Topic: Civil Rights
Article from New York Times (Title, length, and author unknown)
Published on Jan 30 2012
Main Ideas:
In the past, it has been very hard for students at catholic universities to obtain birth control pills, even for purely medical reasons because the use of birth control pills is considered a sin by the catholic church. Since the insurance provided by their schools did not cover birth control pills, students either had to pay fr them out of their already small income, or face the consequences of not taking them. However, The Obama administration has recently implemented a new health insurance plan that requires catholic universities to provide their students with birth control pills. Catholic officials consider this to be a violation of their right to freedom of religion. In fact, several catholic colleges, such as Belmont Abbey College, have already sued the Department of Health and Human Services. The Obama administration continues to insist that requiring catholic colleges to provide their students with birth control pills is the right thing to do, claiming that if these colleges' insurance plans do not cover birth control pills, students who get pregnant will adopt unhealthy habits, such as smoking and drinking, that will potentially cause harm to their unborn children.
Conclusion:
Legal battles have begun, and they will most likely go all the way to the supreme court. This is a very controversial issue, and neither side is all right or all wrong; both the Obama administration and the catholic universities have valid points and flaws in their arguments. While requiring catholic universities' insurance plans to cover birth control pills seems like a good idea, since 98 percent of sexually active catholic women use birth control pills or other forms of contraception even though it is technically a sin, or need, this new requirement still tramples on the first amendment rights of several catholics.
Opinion:
I think this dilemma has no good resolution; it seems like a lose-lose situation. While the new insurance plan makes birth control pills easily available to thousands of women who need them but normally would not be able to afford them, it violates the first amendment rights of everyone working at or attending the catholic universities. If the colleges refused to follow this insurance plan, protecting their right to freedom of religion, many women will be unable to obtain the birth control pills that they need. Either way, a group of people who have done nothing wrong will lose something important. I hope there will be a good compromise that can please as many people as possible.
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ReplyDeleteThe article states that due to to the Catholic religion stating that birth control pills are a sin, it has been hard for people going to Catholic schools to get birth control.President Obama has recently implemented a health insurance plan that requires Catholic schools to provide birth control for its students. The schools are upset because they find this to be against their freedom of religion and because of this schools like Abernathy are have already sued the Department of Health and and human services.
ReplyDelete-Emma
Cailin did a wonderful job of being straightforward with her topic and managing to also not sound prejudice or biased about her standing when it comes to Birth control. Birth control and the religious hatred that comes along with it is a subject that gets me heated every time, along with abortion rights. In my opinion, it's a women's body and she should be allowed to use it however which way she wants; no matter her religion. Giving women, who are being restricted by their religion, to be able to access birth control is no crime. If one of these Catholic women believe birth control is morally wrong, she doesn't have to take it! But how about the rest of the women? The one's who believe in God but also want to protect themselves from an unwanted pregnancy? Cailin's conclusion is right when she says it's a lose, lose situation.
ReplyDeleteThis article does an excellent job giving details to both sides(Obama Administration & Catholic Universities) that are disputing, with information supporting each side. Overall the argument discussing whether students within Catholic Universities should receive birth control pill is something that happens a lot in the world. The government wants to mess with a religion and the religion being targeted will go berserk and lash out in order to protect its rights, by doing this they are making a simple matter that is decided by the choice of the students even more obnoxious than what it is. If the female students want to take the pills they have the right to take them or not, the choice is their's if they want to follow their religion and obey the teaching of god.
ReplyDeletethis article gives good information on what the government is trying to do to help the students receive birth control, and how the school is suing the department and human services. Isn't the Obama administration going against the constitutions by stating that catholic schools have to give birth controlled to students because of the separation of church and state. It should be up to the person to choose if they want to take birth control pills, it shouldn't be about the government, or the school.
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