Georgetown University Law Student Sandra Fluke has proven herself to be one of the best and brightest of a new generation of articulate, empowered, fearless women. She’s been delivering speeches and TV interviews standing up for her belief that all women should have access to free contraception. As you know, this has been a hot-button issue on the GOP campaign trail. On Wednesday, Rush Limbaugh, in front of millions of his listeners, called Sandra Fluke a ‘Slut’. This is yet another example of emotional thinking and immaturity, which Limbaugh is well known for. Here’s a 61 year old multimillionaire bullying a college girl and attempting to embarrass her. Limbaugh should be ashamed of himself, but that’s not the point of this post, because he’s not running for President. Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are, and guess how they responded to Limbaugh’s slur? Watch this short video and see if you’re not as outraged as I am. I’ll look forward to your comments. Steve Siebold (6:40)
[media id=188]
Watch on YouTube
I figured Mr. Mental Toughness would not have a reply to my stream at some point. Vickie
Check again Steve,
Posted on March 5th, 2012
Steve says:
Annie,
I agree with you. I think the GOP is pretty close on fiscal issues, but on social issues they are still in the 19th century. If it wasn’t for the science and socially progressive thinkers, we’d still be living in the 19th century and women would still be under the absolute power of men. Smart, educated and strong women are a threat to the good old boys establishment, and using sexually demeaning language is one the tools they use to hold women down and weaken their self-esteem.
Limbaugh is only sorry he’s losing advertisers. (9 so far) He knew exactly what he was doing and will do it again. He’s a bully and unless he’s punished enough I promise you he will bully again. Thats what bully’s do. Thanks for weighing in on this, Annie. Steve
At least Rush remembers what he did, Vickie
Steve,
Rush apologized Sat March 3, check your facts.
He is a sensationalist in order to get people to think, and went to far this time.
Yes, I think the comments of the candidates were disparaging and not complimentary.
My daughter is a police officer and gets called repugnant names regularly. She is willing to put up with it because she believes in what she does. So do I.
I also think it is repugnant when I see someone making the emotional (not based on facts) claim that the GOP would take away womens’ rights. When what they are defending is Religious rights to not be forced by OUR GOVERNMENT to pay for someone to do what they feel is wrong.
This is where this debate got derailed by people who want to win the argument by playing on the emotional response not respect for each others rights and opinions.
I am disappointed that someone who claimes to use facts and dispassionate arguments would say that “the GOP is still in the 19th century”. Do you really expect us to buy that there is no emotion in that remark?
Vickie
Vickie,
I never said the GOP is still in the 19th century. Re-check your facts before you make an emotional attack.
Steve
When I first saw Fluck’s testimony on TV I knew she was a whiner and a game player. I used to see these people in college and in the 1960’s political arena… same old social justice, peace & justice, let me do what I feel and you’d better not make me feel bad about.
Don’t you love it when a “strong” woman uses the woman card?Poor baby, some mean man hurt the girl !
Did you hear what that evil rich fat guy said? He called her a ….slut! Oh my, how awful!
Bill, Ed and Chris would never say anything about a conservative woman. And even if they did – why, they are just entertainers, aren’t they? …. like Rush used to be referred as.
While this highly sexually active young lady parades her need for a crate of condoms, am I to feel bad because she’s a doorknob?
I knew Rush would get the left-wing victim thing going because liberals use emotional issues to get people drawn into the “republicans are mean people” manipulation of stereotypes & propaganda. They always need to find a bad guy to raise money.
Creatons, Epicurians, all.
Erby
Folks, This topic hit a nerve with many of us……
This wasn’t about women’s rights. It was a set up one more time to make a Christan Founded Educational Facility of higher learning change their ways. Who was the bully here? The University? Anyone who has had even a remote exposure to the Catholic Church knows their stand on abortion/birth control, etc. Ms. Fluke had an agenda and Rush called her on it. It could not have gone more perfectly with her plan and as she was just the puppet for the real culprits, Ms. Fluke was also duped. American media is much too quick to flash a story without any media fact checking. It’s almost as if the media’s motto is “rile up everyone today into a feeding frenzy and then we’ll get the real story next week (on the back page)”. Oh, and I’m sorry, I don’t buy the crap about Moyer being a comedian on HBO. He spews his filth and cynical replusive views regularly, much more so on a scale that Rush doesn’t even begin to approach. With no morals of any type being taught in our schools, young people today are decending into a cess pool of depravity and ignorance where SNL is actually considered a news source. If we as a country don’t get our preverbial shit together soon, chaos will reign, and much sooner than we think. If adult entertainers talk this way on public/cable media, what is the next generation of entertainers going to act/speak? It takes more and more to shock us. Nudity and foul language was banned on media just years ago in our lifetimes, now it’s common place even on public media stations. Last comment, it would appear that the two Rep. politicians in question were smart not to say too much at the time, since now we all know better and have more details.
Enjoy reading the blog.
Steve,
You claim Rush bullied Fluke. In what sense was calling her a slut (proper identification of a promiscuous person) bullying?
Isn’t truth always a proper defense?
Given she is such a strong person, fully capable of defending herself, how could this true statement be considered bullying?
And therefore how could you reasonably claim that Mitt and Rick were deficient in leadership to not have denounced his actions?
Only because we’re a society of half-truth tellers can Mitt and Rick self-censor themselves from saying, “Hey, he’s right.”
If the person making the call for publicly funded contraception were a man, and Rush called him a slut (same proper identification) would you have called Rush a bully there as well?
The issue isn’t whether there is a lack of GOP leadership, or even if Rush is a bully. The issue is should the public treasury be funding other people’s morality?
In my opinion that violates the Church/State wall of separation.
Bert,
I’m shocked that you actually believe it’s ok for Rush Limbaugh to call this woman a slut. Haven’t you claimed to be a Christian on this blog in the past? (If I’m wrong I apologize)
Where is the Christ-like behavior in calling a woman a slut? And just because a woman is sexually active, does that make her a slut? If thats true, 90% of single women would fit in that category. I agree with you that we shouldn’t have to pay for her birth control. As a matter of fact, I disagree with almost everything shes says. That wasn’t my point. She, like every woman, needs to be heard and treated with respect. Sexual slurs by bullys like Limbaugh are out of line, and thats why he lost this battle in a big way. Thanks for your comments, Bert.
Mike,
My way of seeing this is that Fluke has the same worldview as the ‘Occupy’ movement. That the rest (presumably the ‘haves’) of the population owes them support.
Now these are perfectly healthy people. They are not handicapped in the conventional sense. So the only thing they are really lacking in a major way is the motivation to get off their duff and get working.
Fluke, these OWS people, and all these socialist engineers just want to take, take, take from others. In the meantime, they want to be in contro; to be the one’s in power distributing all the money. Of course, that is a heck of a lot easier than going out and earning something on their own. That is beneath them…
Steve,
I guess we all have our opinions, and you certainly stated yours on the Rush Limbaugh brouhaha. I believe the reason we are emotional immature as a society is we teach people to respond to emotion instead of reason. You present Limbaugh as Goliath and Sandra Fluke as David; this is nothing more than a red herring argument to distract the American public from the real argument: “Is it the proper role of a constitutionally constrained federal government to force citizens against their will to pay for the birth control of their neighbor?” While certainly persuasive to an emotionally immature citizenry, this fallacious counter-argument is not in the least bit reasonable. Let’s create a dialogue to demonstrate how irrational this argument is:
Argument: A: It is not the legitimate role of the federal government to force citizens against their will to pay for the birth control of their neighbor.
Response B: Rush Limbaugh was completely out of line for calling Sandra Fluke a “slut” and a “prostitute” on his extremely popular, nationallly syndicated radio show.
Therefore; It is the legitimate role of the federal government to force citizens against their will to pay for the birth control of their neighbor.
Your video adds to America’s emotional immaturity rather than reduces it. Your fallacious appeals to emotion (Pathos) paints 30 year old and 3rd year Georgetown University law school student as a child victim, when in reality she is a capable, seasoned political operative. While you may be effective in persuading some with your use of rhetoric to show sympathy for ObamaCare’s unconstititional mandate, I was expecting you to provide more leadership in how NOT to argue in an emotionally immature fashion.
–Joe
She isn’t a slut?
According to the dictionary slut means: “A person, especially a woman, considered sexually promiscuous.”
If she isn’t sexually promiscuous then why does she need contraceptives?
I think Rush was right in calling her a slut. She should stand up and own it.
The point in contention should not be lost, she wants us to underwrite her morality.
Ok, I’ll pay for her rubbers if she pays for my ammo.
When the democratic leadership condemns bill mahr and his outrageous comments about women (which are filthy) maybe then you can callout the Republican response to Rush over his rough comments.
Hey Steve:
What crap Steve, I’m surprised at you!!!
Obama wasn’t a LEADER by doing what he did. He simply capitalized on a situation that would have no negative repercussions to his political standing. Limbaugh has no influence over the constituency that support Obama. Where was Obama when Bill Maher called Sara Palin a “Cunt”? Where was Obama’s LEADERSHIP when he bowed to kiss that Saudi prince’s hand – AN AMERICAN PRESIDENT???
I’m not defending the milqetoast responses of Romney and Santorum to this Fluke issue. But you saying Obama is a Leader – he’s pandering too – just in the safe zone.
J
Jeannie,
Why so cynical? (I’m kidding) Comparing Bill Maher with Rush Limbaugh is a false parallel. Limbaugh has serious clout with the republican base and Maher is a comedian with little or no influence. Limbaugh is a social commentator and Maher is a comic. That said, I still think Maher was wrong to say it. As much as I want to see him defeated in November, I think Obama’s call was sincere. I may be naive, but I’m going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Thanks for weighing in, Jeannie.
Rush Limbaugh has now lost 25 major advertisors. The Christian Science Monitor Magazine interviewed me today and asked If I thought Limbaugh should be pulled off the air. Many of you will be happy I said no. He apologized. Time to move on.
Hello Steve,
Thank you for replying to my message earlier today. I think you make a very good point and I will accept your constructive criticism as a lesson learned. But let me say this, I do not only respect people that I agree with. The person I respect the most in this world is my Father and I have disagreed with him on many occasions and still do from time to time. I agree with what you teach about acting from emotion. My only point is that if you choose to pile on and exploit Rush Limbaugh for something that he said on his radio show then please be fair and exploit others who make destructive comments. Also, if anyone has some explaining to do, it is not the GOP candidates, but the current president who has accepted millions of dollars in donations from the likes of Bill Maher.
Steven,
I appreciate you considering the idea of emotional thinking. I teach this stuff and I still fall into the trap! I agree with you about calling out others who use sexually slanderous commentary, but keep in mind that Maher is a comedian while Limbaugh is a social commentator with massive influence. That said, I still agree with you on your main point.
Thanks for joining the discussion. I appreciate your comments.
Steve, to make my statements more clear, your arrogance is demonstrated by your poor political analysis of this situation, and your repeated attempts to try to justify your comments with your opinions.
Lest we be poor students of the lexicon, hubris not only indicates arrogance, it can also cause the demise of a person. Furthermore, I have not cared to question where your personal approval is drawn from.
I do not denounce her courage one bit. What I denounce is the coddling she is receiving for going on the record over a controversial issue. Again, her education has failed her if it did not prepare for the consequences of her decisions. I denounce the audacity of her rebellion. If she was accepted at Georgetown, then she was accepted at many other law schools. She could have chosen a school that shared her values. She had poor foresight.
If you review the President’s press conference Tuesday, you will notice his gentle handling of the Limbaugh debacle. He also refused to comment on some questions pertaining to the matter. Part of being a leader is knowing when to open your mouth and when to remain quite.
Your assessments of Scripture are bold. Bold statements require facts and sources to back them up. When I review your statements in this conversation, all of them have been your opinions. Therefore, you are right there is no reason to continue this discussion. Tony Treece
Steve,
I am surprised by how quick you are to comment on Rush Limbaugh’s remarks but yet you remain silent and never comment on the insulting, digraceful comments of someone like Bill Maher. What Rush said pales in comparison to the ignorant comments of Bill Maher. Also, think back about the disgraceful, sexist comments that have been made about Sarah Palin or Michelle Bachman yet we never hear anyone lashing out about that. ??? Can you explain. Also, why bring The GOP candidates into thiis? They didn’t make the statement and they should not have to get involved. It is quite clear that you have made this a political issue. I really think you should have kept quiet on this one. You are way off track!
I hope you can earn my respect back as I have enjoyed your book and advice, but now I am having second thoughts.
SteveO
Steven,
My comments only had one point, which was to highlight the fact that the 2 GOP front runners failed to stand up to Rush Limbaugh. I would have made the same point if Bill Maher or anyone else would have made this kind of comment and the candidates didn’t respond. I’m glad you like my books, but not respecting someone because you disagree with him/her is not critical thinking; but emotional reactionary thinking, which is what I write about in my books! So here’s my critical thinking question for you: do you only respect people you agree with? If you answered yes, you’re in the majority. If you answered no, you have a ticket to engage in meaningful conversation with some of the best and brightest thought leaders in the world. The choice is yours. The masses think through emotion. The world class think through logic and reason. Which one are you?
Steve, the hubris you are demonstrating is causing you to not see clearly. As much as we would all like to be authorities on a host of different topics, we are not. You missed the mark.
As far as Christ-like behavior, when Ms. Fluke entered Georgetown as a student she agreed to adhere to the rules / regulations of a two hundred year old Catholic institution. Clearly, Scripture tells us to submit to the authority over us. She volunteered this authority for herself. For her to have the audacity to make a request that a Catholic institution change its beliefs is absurd and disrespectful.
Again, your requirement that Santorum and Romney answer for Rush’s inappropriate comments is naïve. No other person is responsible for what comes out of your mouth but you. Why are you holding a Presidential candidate to an unrealistic standard? If anything, Romney and Santorum not blasting their mouth off shows a tremendous amount of maturity.
Tony Treece
Tony,
I’m not sure what hubris has to do with common sense. Am I arrogant because I can think for myself and don’t require the social or moral approval of others?
On your other point, you say scripture tells us to submit to authority. If scientists followed that idea we’d still be living in the 17th century, we’d still have slavery and women would still be submissive to men. The only reason society has progressed to the level we have is due to the courage of thought leaders to challenge the dogma of the past. Any college or university worth its salt teaches it’s students to stand up for what they believe in and challenge the establishment, not submit to it. Not only did this young woman challenge the authority of a world-class institution, she captured the attention of the entire country. Limbaugh is losing advertisers every day. I still don’t agree with Sandra Flukes position. Like you, I’m all for self responsibility and against entitlement. But while you denounce her courage and audacity, I applaud it. Most people are sheep, and as wrong as she is in her message, she is not.
As far as Santorum and Romney are concerned, you say their non-response to the biggest news story in the past 72 hours showed maturity. I think what it showed is a lack of leadership and the courage to speak out against the Limbaugh machine. They are applying for the most important job in the world and I want to see they have the guts it takes to lead. Thanks for your comments. We’ll agree to disagree on this one, unless you want to keep going?! 🙂
I agree this is not about, Ms. Flute,this is about so-called men keeping their authority over women. Women have a right to speak up about their right to make decisions regarding the health of their own bodies. To call a woman a slut because she speaks up for the rights of a woman concerning the health care of all women, is “out of touch with reality” and is stuck in their own hidden sick world. Women have gone through hell in the pass, regarding their rights to vote, what was that all about; what is this, Limbaugh and all of his followers, supporters and whatever are a disgrace to America, they are an embarrassment to the human race, yea , that deep. When you think about Ms. Flute’s whole point, how can anyone be against her voice concerning women’s rights, women’s health. We are talking about women your mother, daughter, etc. And my God, to say “i would have said it differently” , only confirms that Limbaugh and all his supporters have a disease called “ignorance” that is embedded in their souls and they are limited and can’t see pass it, to save their lives, no, they can’t do it, They want to rule, be in charge of everything, and if it isn’t going their way, then they attack it viciously like there no tomorrow, they have no respect for themselves and need to be seriously ignored; in other words not even the time of day. and please don’t get me started on those GOP candidates, thank God for the people who are in touch with reality and responding positively.
People want their kind of language and it’s not absolute – it’s OK if you say this that way but not if I say that this way; the sarcasm or wit is mis understood; when J says if fine J’s just being funny when H says it not fine H’s being serious; of course I believe in freedom of speech when it’s what I want to hear; I don’t care if you were kidding vs I take it as a joke; it’s all wind to me.
Most people I’d guess will listen when it’s politically correct and tone or bias mean more than content and text – rough mouthed and true won’t win over silky smooth and false.
Suspend ego and judgment, put the bias on the back burner, look at this things without pre determined filters, huh???
Feelings?
Mike
Steve,
Sandra had an agenda and Rush gave her the gift of national attention. His attempt at being a “shock jock” has done more to move her cause forward than anything she could have done on her own. She should send a thank you card to the foul mouth “King of the Right”.
How about a little outrage with the “King of the Left” Bill Moyer?
Enjoy your perspectives,
David
“Limbaugh is probably the most powerful voice in the GOP, and Romney and Santorum know it. Neither had the guts to criticize his demeaning, dispicable, behavior and thats NOT leadership. Thats followership. We need a President who will stand up to bully’s, and the world is full of them. As my friend Mike Michelozzi says; thoughts.” — Steve
They’d be better men and contenders had they the guts to say: “Limbaugh stooped to the lowest level of name calling totally uncalled for and he should apologize for it. By doing that he lost any chance of reasonable discussion on this issue which is a shame because it’s an important issue.”
——————-
More Steve: “The Republican party has and has had a serious absence of leadership display in its candidates for a long time. I am starting to have a thought growing in my head that the party may not be able to deliver a candidate or rally around a candidate sufficient to oust President Obama. Therein lies the real heart of the situation.”
I have the same tumor growing – one by one the Republican contenders slip into the lowest levels of public political display attacking each other with half truths and distorting records. Ron Paul has been the most consistently above the madness and clear on his agenda.
More thoughts:)?
Mike
For those of you who don’t think this bullying by Limbaugh was a big deal, read this when you have a second. http://bottomline.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/05/10583805-aol-suspends-ads-on-rush-limbaugh-show
They’ve even pressure the big bully to write the girl a letter of apology. It’s like a bully who beats you up in school and the principle makes him write you an aopology. Note to Sandra Fluke: don’t buy it. Once a bully always a bully.
Steve, I think Maggie D and Mike M make very good observations. By good I mean clear objective observation of what happened. ie. an activist deliberly inserting herself as a student to raise and manipulate an issue that is important to HER. Did you know about the Washington Post article before you made the blog? I doubt you did. However you went to the heart of my worry and concern which I have been stating on a low key basis for years. The Republican party has and has had a serious absence of leadership display in its candidates for a long time. I am starting to have a thought growing in my head that the party may not be able to deliver a candidate or rally around a candidate sufficient to oust President Obama. Therein lies the real heart of the situation.
Phil,
No, I didn’t see that article in the post. I agree with what you’re saying, especially the part about the lack of GOP leadership. The only guy I would vote for is Ron Paul, but I’m afraid he’s ahead of his time. I’m not sure America is mature enough to handle a leader at his level. Not fiscally or socially. I hate to say it, but at this point I think we’re headed for 4 more years of Obama. Hold onto your wallet, Phil! This guys gonna punish anyone thats been successful. Thanks for weighing in. I appreciate your insights. Steve
She’s pushing her agenda just as consistently as Rush Limbaugh pushes his:
“The student, Sandra Fluke, said Limbaugh’s apology did nothing to change the corrosive tone of the debate over health care coverage and that Americans have to decide whether they want to support companies that continue to advertise on his program. AOL and Tax Resolution Services Co. on Monday became the eighth and ninth advertisers to leave Limbaugh’s three-hour show as he sought to stem the exodus of advertisers and fellow conservatives declined to offer him support.
“I should not have used the language I did, and it was wrong,” a rarely contrite Limbaugh told listeners.
Fluke, who testified to congressional Democrats in support of their national health care policy that would compel her Jesuit college’s health plan to cover her birth control, said she had not heard from Limbaugh directly but signaled she had little interest in speaking with him. She said his criticism of her beliefs was an attack on women’s health.”
———————
I love her Bardestined logic: “She said his criticism of her beliefs was an attack on women’s health.” Critical thinking or critical manuevering?
Maybe once upon a time: become a lawyer to help serve justice, not prove your point, and objectively serve the greator good. Today: use your platform as a lawyer to promote your agenda to change the culture as you believe it should be changed.
She could leverage her career into the political arena one day. Thoughts?
Mike
Mike,
I agree with a lot of what you’re saying, and even some of the points that Maggie is making. This little gal (SF) is sharp and she’s leveraging the message while promoting the messenger. I don’t agree with that and most of her philosophy, but that wasn’t my point of the post. Limbaugh is probably the most powerful voice in the GOP, and Romney and Santorum know it. Neither had the guts to criticize his demeaning, dispicable, behavior and thats NOT leadership. Thats followership. We need a President who will stand up to bully’s, and the world is full of them. As my friend Mike Michelozzi says; Thoughts? Steve
Steve, your opinions are always going to be valid. If we are arguing the point based on opinions, then what good is the conversation? You shotgun blasted several things in the initial commentary, but you narrowed it down to fit what you wanted to talk about after the fact. This is a pointless exchange given the fact that you are setting the rules of the conversation as you please. To my last point, I would be interested to see if you can find somewhere in Scripture to back up your point that Jesus would be entangled in a debate that is rooted in a severe lack of wisdom. Tony Treece
Tony,
I don’t need scripture to identify “Christ-like” and “Non-Christ-like” behavior. It’s common sense.
I’m not making up any rules as I go along. I only made one point and asked one question in the video: Where were Ronmney and Santorum on this blast from arguably the most powerful voice in the GOP? This is not some big mouth radio host; this is a guy with millions of followers who worship his every word. As sad as that is, it’s a fact, and I know that you know that. Thanks for chiming in on this. It’s an interesting discussion, don’t you think? Steve
Hello all,
I’m always amazed at the many differing interpretations on issues presented, especially considering that mine is the only correct one ;-), no matter what the issue is. No, seriously, I believe that this has turned into an even better teaching tool than Steve ever had imagined because now we have learned more facts which throw a very different picture on this whole affair.
Initially, Steve and others fell for ‘courageous’ young student Ms. Fluke’s line because many of us do admire people who bravely stand by their convictions, and even more so when we perceive them to be young and vulnerable. But does this hold true when we learn that we have been duped and are being manipulated?
We now learn that Fluke is a fake, a set-up. She isn’t what she’s been presented as by the media. She was said to be a run-of-the-mill, 23-year-old Georgetown law student whose sexual escapades were bankrupting her because of the cost of contraceptives, but Fluke turns out to be a 30-year-old feminist activist who chose to go to Georgetown after specifically reviewing its insurance policy and discovering that it didn’t cover contraceptives. According to a Washington Post story written before Fluke was to testify, she went to Georgetown for the express purpose of combating that policy. In other words, she is a manipulator who is out to get her way, no matter the cost, even to our Constitution.
Sadly, Limbaugh, advertisers, people, Steve and all of us who commented got caught up in this,before all the facts were in (and they probably still are not all in). Indeed, emotions drove most of us, but as I asked at the beginning, does the whole picture change when we find out that we were manipulated?
Maggie
ARE YOU KIDDING!?!
ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT WE’RE GOING TO SEE TRUE LEADERSHIP FROM ANYONE SEEKING HIGH PUBLIC OFFICE IN THIS COUNTRY IS….
DELUSIONAL!
Saying you’re a leader is popular, saying you can lead better than so & so is popular, pointing out what leader so & so has/hasn’t done that isn’t leadership is popular, but being a true leader… that isn’t popular.
The masses, who still hold the majority vote, don’t want leadership; they want shiny, processed crap! They want it wrapped in colorful packaging with words like “NEW” on the box… exactly like the processed, pre-packaged crap that passes for food they’re buying at the supermarket. When asked for the truth in the movie, “A Few Good Men” Jack Nicholson says, “You can’t handle the truth”. It’s exactly the same here. You want leadership? You can’t handle real leadership!
The presidential candidates and their campaigns aren’t about leadership, they’re about winning. Romney and Santorum have to keep traveling around, auditioning for the leading role of Casper Milque-Toast and whoever pisses off the least amount of people will win. Obama isn’t any better. He called Fluke because he and his team felt it was the right thing to do for his reelection campaign (read votes).
You’ll see real leadership arise when this country totally falls apart. Until then… pass the Cheez- Whiz pleeze!
Be Well, Jaroslav
Bravo, Steve, you have it right, sir.
I do want to address this misconception that contraception will be provided for free. What the law requires is that the medication be provided without copay and without a deductible. A woman must still have a health insurance plan to take advantage of this provision. The issue has been that some employers do not wish to provide this service in their health plans. Please do not believe that any woman in this country will receive this service without paying for it.
The value of contraception is multi-faceted. It helps to prevent unwanted pregnancies and thus reduce the number of abortions. The medication is also valuable in treating ailments women can have that are unrelated to any sexual activity. These factors justify inclusion of this provision in the Affordable Care Act.
TJ,
I agree. Good points all around that were ignored my most everyone else.
Thanks for chiming in.
Steve
Steve,
One thing that we have to remember is that we are talkining politicians here. Regardless of what they really believe, they are going to say what is most likely to help them get elected.
With Mr. Romney and Mr. Santorum, the goal here seems to have been to avoid being part of the controversy, so as not to lose the votes of those who did not agree with them. So there they, hoping that the whole thing will blow over without making them look bad.
I agree with you about them, but I am no more pleased with President Obama. He has handlers too, who probably told him to do something to show his support for the poor girl, who has been mistreated. It will make him look like the kindly father figure, which tends to get elected.
To me, mental toughness, and doing what is right, would have been for him to call her up to offer support, but not to make it a public event. But, then again, private acts of courage and kindness don’t get you votes.
My conclusion is that, while the President did speak what we hope was his mind, it very well could have been no less a political ploy than the comments made by the two cowardly statements from the Republican side.
I agree with your question, “Where are the leaders?”
When is someone going to run who won’t be elected because they are the lesser of the evils?
Further more, why if 52% of the population is female, why are the majority of those in political office male?
While I disagree with Ms. Fluke on the issue, I do agree that she is more of a leader than Mitt, Rick, or Barak. I hope she goes far.
I wouldn’t use Rush’s language, but what makes his opinion wrong? Is it the fact that she is young and educated, and he is old? If she gets into his arena spouting off her opinion, he’s not a bully for rebutting her wrong assumption that everyone is entitled to free contraception. If you are to broke to pay for contraception, how will you manage to raise the kid that will come along when the contraception fails, as it often does? Oh, I forgot, that’s when we are supposed to pay for her abortion as well.
David, I agree with you 100%.
Well… here, to me, is the irony and the state of our politics. It is not the politicians who will risk anything and denounce Rush but the advertisers who have the most say and will begin to pull out. Begging the question that many of us wonder – who is running this country, we the people or we the big money corporations who back the figure heads? To the point of Romney or Santorum… he who says the most in support for the young lady will be the one who needs backing from corporations (and this term is not subject to entities but also those who run or have made fortunes due to these vehicles) the least. My assessment is that once these corporations begin to boycott, then the candidates will be more willing to take a stand in which ever direction the money flows. Where money flows… rhetoric goes!
Michael,
7 major advertisers have backed out from Rush’s show since Friday. And I agree with you. Follow the money trail!
Thanks for your comments.
Steve
I haven’t read every comment…..but, important to note, this woman isn’t asking for anything free. She is asking that her insurance cover a certain medication, which happens to sometimes be used to control birth. Students pay health care premiums separate from tuition. My daughters pay several hundred dollars a month for college insurance which covers hardly anything.
Steve I am with you. It is good to see a young woman stand her ground. I think she is tough! I don’t listen to Rush;I don’t agree with his style. When someone puts others down to make their point they’ve already lost the debate.
First of all, THANK YOU Steve for talking about the prejudice women have had to deal with for a long time.
Being from another country, I frankly don’t get that there is a debate about covering contraceptives in the USA. I thought that USA were the Freedom model for the rest of the world.
A prescribed drug should be covered by your insurance no matter what its purpose. It’s a debate I would have expected in a muslim or discriminative country not the US. This closed-mindness is sad and what Sandra Fluke has had to deal with is similar to being stoned to death or lynched in other countries or other centuries. I would have expected a debate following her allocution not a personal attack. Women have a right to decide about pregnancies inside or outside their marriage because it’s their bodies – Period.
Thank you for talking about empowering women to stand up for what they think and to stop this kind of male bullying.
Steve, I caught something interesting in your blog. You said that we should take emotion out of the equation, but I could sense the emotion in your blog. It was evident to me that you were very upset by Limbaugh’s comments, which were at best unfairly judgmental and at worst disgusting and highly offensive.
In regards to Rick-and-Mitt: I have no doubt that they both were very offended at Rush’s tirade. While their public responses did lack nailing Rush to the wall, I must ask if responding to his name calling with using language that is just as strong (whether or not name calling is part of the response) is really constructive. I must respectfully disagree with you that it shows a lack of leadership. I agree with some the earlier posts that there are bigger fish to fry.
Somewhat off the subject: I am not a fan of President Obama, and will certainly not vote for him this fall. But I agree with you in what he did — it was the right thing to do.
P.S. How much sympathy would you have for me if I tearfully testified before Congress about the discrimination I face working at a mosque, and not having access to free bacon and medicinal marijuana?
This debate has nothing to do with birth control or abortifacients. It has nothing to do with religion.
It has to do with the proper role of government.
Can the federal government FORCE a private religious employer to purchase goods and services said employer finds morally reprehensible?
Since 1789, the answer has been “no.” Or as Herman Cain might say, “Nein, nein, nein.”
Ms. Fluke chose to attend a Catholic University, and is now demanding an entitlement from them (bad enough, in and of itself). But she is demanding an entitlement that the church believes to be a grave sin.
Shame on Obama and his fans to turn this into an issue about birth control or women’s health, etc. He started this fight, and it will be interesting to see if the 54% of the Catholic vote he got in 2008 shows up that way in November.
P.S. Rush Limbaugh is an entertainer, whose tagline is “illustrating absurdity by being absurd.” Where are these voices when Howard Stern does the same?
Steve,
Thumbs up to you for speaking out on Rush’s or should I say Rude’s comments. His comments were totally outragious. I think most of the people who have commented before me don’t get it. They are complaining about Americans paying for contraceptives–which by the way is truly not the real issue. The white elephant in the room is about empowering women and respecting females—-which is your MOTHERS, by the way—everybody I know was born to a women. I am outraged at how many men comments about their disrepect for women.
To get back to the subject of these “little minds” ‘not wanting to pay for contraceptives’ what they don’t realize is that if they do not want to make contraceptives free to women, they will continue—is already paying–for the alternatives–which is abortions which is 1000 times more expensive than contraceptives. Try $250-$300 per year on average for contraceptives as compared to—-what they are already paying for in government dollars for abortions across this country–abortions cost on avergage $1000-$5000 based on the stage of pregnancy. So Men, if this is about the math, please do the math before you speak out. But it is not about the math, it is about respect for women—your mothers—-which if it wasn’t for women, you would not be her in the first place. Oh I do want to mention that they had a little help from your fathers–oops sorry.
Steve,
Every issue or problem is deeper than what meets the eye. No, I don’t think Jesus would have been the first to speak out against this foolishness. He would have looked beyond it. He looks at the heart. Scripture tells us, “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.” Unfortunately, this is a much more severe problem that must be dealt with before our nation can be spiritually healthy again. Tony Treece
Tony,
I respectfully disagree. Jesus would have stood up to the bully without worrying about gaining his support.
Thanks for your follow up.
Steve
Steve,
Sorry sir but I don’t come hear for political thought-speech. If the “courageous young woman” can speak her mind then Mr. Limbaugh can speak his as well. I don’t often agree with Limbaugh but in this case I do. Since I began working with college students 6 years ago I have become more and more frustrated by the entitlement mentality that has permeated this culture. I find it completely ridiculous for a adult to demand free-contraception, which we know isn’t free but would come from the tuition and fees that all non-scholarship Georgetown students must pay. When you consider that she is getting a free education as well,she is on a full-public policy scholarship, her demands of someone else footing the bill while she expresses herself 3 times a day on someone else’s dime is distressing and is the antithesis of someone that i would consider mentally tough.
Paul,
I never said Limbaugh didn’t have a right to speak his mind. This post is about the lack of Romney and Santorum speaking theirs! I agree with you on the entitlement mentality and have spoken out about it all over the world. On a separate note, do you really agree with Limbaugh calling this young woman a slut and asking her to post her sex videos online so he can watch them? Do you know how powerful Limbaugh is in the GOP? He may be the single most influencial voice they have ouside the religious right. Your thoughts?
Rush is entitled to his own opinion and to express it as he wishes just as you are entitled to yours.
It appears both of you are being ridiculed for them.
How does it feel?
Mike,
I think you’ve created a false parallel between Limbaughs expressions and my own. Using sexually derogatory language with a college student is hardly the same thing as what I said. Do you really support what he did? Is this the level of discourse you expect from a person with Limbaugh’s politcal clout?