Todd Akin...another reason to dislike Missouri

Republican Congressman from Missouri Todd Akin said that women rarely get pregnant from "legitimate rape." While everyone is screaming and yelling about this comment, why hasn't anyone officially defined the words so we know where we all stand on the outrage.

According to the online American Heritage Dictionary, the word "legitimate" means "authentic or genuine," as in, a legitimate complaint. The word "rape" means, "the crime of forcing another person to submit to sex acts, especially sexual intercourse" Definitions wipe away assumptions. So Akin is saying if the rape is really rape, a woman won't get pregnant. Keep in mind this discussion was about legal abortion for women impregnated through rape.

I wish the reporter had asked Akin a harder question like, what evidence does he know of that causes a woman to "shut down" her body to prevent pregnancy? I, thankfully, have never been raped but I did go through 7 years of fertility treatments. If there were a switch to turn on the ability to become pregnant, my fertility specialists didn't know about it.

Some politicians disagree with abortion under any circumstances but most are smart enough to NOT refer to rape as being legitimate or not. Most will not say something so stupid as a woman can prevent pregnancy if the sperm is delivered into her body by force. Uh...really? How? In the end, Akin is blaming the woman for the pregnancy through rape...oh...but it wasn't a real rape because women don't get pregnant unless they enjoy the act that got them pregnant. This is how I interpreted Akin's comments and the comments are disgusting. What is more disturbing is he is leading the race in Missouri. That just makes me want to hurl.

Commercials in Missouri have said that Akin thinks student loans are like a cancer. That isn't getting much press time but we have a short list of two things he thinks that make me never want to vote for him. As much as I hate paying my loans back (they never seem to go away), I would never have gotten a degree without the loans. Many share this boat with me.

Unfortunately, if he wins, I will not be surprised. Akin knows this state and I would bet money many agree with him. It's an old, ugly belief that he just voiced. It's completely incorrect but being wrong isn't a factor here. People who believe this will believe it, although quietly, no matter what evidence is presented.