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A few weeks ago, Republican Senate candidate Todd Akin acknowledged that he'd been arrested at an anti-abortion protest many years ago, and promised he'd release the details of his arrest soon. A week later, Akin staffers said the candidate had changed his mind: no details would be forthcoming.
So, what's the story? The St. Louis Post-Dispatch dug a little deeper, and uncovered a detail I hadn't expected.
Congressman Todd Akin was arrested at least three times in the 1980s during anti-abortion protests, not just the one time he has publicly acknowledged.
Akin's previously undisclosed arrests, in 1985, were for criminal trespass and resisting arrest at abortion clinic protests in St. Louis and Illinois.
And why haven't we heard about this sooner? That's the interesting part -- when Akin was arrested three times, he used his given name, William Akin. It's why folks couldn't find anything when they looked up arrest records for "Todd Akin."
Soon after his arrests, Akin began using his middle name as he entered politics.
What's more, as People for the American Way's Michael Keegan told the Post-Dispatch, "These were not non-violent protests. These were aggressive, physical efforts to shut down clinics.... What's remarkable is how long Todd Akin has been able to hide these incidents."
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I forgot to say something that I promised a friend I would say. Janis never chased Rod Stewart. All You need to know, to believe this is true, is to listen to the Cry-Baby. She also was a whiz at practical jokes. But, Rod would have considered himself a lucky man if he were even allowed to step 1 foot in front of her. She carried her cross.
I'm not sure what this means, but I absolutely adored Janis. Much to my mother's chagrin… it wasn't the drugs… but her passion and voice. She was a troubled soul, which seems to be a prerequisite for good Blues and other arts, writing, music.
Maybe I'm being a bit persnickety, but if Akin was arrested for "criminal trespassing" - why is being allowed to run for a public office? I mean people that get arrested for having recreational drugs on their person are denied the right to vote, so how is it that he can hold public office?
I would think he would be proud of taking an antichoice stand. It would resonate with his base, so I would expect him to be talking about nothing else. Is there something more to it that isn't quite so flattering?
It certainly resonates with his base. The problem is, the middle of the electorate may not like it. It's the sort of thing he would mention when "among friends." Luckily these days, it is much easier to make sure the whole electorate knows a lot more about what the candidates have said and done.
I'm not nearly as impressed by the so-called "middle" as some people are, and am sure that most of those people will find some rationalization to vote for Akin.
Have you been to Missouri? The "Middle" is 10 people who live outside St Louis and don't have cable TV!
Well, Missouri has been turning red, so at one time Akin didn't want to "brag", but now that the sheeple mentality has taken hold, I'm sure he'll put it on his resume! It's kind of like a "wave" over-running this country the way ignorance/hatred/stupidity/eschewing learning are taking over - frightening really.
I have a hunch this is a case of fear of becoming a minority backlash.
This is all I can come up with, reality fear. Trying to recreate something from the past instead of working on what is on the plate in front of us.
I think eventually this will stop. But as MLK said, I may not get there with you. A person with dark skin and foreign sounding name as President is just too much to take for some people.
But, there is a change happening. Denial is not what we should do. The desperation to change demographics to "back in the day" is not going to happen. Let's deal with what we are facing and stop trying to imagine a utopia of either heaven or something remembered fondly from the past.
History is important, but trying to make it reappear is just not realistic.
Freedom is not forcing women to have labor and give birth. Freedom is not saying this is what my church teaches, therefore that shall be laws for all.
Freedom is laying a foundation where more people can succeed, not be cutting our opportunities.
Freedom is not propping up corporations and tell everyone, you will do better because this corporation is successful. The corporations are sending jobs elsewhere and blaming workers. That isn't freedom. That is corporatocracy and plutocracy.
"Right to life" is just another way to recruit religibigots.
Soon after his arrests, Akin began using his middle name as he entered politics.
Sounds like it's time to start looking for the arrest records of Willard Romney (who reportedly did like impersonating police officers, for one thing).
Get Enraged and Engaged:
Mooch the Vote 2012!
;-)
you're absolutely correct, Crackhead.
Yes, DKM, but only to rational people. We now know the deepness of the zealotry of his beliefs, and that he will repeatedly resort to violence to inflict them on others.
Arrested three times? at an abortion clinic? The Fella's a shoe-in for senator from the "Show Me" state!
If he had bombed the clinic, why he could run for president. . .
Well Governor at least...
Like George "ax handle" Wallace.
Lay off him - at least he's got his convictions and hasn't flip-flopped on this. I guess, though, that he didn't want to add domestic terrorist to his resume, so he decided to go by his middle name.
A little late, but good catch by the press.
Violent in-person woman-shaming didn't work so he turns to Tea Party politics. Great.
And most Americans avert their eyes, just as in...well, you know.
Women beware!
He is desperate and he is robo calling for funds through out the country. I know. I got one. No way would I ever support this reprobate.
Tod Akin would kill you to save a life (makes sense only to religi-bigots).
Which is why we really don't need zealots in a deliberative body.
Doesn't say much about today's journalists when all you have to do to hide your past is to start using your middle name. Maybe Mitt could have swept away his moderate history by running as Willard.
You don't suddenly start using your middle name at age 40 unless you are hiding something in your past.
He may be proud of it now, but in 1988 he knew that being arrested for protesting at an abortion clinic would make him unelectable. It shows you how far right we've drifted since 1988.
That may be a counter intuitive . The skeptics in the "Show Me" state may , as touted above , be possible winners , with deflating emphasis on "possible" .
It may be nice to think of reasonable people being inclined towards reason , if it weren't for the manipulations of consolidated medias wild confabulations having become a new normal . Being nice has little to do with the misplaced , generationally misdirected , anger that has been redirected as anti federalism . One supposes logic has a persuasive edge to it , but in the land of laissez faires "Strange Fruit" violences sweet seduction can really string 'em up .
There is a saying that you disagree without being disagreeable . . . in other words it's considered the best way to agree, and that's what Romney has done time upon time with Aiken, Murdock and many others. In fact, this points to the situation whereby the
Republican Senatorial Committee supports and stands with these candidates.
Obviously, these individuals who are emerging from the woodwork, I assume, are sick and tired of keeping that which is their party's platform, policies and beliefs secret. There is a common thread within the Republican party with the intention being massive amendments to the Constitution based on their ideologies beliefs because they do not support the "separation of church and state," and they do not believe that individual state's laws are subject to the "Law of the land," or that Federal laws are supreme.
Since it's God intent to have someone rape my wife, mother, sisters, daughter, nieces and other women within my family, and society-at-large, maybe it's God intent when incest is committed. These and many other factors are the hidden agendas that this nation faces, that which are no different from the actions and ideologies of extremists under the cloak of other religions and/or cultures.
Are these the principles by which the men within our society believe and lend their support to Romney and these radical ideals? When are we men going to stand up and show that we have spines designed to keep us up-right?
Help me out here, is this just a GOP thing to have candidates embarrassed to use their real name ? ie Gov Willard Romney, Vice President John Quayle, now Senator William Akin ? At least Leslie King, Jr had his name changed legally to run for the House in 1948 (Preisdent Gerald Ford ) Other than Jimmy , for James E Carter and Bill Clinton taking his adoptive step-father's last name what Democrat's used an alias ?
Glitch, double post.
The Republicans are spreading an edited video around showing Rachael on David Letterman the other night. The clip only shows David Letterman calling President Obama a liar with Rachael laughing about it, with out Rachael explaining what happened to Dave afterward. If there any video of the entire interaction so we can confront this when we see it? It's going viral. serious. To see what I'm talking about Google these words - you want your president to be telling the truth
==http://www.cbs.com/shows/late_show/video/2295742807/david-letterman-rachel-maddow-and-dave-discuss-the-debates==
Thanks Zeta-Rachel makes women look so good-Damn I'm in love with her brain!
You're welcome.
They will just say he was demonstrating his right to free speech, and it's a desperate move by Democrats to discredit him..
There's no controversy, here...Move along, now.
This issue where these religious hypocrites want to force a woman or a girl to carry a pregnancy from a rape is about one of the most disgusting things they have ever said. These disgusting religious hypocrites have no idea how unimaginable and horrific that would be to do to any woman or girl. That horrific environmental I grew up in that these religious hypocrites created left me never wanting to even think about having a child. It was absolutely more dreadful to even think about even bringing a child into such a world that would be subjected to such abuse, misery, despair, and even death. I would rather spit on these religious hypocrites’ graves before that would ever be allowed to happen again to what they created and caused throughout our history.
It is hard to love someone who reminds you every time you see them , that they are the product of an act that degraded , injured , and humiliated you . Darn hard . It is also difficult to seperate feelings from actions , like flinching every time a bully approaches . Ridiculously hard .
The idea of losing an argument , or even the innuendo implying that the seed of doubt is planted against "Might Makes Right" to someone you can throw on the ground , and rape away , is maddening . Gosh darn maddening .
Actually, you learn to stand up and fight back, especially by letting people know how bad things can really get and that it is never forgotten again. That is what makes changes finally for once for the good and better things.
i agree, Deb, that your comment above is what should be able to make the changes we want and need. but i worry about voter suppression and computer hacking by repubs to win elections. i don't trust them.
True suzette these Republicans, extremists of hatred, and extreme wealthy always want to keep it up with the most awful things.
Anyone who had any association with Randall Terry is not fit to serve dog food, much less as a Senator.
One of my proudest moments was spitting on Terry as I was working as a Walker/Human Shield at a local clinic.
I wrote the following to the editors of Newsweek in response to the October 22, 2012 article about Akin but they didn't print it. It is just as appropriate here.
Dear Editor,
As a proud citizen of Missouri and a
Democrat, I cringe every time I hear or read about Todd Akin in the media. I seriously don’t know who is supporting him
because I talk with Republicans and Dems alike, and they all think he is a
fool.
Missouri has a wonderful university
system offering a multitude of degrees, and many of the students rely on
federal student loans. The elderly,
including my own mother, depend(ed) on Medicare for nursing home care and
medical care. Additionally, what does he think will happen to the children of
Missouri if they are not insured? (Think about the spin-off effects of children
missing school, minor illnesses becoming exacerbated, parents missing work.) As
for his comment about “legitimate rape” and a woman’s body shutting down so
that she doesn’t become pregnant… how does one respond to such an irrational
comment?
I live in a town with a state
psychiatric hospital and on occasion I interact with the clients (patients) of
the facility. Often, those folks’ grip
on reality is better than Akin’s. They see the big picture, he doesn’t.
Jana L. Oestreich
Oestreich Law Firm, LLC
Fulton, MO
Between Akin and Mourdock, the GOP is doing an amazing job pretending it's the 19th century and we know nothing about human reproduction. The only women these guys are good for are comedians! (And I couldn't resist - "My Magical Vagina") - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wfgXEMkdkWY
Hahahahaaaaaaaaa! Thanks :D
It is nice to have some humor around this horrendous discussion of controlling women. "Forced labor?"
Notice how Akin, Palin, Ryan, and Romney all have the same look on their faces. It must be a look or an expression that sociopaths develop from years of deceit.
Akin is our embarrassment here in MO. and believe me if he had his way it would be illegal to take birth control, Church service would be mandatory and there would be no penalty for men raping males because they can't get pregnant.
Many of us don't believe in his kind of God or his belifs about when life begins or any other of his nonsense yet like most republicans he feels he should be able to force his "beliefs" on the rest of us as if his beliefs were reality. This is a secular nation where church and state are separate and freedom for and from religion is part of our principle of tolerance. FYI...God is not a personified deity but is a force that both contains and sustains us so quit telling me what God thinks. One only has to look and listen to Akin and others of his beliefs to see the condemnation, divisiveness and hatred to see they are far away from the nature of their God.
i hope akin is enough of an embarassment so he doesn't get re-elected.
Why is no one talking about the resources necessary to raise all the children who will be born to women who cannot afford them or want them. We will need programs to feed them, clothe them, educate them and provide medical care. Who will pay for the care of these children? The rich republications? Not likely.....
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Okay, so the republicans want to force women that are raped and got pregnant as a result of this rape to keep the baby...They are trying to make it a criminal act to have an abortion. Have they even thought about, the rapist having rights to that child? The rapist filing for custody of that child, the rapist family filing for visitation rights of that child, the rapist continually violating the woman over and over again? What are they thinking? What if it was their daughter, mom, sister or any female in their family?
I hadn't thought about that. Why are women allowing this to happen? We should be marching in the streets.
I don't know why no one talks about this. Abortion is a money issue, not a moral issue. According to Planned Parenthood (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/in-clinic-abortion-procedures-4359.asp), the cost of abortion is $300–$950. The average pregnancy is above $20.000!!!! Do the math! These politicians don't have morals - they have businesses, and health care is one of them!!!
I just don't get how any American woman can twist their minds around to somehow make themselves believe they will benefit from a Romney presidency. If he gets elected, they will be proposing that women wear burkas, stay at home, have babies, cook dinner and clean house!!!
The Republican party is not taking women back to the 1950's, they want to take American attitudes toward women back to the 19th century.
Walk through any cemetery and count the number of stone memorials in honor of a miscarriage. There are none. And since we know that people consciously and unconsciously act on what they truly believe, we must conclude that the rightwingnuts are LYING.
I don't know why no one talks about this. Abortion is a money issue, not a moral issue. According to Planned Parenthood (http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/abortion/in-clinic-abortion-procedures-4359.asp), the cost of abortion is $300–$950. The average pregnancy is above $20.000!!!! Do the math! These politicians don't have morals - they have businesses, and health care is one of them!!!
Mourdock said that if a pregnancy occured during rape it was gods intention, but a pregnancy will never happen, because women have a magic thing that will shut that thing down. That is according to Todd Akin.
Time to cite what is really behind all the rape/abortion flap. As with some other issues, we have politicians making statements of opinion based in religious belief. What they need to have thrown back at them loud and clear is that ALL religion is pure speculation, completely without fact. Attempts to legislate from speculation without evidence should be shouted down as insanity,against the spirit, if not the letter of the Constitution. People who otherwise would be babbling from a park bench have been getting elected to office and see themselves in the position of interpreting what some imagined deity dictates. We might as well base our laws on quotes from Scooby-Doo.
It needs to be an argument of freedom. Freedom is not saying everyone must follow your church or religious beliefs. The very definition of freedom of religion! The very first part of Amendment number ONE reads:
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion
then goes on to say "freedom of religion". Meaning people are free to have their own religion.
Some religions are philosophies, so having any beliefs put into laws would be like making it a crime to believe something other than whatever someone's beliefs may conflict with others' beliefs. That's not freedom.
Could name changes be part of the GOP handbook? Did Mitt change his name from Scrooge to Mitt? LOL