Sarah Palin is No Friend to Women

I received this via email tonight from a good friend. A friend who happens to be a woman. A smart, free-thinking intellectual woman. The kind of woman that Sarah Palin doesn't believe in giving a voice to. Or supporting during the worst possible violation of her humanity and womanhood. I don't care what your party affiliation is or your personal views may be - this woman does not give a flying fuck about you or what harm may befall you. Place yourself in the shoes of this rape victim, and make the call for yourself:

I sat with a rape victim during the “harvesting of evidence”. Mascara smeared eyes stared blankly out from a cave of shame. “We’ve got swimmers,” announced the forensic tech in the lab next door. My friend didn’t look surprised. In her 60’s, she was still asked if she felt the need for emergency contraception. Surviving the process would have only been compounded and made worse with an itemized bill; victimized twice courtesy of Sarah Palin and the city of Wasilla.

Much can be learned about the Palin Administration’s family values from reviewing their spending priorities. Former Chief of Police Irl Stambaugh included forensic rape kits (up to $1,200 per kit) in his budget requests. He was fired by Palin in 1997. In her termination letter, Palin wrote, “…I do not feel I have your full support in my efforts to govern the city of Wasilla. Therefore I intend to terminate your employment. . . ” Staumbaugh headed the police department since it was created in 1993. Before that, he served 22 years with the Anchorage Police Department rising to the rank of captain. Sarah Palin hired Charlie Fannon as the new Wasilla Chief of Police and said it was one of her best decisions as mayor. Fannon eliminated the forensic rape kits from the budget. Though the number of rapes weren’t reported, Fannon claimed it would save Wasilla taxpayers $5,000 to $14,000 a year.

When Eric Croft, a Democrat Legislator from Anchorage, learned of Wasilla’s policy, he drafted HB 270, which Governor Tony Knowles signed into law. The new law made it illegal for any law enforcement agency to bill victims or victims’ insurance companies for the costs of examinations to collect evidence of a sexual assault or determine if a sexual assault actually occurred. Upon signing the law, Governor Knowles said, “We would never bill the victim of a burglary for the cost of gathering evidence, nor should we bill rape victims just because the crime scene happens to be their bodies.”

Wasilla Police Chief Fannon protested the new law stating it would require the city and communities to come up with more funds to cover the costs of the forensic exams. Really? Are the true costs of sexual assault and forcible rape in a community only measured and reflected in the dollars spent on the forensic rape kit?

If you were a Hillary Clinton supporter, good on you. Mrs.Clinton is your friend. She's a champion for women across the board. She understands you. She has lived through many of your worst moments in her own life. Sarah Palin doesn't give a rat's ass about you. Her view is that your body is an instrument of God and you are not allowed to have any control over it. Raped? Victim of incest? Sorry 'bout your luck, but it's God's will for you to carry a child if you are impregnated during those very personal violations against you!

Barack Obama will protect your rights; Joe Biden has an extensive track record of fighting for your rights. Sarah Palin wants the courts to control your personal decisions regarding your body, John McCain left his first wife for a younger, richer mate, whom he later called a "cunt" in a public venue. I know you're smart; I know you're paying attention; telephone - telegraph - tell a friend! Don't let these reprobates win a third Bush term with their misinformation!