Palin's Fetal Position
We really don't need to know anything more about the Sarah Palin celebrity action figure.
We don't need to know where she buys her glasses, when she decided to start wearing her hair in an up-do or how she handles the demands of motherhood and government work.
We don't even need to hear her answers on energy policy, the Iraq war or God's will.
What an awful lot of voters really need to know about Palin may already have been revealed -- years ago -- by one dark and unforgivable policy instituted under her watch as mayor of the small town of Wasilla.
After taking office in 1996, she allowed the town's police department to begin charging rape victims for the forensic work done in their cases. She signed off on the budget that detailed the new police policy -- a directive instituted by her hand-picked police chief after she fired his predecessor. The unexplained reversal in Wasilla's procedure dictated that rape victims, unlike the victims of other crimes, now would have to pay for the investigative work done at the crime scene.
In a rape case, of course, the crime scene is the woman's body.
When Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, the town suddenly started charging rape victims between $300 and $1200 to have the rapist's DNA and other forensic evidence taken, tested, cataloged and investigated.
That meant that women who came to local police for help after being battered, brutalized and victimized, faced one more violation. These women had to pay for the privilege of having their cases treated as crimes.
Palin's then-police chief Charlie Fannon defended this policy with the explanation that he wanted to save taxpayers' money. He said the raped women's insurance policies were billed -- when possible. In those cases, the women only had to pay the deductible. Of course, this being America, many women were uninsured, unprotected from both their attackers and the big bills.
Gee, thanks, guys.
Oddly enough, Fannon did not make the same kind of choice in other criminal cases. He did not make people injured by hit-and-run drivers or mugging victims or the families of murdered men and women cough up money to investigate their cases or collect evidence to catch their attackers.
It only happened in rape cases.
Hmmm.
Now, why would that be?
There is one terrible possibility: that this happened because somebody in charge in Wasilla -- either the police chief or the Mayor or both -- hails from the craziest corner of the pro-life community, the people who believe that birth control is abortion.
These people oppose paying for forensic work in rape cases because as part of that process -- as a final step in a humiliating and dehumanizing procedure -- a woman is typically asked if she would like a "morning after" pill, a medication that will prevent a fertilized egg from implanting in the lining of her uterus. The treatment is believed to be about 80% effective in preventing pregnancy.
Sarah Palin has not deigned to take questions from the unwashed masses in the media, but if she ever does, this might be a good place to begin.
Does she believe that giving a rape victim a "morning after" pill is committing murder? Does Palin believe that the taxpayers shouldn't pay for this or that police shouldn't offer this as a matter of course? Does she really believe that a woman should have to bear the child of her rapist?
We already know that's what she would want for her daughter.
During her successful gubernatorial campaign in 2006, Palin declared that she would not choose an abortion for her daughter -- then 14 years old -- even if the girl was raped and became pregnant. "I would choose life," Palin said.
Eric Croft suspects that these pro-life beliefs were the reason behind Wasilla's no pay police policy on rape victims.
He is the Democratic legislator who got the system changed by sponsoring a state proposal in 2000 that required local police departments in Alaska to pay for victims' "rape kits," as the evidence-gathering process is called. He wrote the bill with Wasilla's misguided police procedure in mind.
Croft told me that he was working at the time with a victim support group called "STAR" -- for Standing Together Against Rape. "We kept hearing reports out of the Mat-Su Valley that a police department there was charging for rape kits," Croft says. "We didn't know who it was."
Finally, a rape victim came forward with a copy of her insurance bill, which listed the rape kit charges filed by Wasilla police. Croft says his organization contacted the town's police chief who confirmed the policy but could not be convinced to change it.
Croft says he was dumbfounded. "I thought they'd be shamed out of it. But they weren't. They weren't."
So he proposed a change in state law. As a result, there were public hearings, public testimony and overwhelming public support. The bill passed unanimously. Democratic Governor Tony Knowles made a point of signing the bill into law in front of cameras outside a sexual assault clinic.
The amazing thing is that, through all of this, Palin herself apparently didn't speak publicly, didn't come out for or against her police chief's policy, didn't take responsibility for what her town was doing to already wounded women.
Part of what makes this suspicious is that Wasilla's policy is not the first time rape victims have found themselves in the crosshairs of the country's culture wars over abortion.
In fact, their bodies have long been a battleground.
Right-to-life groups around the country have often stepped into rape cases, fighting to make sure that pharmacists, police and medical personnel don't have to participate in procedures they deem "immoral."
From the Deep South to South Dakota, from Missouri to Arizona, rape victims have too long had to fight for the kind of equality and empathy that other crime victims can regularly expect.
The question of emergency contraception -- who gets it, who pays for it and who gets to decide -- is at the heart of this heated debate.
A few years ago, there was a dustup down here in Texas, when a pharmacist in a Dallas suburb refused to fill a rape victim's prescription for the "morning after" pill, saying that he couldn't dispense the medication "because it ends life." This poor woman had to go to a different pharmacy in order to protect herself in the most personal, most private, most important way possible.
When the story became public, dozens of outraged Texas women showed up outside the pharmacy with signs saying, "Rape violates my morals."
Those same women -- and thousands more who feel the same way -- could be headed for a Republican rally soon if Sarah doesn't start talking.
Her partner in the old policy seems to have gone to ground.
Charles Fannon, the former police chief, now has a disconnected home phone number.
And Sarah Palin seems to be in the process of completely disconnecting herself from the policy.
Palin's spokeswoman, Maria Comella, told USA Today in an e-mail last week that the Governor "does not believe, nor has she ever believed that rape victims should have to pay for an evidence-gathering test.
"Governor Palin's position could not be more clear. To suggest otherwise is a deliberate misrepresentation of her commitment to supporting victims and bringing violent criminals to justice."
According to USA Today, Comilla would not answer other questions, including when Palin learned of Wasilla's policy or whether she tried to change it.
Maybe this is all some kind of unthinkable misunderstanding. Maybe Palin didn't know this was happening, didn't hear about it even the whole state joined the conversation, maybe this tough-talking Mayor couldn't control her police chief.
Maybe she has changed over the years, maybe she now recognizes the immorality of treating rape victims this way.
Whatever the answer -- before we vote -- before we are treated to another story about her taste in shoes or her time as Governor, would someone please pin Palin down and ask her what the hell was going on with rape victims in Wasilla?
And more importantly, why?
This person who says she's prepared to be a heartbeat away from the presidency could clear this whole thing up in a heartbeat.
Why won't she?
When Palin's name was announced as McCain's vice-presidential pick, I initially viewed her as some kind of sop to disgruntled Clinton supporters, somebody who was supposed to appeal to those of us who would rather have seen Hillary at the head of the ticket.
In the campaign, Palin has been presented as a kind of born-again Christian comic book hero -- the ultimate in multi-tasking mothers -- a woman who flies around the country in labor, kills big animals in the woods and dictates the details of other people's lives while juggling babies, Bibles and bullets.
It is beginning to look like she may be something colder, creepier and more complicated.
She has run Alaska like Dick Cheney in drag, a person who thrives on secrecy, loyalty and control.
On foreign policy, she's reminiscent of George W. Bush, without the sparkling curiosity.
And if she worked to deny rape victims emergency contraception, she is women voters' worst nightmare -- she is Phyllis Schlaffly with PMS, power and an automatic weapon.
It is long past time to figure out who Sarah Palin really is.
Getting answers on how and why she allowed her hometown to adopt a policy towards crime victims that was so beyond the pale, so outside the bounds of human decency, so heartless is a good place to begin.
In the end, it may be all we need to know.
Like Sarah Palin, I believe in the power of prayer.
I am praying that reporters can pull themselves out of the fetal position and start asking Palin some hard questions -- about hers.
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McCain Voted Against Biden Law Requiring Free Rape Exams
In 1994, John McCain voted against legislation -- pushed through Congress by Joe Biden -- that helped put an end to the practice of charging rape victims for sexual assault exams.
Twisted as it may sound, charging victims for a forensic exam was a real problem. For example, as AMERICAblog has documented (and the media is now reporting), when Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, the town charged rape victims for the exams.
Biden's legislation required that state, local, and Indian governments provide the rape exams to victims free of charge as a condition of receiving federal funds under the Violence Against Women Act. In 2000, Alaska finally passed state legislation in order to qualify for federal funding.
McCain not only opposed Biden's legislation, but also has voted against funding it as recently as October 2007.
McCain voted against final passage of Biden's legislation. He had supported an earlier version, but on the question of actually making the legislation the law of the land, McCain joined 35 conservative Republicans (and 2 Democrats) and said "no" to ensuring that all women had access to rape exams free of charge.
McCain voted against equal pay for women on the comment that he didn't want to put any more demands on the court system; as if women's grievances were less valuable than men's grievances?
Outrage would ensue if men were denied access to justice.
Now, all this absurdity over charge victim of crime for forensic collection and analysis of crime scene evidence. Absolutely absurd. No male, who was ever assualted physically or robbed would be charged to collect and process evidence.
So much for equal justice under to the law.
The more I find out about McSame and Palin, the less I respect. Both must be demented or just obtuse to think this type of attitude and behavior is justifiable and acceptable under any circumstances.
PART 2
It's time for the middle class to stand up and be heard. National rallies will garner
national press coverage. Here's a link for a rally against Palin in Anchorage that came together within a few short days by simply sending press releases to their local media:
http://mud
He wanted to save taxpayers money?
This is EXACTLY the kind of things we all hope our tax dollars are going to pay for.
Sarah Palin is not a champion for women and as a mother I found her lack of deliberation on the offer of VP appalling. Not because of being able to manage a career and a family but she never stopped to think about whether or not the increased media spotlight was something your children could handle.
Say what you want about Barack Obama but his first concern about taking on the run for president was how it would affect his family.
She's unbelievable.
Forced childbearing is unamerican, inhumane, akin to torture and since slavery is illegal, what you call murder is an a fallacy. Murder is the killing of a already born individual who is a separate entity that is viable on its own. Embryos are not viable on their own. Already born, separate and distinct women have sole claim over who and what uses their bodies and for what purpose. This murder claim is bogus and has been devised by men who want to "make" women bend to their purposes. To try and require a raped women to take a "wait and see attitude" with her life over a specious idea that a rapist's induced pregnancy has claim over its' victim is to deny women their humanity and the respect due to a person who have been violated. I wouldn't wish that horror on anyone, man or woman and I certainly wouldn't try and make them feel even worse. We already born people are not incubators or warehouses of spare parts for the infirmed, pre-born or sickly persons among us. Giving one's body to help support another (ie. blood donations, kidney donations, bone marrow donations, etc.) is a generous voluntary act of charity and kindness; if not, then coersion is in play and that deprives all of us of our bodily integrity and the claim that we cannot be forced to serve another unwilling.
He wanted to save taxpayers money?
This is EXACTLY the kind of things we all hope our tax dollars are going to pay for.
Sarah Palin is not a champion for women and as a mother I found her lack of deliberation on the offer of VP appalling. Not because of being able to manage a career and a family but she never stopped to think about whether or not the increased media spotlight was something your children could handle.
Say what you want about Barack Obama but his first concern about taking on the run for president was how it would affect his family.
She's unbelievable.
Taking a morning after pill no matter if you are rape victim or not is murder. Life begins at conception. If you murder it, you murder it.
The question, Mary Mapes, should be whether that murder should be legal or not. Having you question whether that is murder or not is just plain stupid. Even if you believe it is a women's decision what to do with her body, the fact is you are murdering life.
Then we need to outlaw breastfeeding, caffeine, and exercise as all of these can prevent implantation of a fertilized egg. Is that really what you're saying? A breastfeeding mother is committing murder?
Since we know that about 25% of pregnancies result in spontaneous abortion before the first trimester is complete, does that mean that your god is a murderer? I am so sick of people with the least knowledge being the most judgemental. Live your own life and leave everyone else alone!
Oh, please. Let me guess. You're a male.
So it's OK with you that some misguided a__hole out to get his rocks off causes psychological damage for the rest of a woman's life, and probably physical injury as well, and then pre-empts her life for 9 months (and longer if she keeps the child)?
Not with ME.
And I don't believe there is any more soul in a recently fertilized egg than in a drop of blood.
Stopping a few cells from becoming a human being is NOT murder.
Bombing whole city blocks IS. See the difference?
No, you probably don't . . .
It was my understanding that Plan B stops conception? So there is no fertilized egg. I bet you fundies dont want your women finding out about that one.
...DEMAND MANDITORY PREGNANCY!!!
The point is that McCain/Palin have their combined list of when abortion is acceptable (threat to mother's life, incest, rape), but in the same breath tell others that they cannot have the same right to make those choices. This is hypocrisy at its highest level.
Jon Stewart had the most telling thing on the subject of Palin and the rape kits. It is in the middle of the Bush Doctrine talk...and he becomes chillingly serious on this subject. Please check it out for yourself. it was funny and ever so alarming in the middle...m
I can see the hospital. Can I be a doctor?
Sign of the times.
"I am not a real doctor but I play one on TV"
is replaced by
"I am not a real doctor but I live near one"
Wonderful, thought-provoking and informative article. Would it be okay to use credited portions in a letter to my hometown newspaper? women need to know about this.
Funny how the right to life use the excuses of adoption, are there no children who need loving homes or are the only ones who need love newborns. There are hundreds of thousands of children and teens who need good homes and they are being left by the way side. The hypocrisy of these "good" people who talk about the need for children to adopt is appalling.
The charging for rape kits in her town is an injustice and a barricade to justice it shows the stench of sexism to the highest degree. In a state with the highest rape rate in the country this lone town was charging for justice. The state government had to pass a law to make it stop. For a mayor to allow this then force the state to pass a law to stop it show how much she knew about it and how much she was all for it. It also shows just how little they value equality and how disgustingly they value the dollar.
I think I'm going to throw up now. Please please don't let this duo become p and vp.
Okay, I did some resarch and discovered the following statistics on multiple sites.
1. Alaska has the highest per capita rates of sexual assault and has maintained that tile since 1995.
2. Alaskans are between 2.5 to 3 times more likely to be raped than women in the lower 48.
3. Actually it is about 9 times more likely if you are an Alaskan native american.
4. Alaksa has one of the worst rates of rape sexal assault on minors in the US.
5. The average age of a rape victom in Alaska is 16.
These stats were confirmed by FBI.
While Palin's focus has been on oil pipe lines and opening up ANWAR - the women in her state have been largly ignored. Yea - I'd call that feminism -not!!
And to add insult to injury, she allowed a policy of charging rape victoms for their rape kits and tells them they should carry any baby that may occur.
Could it be that her approval rating is so high there because the ratio of men to women is about that much????
Palin - wrong for women - wrong for America.
why is her approval rating so high, simple - the white male population thinks she is cute.
I AM PRO-CHOICE AND I VOTE.
there. got that off my chest. In the meantime, before the vote, I'd ike to remind women that Plan B is now available over the counter without a prescription. While this in no way excuses this incredible and outrageous lack of compassion from the Palin camp, it is good to know that we don't really need anyone's permission to obtain it - certainly not HERS. The FDA fought a long battle to insure that this was available to those who might need it (I have purchased it on a few occassions for underage teens). While it should be an unquestioned piece of a rape kit, in cases where it isn't, a woman may go down to the pharmacy and obtain for herself.
I'm jus' sayin'.
Do we know if it is available in Alaska?
Rape is a crime, not a choice. It should be treated with all the resources the law can throw at it.
Finally, someone said the words. Rape is a crime of violence sometimes ending in murder, and/or brutal assault. It may be that not reporting this crime may result in others being raped by the same perp.
Children under the age of consent should be taught to report rape to the authority figures named in the State law.
It is a civic and moral duty to report rape to the local police.
When this story first came out, I thought that Palin's support among women would plunge. It didn't. When this story came out, I was sure that some of the moderate Republican
Hey back off!!! Palin is just defending the right of every rapist to chose the mother of his child! And if they DIDN'T charge for the rape kit then you know those poor women would just start getting raped in order to get the government subsidized rape kit for free! It amounts to a taxpayer subsidy of the rape industry!
And if any of that sounds really wacky and scary consider the fact that about half the country apparently thinks it sounds like a pretty darn good idea...
Now THAT'S scary.
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