David Letterman apologized to Sarah Palin and her family last night for telling that joke. Palin accepted, saying:

Of course it's accepted on behalf of young women, like my daughters, who hope men who 'joke' about public displays of sexual exploitation of girls will soon evolve.

Letterman certainly has the right to 'joke' about whatever he wants to, and thankfully we have the right to express our reaction," Palin said. "This is all thanks to our U.S. Military women and men putting their lives on the line for us to secure America's Right to Free Speech—in this case, may that right be used to promote equality and respect.

Hey, minus the military-protecting-our-right-to-get-mad-at-rape-jokes stuff,  they both sounds pretty reasonable to me.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

I don't think much of Sarah Palin as a feminist, but the Alaska Governor has emerged as an interesting figure in the movement for one reason: she has encouraged conservatives to unwittingly defend women's rights, and liberals to deny them. This MSNBC clip, featuring the Huffington Post's Katharine Zaleski and the Washington Times' Amanda Carpenter, is a perfect example.

Let's find out how easily women's issues fall to the side in the interest of ideological posturing. The stage is set: you've got your liberal pundit, courtesy of HuffPo; your conservative pundit, courtesy of WaTi; and your encouragement for the two to disagree on everything no matter what, courtesy of MSNBC. Let's throw a feminist issue in there—making light of rape—and see what happens.

Here, Zaleski and Carpenter are asked to face off on David Letterman's recent Late Show joke. Letterman said this about Palin and her 14-year-old daughter Willow's recent Yankees game outing: "During the seventh inning, her daughter was knocked up by Alex Rodriguez." Letterman later took the statement back in a joke-filled apology claiming that he had meant to make the comment about 18-year-old Bristol Palin, not Willow.

Here's what Palin had to say about it: "I found out later the comment that was made about the statutory rape of my 14-year-old daughter Willow ... that crossed the line. Then others, chiming in on other comments Letterman has made. It's quite a sad commentary on where we are as a culture and a society ... He doesn't have to apologize to me. I would like to see him apologize to young women across the country for contributing to that thread that is throughout our culture that makes it sound like it's okay to talk about young girls in that way."

Carpenter, of course, took Palin's side, arguing that the comment was unacceptable, and further, that Sarah Palin had bolstered her women's issues cred by taking a stand over the comments. "It's hard for women in general when accusations like this are made, dirty jokes and things. There's always a conflict of—do you turn your head, or do you make a statement about it and push back? And even when you make a statement, you're accused of manufacturing outrage," Carpenter said. "She took that risk. She said, this isn't acceptable. And I think women are happy to hear that message. I'm certainly one of them."

Zaleski, of course, took the anti-Palin side. Let's check out her argument here:

"Sarah Palin basically ran the hate-speak express during the campaign. She stood there and watched people as they screamed 'kill him' at Obama and 'terrorist.' If she really wants to rise above this, she'll talk about irresponsible speech in general, irresponsible speech that many of her cohorts on national networks are using, irresponsible speech that's leading to things like what happened on Wednesday at the Holocaust Museum. If she really wants to make this an issue, she won't make this about herself and her family all the time, her family who she persistently trots out there, and her daughter who she made a statement about on Thursday. . . . I challenge people like Sarah Palin, like people you talk to on Fox News, to really condemn the language that's greater, this really reprehensible language, that's not just about Bristol Palin but that's about hate speech that's basically leading to actions which happened on Wednesday. That's what's disgusting.

Again, I don't buy Palin as a feminist figure. I, too, think she too often uses her personal life—growing up fishing and hunting with the boys, and then finding great personal success in the Republican Party—as a stand-in for female empowerment, while simultaneously ignoring women's issues as candidate and Governor.

Still, there's something about Zaleski's arguments here that I find particularly anti-feminist. Let's break them down:

1. Obama's girls are off-limits, but Palin's are fair game: "If she really wants to make this an issue, she won't make this about herself and her family all the time, her family who she persistently trots out there, and her daughter who she made a statement about on Thursday."

Read: "Some girls deserve it."

2. Palin started it by making comments about Barack Obama (who is also off-limits), which is why her daughter especially deserves it. "She stood there and watched people as they screamed 'kill him' at Obama and 'terrorist.'"

Read: "She was asking for it."

3. "I challenge people like Sarah Palin, like people you talk to on Fox News, to really condemn the language that's greater, this really reprehensible language, that's not just about Bristol Palin but that's about hate speech that's basically leading to actions which happened on Wednesday. That's what's disgusting."

Read: "Rape is not a real problem. You're exaggerating."

4. Letterman claims he had intended to make the joke about Bristol Palin, and we take Letterman at his word.

Read: "Officer, I didn't know she was under 18."

It was just seven months ago that local blogger M@ joined the District haters over at Why I Hate D.C. In that time, M@'s very first post on the blog—which detailed a fantasy jog, rape, and murder on the Memorial Bridge—has inspired hundreds of anonymous comments threatening M@'s rape and death.

Last night, M@ was finally taken out of his misery. In a blog post published at 9:51 p.m., site administrator Dave Stroup wrote, "Due to a variety of reasons, I must report that M@ is no longer a contributor at why.i.hate.dc." He made one of those reasons clear: "the moment that this site becomes associated with rape fantasy and all of the other bizarre circumstances surrounding some posts, is the moment something has to be done."

M@ was the first to comment on the post.

"Well, Dave, it was time for me to quit this blog anyhow since I'm currently trying to leave the city," he wrote. "I find it interesting that now would be the time for you to object to any content after seven months of vitriolic posting and commenting—but I'm OK with it. I'm literally moving on...."

In a post on his personal blog titled "M@: In His Own Words," M@ added: "Though the administrator says he can no longer be associated with my brand of writing, I really think it's best that I no longer associate myself with hack posts about the things that so many moronic 'D.C. Bloggers' seem to care about." He also took issue with Stroup's main rationale for dumping him: "I do not fantasize about rape," M@ wrote.

M@ isn't the only Why I Hate D.C. contributor to move on in recent days. Marissa, who blogs at The Anti DC, recently recused herself from her Why I Hate D.C. duties, citing "out of control obnoxious comments." In an e-mail, Stroup explained that M@'s work on the blog had been the source of distraction for the blog's other contributors:

The mission of Why I Hate DC is to provide insightful, humorous and often subversive commentary on life in the District of Columbia. M@'s posts had strayed from this mission and as such he is no longer affiliated with the blog. This fiasco has already caused enough trouble, and distracted me from getting back to writing about Mayor Fenty and the Metro.

Back on Why I Hate D.C., other commenters bid M@ farewell:

"long overdue," wrote heather.

"Total freakshow," Anonymous added.

"The Lazy Iguana" chimed in with commentary on the entirety of Why I Hate D.C., comparing the Web site to this "Happy Days" clip:

[youtube:v=MpraJYnbVtE]

In an e-mail, which he also posted as a "RELEASE" on the blog, M@ had this to say about his parting of ways with Why I Hate D.C.:

Though greatly saddened by Dave Stroup’s decision to remove me as a contributor to “Why I Hate D.C.,” I welcome the chance to pursue new challenges and opportunities.

For the most part, the readership suffers from average intelligence, incapable of understanding not only irony but nuance beyond commentary on the city’s subway system or phenomena they refer to as “douchebaggery.” My work there seems akin to hiring an M Street attorney to negotiate the sale of an ice cream cone—way too much horsepower.

Daniel Hoffman Gill, my friend, puts its best: “I find [Dave Stroup’s] 'sacking' of you to be totally bizarre and flawed–clearly he’s jealous–but one thing is true, he has done you a favour; that blog was a shithole of mongbats.”

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

A Hierarchy of Date-Rape Jams, a charticle that is totally invalidated if you hate Rod Stewart.

(How to Enginer A) Teen Sex Scandal!, for those of you clinging to your old media jobs

Who Can Make a Rape Joke?, but seriously folks.

My Body is Not Defined By Pregnancy, rather: tacos.

The Five Most Inappropriate Cock-Bib Phrases, and oooooh I cannot wait to get my very own CockBib in the mail!

Photo by pheezy

This week, comments got heated on Who Can Make a Rape Joke?, inspiring a forthcoming piece, "Who Can Write An Article About Who Can Make A Rape Joke?"

Art says:

To say that Foxx’s Blame It has a “date rape theme” is a misinterpretation of the song at best and disingenuous at worst.

Amanda Hess says:

@Art: Can I entice you to change your mind with the following lyrical sample from Blame It (On the Alcohol) Remix?

T Pain:

Shawty didn’t you know? / it’s going down, we can go and kick it like judo / You know what I mean / Shawty got drunk, thought it all was a dream / So I made her say ahh, ah aaa

So, Shawty was so passed out she thought she was dreaming, so T Pain confirmed she could consent by forcing her to say “ahh.” AAHHHH! It must be real hard to get that noise out of a passed out drunk woman that T. Pain is fucking.

Joe says:

There’s no chance that Tribe Called Quest would ever EVER be considered a gangsta rap group or a group capable of making a gangsta rap song. Do you personally know any black person’s middle name? Because if you did that would probably mean that you were comfortable with hip hop and could distinguish between the genres. You do an excellent job of identifying misogny in everyday life, you just happen to be dead wrong in this regard.

Ryan says:

I agree with Joe. A Tribe Called Quest is as close to gangsta rap as the Beastie Boys are. Actually, I think the Beastie Boys are a bit closer to gangsta rap than Tribe.

Amanda Hess says:

Joe & Ryan -

I would not describe A Tribe Called Quest as gangsta rap, and I’m sorry if that wasn’t made clear.

My point about Tribe is this:

When “The Infamous Date Rape” was released, reviewers called it “just plain misogynistic.” Since then, however—”fifteen years of gangsta rap later”—reviewers have been forced to parse the misogyny of many, many rap songs that are (unlike Tribe) straight-up, unapologetically misogynistic. So through the lens of gangsta rap’s mainstream popularity over the past 20 years, the song now looks pretty positive to women.

Art says:

Amanda H., I still say you’re reaching. I will certainly admit that the T-Pain verse you quoted is disgusting and describes what I would consider date rape. No argument from me there. If you want to call T-Pain out for the verse…fine. If you want to call Foxx out for allowing the verse on his single…fine. BUT, I still say your assertion that Blame It has a “date-rape theme” is either either misguided or disingenuous. One verse does not a theme make. Further you wrote, “The song is, essentially, an attempted date rape by a movie star [Foxx] and a dude who sounds like a robot [Pain]“. The problem is there are no lyrics from Foxx that describe date-rape. In fact, other than the Pain verse you quoted, there are no others period.

Photo by fabbio

While placing a simple rape joke in a pop song won't derail your music career, it could haunt you for decades and prevent you from becoming president, or anything else great ever. Below, five rape jokes that politicians wish they had never said—or, more likely, wish nobody ever heard.

5. In 1995, New York Magazine sat in on a "Saturday Night Live" sketch writing session with Al Franken, Norm MacDonald, and Jim Downey as they riffed on "60 Minutes"—and rape. Republicans dredged up the session again in 2008, during Franken's extended bid for a Minnesota Senate seat (still pending). From an Associated Press story:

Franken and fellow writers Norm MacDonald and Jim Downey kick around fictional Rooney responses to the discovery of the bottle. . . . The article quotes Franken putting an edgy twist on the discussion: "And 'I give the pills to Lesley Stahl. Then when Lesley's passed out, I take her to the closet and rape her.' Or 'That's why you never see Lesley until February.' Or, 'When she passes out I put her in various positions and take pictures of her."

MacDonald takes it a step further, suggesting that the Rooney rape comment be directed at other "60 Minutes" icons Mike Wallace and Ed Bradley. Franken chimes in: "What about 'I drag Mike into my office and rape him. Right here! I guess that makes me bad.'"

—

4. In 1990, Texas Republican gubernatorial nominee Clayton Williams opened a traditional campaign photo-op non-traditionally: with a rape joke. He later lost the seat to Democrat Ann Richards, who condemned the joke. According to the New York Times:

Mr. Williams made the remark on Saturday while preparing for a cattle roundup at his West Texas ranch. He compared the cold, foggy weather spoiling the event to a rape, telling ranch hands, campaign workers and reporters around a campfire, ''If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it.''

—

3. Sarah Palin's nominee for Alaska Attorney General, Wayne Anthony Ross, failed to pass the state legislature's stink test after allegations of Ross's past rape joke went public. Voted down 35-23, Ross was the first Alaskan AG not to be confirmed. I wonder why:

Another woman who had been a citizen lobbyist on behalf of families and children in Alaska with regard to child support, custody, abuse, abandonment and neglect spoke before the House Judiciary Committee the following day about statements she heard at a meeting of Dads Against Discrimination. “Numerous comments were made that were appalling, not the least of which were remarks by Mr. Ross which included the following; “If a guy can’t rape his wife…who’s he gonna rape?” and “There wouldn’t be an issue with domestic violence if women would learn to keep their mouths shut.”

—

2. Last year, Palin running-mate John McCain was forced to cancel a fund raising event with fellow rape-joker Clayton Williams after his own long-buried rape joke resurfaced. Oh, the tangled web rape joke-tellers weave! After floating this one in a 1986 National League of Cities and Towns address, McCain went on to enjoy a long political career—stopping just short of the presidency:

Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness and tries to speak, her doctor leans over to hear her sigh contently and to feebly ask, "Where is that marvelous ape?"

—

1. American politicians have got nothing on Japanese lawmakers Seichi Ota and Yasuo Fukuda, whose rape jokes aren't just deeply unsettling and inappropriate—they actually explicitly condone rape. And are told in the context of an actual rape cases:

"Gang rapists are somewhat better (than other men) because they have vigor."

Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Seichi Ota made the remark in late June, in front of a large audience during a debate—as it so happened—on falling birthrates.

He was responding to the recent arrest and widespread media coverage of five male students from three elite private Tokyo universities who were at the time being charged by a 20-year-old woman for raping her in a bar after a social get-together for students. Ota went on to shrug off the case as a sign of "virility" on the part of the young men and to characterize their actions as being "almost normal."

Meanwhile, as the case was in the media limelight in late June, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told the weekly Shukan Bunshun that given the provocative style of contemporary fashion, "there is room for leniency." The minister, in charge of a gender-equality panel run by the prime minister's office, was quoted as saying: "Some women really dress as if to say, 'Please do it,' don't they?"

When a journalist parried that women who dressed more modestly in old Japan were also raped, Fukuda is reported to have replied jokingly, that he "doesn't know about what really happened those days."

Photo by sonoazure