Tuesday, July 1, 2014

Oh Dear, Oh Dear . . .


I admired Justice Ginsberg's dissent to the Hobby Lobby decision. She and the other female justices all dissented -- it was the old white guys and the ever-enigmatic Justice Thomas who decided that Hobby Lobby's strongly held religious convictions trumped employees' rights to have birth control covered as a part of their health care. (Wondering if Viagra is covered... but I digress.)

I posted THIS LINK to Justice Ginsberg's very excellent reasons for her dissent on Facebook -- FB is full of outrage over this decision -- at least, that's what I see as most my FB friends tend to be of the liberal persuasion -- thinking that birth control is a part of a woman's health care and a matter between her and her physician -- as opposed to between her and her employer and her employer's religious beliefs.. 

Then I got this comment from a friend of a FB friend "No one is forcing anyone to work at Hobby Lobby. Let then use their freedom to work where they are free to kill their babies (with an iud or abortion.)"


 First of all, does this guy (yes, it was a guy) have any idea how difficult it is to find a job these days -- especially for the low wage workers who make up most of HL's work force? 

And I'm still trying to wrap my head around the concept of an IUD as a murder device -- as  I understand it, it prevents the implantation of a fertilized egg in the uterus -- as does the so -called morning after pill. 


What I see as an argument over birth control as a part of health benefits (and birth control pills are, indeed, sometimes prescribed for medical reasons-- not just for 'recreational purposes' as one bright Right light said,) is for others all about rejecting the ACA/ Obamacare. If I learned that Hobby Lobby had refused to sell stuff imported from China -- a country whose embrace of forced abortion is well known -- I might take those deeply held religious convictions of theirs more seriously.

 Another thing is that I don't see a fertilized egg as a person. Especially not when there are so very many already born and suffering persons in our world. I am at a loss to understand how people of good will can choose to expend time and money protecting a fertilized ovum in an unwilling woman as their life work -- could it be that it's easier to call names and feel righteous than it is actually to confront  and attempt to relieve real suffering? 

Real suffering is dirty and smelly and complicated. Choose to take on a special needs child -- it's a life time commitment. Work with the homeless -- you may get your hands dirty. World hunger, disease, injustice -- there's lots of it and it's out there waiting for you godly folks. And people -- real, sentient, self-aware, on the ground people are waiting too.



11 comments:

Victoria said...

I immediately wondered if Viagra would be covered, too, Vicki. I bet it is.

I think it is a lot easier for some people to indulge in name calling than it is to actually HELP someone. I believe that some self-righteous people actually need someone to look down on so they can feel good about themselves. I also believe a lot of them, especially the men, are misogynistic control freaks. The Christian Right (Wrong) are so far from what Jesus taught (be compassionate to all beings, don't be judgemental, help those in need no matter who or what they are) that I'm amazed they have the nerve to call themselves Christians.

Brian Miller said...

i doubt you would have a problem getting viagra on the HL insurance...its in the bill of rights, i think...

ugh, i get so frustrated with those that take a little knowledge and twist it in ignorance...like that guy on FB

Unknown said...

All that crap made in China.....THAT is an issue in and of itself. We are first world consumers in every way, but are turning into a third world country in matters of health care. We could at least start making our own crap, providing more jobs for folks here, even if they are minimum wage jobs. OK, breathe in, breathe out, in with the good, out with the bad. And we can't even vote those old white guys out of the SCOTUS. Silent screaming begins.

Sarachaya said...

I would feel much better about this Hobby Lobby decision based on their religious freedom, if at the same time Hobby Lobby was fighting for the right not to cover certain forms of birth control, they were not investing these same companies. Does that not strike you as disingenuous?? Interesting that VIAGRA (and maybe CIalis - have not checked) which are 'recreational drugs" are covered.

NCmountainwoman said...

Yes, Holly Lobby does cover Viagra and Cialis as well as vasectomies. "Mother Jones" did a nice article about their investments. Data reported by the company itself shows that they invest 70 million dollars of the retirement plan in mutual funds with companies that produce IUDs, Plan B drugs and other drugs specifically intended to produce abortions.

Barbara Rogers said...

Thanks everyone for the political discussion. This is the latest decision of the Supreme's support of "corporations are people, money is votes." There is a movement against it, namely a constitutional ammendment to confront that, "Move to Ammend." Check it out. We're having a program here in Black Mountain Thurs night about it.

Jime said...

I get so frustrated with dogmatic hypocritical BS that I want to barf. Women are the reason for us men being here. It's not the men with a random passion of union but the woman who patiently houses, nourishes and gives birth. They are the ones that should have the power to decide to have or not to have.

There are what? 8 billion people on earth, give or take a few. There is no shortage of people and some may argue too many for a sustainable earth.

My god the earth says to me, treat me kindly. Take care of my resources, air, water and you can live here for as long as you like. If you misuses my gifts to you it will be hell to pay. We are going to pay very soon as we miss use this wonderful orb.

KarenB said...

Well said, Vicki. And, yes, Viagra is covered.

Thérèse said...

Pretty scary!

Wayfarin' Stranger said...

When the religious right becomes as passionate about caring for the already born as they are for the unborn, then I will listen to their arguments.

Anonymous said...

"The five Republicans appointees to the Supreme Court extended their view that corporations are people in today’s the “Hobby Lobby” case, finding that family-owned companies have freedom of religion and so don’t have to comply with the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to include contraceptive services in employee health insurance. What about the rights of employees to receive these services? According to the Court’s majority, the federal government should just pay for these services directly. “The most straightforward way of doing this would be for the Government to assume the cost of providing the four contraceptives at issue to any women who are unable to obtain them under their health-insurance policies due to their employers’ religious objections.” In other words, the five Republican appointees to the Court suggest the government establish a single-payer plan for contraceptive services. Remarkable."---Robert Reich
Deana the Queena