So, I’ve waited a while to write about the Dept. of Health and Human Services’ mandate that requires religious institutions (specifically Catholic) to provide birth control to their employees. I wanted to see how it hashed out. And things aren’t going well for those in favor of religious freedom. The basics of the issue are: As part of the “health care overhaul,” President Obama would like for ALL organizations that provide health care coverage for their employees to include free birth control in their coverage. He has since back-tracked a bit on this and “un-included” religious organizations that primarily employ “co-religionists,” meaning churches. Why is this such a big deal? Well, aside from the given problems with overarching legislation, the Catholic church has a longstanding (since 1968) doctrinal stance that prohibits all forms of artificial contraception. This is called the Humanae Vitae. The Catholic church doesn’t prohibit limiting the number of children you have, they just want you to use the “rhythm method.” What this mandate means is that the current administration plans to force Catholic institutions (other than churches) to pay for birth control that their religion considers immoral. This mandate covers universities, adoption agencies, hospitals, and the myriad other Catholic organizations that serve Americans so well. This quote from Archbishop Timothy Dolan, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, sums up the current political issue very concisely.
“Never before,” Archbishop Dolan said, setting the tone, “has the federal government forced individuals and organizations to go out into the marketplace and buy a product that violates their conscience. This shouldn’t happen in a land where free exercise of religion ranks first in the Bill of Rights.” (1)
Let me make one thing clear for any readers who consider themselves moderate or pro women’s rights. Don’t allow yourselves to be swayed by the supporters of this mandate. This is not a public health or women’s rights issue. This mandate does not remove, limit, or impede your ability to use any form of birth control that you wish to use. No matter who your employer is, you will still be able to dash into the restroom of the slightly sketchy restaurant around the corner and buy a condom. Or get them for free at Planned Parenthood. (Please don’t take that statement as support for Planned Parenthood. They just make my point very clear.) But who on earth thinks that FREE birth control provided by your employer is a right? (Oh wait, we know the answer to that one.) If you happen to be employed by the Catholic church and you want artificial birth control, go buy it yourself! It’s not like the cost of condoms is exorbitant. And unlike the pill, they actually protect you against diseases. “But I want the pill. It’s so much more convenient.” Then YOU support the cost of that luxury item, because folks, it IS a luxury. Don’t let the spoiled American mindset fool you. The prescription coverage on my private insurance is virtually non-existent. I suck it up and pay for the prescriptions that I need or want and move on with my life. It’s a pain when it’s an antibiotic that my son needs, but it’s my own first-world desire for convenience when it’s the pill. Because no one has or should grant me the right to a free medication that is completely optional and unnecessary.
Regarding the failed measure to add a moral objection clause to the mandate: You’ve got to be kidding me? Why would you want to open the door to let insurers opt-out of coverage? If you don’t create the problem of requiring free birth control coverage, you won’t need to fix it! This amendment was no solution. The solution is to not require coverage in the first place.
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My public health take on the issue: I support the use of common forms of birth control, including condoms and the pill. I also support anyone that chooses, instead, to use the rhythm method. From a public health perspective, I think condoms are an excellent form of disease transmission reduction. (So is abstinence, duh.) And prevention is much cheaper than treatment. For moral and religious reasons I do not support the morning after pill. I believe life begins at conception, and preventing the implantation of a fertilized egg is a loss of life.
My libertarian take: I don’t support forcing a person or institution to pay for something they find morally objectionable. In the same way that I don’t think public funds should pay for abortions, I don’t think Catholic funds should pay for birth control. They have an established religious belief that prohibits the use of artificial birth control, and they should not have to pay for someone else to use it.
burningsugarcane 