Friday, March 23, 2012

Contraception protest in front of Federal Building

Damn Arbor's senior downtown correspondent, Quinn Davis, just sent in this picture of a protest in front of Ann Arbor's Federal Building, aka the Post Office. Quinn writes:

Saw a gaggle of nuns in their spring wear, but it's mostly family people and their kids. And signs. And balloons.
Perhaps they are celebrating the 2 year anniversary of The Affordable Care Act. Either that or they are protesting the fact that employers wont be allowed to pick and choose what forms of healthcare they will cover for their employees. Because you know, birth control turns women into sluts. In the immortal words of Yeezy, "That shit cray!"

UPDATE: Another picture from Quinn's corner office. More protesters have arrived. One sigh says "Motherhood is not a disease." Which, while true, obfuscates the fact that access to contraption has greatly improved women's health. Quinn writes: "A Sam Adams truck honked as it went by, which got them cheering. Beer + religion FTW!"

Here's a photo from Eric Tingwall, who also works downtown:

The caption to the photo says "A bus load of eight-year-olds showed up outside the office, shouting, 'What do we want? Religious freedom! When do we want it? Now!' "

26 comments:

  1. First thought: It's really, really sad that this protest is so much bigger than those against the various wars, international injustices, and other real problems I've seen.

    Second thought: Someone please counter-protest them. Perhaps just streak through the crowd to prompt the parents to take their children home?

    But seriously. Blood boiling.

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    1. You would streak in front of children? You need some perspective.

      Delete
    2. Not everyone has a puritanical view on nudity and the human body.

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  2. Exactly, Mandy! Where do these people get off thinking they can just believe anything they want and be able to practice their religion in the way they believe is best for them? The fucking nerve of these people! This is America for crying out loud! They should worship trees like the rest of us enlightened geniuses.

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    1. Anonymous coward at 10:39 AM,

      This isn't about practicing their religion, it's about telling women what they can and can't do with their bodies.

      If you or any person doesn't wish to use contraception, then don't, but leave everyone else's body out of your decision. Not everyone's beliefs are in line with the christian's that are protesting this.

      Also, using kids to push the parents political and social views is sickening.

      Delete
    2. No its not. Nobody is saying women can't have contraception. They're just saying, "if you want it, fine, but i'm not paying for it because it is in opposition to my religious beliefs."

      Delete
    3. And I'm a coward because i'm anonymous? Should I google Guardro and find out all about you and where you live? is that why i'm a coward? because i have a brain and don't want you fucking low lifes camping out in my front yard and having drum circles on my kids playset?

      Delete
    4. "anonymous coward" is how I reply to *everyone* that posts as anonymous. You take the internet far too seriously.

      I'm not sure why you implied a threat. It's really not becoming of your opinion.

      I understand you feel strongly about this issue, but just because I apparently disagree with you doesn't make me a lowlife no matter how much you'd like to believe such is true.

      I hope you take a few minutes to get outside and relieve some of your pent up emotion it isn't healthy.

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    5. To be honest, if you can't be civil, most people will disregard your opinion.

      I recind my last suggestion. Please seek counseling and possibly medication for this anger. I can only imagine what your SO and kids think having someone so angry in the household.

      Delete
  3. I want contraception so it just stands to reason that someone should just give it to me for free.

    I want a car. Give me one of those for free too!
    And a house.
    And anything else i want. Free iPad 3s! Free D&G purses! Free drums for my drum circle!

    Everything should be fucking free! I don't want to get a real job and pay for anything for myself and have any responsibility.

    It's against your religion to give me something I want for free? You are a bigot!

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    Replies
    1. Someone needs to define the word "free" for you. And then explain how health care works. And who can get coverage through their jobs. (Example: I can't.)

      Delete
  4. Religious freedom is not the freedom to punish other people for failing to adhere to your religious beliefs. No one really cares if a woman decides she doesn't want to use birth control--it's a personal choice. People do get mad when religious people try to limit other people's access to birth control or punish them for using it.

    Not everyone who works for a religious employer shares that religion. Employees' medical decisions are none of their employer's business, period.

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    1. Then those people are free to leave that job. I'm sure if I got a job with a Muslim charity, I wouldn't expect that they would change their beliefs to cater to my wants (notice i didnt say needs).

      If a private company doesn't give you everything you want, get out of there and try to find one that does!

      There is no such thing as a right to something that someone else has to produce and then give to you.

      Learn how to think.

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    2. And nobody's being punished. They're not having something taken away that that once had. They never recieved the benefits we're talking about. The president is MANDATING that these catholic organizations change their policy which runs counter to their beliefs.

      I don't care what religion you are or if you don't believe in anything, you should be offended by the government telling any private religious organization what they should do even if it runs against their beliefs. If you have no problem with that then you are against the first amendment of the constitution.

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    3. The argument that people are free to go somewhere else is quite a fallacy. I challenge you to live up to your words. Leave your job today, and I expect to see that you are employed tomorrow in an equivalent position. In all likelihood, that isn't going to happen. There is equity in keeping a position with a single employer, that is lost when people change jobs.

      I agree that I wouldn't expect a religious organization to change their beliefs to match mine, but I certainly would expect them to respect my beliefs and not impose their beliefs on my personal life.

      The right in question is that women have a right to control what happens to their bodies. What these people protesting want is to limit the rights that women have within their own body. The vehicle of this, is that religious (christian orgs have been the most outspoken) organizations do not want insurance companies to include birth control, which restricts the options for a women to decide what is right for their body.

      You also have missed the point that birth control pills are used for things other than to stop pregnancy.


      'Learn how to think.' This is good advice for you as well.

      have a nice day, the weather should be awesome today.

      Delete
    4. My current job refuses to give me free ponies. I have always wanted a pony. But why won't they give me one?

      Free ponies for everyone! And if you are against that, you're a racist against small horses. A horsist.

      Delete
    5. Can't tell if trolling or just missing the point that far.

      futuraman_fry.jpg

      Delete
  5. To the guy who thinks paying insurance premiums for an employee is the same as directly paying for every medical service they use:

    Religious employers who can't come to grips with the idea that their employees might not adhere 100% to their religious beliefs have the option of not providing insurance.

    Of course, if many of their employees agree with their anti-birth-control beliefs, they will not want a job without insurance. Pregnancy is expensive.

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    1. Let's try to explain this so you can understand it. Healthcare, while beneficial and something everyone should have in case of an emergency, can not be a "right". someone has to provide that service to you. You can not be entitled to something that others have to give you. Otherwise they are in essence, your slave. I'm sure that's something you know about. slavery. That is when you are bound to another individual to give them services for nothing or next to nothing.

      Lets put this in kindergarten terms so you can understand it.

      You say everyone should have healthcare, i presume.

      What if all the doctors decided one day, "fuck it. this isn't worth it. We're just going to go into private practice or retire. there is no point for us to work in hospitals where people are entitled to our services at no cost to them."

      what then? How do you give people free healthcare then? There are no doctors.

      Learn how to think.

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    2. Nice reading comprehension, sweetheart. I didn't say healthcare was a right. I said employers have a right not to provide insurance if they think a certain kind of medical care covered by insurance is immoral.

      Their employees who don't want to pay medical costs out of pocket can find other jobs, as was so aptly pointed out higher in the comments. If a business has a hard time finding employees because they choose not to offer a common employee benefit, well, what concern is that of mine? No business has an intrinsic right to exist.

      Learn how to think. ;) ;) ;) ;) ;)

      Delete
  6. As someone who was present at the rally, this protest was not about access to contraception, which is ubiquitous and inexpensive rather it was about the religious freedom of all Americans. This issue is not about some religion somehow “banning contraception, as the author states. Indeed, this is not about the Church wanting to force anybody to do anything; it is instead about the Federal Government forcing the Church to act against Church teachings. This is not a fight that the Church asked for, but was forced upon us by Federal Government on its own timing.

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    1. Careful with words like that around here. Someone's bound to call you a bigot because they don't have the brain capacity to handle what you've said here.

      Peace. :)

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    2. No one forced a fight on the church. They had and still have the option of not offering health insurance. I think that not offering health insurance would be more in line with church teachings anyway, since wouldn't disease and accidents be considered god's will or an 'act of god'?

      The christian organizations protesting really don't understand how insurance premiums work. The church not wanting their plans to offer birth control won't stop the insurance company from using that money on birth control for someone else on a plan that includes it. It only reduces the availability of birth control to those employees working for religious organizations. This ultimately means that the church is trying to restrict the rights of women to control what happens to their body against their will.

      Not everyone working for religious organizations follow the religious doctrine exactly. Birth control is used for things other than contraception. If a person wishes to not be on birth control, it is their right to make that decision for themselves.

      Delete
  7. Thank you to the most recent anonymous post (specifically 11:24 am). We are glad to hear from someone that was there, as well as your details on the event.

    On another note, I am happy that everyone feels free to express their opinions here, but would appreciate it if everyone tried to keep their language respectful.

    Thanks all!

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  8. I'm all for freedom of religion and differing thought. But forcing your religion and though into affecting peoples' health and personal lives though government legislation is another.

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  9. @10:49am Ah yes, the classic ranting about freedom of religion and speech while at the same time not able to handle anyone else with a different option. Cognitive dissonance at it's finest!

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