Yesterday the Supreme Court heard from two corporations that claim they have a legal right to exclude 4 kinds of birth control from their employees’ health insurance coverage, based on the owners’ religious beliefs.
Public opinion matters. Now.
The justices plan to meet privately later this week to cast a straw vote on the outcome.
One member of the court will be assigned to write the final opinion, after weeks of closed-door deliberations. A decision is expected in late June. Justice Kennedy is expected to play a key role in the sharply divided court.
These cases are dangerous attacks on your rights to effective birth control.
Here’s a sample of what the Supreme Court justices had to say:
Chief Justice John Roberts said that Hobby Lobby and Conestoga, the corporations challenging the requirement, believed that emergency contraception was a form of abortion. (Trust Women/Silver Ribbon Campaign blogs have debunked this fake science.)
“There is not a single case which says that a for-profit enterprise cannot make a freedom-of-religion claim,” said Justice Antonin Scalia.
Chief Justice Roberts suggested he was thinking of a narrow ruling allowing closely held companies like Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. to claim a religious exemption.
The court’s three female justices dominated the questioning during the first half of the session. Congress, said Justice Elena Kagan, made a determination that health plans must include coverage for a range of preventative care for women. When employers seek to deny that coverage on religious grounds, women are “quite tangibly harmed.”
Justice Anthony Kennedy asked, “Under the challengers’ arguments, do employer rights trump those of workers?”
Stop the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party! Protect contraception!
Join these supporters and sign the petition to tell the Supreme Court that the extremists who are attempting to hijack your right to effective birth control appall you. Here’s a sample of what the American people have to say:
Fake science?? You bet.
Becky Mock, Burlington, NC
Corporations do not have a conscience. They are NOT alive. Thus, they do not have a religion. If people don’t like birth control, they don’t have to use it. Employers should NOT have the right to impose their religion on their employees.
Sophia Yen, MD MPH, Los Altos, CA
As an OB/Gyn physician, I see women who benefit from all types of contraceptives, both for pregnancy prevention and because of beneficial non-contraceptive side effects. A woman’s employer has no business interfering in my ability to counsel and treat each woman according to her individual needs.
Jenny Robinson, Baltimore, MD
I fought this same battle 35 years ago when I needed birth control and could still reproduce. I don’t want to fight it again even though I can no longer have babies. It is still a woman’s choice to do with her body what she deems the right thing for her at the time.
Pam Smith, Allentown, PA
This is a horrible abuse of power by the right wing. What happened to separation of church and state. I am a Christian but do not want religion in my government. Current abuses are horrendous but this attempt is really against the best interests of the constitution of the US. Please do not allow this to proceed.
Cheryl Traverse, San Francisco, CA
The “religious freedom” argument behind the suit is, preposterous, as today’s NY Times points out. Don’t fall for it!
Ben Neufeld, Los Angeles, CA
Contraception is a critical part of women’s overall health and should be universally available. Lisa LeRoy, Newton, MA
Access to birth control is not a corporate decision.
Laura Powell, Easton, MD
Trust women to make the best decisions for their health. Employers have no right to discriminate among legal medications!
Robin Roth, San Francisco, CA
Get out of women’s personal lives. How dare you try to save money by denying this. I wonder do you still pay for Viagra, penis pumps, Cialis, hair restorer, etc. for men? Talk about greedy discrimination. I used to drive a long way to shop at Hobby Lobby. Not ever again.
Jean Taylor, Navarre, OH
Thank you to all who have signed the petition. Your words are heard and we appreciate your support in sharing your message and this petition with your friends and family.
The more people that know about this, the greater our impact will be.
We will be sharing more of our supporter’s messages as the week goes by, on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter. Be sure to submit your own and check back in to see if it has been posted.