New Series: Current Events

There is a ton of confusion and misdirection concerning the HHS Mandate.  Let's set the record straight.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT CONTRACEPTION.  THIS IS ABOUT VIOLATING THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Here is why:

• The Bill of Rights is a list of amendments to the Constitution of the United States.  
• The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights protects freedom of religion.  
• The official stance of the Catholic Church on artificial birth control, contraception, sterilization, and abortion has always been that they are wrong and go against conscience.
• The HHS Mandate requires all employer health plans to provide free contraceptives, sterilizations, and abortion-inducing drugs regardless of any moral or religious exemptions.  
• So the government is requiring that Catholic institutions (including churches, schools, hospitals, and charities) provide and pay for services that they view as sinful violations of conscience.
• And as a result, the government is violating the practice of worship and freedom of religion of the Catholic Church

Why does it matter to you?


The First Amendment in the Bill of Rights protects freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.

If the government is allowed to violate this part of the First Amendment, think about what could be next?  Why not mandate all religious activity?  Why not eliminate freedom of speech?  Why not eliminate freedom of assembly?

You've seen footage from countries around the world where freedom of speech and freedom of assembly are are not guaranteed...

It needs to stop now.  If this mandate doesn't directly affect you, what about the next one?

There is a famous quote by Martin Niemoller about the Nazi rise to power that is eerily relevant:

"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 me, and there was no one left to speak out for me."

What about the religious exemption I heard about?

Let me put this in perspective.  Jesus Christ himself would not qualify for their "religious exemption".

The exemption applies to "religious employers", which the government has defined employers who employ people of the same faith and serve people of the same faith.  Catholic hospitals would have to refuse service to non-Catholics to qualify.  Catholic schools would have to refuse to hire non-Catholics to qualify.

This is ludicrous!  The apostles would not have qualified for this exemption.  Neither would the Catholic Church at any point during its existence.  And neither do Catholic schools, hospitals, and charities.  


What about the accommodation I heard about?

Hear this now.  There was no accommodation.  The bill was signed into law as it was originally written.  No change was ever made.

What you are referring to is Obama's offer whereby the insurers, rather than the employers, would be forced to pay for the services to which religious employers have moral objections.  This was a half-hearted deception.  The employers would still be forced to provide these health plans and would still be forced to pay for them.

...And, as stated, this was never actually put in the bill.


Your Takeaway

The Constitution of the United States is the foundation of our government and all of the freedoms you enjoy as a citizen of this country.  The Bill of Rights is a list of amendments to the Constitution and, as such, is part of the Constitution.  Chipping away at the Constitution and the Bill of Rights is chipping away at your freedom.