LETTER: Catholic Church contraception issues are a Constitutional issue
The past month has pushed major social issues such as abortion and contraceptives to the forefront of political debate.
Two weeks ago, President Barack Obama presented a “compromise” to the Catholic Church in regard to the HHS mandate for all insurance plans to pay for contraceptives.
The compromise is laughable; merely an accounting gimmick.
Under the “new” plan, Catholic schools, hospitals and charities will still be forced to purchase insurance plans that cover contraceptives.
HHS’s mandate covers all FDA-approved contraceptives, including morning after pills and sterilization. All of these directly violate the Church’s teaching on the dignity of human life and beauty of human sexuality.
The issue is not whether you agree with the Church’s stance on contraception.
The issue at hand is whether Americans still value the Constitution, religious freedom and the “Free exercise thereof.”
Opponents to the Catholic Church’s teachings have propped up various straw man arguments as to why violating the Church’s conscience is constitutional such as Catholic use of contraceptives.
Morality in the church has never been dictated by the masses. Perhaps, that is one way it has remained the largest provider of relief in the world.
Today, Americans should not be debating whether or not contraception is a good or bad thing. We cannot risk being distracted from the true problem; religious freedom.
Stephanie Jaczkowski
Clinton Township senior
