Finding out that Sarah Palin charged Wasilla rape victims to pay for their own rape kits was quite a shock. How much of a shock is another question, but the very idea of making victims pay up to $1200 to gather medical evidence against their attacker seems surprising even for the most conservative of folk.
Well, apparently Palin's history of apathy towards victims of sexual assault doesn't end there.
Shakesville put it all together after finding the details behind Troopergate. While Palin fired her Public Safety Commissioner Walt Monegan after he failed to reopen an investigation into her sister's ex-husband, her failure to address the epidemic of sex crimes in Alaska led him to plan a trip to Washington to seek federal funding to address the problem, in which he was stopped short in his tracks:
The last straw, the McCain campaign said, was in July, when Monegan planned to travel to Washington to seek federal money for a plan to assign troopers, judges and prosecutors who could exclusively handle sexual assault cases -- one of the state's most intractable crime problems.In a July 7 e-mail, John Katz, the governor's special counsel, noted two problems with the trip: The governor hadn't agreed the money should be sought, and the request was "out of sequence with our other appropriations requests and could put a strain on the evolving relationship between the Governor and Sen. (Ted) Stevens."
Four days later, Monegan was fired. He said he had kept others in the administration fully apprised of his plans to go to Washington.
Not only did Palin drive her Public Safety Commissioner to Washington due to her failure to address sexual assault in her state, but didn't allow him seeking federal funds because of a fear of mucking a relationship with a senator later indicted for corruption. And then subsequently fired him. Melissa says:
And even if it were true, it still means that Palin is shockingly indifferent to rape and domestic violence in her own state and contemptuous of the people who don't share her indifference--and, weirdly, the McCain campaign appears to believe that's somehow more palatable than Palin having simply fired Monegan for insubordination because she wasn't getting what she wanted from a public servant on her personal family matter.That's quite an amazing calculation.
Yes it is. It has become painfully clear that not only is Sarah Palin not an advocate for rape victims, she is not an advocate for women. But Palin doesn't hate women; she just doesn't care about them.
Pic via AP.
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Here is a useful resource related to Gov. Sarah Palin - the most comprehensive page of information on her record available on the Net. It includes videos of her saying her proposed $30 billion natural gas pipeline is the “will of God,” her saying a month ago she doesn’t know what the VP of the U.S. does, and her complaining four months ago that Hillary Clinton was whining about “sexist” coverage -
http://dailysource.org/palin
It has in-depth research, audio clips, videos, excerpts and links to hundreds of articles, including many from papers and TV stations in Alaska. It has rare footage, including her telling the 2008 convention of the Alaska Independence Party, whose goal is to give Alaska a vote on seceding from the U.S. to “keep up the good work.”
The level of research is unparalleled. The site’s editors include an Emmy-award winning CNN reporter, the former operating editor of the Christian Science Monitor’s web site, the former head of NPRs News Blog and the Executive Director of the Online News Association. Check it out here -
http://dailysource.org/
Please spread the word about this Palin info to anyone who might want to know more.
Even though I'm from Canada, we all know the U.S. election is a world issue due to the "imperial presidency" effect on foreign policy. So all of us are concerned about the outcome. And as a victim of multiple instances of sexual assault, I see the election of anyone with such rape-friendly policies as a step back for women worldwide.
But Palin doesn't hate women; she just doesn't care about them.
OF COURSE SARAH PALIN HATES WOMEN. don't be modest.
This needs to be reported on the mainstream media. And the fact that the McCain campaign is perfectly fine with this needs to be stressed. I think it's important that whenever Feministing or other site reports on how Palin is a horrible candidate for women, McCain has to be held accountable too. McCain picked her, so obviously he doesn't care much about sexual assault victims either.
Wow. Between this and McCain's rape joke ("Where did that marvelous ape go?"), the GOP isn't exactly endearing themselves to women. It goes beyond not caring, it's mocking victims and actively opposing those who are actually trying to help. I'm disgusted.
I agree that Sarah Palin has a bad track record with women's issues, and I'm glad to discuss violence against women and this election cycle.
But I have generally felt insulted by the "rape kit" message in the media. It seems to be a token talking point aimed at women.
I think the feminist avengers expressed the anger well here.
And there's a really good comprehensive article about violence against women and the election moving beyond rape kits here.
Feminist love,
Jen
One of my first comments here when the VP selection was anounced was that Palin didn't support this issue up here (reducing crime against women). It is to my great relief to see the details on the front page of any media vehicle, blog, forum, or MSM.
Walt, the fired commissioner, is an Alaska Native so he has a personal interest in what happens to native women. He was a strong advocate for them when he was the chief of police here in Anchorage. Not being allowed to focus on this issue probably pissed him off a great deal, and Palin's staff left him with little choice but to go above her/them.
It is well established that we lead the nation in crime against women, specifically native women. Todd Palin claiming native heritage and then having his wife blow it all off is just too much.
I suspect that some where in the program funding that she vetoed, whiched caused Walt to go around her, there was some program funds targeted towards health care for rape victims. Palin probably thought that these funds could go to pay for abortions, too. So all the funds for the program got the veto in the budget.
I really hope that the Democrats will use this as evidence that Republican policies are actually SOFT on crime, especially when that crime is against women or committed by big corporations.
You would think that a Governor of a state that has the distinction of having the highest rape rate of all the states and the second in violence against women and child sexual assault higher than the national average would do all she can and would encourage those who work for her to do the same.
I agree with BROWN TRASH PUNK,Palin HATES WOMEN AND CHILDREN.
Daily Source, thanks for the website link.
I have no doubt it will be useful for the Paliban in finding new information about this wonderful Christian woman!
I've started to seriously wonder how this woman can sleep at night. Women being anti-choice, disturbing as that is, often just means they're so blinded by their own (usually religious) opinions about fetuses that they don't consider how forcing them on others hurts their own gender.
But sexual assault is something I never thought there could be any disagreement on, ESPECIALLY among women. Of course, Palin isn't saying explicitly that she doesn't see it as a valid issue......but she might as well, at this point, since she's made it clear by her actions.
Seriously, what the hell is her problem?
I have a link on my blog and also have more than 300 references on links, putting 20 per day, plus 28 original articles based on the issues of the Palin candidacy. I am a professional journalist and do research to write. I think this website is doing a wonderful job of informing women about Sarah Palin in the matter of sexual freedom. At http://everythingsarahpalin.blogspot.com I have been tracking the entries of this site and others like it, to expound on the issues. That allows people to discuss matters on a whole bunch of topics with facts. I have been told that the blog I created, which came out of an article I had been asked to write for a national media company, is one of the most comprehensive in terms of references and materials. Use as you wish.
i cant imagine how she could not care about rape victims. I mean she her self is a women and has a daughter to worry about. dosent she want a safe world for her daughter to live in ?
She probably thinks she is an act of "God." She probably thinks she is helping the world - really impacting it in a positive way doing "God's work."
Oh my goodness. It's obvious that this country will be headed right down the crapper at a faster rate if those two make it in office. I had no clue about this, so thank you for bringing this to light. I will pass it along to as many people I know.
I've never been raped, but I have been physically hurt by a man (if you want to call him that), and that was horrible enough. Obviously in her perfect life I doubt that she would have had to go through anything like that. She disgusts me to no end.
McCain not only picked her and makes rape jokes, but has repeatedly refused to vote for various bills that fight rape and domestic violence. Bills, mind you, that Senator Biden wrote. So there's a glaring difference here.