Katie Ryder: The Truth About Religious Freedom and the ACA
February 8, 2013
Your right to swing your fist in religious practice ends when your fist reaches my nose, or uterus.
By Katie Ryder
The phrase “religious freedom” pulsed through the 2012 election cycle like a car alarm that everyone decided was just going to go off all day, and it hasn’t faded out since. The term is used almost exclusively in reference to policy or legislation related to contraception; abortion; more rarely, gay rights; and, infrequently (amazingly) bullying. Right now, conservatives speak of religious freedom primarily to assert that the Affordable Care Act—which requires employers to provide insurance coverage for contraception—infringes on constitutionally guaranteed religious liberties.
Since the passing of the bill, right-wing publications like The Weekly Standard, National Review, and The Washington Times have all claimed the act mandates that citizens ignore their individual religious compass and involve themselves in the availability of contraceptives. This is not untrue. In fact, it is true. And exactly as it should be in a democracy predicated upon citizens’ equality before the law: rights to personal safety, health, and liberty must supersede the religious beliefs of individuals. Classically, this is bread-and-butter territory for the public left. Currently, they’re unwilling to say it.
What the left has been too timid to say is this: it is obvious that we do (and must) make laws that conflict with religious views, endlessly variant as they are.
Do you like this article? Share It!
One Comment to “Does “religious freedom” mean the right to beat your kids and rape your wife, and force her to give birth?”
Post comment
CONSPIRACY THEORY IN AMERICA
“While We Were Sleeping”
While We Were Sleeping is an urgent call to save Greenwich Village from New York University's uncontrolled expansion.
Orwell Rolls In His Grave, featuring MCM – Buy the DVD
Help News From Underground!
Recent Posts
- “We’re basically arming al-Qaeda” in Syria, Bill Maher observes
- Obama MUST VETO the Keystone “atrocity,” says Al Gore
- Walker un-appoints student to UW Board of Regents for having signed recall petition (then lies about it)
- “Let the people of Hong Kong decide my fate,” says Snowden
- More Americans think Snowden is a patriot than a traitor
Recent Comments
- Winston on They’re closing libraries in London and New York
- andre on They’re closing libraries in London and New York
- klem on Global warming causes the “extraordinary” wildfires eating up the West, says head of US Forest Service
- Zack Taylor on They’re protesting austerity all over Europe (and it’s not reported all over America)
- Dane Dahl on Bernie Sanders’ Top-Ten List of corporate tax cheats (all of it quite “legal”)
Popular Posts
- They're closing libraries in London and New York
- Andy Griffith vs. the PATRIOT Act
- Live streaming radio, in English, from Gezi Park in Turkey
- Don't buy these products from Koch Industries!
- Walker un-appoints student to UW Board of Regents for having signed recall petition (then lies about it)
Blogroll
- William Betz
- The Existentialist Cowboy
- Talking Points Memo
- Early America
- Cody Lyon
- Democratic Undergroud
- The Rude Pudit
- Election Defense Alliance
- Online Journal
- Meria
- Barry Gordon
- Cannonfire
- Democrats.com
- opednews.com
- BradBlog
- Mainstream Baptist
- Veterans for Common Sense
- Fairness & Accuracy in Reporting
- alias Bruce
- The Ostroy Report
- t r u t h o u t
- Richard Charnin
- Evil GOP Bastards
- Writers Voice
- The International Human Press
Jack says:
Yep, because that’s what “freedom” is all about in the bizarre, perverse, alternate universe that is right-wing “conservatism” in this country. They, whether it’s Glenn Beck, Americans for Prosperity, or The Heritage Foundation have re-defined everything to suit whatever their needs and agenda (and latest get rich- quick scheme) is at any given moment.