Why Christine O’Donnell Is Not a Joke
Activist Shelby Knox points out why we should not be laughing at Delaware’s anti-sex fanatic.
To most mainstream Americans, O’Donnell’s concerted battle against solo sexual pleasure in particular is so fringe, so bizarre, it’s laughable. Yet, those of us deeply familiar with the ideology of the extremist right wing have long understood the condemnation of sex and sexual pleasure for anything other than the purpose of conception within marriage to be the underpinning of public policies that invite (Christian) God and (big, big) government into our bedrooms.
Here is the heart of it – but read the whole thing.
Plagued by accusations that she can’t keep a handle on her finances, her staff, or even remember where she went to school, many see Christine O’Donnell as a dirty (and sometimes, incredibly sexist) joke with little chance of making it to the Senate. But more accurately she’s the poster girl for more than 78 candidates running this election season who share her anti-sex, anti-woman views. These candidates believe abortion should be illegal in all cases, without exception for rape and incest. Some have promised a GOP majority would signal a return to funding failed abstinence-only policies. Ken Buck, the GOP Senate candidate in Colorado, even went so far as to refuse to prosecute a rape because the accuser had “buyer’s remorse” over an abortion he alleged she’d had a year before the assault.
I don’t care what faith my elected officials practice privately, whether it be Catholicism or Wicca, or even if they have a faith. But imposing those religious views about gender roles or sex or anything else on others is simply un-American. And frankly, I’d take a coven of witches any day over Christine O’Donnell and her gang of Christian extremists who want to make our right to real sexual health and reproductive freedom go “poof.”
Good stuff and good points, but I think you left out the link to the full piece, which I’d be interested to read.
Ken Buck is definitely one of the candidates I’m most concerned about and offended by this cycle. If he wins, I’ll be pretty angry, but not as angry as some of my female friends who feel that his refusal to prosecute that rape case in 2005 (more specifically, the reasons stated for doing so) is tantamount to a personal attack on their own safety. He professionally legitimized the “asking for it” propaganda in that case. No wonder women in Colorado are opposing Ken Buck.
Thanks. Fixed.
http://womensmediacenter.com/blog/2010/10/exclusive-why-christine-odonnell-is-not-a-joke/
I agree Ken Buck is one of the most egregious offenders in this lot of misogynist candidates. I also particularly dislike “make lemonade from your rape” Sharron Angle.
It’s really interesting that O’Donnell has become the celebrity from this group of candidates because she’s flat out a culture warrior. All this talk of populism no longer covers her, we know what she’s about.
You know, of the lot of terrible candidates this year, the one I’d most like to see lose is Jan Brewer. I can’t stand her arrogant stance that she won’t debate unless the polls change plus I’d love to see an unpredicted tsunami of Latino backlash against her (and John McCain).
Check out Bill Maher on HuffPo yesterday – he is saying that he and O’Donnell had an active sexual relationship. It didn’t appear to be a joke.
“When I hear Christine O’Donnell say “I’m you” I take it personally, because I think back to how our love-making was so raw and powerful it was hard to know where my body ended and hers began”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-maher/new-rule-christine-odonne_b_772743.html
ummm… I think Maher’s tongue is only in his own cheek.
If true…. Eewww!
Well, now that he’s said it will it cause a big reaction from her? heh.
“I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Bill Maher.”
Christine may not be a joke.
But she sure as hell is the PUNCHLINE.
Crazy versus Cap & Trade. They may vote crazy. Crazy versus higher taxes. They may vote crazy. Hell, they may vote crazy just out of spite. People are hurting.
What an accidently great comment from FBH! “Cap and trade” “higher taxes” “spite” Someone really has their finger on the pulse of modern American Republicanism. He forgot the “hatred of gays, blacks and Mexicans” although that is probably covered in “People are hurting” with the full meaning…”(Teabag Republican) People are hurting (seeing a black guy in the White House)” implied.
Out of curiosity I looked up Delaware’s teen pregnancy rates. The Bush years were a disaster. We are the 45th worst state in the union with a teen pregnancy rate of 83 per thousand. The best US state is New Hampshire with a teen pregnancy rate of 33. The Netherlands, which has a comprehensive and age appropriate reproductive health program, has a teenage pregnancy rate of 5 per thousand.
Instead of looking at real world outcomes and best practices which could save taxpayers billions of dollars, we fill our teens heads up with garbage and hope Sky Dad protects them.
Jason, it won’t be the mean hateful Republicans that are responsible for an O’Donnell win. It will be the Democrat and Independent swing voters who will be, and Obama is the one who will be pushing those toddlers on that swing set.
O’Donnell is not going to win. I could see, quite clearly, how she’d beat Castle, due in most part to Republicans switching to Independents and Democrats. Delaware Republicans had done a great job of purging their party. In the end, it became a numbers game. The outcome would have been quite different if those Rs who switched to Ds to vote for Markell had switched back.
And, winning a primary in Delaware is very different than winning the general. Everyone I speak with – and I do have a lot of Republican friends – is simply appalled. Not indifferent. Appalled. They are also extremely motivated to vote… against O’Donnell.
Honestly, I have never seen such engagement in local politics.
“Jason, it won’t be the mean hateful Republicans that are responsible for an O’Donnell win.”
Actually, it would, since they’re the people responsible for Castle’s loss. But, as Pandora points out, she’s not going to win. And huzzah!, she might take Toomey out with her.
When O’Donnell fails I wonder if Delaware Republicans will have to nerve to use their go to excuse, “She wasn’t conservative ENOUGH.”
every time somebosy says “she’s not going to win” I hang another bulb of garlic!
Conservative enough? She was a useful idiot to rid the party of Mike Castle but not to win. In fact, o’Donnell is the final straw on the camel’s back to over turn the GOP Politburo.
Too bad when she toppled Castle she also drove a stake in the GOP. Possibly Ross and others can attempt to come back by winning the NCC President spot but Ross and the pseudo elites won’t come to their senses and pick someone who can reach Reagan democrats (Spence? Protack?) but likely they will do the same stupid thing and pick some has been party insider and lose again.
A few questions for O’Donnell –
If you support an exact reading of the Constitution as you claim to, will you be returning all of the contributions you have received from the NRA and make gun ownership illegal except as expressly described in the 2nd Amendment?
How is it that you are exempt from federal income tax law and that your “other sources” of income aren’t required to be disclosed? Federal law requires that you report all sources of income on your tax return – how did you pay all of your bill for over a year with less than $6000 in income? Savings? Where did that money come from?
Lets investigate the paper trail and uncover the lies.
Additionally, if your campaign is paying you rent for the use of your house as campaign headquarters,
1. Will you be claiming the rent money paid to you or your landlord on your behalf as income as required by laws?
2. Does your lease allow you to sublet your house to a legal business entity (your campaign)?
3. Will you be continuing with the questionable unethical business practices, such as using the public’s money to pay yourself rent and for other intangible expenses that don’t require proof of purchase (what a scam)?
4. Will you ever be implementing GAAP to your campaign and personal finance?