EC in CT (II)

CT's more catholic than thou bishops have been slapped down and it's about time! The "thou" is catholic leadership in other nearby states such as NY and NJ. The slap down was the recent passage of an emergency contraception bill by the CT Senate on a vote of 32 to 3 (Hartford Courant for an anti-choice slanted story on the bill).

CT's hardline catholic leadership has consistently and rigidly opposed any legislation requiring hospitals to make emergency contraceptives available for rape victims. I recall listening to the hearings on a bill (which was defeated) last year. The reasoning of those opposing the bill was that it would violate the constitutional right of an organization to impose its religious beliefs on others, even if that imposition could cause increased pain, suffering, and health risk (pregancies count as a heath risk) and would prevent access to standard medical treatment. I'm not sure exactly where in the constitution that right is guaranteed, but the CT catholics are quite certain it exists.

From March 2006
Bill O'Brien, CT Right to Life Committee...says the state law, if it is passed, should be struck down as a violation to the right of religious freedom. He says "some of our sons and daughters are fighting and dying for religious freedom overseas right now". He says we have kicked god out of the schools, we now want to kick god out of medicine. He says "I find it interesting that rape is being used in this bill," "In Roe V Wade, Roe, now knowns as ____ said she was raped and later recanted...That lie was used as a wedge to justify legalized abortion." "It has been argued that a woman who has been raped will be inconvenienced by going to a catholic hospital." "This is not just a catholic issue...freedom of religion is in our federal and state constitutions, it's time to stand up for our constitutions."