Anchor Struck

Yesterday was International Women’s Day, marked by worldwide events that

chronicled the progress made in women’s rights and measured the distances

yet to go.  The most curious marking would have to go to Afghanistan president

Hamid Karzai, who Tuesday supported a decision by a council of leading Muslim

clerics that “men are fundamental and women are secondary.”

 

The council’s code of conduct also allows wife-beating.  Karzai has to cozy up

with the Taliban as international support dries up.  The U.S. has already spent

at least half a trillion dollars, with the bulk of the bills yet to come. At least 1770

Americans have died there, with another 15,000+ wounded.  Canada lost 157,

with about 2000 wounded or injured.  Neither nation got their money’s worth.

 

Wednesday, Virginia Governor Bob McDonnell signed a law requiring women

to have an abdominal ultrasound before having an abortion.  The law originally

required a vaginally-intrusive procedure, but McDonnell had that provision re-

moved after public outcry.  Mighty white of you, Bob.

 

Karzai’s comments and Virginia’s law cap a bizarre stretch of recent misogyny. 

Rush Limbaugh’s hyper-publicized assailing of Sandra Fluke was loathsome, 

but typical of him.  It was a prime chance for him to boost sagging ratings.  His

“apologies” as sponsors fled were almost as abrasive as his original assault.

Limbaugh can say anything he chooses.  Even if he’s cancelled, he’s firmly in

the 1%.  In 2008 he signed a contract extension with Clear Channel for $400

million.

 

Much more disturbing was the debacle in Washington last month when a House

hearing on insurance coverage of contraception featured only glum old guys

testifying.  (Full disclosure: I’m an old guy, though happy.)

 

The absence of women was absurd.  It was like a “Boys Gone Mild” video with

clergy flashing their paternalism.  Ms. Fluke, chosen by the Democrats to be

their one witness allowed, was not allowed to by Republican Chairman Darrell

Issa.  He decided that Fluke, a graduate law student, wasn’t qualified enough.

Hearing members Eleanor Holmes Norton and Carolyn Maloney walked out.

 

Issa did hold a second panel during which two women testified, but  Alison

Garrett and Laura Champion, both medical doctors at Christian colleges,

merely echoed the tone of previous testimony.

 

The Republican presidential candidates couldn’t resist this issue.  It’s right in

their wheelhouse: public policy and women’s rights repackaged as religious

freedom.  After all, you can only threaten to bomb Iran and criticize an im-

proving economy so much.

 

Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich, ever the professional pragmatists and oppor-

tunists, saw it as a possible wedge issue, even though U.S. adults — including

Catholics — overwhelmingly favor contraception.  Santorum, though, is a

True Believer.

 

As a senator, he tried unsuccessfully to tack on a provision to the No Child

Left Behind act that would allow the teaching of intelligent design along with

evolution.  He called contraception “a license to do things in a sexual realm

that is counter to how things are supposed to be.”

 

Santorum recently suggested that children would be better off with a father in

prison rather than having two lesbian parents.  In 2003 he said “if the Supreme

Court says that you have the right to consensual sex in your home, then you

have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right

to incest, you have the right to adultery.  You have the right to everything.”

 

He was, however, able to distinguish homosexuality from pedophilia and bes-

tiality.  Last September he called the repeal of  the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy

“tragic”, adding that “I would say any type of sexual activity has absolutely no

place in the military.”

 

That statement is simply precious in its cluelessness.  It’s clear from that Rick

never served, or even visited the officers or enlisted clubs on any base or camp.

Napoleon said the army moves on its stomach, but I’m telling you the Marines

move on their genitals.             

 

That’s why I’m endorsing Rick.  If he represents the Republicans this November,

his candidacy will mobilize women to a level that might rival that of the suffrage

movements of the mid 19th Century and early 20th Century, or the campaigns

for the Equal Rights Amendment in 1923 and 1972.

 

Hell, he should scare everyone who wants to maintain control over their private

parts.

                        

Santorum seems to glean his ideas from reruns of Father Knows Best, including

the sweater vests.  He’s already losing the can’t-be-lost independent voters as he

woos the far right.  There’s plenty I don’t like about the Democrats, but at least

they live in this century.  With Rick at the GOP helm, he would preside over their

biggest drubbing since Lyndon Johnson walloped Barry Goldwater in 1964.

 

And, as the flagbearer (I hope that term isn’t is too risque for him) of the Repub-

licans, Santorum would likely take down many GOP candidates for House and

Senate seats.  Fortunately, Rick knows how to handle a lopsided loss.  When he

last ran for re-election in 2006, he failed by a 59 – 41 percent margin.