, or condemnation of others, or judging others whose experiences  and perspectives may differ; but with actually caring about how people feel and caring about what happens to them.  I can pray and meditate all day long, staring at a likeness of Jesus with his bleeding heart; but if I am unconcerned about those in my community with unmet needs, well then, I’m just wasting God’s time.  I have a bleeding heart because I care if people in my community eat, have a safe place to sleep, have some hope in their lives.  I could never be ashamed of that sentiment that I share with the Son of Man, the Prince of Peace.