Conservative men love rape metaphors

Limbaugh, Beck and company feel so violated

By Mary Elizabeth Williams

Senior Writer

Published November 20, 2009 4:21PM (EST)

I'm not in the camp with those who believe that using the word "rape" as a metaphor is always verboten. After all, when we say "screwed," we're using it largely to describe something unpleasant happening to someone unwilling. And if we from time to time use over-the-top terminology of slaughter or ass-kicking when no real earth is being scorched, I can allow that sometimes a person's sense of violation can be couched in terms of sexual violence. But that doesn't mean I have quite the same fondness for the term that others do.

On Wednesday, "Modern Family's" Sofia Vergara prompted nervous titters on "The View" when she dropped an off-the-cuff joke about being "raped" at 13 to explain the existence of her teenage son. She didn't clarify for Whoopi whether it was rape or "rape rape."

But stand back and learn from the masters, "View" ladies, because you've got nothing on conservative commentators. And lock up your women and your borders, because as Media Matters for America demonstrates, Limbaugh, Beck and Steele know that Obama and his progressive agenda are coming to forcibly penetrate the flag. If that's possible.

Mental rape! Pocketbook rape! Government-sanctioned rape! Values rape! Private sector rape! Statue of Liberty rape! Behold and prepare for the liberal rapeocalypse.


By Mary Elizabeth Williams

Mary Elizabeth Williams is a senior writer for Salon and author of "A Series of Catastrophes & Miracles."

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