The people pushing for the conscience clause and attacking Blagojevich for his order that pharmacies which stock contraceptives actually dispense what they sell upon presentation of a legal and safe prescription are trying to misrepresent the issue as being about abortion. It is not. Plan B is the primary pharmaceutical that is causing the controversy with many trying to claim it causes an abortion. It no more does that than normal birth control pills.
For a basic bit on the science, see PZ Myers’ simple, but accurate description of how Plan B works. .
This is an issue on which we can completely ignore any assertion that life begins at fertilization (which I personally find absurd), because it’s irrelevant: fertilization doesn’t take place. No zygote, no fetus, no embryo, no babies. The claim that this argument is about the life of a baby is null and void, and the opposition to Plan B makes it glaringly, brilliantly clear that this isn’t about the sanctity of life at all: it’s all about controlling a woman’s ovaries. She will not be allowed to tamper with the timing of ovulation.
Remember, if a *pharmacy* doesn’t want to carry contraceptives, it does not have to. However, if a *pharmacy* does carry contraceptives, the *pharmacy* has to dispense those contraceptives upon presentation of a legal and safe prescription. If the individual pharmacist wants an accomodation for some reason, that is between the pharmacist and the pharmacy.
The arguments these pharmacists and their backers are making about Plan B causing abortions is scientifically unsound and should call into question their competence as pharmacists.
I believe Judy backs the order as well so this isn’t a big issue between candidates, but it is essential to understand that many who are pushing this agenda aren’t arguing about abortion, but about a woman’s access to contraception. That is very scary.
I have many, many complaints with this Governor, but let me also point out this issue which he has been clear, has not grandstanded, and simply did what was right.
*Quick point* in comments you want to spell anything like pharmacy as ph*rmacy to get around the spam filters*
I agree with your sentiments, and I just wanted to sympathize about how annyoing it is to have your spam filter block out a legitimate message.
I work for a trade magazine, and we did an article about Viagra production. We couldn’t figure out why e-mails from Pfizer weren’t getting through. You guessed it…the spam filter!
It’s really annoying that these jerks are wasting the world’s time. Now they’re making the rules for computer use.