RAPE Anniversary: It's Been One Month Since Nov. 2

[Shalom]

It is now the 1 month anniversary of what cannot be described very well, other than the forceful rape and assault of the body politic by the Republican Party. Please note that I am not trying to diminish the crime of sexual rape by this comparison, but using it in the same sense that we use in history in referring to the "Rape of Nanking", in which a civilian population was decimated.

Using this analogy, as well as those of an abused spouse, can give us some insight into the pyschology of this situation.

First of all, depending upon your point of view, you may agree that America was raped previously:

Certainly in 2000, but how about the Iran Contra cover-up, which allowed George Bush Sr. to become President?

How about the treasonous negotiations with the Iranians to prevent Carter from being re-elected, and allowed Reagan to win ?

I think reasonable people can agree that America has been the victim of multiple instances of electoral rape and abuse by the Republican party. There are different ways to steal elections other than stuffing the ballot box, and they have been very creative in this regard.

So what has the Democratic Party done to protect itself, and in fact all Americans from this abuse ? The answer is very little, and may be understood using the analogy of an abused spouse. The abused spouse is often afraid to fight back or appeal to higher authority, because of the fear than something even worse might be done to them. The abused spouse cannot envision life without their partner, just as Democrats and the blue states feel obligated to honor the "marriage" contract between the states.

For an abused spouse, sometimes the only recourse that seems to make sense, when life becomes so degraded and intolerable, is to reciprocate, and respond to the violence with violence in return.

Maybe in the political realm, this may turn out to be the only answer for those who love freedom. The opposition does not play by the rules of a civilized and democratic socity. Maybe it's time to stop playing by the rules, as well.

[Richardo]

1. I think your analogy is weak and ill-considered.

and offensive to rape victims.

As bad as the political system is, it's not a physical, humiliating sexual assault.

'The Rape of Nanking' is not a figure of speech, it refers to the continual physical and psychological assault on the civilian population of that city.

[Shalom]

2. 100,000 DEAD IRAQI CIVILIANS, 1250 DEAD US SOLDIERS, ...

What's your threshold ?

[Richardo]

3. You referred to the *election* as rape, not the war.

The war is an atrocity, unquestionably.

But as someone who is very close to a number of rape victims, I would never apply that term figuratively, or in the abstract, to a political event, or a war for that matter. To me it is serious enough to use only in its literal sense.

[Shalom]

4. The Genocide in Iraq Is a Direct Result of Electoral Rape

[Richardo]

5. You're not responding to my remarks.

Some words convey meaning so horrible that they should be used only in their literal sense.

Indiscriminate, hysterical (over)use of words like 'rape' and 'genocide' only diminish their horror. Look these words up, think about those who have TRULY experienced them, and try to be more sensitive to their plight.

[Shalom]

6. American parents are getting burnt body parts in wooden boxes, ...

napalm gas is being used, Iraqi prisoners are the victims of rape, torture, sodomy, and murder, we are refusing to provide family counseling and birth control to prevent the spread of AIDS in Africa, and so on....

Members of my family were the victims of genocide in WWII. And what we should have learned from Nazism is that if you wait until they are murdering millions, it is far too late. If Bushitler has "only" murdered 20,000 children, should I be quiet until he starts to get close to his mentor, Adolf ?

[Richardo]

10. The Holocaust WAS a genocide - look up the meaning of genocide

Oh and "Bushitler". :thumbsup: Another lame diminishment of a true horror. WTG! You're on a roll! :eyes:

I agree - the war is an atrocity. I DON'T agree that (horrible as it is) it's genocide or that the election was a rape.

BTW: Every time Bush is equated to Hitler or Republicans to Nazis you can hear the moist sound of billions of reasonable people rolling their eyes in unison and feel the gale force winds of their fingers twirling at their temples. That will never convince anyone of anything except that you are possibly hysterical and not to be taken seriously. Get a grip.

[Shalom]

19. Bushitler Dynasty are the Unrepentant Heirs of the Holocaust

Please don't tell him George Walker Bushitler's hands are clean until he and his filthy fucking family pay some reparations to the families of their victims of the genocide, which is the basis for their current wealth and power:

(Born in Boston, Loftus now lives in St. Petersburg where he volunteers as the first Irish Catholic President of the Florida Holocaust Museum, the fifth largest in the world)

http://www.john-loftus.com/Thyssen.asp

The Bushes knew perfectly well that Brown Brothers was the American money channel into Nazi Germany, and that Union Bank was the secret pipeline to bring the Nazi money back to America from Holland. The Bushes had to have known how the secret money circuit worked because they were on the board of directors in both directions: Brown Brothers out, Union Bank in. Moreover, the size of their compensation is commensurate with their risk as Nazi money launderers. In 1951, Prescott Bush and his father in law each received one share of Union Bank stock, worth $750,000 each. One and a half million dollars was a lot of money in 1951. But then, from the Thyssen point of view, buying the Bushes was the best bargain of the war.

The bottom line is harsh: It is bad enough that the Bush family helped raise the money for Thyssen to give Hitler his start in the 1920's, but giving aid and comfort to the enemy in time of war is treason. The Bush's bank helped the Thyssens make the Nazi steel that killed allied soldiers. As bad as financing the Nazi war machine may seem, aiding and abetting the Holocaust was worse. Thyssen's coal mines used Jewish slaves as if they were disposable chemicals. There are six million skeletons in the Thyssen family closet, and a myriad of criminal and historical questions to be answered about the Bush family's complicity.

[Middle Finger Bush]

27. have to agree

and can only conclude the original poster was trying to be offensive

[mirandapriestly]

7. Yes, I think that the word is used when a country is despoiled by

war or other means and that the definition is not limited to the obvious sexual attack of a person. I'm not going to be one of those people who copies and pastes the dictionary definition, but I am sure the word also refers to the humiliation and plunder and destruction of a country. I feel that that is what the republicans have done in many ways, not just the election, I agree with you.

[Shalom]

8. According to the Dictionary, the Usage is OK

Thanks - I guess I am the type of person who looks up and pastes things from the dictionary: See meanings 2 & 3

1. The crime of forcing another person to submit to sex acts, especially sexual intercourse.
2. The act of seizing and carrying off by force; abduction.
3. Abusive or improper treatment; violation: a rape of justice.

P.S.: I had hoped that instead of word definitions, there would be some feedback regarding the main point of the post, which is this:

WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT THE ABUSE ?????

[mirandapriestly]

11. I agree, I was just countering the argument being made against you

I think your analogy is legitimate and that non Bush supporters in this country need to fight Bushco legally (while we still can) in a way similar to what an abused person/entity would do.

[Shalom]

17. Understood, and Appreciated... n/t

[Richardo]

12. Your main point is to get down in the hog wallow and become what we loathe

Not for this kid.

[Shalom]

15. You Have Made Your Point

But by using the language of "hogs" and "loathing", what does this make you ? Sounds a bit hysterical and over-the-top to me....Please note I have not engaged in personal insults.

They say when you point a finger at someone, three fingers point back at you.....

[Richardo]

18. Words mean stuff. You should strive to be precise.

They don't mean what you want them to mean (unless you're Humpty Dumpty in Alice in Wonderland:

`When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'

[Shalom]

20. Hogs and Loathing, Precise Use of Words...an English Major ?

[Shalom]

22. Is This Precise Enough ?

Do you mind if I refer to the Bush and his "filthy fucking family" ?

I tried to choose my words carefully, and to be clear, crisp, and concise. Do you have any objections to any of these terms in this context ?

Filthy ?
or
Fucking ?

[Richardo]

23. That one's OK with me.

:)

[Shalom]

25. Richardo - We've Found Common Ground !! ;-) ;-) n/t

[Richardo]

26. :-)

[mulethree]

9. Seduction

of the American Bimbo

She's got Multiple Personality Disorder

Part of her "wants it", the people who agree with PNAC "Use the Power or Loose it" dominate the world by force. Friggin ragheads think they can own the oil just because they happen to live on top of it.

Part of her is an imbecile - She believed Bush over the UN weapons inspectors, she really believed that we had evidence of exactly where to look - even when we refused to give the coordinates to the inspectors, She believed it would be a Gulf War I re-run - a one sided desert war thats over in 2 months. She still believes the Saddam/Osama linkage and still believe that Osama had no inside help, just 50 'coincidences'.

Part of her is just too scared to think straight - American quality of life declining, job stability a thing of the past, Justice for the rich only - OOh somebody hold me

Part of her said no - perhaps 5 million of 290 million protested the war. Ok, a kind of whispered NO.

Part of her just went with the flow - If 70% of the people around me think it's the right thing, then it must be so. Peer Pressure prevailing over reason. It doesn't feel right, but people are watching and I'd be so embarrassed to make a scene. Ooh those wardrums do have a funky beat to them. Ooh another drink!? thanks!

[Shalom]

13. It's Funny, I Hope the PC Police Don't Misinterpret....

If they do, can you do an equivalent spoof of a dumbass guy who thinks with his little head ?

[DawnneOBTS]

14. For Shalom

I'm not sure where you are at-let me tell you about our day here in Florida...
My mother took gifts to the post office to mail so that our little cousins could get their Hanukkah presents before the 7th, at least, the first day. Now, we're not Jewish, but my mother's 1st cousin and goddaughter Marie Ann's husband is, and their kids are being raised Jewish, as per his wishes. I told my mother to just go to the post office and buy a box there-they do sell them there, they have a lot on display-I always do that whenever I need to send out something. They were already wrapped in Hanukkah paper. The woman at the counter snottily told her that she was to have a box before she came to the post office. Tell me this wasn't bigotry. Nothing in this country can and will ever change with these stupid fundamentalist right-wing nut jobs. They should all be eliminated.

[Shalom]

16. Maybe You Are Dealing With One of those "Postal Employees"

She certainly sounds irrational....not sure if this was related to Hannukah or not; maybe it's one of those "you have to be there" situations.

To lighten you up a bit (I can see you've had an upsetting experience)
I have a confession to make. My Post Office trusts people to take their priority mail cardboard boxes home. I know this is terrible of me, but once I took their box home, put my stuff inside, wrapped in my own paper, and mailed by parcel post. I am consumed by GUILT!

I have made a vow never to do this again (with the possible exception of mailings in Florida and Ohio).

;-)

[Bunny]

21. What exactly are you calling for here?

"For an abused spouse, sometimes the only recourse that seems to make sense, when life becomes so degraded and intolerable, is to reciprocate, and respond to the violence with violence in return. Maybe in the political realm, this may turn out to be the only answer for those who love freedom. The opposition does not play by the rules of a civilized and democratic socity. Maybe it's time to stop playing by the rules, as well."

Are you advocating violence in the literal sense? Your comments above are somewhat ambiguous.

I agree with Richardo in that it does us no good to get down to their level so we can beat them. We can win by framing our message in a way that gets through to most of middle America. We don't need to resort to violence, however you are choosing to define it.

Oh, and as a woman, your use of the word "rape" may be technically correct, but it hits a little too close to home to have any meaning other than sexual assault.

[Shalom]

24. I'll try to answer....

1. The purpose of my message was start a dialog about what means are effective and morally justified. For example, in a lawful society, if my neighbor rips off my stereo, and I take him to court and can't prove it, I must abide by our legal system. However, if we did not live in a lawful society, and my neighbor rips off my stereo, it could be argued that is morally acceptable for me to "steal it back" from him.

So, let's say by the 2008 elections we have proof that the 2004 election was hacked, and in fact how it was done, and we figure out a way to not only prevent their theft, but can in fact "steal" our country back. Would it be morally justified ? I think this is an interesting question.

In terms of violence, let us imagine what should be unthinkable, that our government enforces martial law, take over all the public media, and start rounding up political dissidents, torturing and killing them. Based upon the history of this country, in which the colonists engaged in violence (killing in many cases their own relatives) to seize control of their own lives, I would think the Founding Fathers would not only condone violence under these circumstances, but recommend it. As you know, many right-wingers feel they need weapons in order to protect our democracy against dictatorship. I hope we never need a second American Revolution, but if the day ever comes, we will need to consider all the options.

2. I know I'm skating on thin ice in using the language of rape and the holocaust, no matter how I try to phrase it, and I am sorry for those who find it offensive. As a Jew, it hits close to home when others trivialize the Holocaust, and yet I feel the Iraq situation is the beginning of a minor Holocaust. It really upsets me deeply to to see pictures of Iraqi women with charred babies in their arms. If my language is too strong in this regard, I beg to be forgiven.

[FULL_METAL_HAT]

28. I like to call it ManDateRape!

It seems appropriate ... Roofies for the masses!

[rinsd]

29. They call it the Rape of Nanking.....

...because of the use of mass rape by the Japanese as a weapon.

Comparing losing an election to rape is well as hyperbolic and inappropriate as it gets. Even worse you throw in domestic abuse. It continues some kind of victim mentality for the Dems who biggest problem amongst the populace is seems to be appearing "weak"(granted that the GOP meme but why embrace it). I hate this freakin meme every since someone blogged about it.

I realize you are attempting a call to action. Sorry if I got sidetracked, I just really hate this "Dems as the abused wife" meme.

[Shalom]

30. Yes, It's Getting Old...But so is the phrase "meme".....

Anyway, what would you suggest instead of "rape" - "theft" is way too weak, IMHO....

[rinsd]

31. I'll agree that meme is getting tiresome as well....

I just can;t think of a better word for it other than talking point.

"Stolen", "Ripped Off", "Screwed Over", "Fucked" submitted as possible word replacements ;-)

[Shalom]

32. Fucked Is too Mild: How About Sodomized ?? n/t

[rinsd]

33. LOL....we should break out the Thesaurus (nt)

[BringEmOn]

34. The speed with which Kerry rolled over reminds me of the old saying

You can't rape the willing.