Hot button topic
Sep. 16th, 2004 10:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
anysiaI have read once again about a group of medical professionals that are denying procedures or medications, ie birth control, due to their moral point of view. (Conscience clause grows in health care) I know this commentary is going to cause a division, but I have to say this.
The people that are applauding this action are doing a knee jerk reaction, relative to the strength of their Christian moral beliefs. Christians believe a cluster of cells is a human being, but not all religions believe that. Christianity isn't the majority religion in the world. Other religions believe its not a human being until it is born and draws its first breath, but I digress.
A rape victim, with a 'morning after' perscription is rebuffed by a pharmacist that believes she is 'killing a baby'. Same pharmacist sells condoms, but I don't see him calling the men that purchase them mass murderers. And he doesn't refer her to a different pharmacy.
For a woman, there is a huge difference between being pregnant and having a baby. This isn't semantics. A rape victim can become pregnant. A woman making a choice has a baby (ie Family planning). I am firmly pro choice. If you don't want birth control, or certain medical prodcedures, don't have them. But if you are a doctor/pharmacist in charge of said procedures, keep your ideology to yourself and practice your religion outside of your workspace.
Freedom of religion, and it's practices are the excuse as to why mostly women are turned down for requested medical, pharmacological care. If you want to get really snarky, freedom of religion is why suicide bombers kill hundreds if not thousands of people every year. I get sick of any fundy group claiming they have the moral high ground here.
Should pharmacists have to refer a customer to another one that will dispense the legally given perscription? Yes. Should he/she be fired if he/her doesnt? You betcha.
Should the US Congress allow a 'conscience clause' to allow said professionals protection from loss of job or prosecution due to their denying legal medical care? F*CK no! Government should not be allowed to dictate morality. If they don't like discussing/dispensing/referring women to birth control they need to be doing something else.
What many people don't realise or contemplate, that if one form of birthcontrol is roadblocked by the "Moral Majority" (who are typically just the loudest, not truly the majority) other forms could also be withheld. And womens choices and right to decide their own reproductive lives will fall back into the dark ages.
The people that are applauding this action are doing a knee jerk reaction, relative to the strength of their Christian moral beliefs. Christians believe a cluster of cells is a human being, but not all religions believe that. Christianity isn't the majority religion in the world. Other religions believe its not a human being until it is born and draws its first breath, but I digress.
A rape victim, with a 'morning after' perscription is rebuffed by a pharmacist that believes she is 'killing a baby'. Same pharmacist sells condoms, but I don't see him calling the men that purchase them mass murderers. And he doesn't refer her to a different pharmacy.
For a woman, there is a huge difference between being pregnant and having a baby. This isn't semantics. A rape victim can become pregnant. A woman making a choice has a baby (ie Family planning). I am firmly pro choice. If you don't want birth control, or certain medical prodcedures, don't have them. But if you are a doctor/pharmacist in charge of said procedures, keep your ideology to yourself and practice your religion outside of your workspace.
Freedom of religion, and it's practices are the excuse as to why mostly women are turned down for requested medical, pharmacological care. If you want to get really snarky, freedom of religion is why suicide bombers kill hundreds if not thousands of people every year. I get sick of any fundy group claiming they have the moral high ground here.
Should pharmacists have to refer a customer to another one that will dispense the legally given perscription? Yes. Should he/she be fired if he/her doesnt? You betcha.
Should the US Congress allow a 'conscience clause' to allow said professionals protection from loss of job or prosecution due to their denying legal medical care? F*CK no! Government should not be allowed to dictate morality. If they don't like discussing/dispensing/referring women to birth control they need to be doing something else.
What many people don't realise or contemplate, that if one form of birthcontrol is roadblocked by the "Moral Majority" (who are typically just the loudest, not truly the majority) other forms could also be withheld. And womens choices and right to decide their own reproductive lives will fall back into the dark ages.
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no subject
Date: 2004-09-16 12:20 am (UTC)I am continually amazed by the sheer idiocy of the simplification of this issue - and frightened by the wedge-process now clearly demonstrated; now that abortion is nailed down, in the name of "saving babies," we see more of the real agenda - controlling women's lives, hell, my life! I'm just glad the whole world hasn't gone bonkers, although it looks like it when you see governments in action.
"Conscience" my ass - and the people whose conscience allows them to provide politically incorrect services like fulling prescriptions for contraceptive pills? Where is the structure in place to support them and the people who need those services? *disgusted noise* This move is so not about real conscience, just more sucking up to paternalistic control-freakery clothed in a religious sheep's skin!
Crazy(uhm, why don't I go rant over in my journal, eh? *wry wink*)Soph
no subject
Date: 2004-09-16 08:01 am (UTC)Ooops...sorry...
You know, the worst part is that they call it the "conscience clause" instead of its rightful name, "My opinion is better than yours."
It'a about power, not about "conscience," for the love of Pete.
But..
Date: 2004-09-17 12:16 am (UTC)Re: But..
Date: 2004-09-17 12:46 am (UTC)If I was raped, you can bet your ass that I would demand the morning after pill to prevent pregnancy, and heaven help the selfrighteous son of a bitch that tried to impose his religious tenents upon me.
Re: But..
Date: 2004-09-17 01:38 am (UTC)