From: Nita and Shaunna, UltraViolet Action

Indiana Republican Senate candidate, Richard Mourdock made another offensive comment about rape last night. But Mitt Romney and top Republicans aren’t pulling their support. Enough is enough. Can you tell Mitt Romney and Republicans that if they want women’s votes they need to stop playing politics with rape?
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/307?t=2&akid=209.6000.n3fujD

Dear Readers,

st. Stop. It.

Last night, ANOTHER Republican candidate for office made ANOTHER offensive comment about rape. This time it was Indiana Senate candidate Richard Mourdock saying pregnancies resulting from rape are what God intended.1 This is on the heels of Missouri Senate candidate Todd Akin’s comments that women don’t get pregnant from “legitimate” rape,2 Pennsylvania Senate candidate Tom Smith saying that having children out of wedlock is basically the same thing as rape,3 and Rep. Steve King saying he has never heard of anyone getting pregnant from statutory rape.4

Add it all up and we have a very serious, disturbing problem when it comes to Republican men running for office and how they view women.

But something about Mourdock’s comment is even more disturbing: Mitt Romney just released an ad endorsing him. While he’s tepidly tried to distance himself from Mourdock today, he hasn’t pulled his endorsement and the ad is still on the air.5 And Senator John Cornyn, head of the National Republican Senate Campaign Committee, is **defending** Mourdock.6

Can you send a clear message to Mitt Romney and the Republicans about how you feel about these comments as a voter? If they want women’s votes, they need to stop supporting candidates with extreme views on rape. Mitt Romney must withdraw his endorsement of Mourdock and Republican campaign committees must stop supporting him right away.

Add your name to the petition.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/307?t=3&akid=209.6000.n3fujD

There are just 2 weeks before the election and campaign committees are really susceptible to public pressure right now. If enough of us speak out quickly and loudly, we can make a difference here. And we can make it clear to members of both parties that playing politics with rape is just flat out wrong.

This isn’t just an issue that upsets progressive women–it upsets all women.

Even Christine Todd Whitman, former Republican Governor of New Jersey and Bush EPA Administrator, is appalled and calling on Romney to strongly reject Mourdock.7

Rape is rape. It is not a political game. And we, women and men alike, deserve better from candidates of any political party.

Add your name to the petition.
http://act.weareultraviolet.org/go/307?t=4&akid=209.6000.n3fujD

Thanks for speaking out,

–Nita, Shaunna, Kat, and Karin, the UltraViolet team

Sources:

1. “Meet The Mourdocks: The Other Republicans Pushing To Block Abortions For Rape Victims,” ThinkProgress, October 24, 2012

2. Ibid.

3. Ibid.

4. Ibid.

5. “DNC slams Romney’s Mourdock endorsement,” Politico, October 24, 2012

6. “NRSC chief Cornyn defends Mourdock after abortion comments,” The Hill, October 24, 2012

7. “Former N.J. Gov. Christine Todd Whitman,” Politico, October 24, 2012