State-Sanctioned Rape
Posted by Michelle Moquin on February 16th, 2012
Good morning!
So I’ve decided to mix it up a bit and change locations of where I blog…ya know just to make it more interesting than blogging in bed. :) (Calvin you inspired me – Congrats on the numero uno spot :)
I used to step to a different venue on Sundays but I rather like stepping out during the week as well. So hear I am at “Actual Cafe”, a very cool joint with big open windows, soothing music and a low-key crowd. And like my Cubano Con Leche made with condensed milk (yummy!), and my fresh HUGE raspberry morning bun (another “yummer” – I know not a word, but I’m back to creating words again, and since this is my blog, I can do that. By the way, feel free to do as well :) , I’m diggin’ this place big time – right now life just can’t get any better. It certainly is what I needed this morning.
I HOPE your day is starting off as well as mine. However, I hate to say it, but if you live in some if the more “conservative”(I call them “controlling”) states and like to have a say over what can and what cannot happen to your body – read on. I’m talking to you girls out there, especially the ones who support the republican party…because girls…those “boys” you support have figured out another way to control you through sexual assault – rape and get away with it.
State-Sanctioned Rape: Trans-Vaginal Ultrasound Laws in Virginia, Texas, and Iowa
Virginia is poised to send two of the most abhorrent anti-choice bills to Governor Bob McDonnell to sign. The governor, eyes trained on a vice presidential bid, has indicated he will sign at least one if not both of the bills.
The first is a bill requiring the use of trans-vaginal ultrasound prior to a woman obtaining an abortion, the other is an egg-as-person bill. Like other failed “personhood” bills, the Virginia provision would outlaw not only abortion but also forms of hormonal birth control.
Although the Governor has said he will consider the personhood bill he has been clear he would sign the forced ultrasound bill. But let’s start calling this what it really is: state sanctioned rape.
In Virginia, rape is defined as the following:
§ 18.2-61. Rape.
A. If any person has sexual intercourse with a complaining witness, whether or not his or her spouse, or causes a complaining witness, whether or not his or her spouse, to engage in sexual intercourse with any other person and such act is accomplished (i) against the complaining witness’s will, by force, threat or intimidation of or against the complaining witness or another person; or (ii) through the use of the complaining witness’s mental incapacity or physical helplessness; or (iii) with a child under age 13 as the victim, he or she shall be guilty of rape.
I called and emailed McDonnell’s press secretary Jeff Caldwell asking if the forced vaginal ultrasound bill would in-fact overturn the rape statute. Caldwell did not return my call or email by the time of publication.
During the debate Republican State Del. Todd Gilbert said:
“the vast majority of these cases [abortion] are matters of lifestyle convenience.” And, “We think in matters of lifestyle convenience and in other matters that it is right and proper for a woman to be fully informed about what she is doing.”
NARAL Pro-Choice Virginia Executive Director Tarina Keene said of the ultrasound bill alluding to Gilbert’s ludicrous statement:
“This bill and comments on the House floor show the disrespect anti-choice lawmakers have for women’s personal and private reproductive decisions made with their doctors and their families.”
Gilbert embodies the nature of the debate in one sweeping statement; women choose abortion willy-nilly and women aren’t smart enough to make their own decisions about their bodies so big government and men will (he has since issued an apology.)
The ignorance Gilbert displayed is the norm and I encountered similar stupidity first hand when confronted by a group of men on Facebook regarding the Texas ultrasound law. This is the relevant passage from a my piece written for The Frisky on the anniversary of Roe v. Wade:
Last week I got into a heated exchange with a group of men on Facebook about abortion. It was regarding the Texas law requiring a woman view an ultrasound prior to getting an abortion. The man starting the thread praised the Texas Supreme Court for upholding the ultrasound law.
This opinion piece from The Houston Chronicle (via AlterNet) gives you an idea of what a the government mandated ultrasound law in Texas could mean:
According to the Guttmacher Institute, 88 percent of abortions occur during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Because the fetus is so small at this stage, traditional ultrasounds performed through the abdominal wall, “jelly on the belly,” often cannot produce a clear image. Therefore, a transvaginal probe is most often necessary, especially up to 10 weeks to 12 weeks of pregnancy. The probe is inserted into the vagina, sending sound waves to reflect off body structures to produce an image of the fetus. Under this new law, a woman’s vagina will be penetrated without an opportunity for her to refuse due to coercion from the so-called “public servants” who passed and signed this bill into law.
Under the Texas penal code penetration of a woman’s vagina without her consent is sexual assault. In other words, it is rape — which is punishable by imprisonment.
In my bizarre Facebook exchange mentioned above, a man brazenly told me rape by the state was analogous to paying taxes, “If you want to talk about government rape, let’s talk about paying taxes to the IRS!”
The conversation deteriorated from there, culminating with a man writing that I was “lucky your mom didn’t abort you” and to shut my “pie hole.” It would have been simply hilarious if the premise of the conversation weren’t so disturbing.
And then there is Iowa – Iowa is no stranger to waging war on women’s reproductive rights, it has been the hobby of the religious right there for years. State GOP Representatives have brought forward three bills; egg-as-person, forced ultrasound and a so-called “Woman’s Right to Know” bill.
The forced ultrasound bill passed out of a House subcommittee and is on to the full Human Resources Committee – and then its on to the floor for full debate and vote. This bill is likely to pass out of the House but State Senator Steve Sodders told me (if it did make it out of the house) it would certainly die in the Senate. The Iowa Senate is the sane chamber dominated by Democrats functioning under the leadership of bulldog Senator Mike Gronstal.
While it may be true that the ultrasound bill will not pass in Iowa, these attempts at passing forced ultrasound bills and other anti-women legislation must continue to be called out no matter if the bill will pass or not. And like Texas and Virginia, the Iowa ultrasound bill could lead to forced trans-vaginal ultrasounds.
Marge Baker, Executive Vice President of People for the American Way puts it this way when talking about Virgina’s bill but can be applied across the board, “…Virginia’s ultrasound bill takes the war on women to a new level. These politicians aren’t only invading women’s hospital rooms, they’re requiring women to undergo an incredibly invasive procedure without their consent. That’s not only insulting to women, it flies in the face of our values as a free nation.”
The bottom line is pro-choice legislators in state houses around the country as well as physicians and women’s rights activist must start drawing the clear line between state forced transvaginal ultrasounds and rape.
******
Readers: Can you believe some of the comments that these men are saying. I’m so sick of their attitude towards women…How can you compare paying taxes to the government to women getting raped? It is so cold and uncaring. I agree with the writer over the bizarre exchange – it would be hilarious if it wasn’t so very disturbing.
And I’m so sick of men making a comment one day and then apologizing for it the next day as if that just erases everything. Some apologies don’t mean shit anymore. It’s just a way to mollify those affected by the stupid statement. The meaning is still there, and the intention is still there. The apology is just a bunch of BS to get us to move on while the individual(s) continue to follow through with their sick plans. Don’t buy it.
It’s happening again. The “line” is not clear. What are we going to do? What are you going to do? Blog me.
Social Butterfly, Al: Thank you!
Lisa: Too sweet – thanks for sharing.
Anna of Guam: I like it. I think I’ll celebrate a day early next year. HOPEfully my love will remember as well.
Calin: I take it you read the above article that I posted. This is exactly what you are talking about with respect the female voters “voting away the benefits other women got for them through sweat and anguish and any chance of gaining parity from men”.
The forum is open – blog me.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
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February 16th, 2012 at 10:16 am
Hi Michelle; The republican party is so full of shit. On the one hand they want smaller government so that they can do what they please, with no watchdog agencies to monitor their use of tax payers dollars.
On the other hand they want big government, to be able to walk all over health care issues, particularly womens reproductive rights and other health care concerns.
Why don’t they just declare “We are the republican party and we want to rob you blind and tell you what you can and cannot do”.
This is double talking bullshit. Make no mistake the republicans think they are royalty and they seem to think we live in a fascist monarchy.
They make me sick to my stomach. I can’t see why anyone would vote republican.
Al
February 16th, 2012 at 10:49 am
I am writing something find horrific. A top Palestinian Authority religious leader claimed in a sermon at a major Fatah event that Muslims are obligated to kill Jews. If that is not blasphemy from a so-called Holy Man, I do not know what is.
The Mufti Muhammad Hussein presented the murder of Jews by Muslims as a religious Islamic goal while celebrating the 47th anniversary of the Palestinian Authority’s Fatah faction.
An appointee of Palestinian Authority Chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, the Mufti made the claim at an official Fatah event marking the founding of the largest faction in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), also led by Abbas, as well.
Citing what he said was the Hadith (the Islamic tradition attributed to Muslim prophet Muhammad), the Mufti claimed “The Hour of Resurrection will not come until you fight the Jews. The Jew will hide behind stones or trees. Then the stones or trees will call: ‘O Muslim, servant of Allah (God), there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him.’ ”
Although a video of the speech was previously available on YouTube, it has been removed because it violated the site’s Terms of Service for violence.
A poll sponsored by the Israel Project found that 73 percent of Palestinian Arabs “believe” this Hadith, according to the findings of a July 2011 study by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner.
The moderator who introduced the Mufti also reiterated another “Islamic belief” — that the Jews are descendants of apes and pigs,” according to a broadcast on Palestinian Authority TV translated by the media watchdog agency Palestinian Media Watch (PMW).
“Our war with the descendants of the apes and pigs (ie: the Jews) is a war of religion and faith,” the moderator said.
The Mufti added to the moderator’s statement, saying that Islam’s goal is to kill the Jews. The same cleric preached in a sermon at Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa Mosque in 2010 that the Jews are “enemies of Allah.”
Please SHARE this horrific news with everyone you know. The TRUTH must get out — please SPREAD it if you do not believe in Religious Propaganda used as a crime against humanity, put out by a Muslim Cleric — A man of God. Not any God I have ever heard of — but an Arab Radical Cleric with hatred on his mind.
Does he believe his own garbage talk? Arabs and Jews are actually cousins according to the Old Testament Bible which 3 Religions believe in — Christianity, Judaism and Islam.
Abraham, One of the Fathers of Judaism and Islam had two wives. One was Sarah and the other Hagar. Hagar was a concubine while Sarah was Abraham’s wife. Sara’s son was Isaac and Hagar’s son was Ishmael. They both had sons who were both promised by God to be leaders of great nations one day. Sarah asked Abraham to banish Hagar and Ishmael while she raised Isaac as Abraham’s true son. These Nations which came from their loins are Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
Now we are bitter enemies. It does not make any sense to me. Kin should not feud. Why such hatred? We share the same God. His name is Allah to Arabs and the Jewish God’s name is Yihoveh. Other than that we have our commandments to do. War between us is not one of them.
HOWIE
February 16th, 2012 at 11:05 am
Hafa adai. This is about drugs and Guam. Namely the drug called ICE. It has destroyed so many lives on Guam.
======================
Ten people face charges in what the U.S. Attorney’s Office calls one of the largest organized crime and narcotic trafficking cases on Guam in recent years.
Guam’s U.S. Attorney Alicia Limtiaco announced yesterday that the apparent leader of the alleged drug ring, Mateo B. Sardoma Jr., and nine others were indicted on 26 charges to include conspiracy to distribute about 300 grams of methamphetamine, multiple counts of firearm possession and criminal enterprise.
All suspects were detained except Elizabeth Aguon, who was to self-surrender yesterday.
The indictment alleges that the organization brought methamphetamine to Guam from the Philippines and California. The drug allegedly was traded for firearms, stolen items and cash. The indictment also alleges that nearly $100,000 was mailed to California to purchase methamphetamine, or ice.
The group allegedly used force, harassment and firearms to maintain control of the ice trade, according to District Court of Guam documents. One incident involved the alleged kidnapping and torturing of a man in October. It also alleges the purchase of expensive surveillance equipment so that the group’s homes could be monitored for police and others.
Among the 21 counts of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, 18 of those were against Rudy Sablan. He allegedly had a number of firearms in his possession, including pistols, revolvers and automatic rifles, court documents state.
The indictment also alleges trips to the Philippines by Sardoma to purchase hundreds of grams of ice to sell throughout Guam. It also alleges that the group would claim to have cash from legal employment or from gambling or cockfighting wins, if the cash was intercepted.
More than $1 million was reported to be stored overseas, outside the court’s jurisdiction, court documents state.
Other cases
In a separate case, both Sardoma and Sablan are accused of kidnapping and torturing a handyman they believed had stolen drugs from them while installing cabinets at Sardoma’s house in October.
Both Sardoma and Sablan pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to Pacific Daily News files.
According to Superior Court of Guam documents, Sardoma believed the handyman stole a pound of methamphetamine from his bedroom. He handcuffed the handyman, then called two friends, who allegedly helped interrogate the victim.
Over the next 10 hours, Sardoma and another man allegedly punched out the handyman’s front teeth, burned his skin with the barrel of a handgun and shocked him with a taser, according to court documents.
One of the men whom Sardoma allegedly called to help interrogate the handyman was Christopher Mesa, who also was indicted in the drug case.
Sardoma and Sablan were arrested shortly after the alleged kidnapping.
Task force
The case against the 10 defendants was established by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. Nicknamed “Fili-Islander,” the case involved several agencies, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the Guam Police Department; and the Guam Customs & Quarantine Agency, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Limtiaco thanked all the federal and local agencies that helped in the case.
She reminded the public that the defendants are considered innocent until proven guilty.
====================
If they are guilty, I hope they get decades in prison. Something has to be done about the drugs on Guam.
Lea
February 16th, 2012 at 11:11 am
Al, that is what flipped me. I can no longer consider myself a republican. I cannot vote for that kenyan so I will sit this one out.
Ernie
February 16th, 2012 at 11:45 am
Michelle, as you posted, Virginia is poised to send two of the most anti-choice bills to Governor Bob McDonnell to sign. The governor, eyes trained on a vice presidential bid, has indicated he will sign at least one if not both of the bills.
The first is a bill requiring the use of trans-vaginal ultrasound prior to a woman obtaining an abortion, the other is an egg-as-person bill. Like other failed “personhood” bills, the Virginia provision would outlaw not only abortion but also forms of hormonal birth control.
Although the Governor has said he will consider the personhood bill he has been clear he would sign the forced ultrasound bill. But let’s start calling this what it really is: state sanctioned rape.
If a Woman’s Egg is considered “Alive” then a Man’s ejaculate must also be “Alive”. No more masturbation, men. You are spilling sperm which is mass murder because you are murdering the poor little Sperm cells by the millions in one ejaculation.
We seem to be heading toward a Dark Ages once again — people will not have any knowledge or wealth so the Politicians and Ultyra-Rich can keep all the misinformation to themselves — After all, They are the privileged ones — the Royals.
The remainder of the population will work hard to keep the Royals in their opulent lifestyles. As for the poor and disabled — too bad for them. Ask Mitt Romney, they have a safety net which takes care of them already in place.
This world is spinning backwards. We live in a sick society.
HOWIE
February 16th, 2012 at 2:17 pm
Ernie #4; Let me see if I have this straight, if what I had said about republicans “flipped you” and you can no longer consider yourself a republican, why must you sit this one out?
Could it be because Obama is a black man (Kenyan to use your words) and you are a bit too bigoted to give him your vote? You know he is the only Presidential candidate with YOUR interests in mind.
Al
February 17th, 2012 at 6:17 am
Any woman who has ever had a transvaginal ultrasound knows how invasive a test that it is (I had it for diagnostic reasons; I was neither pregnant nor was there any possibility that I could be at that time).
It’s far more uncomfortable than the external ultrasound. It’s one thing entirely to have it done with one’s full, uncoerced consent, but I can’t even begin to imagine how traumatic it would be to a woman or girl already traumatized by an unplanned, unwanted pregnancy.
The fact is that a woman considering abortion knows perfectly well that, if she does not have an abortion, she will, unless she miscarries on her own, have a baby to deal with at the end of the pregnancy.
That’s the problem. I’ve been an escort at a clinic that performs abortions and I never have come across someone who said she love to have a baby but she just doesn’t like being pregnant.
February 17th, 2012 at 6:23 am
Michelle, We have risked much to give up information about our men plotting to harm jews. One of us caused the explosion that exposed a recent plot planned by Iran.
Please tell Madaline to help us if we get caught. It is not difficult to see that all Jews are not as they are portrayed. I and many others here in Iran like reading Howie.
Busr
February 17th, 2012 at 6:26 am
trans-vaginal ultrasounds for diagnostic reasons. I went through menopause early.
Not only that but I had to have a full bladder for the regular ultrasound which lasted well over a half an hour and so uncomfortable I rejected the thrid one they wanted to do!
Not only that but I did not have out of hospital insurance coverage and had to pay 250.00 per procedure out of pocket because of a hospital error.
The hospitol( I had to have a procedure done to stop excessive bleeding) made the costly error (for me) of not doing an expensive blood test to determine if I was in fact in pre- menopause but with which at least I had insurance coverage for!
The patiient has to hold this oversized dildo type thing with a condomn on it on the outer part of the vagina. The technitions will not do that part. So what does that mean as far as rape? In my case it was either consent or risk possible cancer.
I cannot imagine any woman wanting to go through this for a decision she has already made that is painful enough already. Just a horrible bill and so insulting to all women is right!
Abortion out of convienience huh. Well lets see if it is about how one is going to support themselves and the childen they may already have that is anything but convience it is a nessasity to survival!
February 17th, 2012 at 6:28 am
You won’t believe how many blind supporters of this bill think this ultrasound law is like ultrasound you see on TV — the big bellied woman getting gel on the abdomen and ultrasound on the stomach.
When I tell them they are wrong, they try to tell me I am. Perhaps these folks are intentionally deluded and trying to fool others. You have to widely emphasize what is involved here.
February 17th, 2012 at 3:13 pm
Michelle:
I have deduced that you are having difficulty Posting today.
I hope you resolve this issue so your loyal readers can read and comment on your blog.
I wish you good luck.
HOWIE
February 17th, 2012 at 3:42 pm
I also hope you can get in. I was having some trouble myself.
February 17th, 2012 at 4:37 pm
Hi Michelle; It is 7:30 my time, 4:30 your time and you still haven’t posted. I hope that you are O.K.. This is unusual and I am starting to get worried.
I know that you are fine, please prove me correct.
LUV,
Al