Candidate’s ignorance reveals the real issue

People seem to be missing what’s wrong here.

U.S. Rep. Todd Akin, R-Mo., a candidate for the Senate, made this comment on a St. Louis TV interview show:

“It seems to me, from what I understand from doctors, that’s really rare,” Akin said of pregnancies from rape. “If it’s a legitimate rape, the female body has ways to try to shut that whole thing down. But let’s assume that maybe that didn’t work or something: I think there should be some punishment, but the punishment ought to be of the rapist, and not attacking the child.”

It was not long before Akin, realizing what a boneheaded comment that was, backtracked. “In reviewing my off-the-cuff remarks,” he said, “it’s clear that I misspoke in this interview, and it does not reflect the deep empathy I hold for the thousands of women who are raped and abused every year.”

Contrary to what Akin apparently thinks, the big issue here is not his empathy.

The issue is not why the interviewer, Charles Jaco, did not stop in his tracks and ask Akin to explain himself.

The issue is not the political consequences. (Akin is running against Sen. Claire McCaskill, regarded as one of most vulnerable Democrats up for re-election in November.)

No, the issues are Akin’s stupidity about women, their bodies and rape, and how women can possibly entrust decisions about their health care and how it’s paid for to people like him.

Worthy heads-up on head injuries

They may not know

it, but countless parents of kids who will participate in local youth football in this and future seasons should thank James Keszei for helping make their sons safer.

As Jeff Wiehe’s Sunday story explained, Keszei, a coach for the Police Athletic League football program, pushed the PAL to adopt tough rules to prevent kids from continuing to play after a concussion. The new rules are simple: Any player who exhibits signs of a concussion can’t play without a doctor’s approval. The Metro Youth Sports football program adopted a similar rule.

Keszei has teamed with Dr. Jeffrey Kachmann, a neurologist, to give presentations to representatives of youth football programs. They hope to expand their educational presentations to other youth sports programs in which players can suffer concussions.

For many players and coaches, the “when in doubt, sit it out” rule is counterintuitive. Players had been taught to shake it off and tough it out. But in recent years former pro football players have come forward to describe the debilitating injuries and illnesses that concussions have caused – to a much greater extent than widely believed.

High schools, colleges and youth leagues all need to take similar steps to protect their athletes.

Windom’s wide world of characters

“My World and Welcome

to It” may be the quintessential example of a TV show that the critics loved but the public didn’t.

Starring William Windom, the quirky but enjoyable show was based on the writing and drawings of James Thurber, whose work often appeared in The New Yorker magazine. On for just one season (1969-70), the show won the Emmy for best comedy series and Windom won for best actor. Windom played a writer and cartoonist for the fictional Manhattanite magazine. The show’s creative use of animation and fantasy sequences were groundbreaking and may have been ahead of their time.

Windom also was a character actor who guest-starred in numerous TV shows, including a memorable episode of the original “Star Trek” – titled “The Doomsday Machine” – but he was best known for his recurring role on “Murder, She Wrote.”

Windom died last week at 88.