Breaching the Wall Between Church and State

The Republicans have been hacking down the separation between church and state with their attacks on both abortion and contraception. What they want is for any religious bigot to be able to impose his religious beliefs on others by interfering with a woman’s access to abortion and contraception.

Women meekly accepted the abortion restrictions, out of fear of fanatics, but are digging in their heels on contraception. Most women of child bearing age, including Catholics, use both contraception and abortion. Given how much of a burden an unwanted or unaffordable child puts on the state, it is bewildering the Republicans are trying to force this measure down women’s throats when Republicans claim to be the party of liberty and fiscal restraint. What they are doing is not only an attack on the liberty of women, it is an attack on the liberty of men to jointly decide when and how many children to have.

The Republicans try to frame this debate as protecting the liberty of bigots, but it is obvious what liberty they are talking about — the liberty to force their religious superstitions on others.

~ Roedy (1948-02-04 age:70)