 | Victim of Incest? Sarah Palin says Tough Luck, Kid |
Let’s say you’re a twelve year old kid who’s been raped and impregnated by your uncle or your grandfather or your father. Should you have to bring the resulting fetus to term and become a 12-to-13-year-old mother? Or should you have the legal right to choose to abort the fetus, which at 9 weeks weighs a total of 2 grams?
Sarah Palin says tough luck, kiddo. So you’re 12 years old. So you’ve been raped. So you’re a victim of incest. You’ve got a 2 gram fetus inside you and Sarah Palin says if she were in charge you’d have to keep it.
2006 Gubernatorial Debate at KAKM-TV in Anchorage:
Libby Casey: Suppose Senator John Doe puts forth a constitutional amendment that would outlaw abortion even in cases of rape or incest, and he asked you to attend the announcement and support him in that. Would you do it?
Sarah Palin: You’re, you’re asking if… in front of me were legislation that I would be asked to sign?
Libby Casey: No, if he was going to put forth a constitutional amendment, and he just wanted your support, you know, as a party member, as the leader of the state.
Sarah Palin: Um, I would. I would. And it’s no secret that I’m pro-life and I don’t hide that and nor am I ashamed of that but I am pro-life and yes, a, a proposal like that, I would stand by it.
Did you think she wasn’t serious? KTOO reporter Christopher Clark asked a follow-up question:
Christopher Clark: Ms. Palin, if I may interject here, we know that you’re pro-life, but there are certain different shades of gray of pro-life. If a women were, say, uh, raped and got pregnant because of the rape, would that be an instance in which you would allow her to have an abortion?
Sarah Palin: Well, I don’t think it would be up to me individually as an individual, but…
Christopher Clark: Would it be against the law?
Sarah Palin: In the case of the life of the mother being in jeopardy, I think there, that is the acceptable exception and I think I’ve gone on record on that.
In the same debate, Sarah Palin reflected on abortion for her personally or for her family, and said it would be for her personally a “very private matter” in which “I would choose”:
Sarah Palin: Y’know, with my respect for the sanctity of life and my belief in the potential of life I know that this aspect of the abortion issue is very sensitive, and, you know, is a very private matter also. But personally, I would choose life.
Christopher Clark: Let me ask a question that was raised by a member of the audience on this issue. Let’s say your daughter was pregnant or your son was involved in a pregnancy. I mean, it was before marriage or anything like that. What would your reaction be, your reaction and your advice to him or her?
Sarah Palin: Um, again, I would choose life and certainly I’m quite confident that you’re going to be asking my opponents those same scenarios.
Christopher Clark: I will. But if your daughter had been raped, would that be something you would feel would be…
Sarah Palin: Again, I would choose life.
Did you get that? Sarah Palin would make choices for her or for her daughter, and they would be a “very private matter,” but she would take away the ability of every parent or child around the country to make choices in the matter. Above them, she would place her own Writ controlling every woman’s and every child’s body from the Oval Office in Washington, DC.
Lest you think Sarah Palin was just having a hypothetical lapse right there, consider her written response to the 2006 Eagle Forum Questionnaire:
Question: Complete the sentence by checking the applicable phrases (you can check more than one).
Abortion should be:
Banned throughout entire pregnancy.
Legal to save the life of the mother.
Legal in case of rape and incest.
Legal if the baby is handicapped.
Legal if the baby has a genetic defect.
Legal in the first trimester.
Legal in the second trimester.
Legal in the third trimester.
Other:__________________Sarah Palin: I am pro-life. With the exception of a doctor’s determination that the mother’s life would end if the pregnancy continued. I believe that no matter what mistakes we make as a society, we cannot condone ending an innocent’s life.
Are you a 12 year old victim of rape and incest, a 7th grader who has been forcibly impregnated by her own relatives? Well, tough. If Sarah Palin’s in charge of the country, you won’t get to control what happens to your body. If Sarah Palin’s in charge of the country, Sarah Palin will control what happens to your body.
Did I mention that Sarah Palin is running to be in charge of the country?
Contact Us
Sara Palin is an incensitive moron. 1. Not everyone can afford to raise a handicapped child and 2. Isn’t this world populated enough? And isnt the foster care system already too overcrowded for there to be more unwanted children????????
Comment by Anonymous — 9/7/2008 @ 5:20 pm
Sara Palin is an insensitive moron. 1. Not everyone can afford to raise a handicapped child and 2. Isn’t this world populated enough? And isnt the foster care system already too overcrowded for there to be more unwanted children????????
Comment by Anonymous — 9/7/2008 @ 5:21 pm
For “anonymous”… the word is spelled “insensitive”…moran! After reading the attached “2006 Eagle Questionnair” I am more convinced than ever that we have found the perfect person to run with McCain as VP… I can’t wait to see them win and for her to run for President within the next 4-8 years! She is exactly what our country needs! She is consistent and does not change her belief’s to satisfy the requests of others who may be opposed to what she believes. What more could you ask for? In reality, regarding abortion…the possibility of this law being over turned is slim to none… Look at her track record & credibility. Stop being angry and thinking “because I am a democrat I always have to vote democrat. Although I have always voted Republican, it doesn’t mean I wouldn’t vote Democrat if the “right” person were running. Don’t be so narrow minded…
Comment by prescott — 9/8/2008 @ 3:28 am
So I should vote for someone who would do things I strongly disagree with because they are consistent and that’s the really important thing?
Hey, I know who we all should vote for: SATAN! He’s consistently diabolical. Sure, his policy as president would be to skewer us all on pointy sticks, but he doesn’t waver to satisfy others. What more could you ask for?
Comment by Jim — 9/8/2008 @ 7:44 am
“For “anonymous”… the word is spelled “insensitive”…moran!”
For “prescott” - “moron” is spelled M-O-R-O-N. Dumbass.
Comment by AT — 9/8/2008 @ 8:10 am
Come on, AT! Two separate words! “Dumb ass.” You idjit!
Comment by Jim — 9/8/2008 @ 9:24 am
I respectfully disagree Jim, “dumbass” and “dumb ass” are interchangeable in my play book. One could even use “dumb-ass” if they liked.
I must note however, that “moran” may never be substitued for “moron”. When calling someone a moron, it’s helpful if you don’t prove yourself to be one at the same time.
Comment by AT — 9/8/2008 @ 4:11 pm
Well, I once knew someone named Mr. Moran, and he wasn’t too smart.
Comment by Jim — 9/8/2008 @ 4:29 pm
If your concern is that the life of the raped girl would be ruined, 2 questions-
1-Why would you think that aborting a child would be less emtionally damaging and therefore easier than delivering a child?
2-What about the concern of the developing child?
BTW,if you think a developing child is ‘just a fetus’ or ‘not really alive’ or ‘not a real person’ remember that you were at that stage once as well…
Comment by Shawn LaBelle — 9/8/2008 @ 6:51 pm
Yeah, I was at the stage of a sperm and an egg too, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel free to wipe my cock and flush it down the toilet and it doesn’t mean I have a soul-wrenching cry every month when my wife has her period. Before that, I was at the stage of some food being digested in my mother’s or father’s or grandmother’s stomach, but I don’t moan over the existential fate of a submarine sandwich. One day I will be at the dead stage, and that doesn’t mean you won’t feel free to burn me or shove me in a hole in the ground.
Comment by Jim — 9/8/2008 @ 7:42 pm
The difference in your first two examples is that they have not fused, creating new life (Remember Mitosis from High school biology?) As for your moaning-maybe there is a more profound meaning to life than just ending up in a hole!
Comment by Shawn — 9/8/2008 @ 9:11 pm
They also do not have a functioning brain. They also do not have autonomy. They also do not have a number of things that 18 year olds have. So you can either spend your life picking one continuous variable to dichotomize, or you can recognize that life is not dichotomous and move on from there.
I don’t know if there actually is a more profound meaning to life than just ending up in a hole. But I do know this — political groups and parties that care more about zygotes than homeless teenaged mothers or innocent civilians caught in the crossfires of the war they pumped their fists at from their plush barcaloungers really bum me out.
Comment by Jim — 9/8/2008 @ 10:31 pm
“AT”… since you are playing by the rules in your “play book”… I suppose I will share mine as well. Forgive my 19th Century knowledge as I shouldn’t have made the assumption “anonymous” would understand my definition of “moran”: mor·an [ máwr?n ] (plural mor·an) noun
Definition: East Africa Masai warrior OR a young unmarried male. I was referring to the “young unmarried male”…
Jim…there is so much more to life than ending up in a hole however to comment on your reply @ 7:44… No, I don’t believe you should vote for someone you strongly disagree with. Our great country gives you the freedom to vote as you so choose. I try to keep an open mind when it comes to politicians therefore I not only listen to one party, I listen to both. I will never agree with 100% of what someone is saying however I would rather have someone in office who has the best interest of our country and who stands up for what they believe in which coincides with the values this country was founded on. I would never want to risk putting someone in office who is not consistent or passionate about their beliefs and what they stand for.
Comment by prescott — 9/9/2008 @ 12:54 am
Violence with more violence? An adortion is not the same as having a mole removed. She will act out her pain now or in forty years. Studies show that women who are post abortive are much more likely to abusive their other children, become alcoholics, abuse drugs, or suffer from depression. Don’t make the girl suffer more.
Comment by Beth — 9/11/2008 @ 2:53 pm
If you would never want to risk putting someone in office who is not consistent about their beliefs or what they stand for, then you really ought to think twice about John McCain.
Comment by Jim — 9/11/2008 @ 3:09 pm
prescott the wordsmith: I am humbled by your awesome vocabulary. You sure are schooling us all here. While we’re at it, could you tell us the Easy African Masai phrase for “useless old dingbat?”
Comment by AT — 9/11/2008 @ 3:35 pm
I find these comments to be rather rude. “Aren’t foster homes overpopulated enough with more unwanted children?”
I’m both adopted, AND a victim of incest/rape. I got pregnant when I was 15 as a result of it. I don’t care what the circumstances are, when you’re carrying a child, there’s a connection. I’ve never felt so strongly about anything in my life. Children in foster care are NOT “unwanted”. I gave my child up for adoption, because I don’t believe that my case, which WAS rape/incest, was a good enough excuse to not give the child a chance to live. I was aware that my child had a higher chance of having a mental illness, however, I also knew from being adopted that there are MANY MANY couples out there who specifically want to adopt special needs children. Don’t ever call the kids in the foster homes unwanted. You can’t even imagine how much love it takes to put them there instead of ending their life altogether.
Comment by Amanda. — 9/12/2008 @ 11:59 am
It would be nice if there actually WERE loving homes for all the world’s unwanted children. Here in the US white babies usually do find homes. However, there are a whole lot of non-white children that never get out of the system. If every conservative just adopted a minority child with all the time they spend rallying against abortion.. I know many many couples who fight against abortion rights but never even take in a foster child. I don’t know one who has. Abortion sucks, but having masses of unwanted children suffering seems worse.
Comment by AT — 9/12/2008 @ 3:23 pm
AT: “Useless”…I am definitely not! “OLD”…..At 38…I hardly call that old! “Dingbat”….. I have my moments…who doesn’t…however, I haven’t heard that word used in many years!
Amanda: People make mistakes and things happen that are 100% out of our control however nobody should have the right to take a life of another! We have people in this country that care more about the life of an animal (and yes, I am an animal lover too) over the life of a human being which is truly wrong. That is something we can’t fix in a person because the “choice” is up to them! We need to work at educating people instead of making excuses for them.
With your history, I hope you are able to make a difference in the lives of others so they will be able to learn from the things that have happened
to you. Stay strong! People being nasty in their communication on these blogs only shows their ignorance, lack of compassion, respect and courtesy for life!
Comment by prescott — 9/12/2008 @ 5:24 pm
Right prescott we need to educate people. Only conservatives seem to think that education means telling them “you know that unmentioable thing between your legs, don’t use it.” “Abstinence Only” education has only increased unwanted pregnancies and abortions. Way to go conservatives!
Comment by AT — 9/12/2008 @ 5:33 pm
So, under this pro-Life doctrine supported by Palin, the poor girl/woman that has been terrorized by rape and/or incest will be required to suffer through the next 40 weeks of her life to gestating the result of her original violation. Gosh, is that sounds to me like a pretty nasty punishment for the “sin” of having been a victim of a violent crime.
I’m having a really hard time seeing how that is, in any way, “just” to the victim.
Comment by HereByChoice — 9/12/2008 @ 6:13 pm
Banning abortion only increases the amount of illegal abortions, it doesn’t have much of an impact on the abortion rate in general.
I know I was considered for abortion when my mother was pregnant, but this doesn’t really scare me, and I’d never had had chance to hold it against her if she’d decided not to keep me. It was her choice and that’s a good thing.
Abortions frequently occur NATURALLY, if the zygote doesn’t implant, and sometimes if it does.
And let’s not forget the medical issues relating with pregnancy in general, let alone those from young pregnancies.
“Studies show that women who are post abortive are…” - Beth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Post-abortion_syndrome#Post-abortion_syndrome
People may feel worse just because they’re expected, and treated, like they should be. There’s not any strong evidence to imply that the abortion itself causes this.
Of course, UNWANTED PREGNANCIES are best prevented by SEX EDUCATION. I stand up for my right to choice and not to let what is initially a parasite (an organism of a different genetic code that lives on my blood) be a changing point in my life unless I want it to be. But I’m never intending to have an abortion.
Abstinence only sex education is like starvation only dieting tips.
Comment by HareTrinity — 10/12/2008 @ 3:34 pm
And as per usual this is again a WOMAN issue, and there’s never much implication that maybe men, also, should be involved in preventing the situation coming up.
2 types of pregnancies: Rape victims and women who should “keep their legs closed”
Temporary steralisation also works, but most “pro-life” people seem to be scared of doctors.
Comment by HareTrinity — 10/12/2008 @ 3:37 pm