GOP Rallies Florida Voters by Calling Campus Rape Culture a "Lie"
Florida Republicans organized a get-out-the-vote rally in Sarasota Tuesday night to help tip a tight governor's race in conservative Rick Scott's favor. First, the 700 ralliers heard from Bobby Jindal. Then, they applauded a right-wing radio host who called rape culture "nonsense" from "the feminist left."
At SarasotaGOP rally, Dennis Prager says sexual assault claims on college campuses are over-stated. Says many are just "unwanted kisses"
— Jeremy Wallace (@JeremySWallace) October 29, 2014
The comments came from Dennis Prager, pictured above, a conservative shock jock who's recently gone on air with George Will to discuss what he sees as "campus 'rape culture' hysteria." But Prager's claims to the pro-Scott Republican crowd Tuesday were far more expansive, according to the Sarasota Herald-Tribune. The so-called conservative "war on women," Prager said, was "a gargantuan lie to get votes." He continued (emphasis added):
It's as big a lie as the culture of rape on your campuses. What nonsense. There is a culture of rape on campuses run by the feminist left?
What do you cite to sell me this nonsense? One in 5 women are sexually assaulted on campuses. Do you know what sexual assault means? Did you ever look at what counts? An unwanted kiss is considered sexual assault. I'm stunned it's only 1 in 5. Four out of five women have not gotten an unwanted kiss? My wife gets unwanted kisses every so often.
(laughter)
They make light of rape because they redefine these terms. We don't make light of it. We think it is the worst thing possible short of murder. But they make light of it by trivializing it. Culture of Rape? No. I'll tell you why it exists on the campus, and that is: a rape of the culture.
Neither Scott nor any of his staffers were on hand for the cause, although the lieutenant governor had been scheduled to appear. But plenty of other Republican big-swingers were on hand, including Christian Coalition organizer Ralph Reed, former HP CEO and California Senate hopeful Carly Fiorina, and state CFO Jeff Atwater. It was organized by a local talk-radio station and the Sarasota Republican Party.
Coincidentally, the chairman of the Sarasota Republicans, Joe Gruters, was appointed by Rick Scott in 2011 to the board of trustees of Florida State University, which is currently facing a federal Title IX investigation for its mishandling of allegations of sexual assault by students.
Gruters told the Herald-Tribune that campus assaults "should never have been part of a political discussion at the rally."
For his part, Prager touched on other issues in his speech to voters, too, calling the Democratic caucus "the most cynical party in American history. It's an evil party at this point."
[Screenshot via YouTube]