Today, I sat at my computer and composed emails to my representative and senators. Every person of good will that loves freedom should do the same. The HHS (Health and Human Services) mandate attacks the very core of the freedoms which our ancestors fought time and time again to protect. The mandate requires women's "preventative" services including, all FDA approved birth control, sterilization, and education and counseling to promote these for all women of reproductive age. In the following paragraph I will attempt a translation of what this means.
All FDA contraceptive drugs include the abortion inducing drug Ella, the morning after pill, and birth control pills. All of the listed drugs can cause abortions. In addition, it would also include the IUD. The IUD works by guiding a fertilized egg, in other words a tiny human, out of a mother's uterus before it can implant into the wall. The IUD, when used effectively as birth control, works in an abortifacient manner 100% of the time. As if this all falls short of stepping on the toes of freedom, we now add that women of reproductive age, aka around 11-13 for girls, receive counseling on the use of such products.
Now that we have a clear picture let's discuss the "outs" given for religious reasons. An institution/employer can opt out of providing this coverage only if they serve soley those whose beliefs follow suit. For example, Catholic charities, schools, or hospitals can opt out only if they serve solely other Catholics, or those holding to the same belief system. This flies in the face of Catholics long history of helping everyone, regardless of creed. It will only hurt and restrict the health care system: instead of making it accessible to more people, in fact institutions will close, restricting more people from receiving proper care.
Frankly, any person who understands freedom must exhibit a healthy amount of outrage as such an atrocious attempt to limit freedom, regardless of creed. As United States citizens every one of us needs to make our voices heard. On this argument, pro choice and pro life persons should stand together. After all, the mandate removes all choice. For years, the pro choice movement claimed if you do not like abortion, do not have one. Well, the government now sees fit to say, if you do not believe in abortion, too bad, you must pay for it anyway. No sir. I still believe in my freedom and God given right to say NO WAY. No way will you trample on my faith and all that stands dear to me. No Way will I take part in a child dying. No way will you teach my daughter how to use contraception.
For if the mandate stands, freedom must fall. If I must pay for a product that violates my conscience and my faith, my country greatly fails in its duty to safeguard my freedom. For truly freedom carries a price. This mandate renders every war ever fought to guarantee our freedom impotent. If the mandate stands, freedoms fought and won on foreign shores no longer possess meaning in this country to these citizens. The current administration seemingly laughs and mocks the American public. It mocks our intelligence when it tries to sell religious exemptions so narrow that no religious institution that I know could claim the freedom to opt out. All persons, regardless of religious belief, stand up, get outraged at this affront to our freedom, and start doing your part to reverse it.
Will you sit back because these particular set of impositions do not disagree with your conscience? Or will you instead see that this mandate, forced on the people, only opens the door to the next mandate which can/will offend your conscience? It can be summed up quite nicely in the infamous quote about the Nazi party...."First they came for the communists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak out because I was Protestant. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak out for me."
Will you sit back and take this or will you fight it? Ultimate power rests in the hands of the people. Pick up the phone, type a letter, let the representatives know that freedom remains precious. In the past history of our country, the burden to safeguard freedom largely fell to the soldiers and military. Today I tell you we have an attack as serious as any terrorist attack or as serious as any war.
How can the government do this? The answer? The government can still only accomplish what we, as citizens allow it to do. We possess the strings. We vote, we can exert the pressure on our ELECTED congress. We must act on this. If we do not, we leave to our children a legacy of bondage, not a legacy of freedom. As a Catholic, a mother, a woman, and a human being I am incensed by this attack. Everyone of us should be, regardless of our religous beliefs. Make no mistake, if this mandate doesn't attack your freedom, the next one will. Thus instead of a government for the people and by the people, we become a government for the few and by the few imposed upon the people. Will you stand by and do nothing? Or will you raise up in defense of the freedoms of all people?
