Here's today's Washington Watch Daily commentary from FRC Radio:
Liberals may believe in a woman’s right to choose, but what about a pharmacist’s? A new bill by Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney would fine pharmacies a half-million dollars for choosing not to dispense Plan B. Although liberals say it’s just birth control, Plan B has been medically proven not just to prevent pregnancies, but to end them. Maloney said, “Access to [contraception] is a constitutional right.” Many Americans may agree with her. But the fundamental problem is that Plan B isn’t contraception—it’s an abortifacient. And for seven out of ten pharmacists, that poses a serious moral dilemma. Until now, employees have been protected by a “right of conscience” clause. That means they’re exempt from doing things on the job that violate their personal or religious beliefs. Maloney’s bill changes all that by threatening to make criminals out of anyone who refuses to stock the drug. To me, that’s absurd. These pharmacies aren’t denying women life-saving treatment or medication. They’re simply asking them to go elsewhere for pills that can destroy innocent human life. In the abortion debate, safety and ethics continue to take a backseat to politics. And all too often what ends up in short supply isn’t birth control, but conviction.
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Comments (5)
"But the fundamental problem is that Plan B isn’t contraception—it’s an abortifacient."
Only by a very loose definition. Depending on when its taken, Plan B usually prevents ovulation, making it a true contraceptive. Sometimes it will instead prevent implantation of a fertilised embryo. But by the correct medical definition, that doesn't make it an abortificant - there is no pregnency to abort until after implantation, as this is the first point at which the biology of the mother can be affected.
The only people to classify plan b as an abortificant are that subclass of pro-life that believe in the magic of conception. Even the majority of pro-life individuals dont start to recognise a right to life until some point a bit later than conception. (I could dig up the statistics on that claim, but im lazy. If anyone wants them, I can give it a try.)
"They’re simply asking them to go elsewhere for pills that can destroy innocent human life."
And which must be taken as soon as possible after sex to be effective. Forcing someone to spend a day or more searching the city for a pharmacist who stocks them would render the pills much less effective - and in a small town, there might be no supply at all.
"Until now, employees have been protected by a “right of conscience” clause. That means they’re exempt from doing things on the job that violate their personal or religious beliefs."
I have to wonder how far this could go? I can imagine a few situations in which a pharmacist could take this to an extreme. For example, scientologists believe that all psychoactive drugs are both ineffective and dangerous - their members are forbidden from using them (Including at least one epileptic who died during a seizure after the church he just joined informed him that his medication was unneeded). What would happen if a scientologist pharmacist refused to stock any of these drugs?
What if a pharmacist refused to stock drugs produced by a company which they believed had been practicing unethical business practices? Or if they believed the drugs were developed with unnessicarily cruel animal tests?
Pharmacists dont claim freedom of Conscience allows them to not stock drugs in those circumstances even when required by law to do so... so why is plan B different?
June 17, 2007 4:10 AM | Comment Permalink
Can We Talk?
We all know the taboo topics, right? They are Sex, Politics and Religion. We all have our own opinions about each of them too. And we all feel very strongly our opinions and beliefs are right. It is this reason they are called taboo. Now for the real question: What gives you the right to infringe on another individual’s right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?” Or as my mother used to say, “Who died and made you God?” Now that I have your attention, can we talk? Really! Why can’t we just discuss them?
Sex is a very private and personal thing between the individuals involved. If you wish to use rules for your sex life then by all means do so. But, you do not have the right to impose your rules onto everyone else. It is not your place to tell anyone who and how and why. You know people will find a way, no matter what law you write. Gay or straight, alone, with a loved one or in groups, people will find a way. Oh, and it does not create evil. Nor does it bring down a hail storm or even cause you to burst into flames from hell.
It does produce pleasure for the body, mind and soul. With all the chemicals produced before, during, and after is it any wonder why it is so euphoric. And it is found throughout nature. Just for those of you who don’t know it, there is lots of it out there. It is straight and gay, and the group who does it most often has the least amount of discord among the whole tribe. Can you believe it’s a monkey, our closest DNA match on the whole planet? They appear to do it for procreation as well as recreation. Maybe we could take a lesson from them?
Politics can be another rough area to discuss for many people. It can be seen everyday but increases dramatically during election time. Democrats are bad. Republicans are bad. Just to get your vote. There is no discussion, no compromise, nothing but mudslinging and name calling. This is from our supposed leaders. Childish antics best left to first or second graders. As if that were not bad enough, it is spilling out to the whole nation. The red and blue states are perfect examples. Each believing they are right and the other wrong. I thought the whole point of our nation was to allow all American Citizens to have certain unalienable rights.
The Founders of this nation decided to do so because of oppression. That is why they came here and why you have the right to your life. They understood when one group begins to impose their beliefs through government, all people suffer. They established this nation so that all people could have a voice through their representatives. Something they did not have in Europe. They escaped a monarchy imposing their beliefs onto the masses. Does this sound familiar to anyone?
Religion is another deeply personal thing. It has been the cause of the most wars and fighting in human history, especially over the last 1600 years. History shows how cruel a religion can be when it has too much power. I’m not saying that wars and fighting have not occurred for other reasons. I’m just saying that most of them have been because of one religion trying to dominate all others. One religion setting itself up in power and imposing their religious rules onto all.
The war of words starts the whole process. Name calling like traitor, heretic, and devil worshiper. There seems to be a need to always have an enemy to fight. The religious leaders often begin telling their congregation that someone is trying to “take over” or force them to change their beliefs. Of course this results in the persecution, torture and death of those who do not “choose” to fall in line. The “choice” is either follow our way or die. Can anyone say “inquisition.”
Nowadays in America we don’t see that much. Or do we? I think it has just been changed to a different tactic. I know we all have some prejudices about certain things. But, it is how you act on them that truly shows your human compassion or lack thereof. For example: How many minorities are belittled, intimidated, fired from jobs or denied the most basic of human rights?
Could this be happening now? Could one religion be trying to usurp power from all others? The fanatics of a few religions seem to be trying it right now. It’s not just the Islamic fanatics who are doing this but also the Conservative Christian movement. The last time this kind of thing happened, the United States of America was born. England didn’t see it coming, maybe because they had tunnel vision. I do know one thing is true; those who fail history are doomed to repeat it!
Each of these taboos has one thing which always makes them dark. It is not having rules or laws because there are so many we can all agree upon. It isn’t even right or wrong. It is tyranny. It is when one imposes their beliefs or opinion onto another. If you wish to live following rules from religion or politics or yourself, so be it. That is your choice. Just don’t try to impose that on someone who does not share your views. A loved one said it perfectly: Your rights end at your nose and my rights end at mine. Another way of saying it is, “Live and let live.”
June 20, 2007 3:06 PM | Comment Permalink
This is just tyranny. No man should have to sell anything he considers immoral to anyone else.
Why not force all grocery stores to sell pornography? Why not force all comic book stores to sell condoms? Why not force all bookstores to sell Mein Kampf and display it prominently?
Folks - we no longer live in a free country.
Either fight for your freedoms, or the tyrants will take them away.
James
June 22, 2007 12:56 PM | Comment Permalink
Next time I meet a scientologist, im going to suggest they go into work as a pharmacist.
For those who dont know, scientologists consider almost all medication to be not just ineffective, but immoral - the product of a conspiricy that causes disease in order to profit from fake cures.
June 25, 2007 2:14 AM | Comment Permalink
James:
You're right, no one should be forced to sell anything they deem immoral. For instance, I never applied for a job at a Christian bookseller, because I would feel wrong selling books that conflict with my own beliefs.
But no one is out there forcing people to become pharmacists. They ARE free -- free to get another job that leaves their conscience clear at the end of the day.
As the gatekeepers of critical knowledge and medicine, doctors and pharmacists are in a position of power over other peoples' lives. Frankly, if you can't do any part of the job you're being paid (and trusted) to do, you shouldn't be doing it.
And can we please address the tyrannically sexist implications of denying appropriate healthcare to half of the population simply because their biology puts them into conflict with your morality??
July 14, 2007 2:05 PM | Comment Permalink