Republicans Whine: Al, You Gotta Tell Them We're Not Pro-Rape

by Alex DiBranco · 2009-12-03 13:51:00 UTC
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Politico has an article today about continued Republican whining that Senator Al Franken (D-MN) deviously sponsored a measure to protect sexual assault victims in order to make his opponents appear pro-rape.

According to Franken, the amendment in question was motivated by the disturbing 2007 revelation that nineteen-year-old Jamie Leigh Jones had been gang-raped by co-workers while working for Halliburton/KBR in Iraq. The company's response: cover up the incident, lock her in a shipping container, and threaten Jones with losing her job if she talked. Franken's measure, which passed the Senate in October, bans federal defense contracts from going to companies that insist on internal arbitration and prohibit employees from taking sexual assault claims to court.

The thirty white, male Senators who voted against the measure immediately become targets of (fury-fueled) mockery from sources like The Daily Show and the website RepublicansforRape.org. Not surprising, given that their weak excuses didn't do a great job of convincing the public that they aren't just in the pocket of the business lobby. Now these Republicans are complaining that Franken really ought to be clear that he doesn't think their refusal to support his amendment demonstrates pro-rape sentiment.

Franken hasn't himself said anything to encourage viewing the measure's opponents as rapist sympathizers (that would be a definite no-no in terms of collegiality and appropriate discourse ... you know, kind of like ranting about death panels). His heated personal exchanges with Republican critics shows how passionately he feels about his stance, so Franken is right to spend his time defending the amendment rather than defending Republican obstacles. In fact, Politico's mention that this tense of an argument was unusual for the "usually clubby Senate floor" made me gag a little -- I'm glad Franken is stirring things up on behalf on women's rights.

Sorry, white male Republicans: you're in trouble for your own actions, and it's not Al's job to dig you out of this hole. Better luck next whine.

Photo courtesy of chad davis' Flickr photostream


Alex DiBranco is a Change.org Editor who has worked for the Nation, Political Research Associates, and the Center for American Progress. She is now based in New York City.
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