(no subject)
Aug. 24th, 2008 04:56 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Thanks to
threewalls for bringing this to my attention.
I generally try to keep politics out of this journal, but this situation is so horrifying to me, I have to say something. If you live in the US, please sit up and take notice of this.
The Bush administration is trying to push through a 'conscience rule'. Essentially what this means is that doctors, pharmacists, etc. will be able to legitimately refuse patients treatment that conflicts with their moral or religious beliefs. This is, of course, aimed at abortion, but could easily be applied to birth control and other controversial medicines and procedures. Doctor who invoke this 'conscience rule' will not be penalized for doing so; indeed, part of the legislation states that employers will be obligated to protect these employees and will not be able to fire them for, essentially, refusing to do their jobs and forcing their beliefs onto others.
This is so appalling, I hardly have words for it. Please, whatever your feelings on abortion, birth control, the Plan B pill, whatever, please realize that this gives doctors and health care workers a terrifying amount of power. It basically strips away a person's power to decide what is best for themselves and make their own moral decisions regarding their health. Worst of all, it protects these zealots and prevents people from being able to take legal steps when they are being persecuted by a health care worker. This is awful, and it must be stopped.
maho_kiwi wrote a very eloquent post on this subject, and included links for where you can take action to fight this. If enough people don't speak out against this, it will effectively go into law within thirty days. If you are a US citizen and you believe you should have the right to make medical decisions about your own health and sexuality, please, please speak against this.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
I generally try to keep politics out of this journal, but this situation is so horrifying to me, I have to say something. If you live in the US, please sit up and take notice of this.
The Bush administration is trying to push through a 'conscience rule'. Essentially what this means is that doctors, pharmacists, etc. will be able to legitimately refuse patients treatment that conflicts with their moral or religious beliefs. This is, of course, aimed at abortion, but could easily be applied to birth control and other controversial medicines and procedures. Doctor who invoke this 'conscience rule' will not be penalized for doing so; indeed, part of the legislation states that employers will be obligated to protect these employees and will not be able to fire them for, essentially, refusing to do their jobs and forcing their beliefs onto others.
This is so appalling, I hardly have words for it. Please, whatever your feelings on abortion, birth control, the Plan B pill, whatever, please realize that this gives doctors and health care workers a terrifying amount of power. It basically strips away a person's power to decide what is best for themselves and make their own moral decisions regarding their health. Worst of all, it protects these zealots and prevents people from being able to take legal steps when they are being persecuted by a health care worker. This is awful, and it must be stopped.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
no subject
Date: 2008-08-25 12:22 am (UTC)GAH #$%&&(%*()!^?*%^#$&(@!*&%(*%
*headdesk*
Seriously, if they do this I'm moving to the stupid moon. I take BC, but not for it's first purpose. I take it so I can stand up straight and live without massive amounts of pain. (I'm actually facing the fact that my perscription is about to run out and I don't have health insurence to see my doctor to get it renewed because my job won't insure it's full-time employees until they've been there for 6 mos)
I just love how everyone seems to think tha what people do to their own body is up to everyone to decide. I'm sorry, it's MY body, therefore MY decision. GAH GRR *is incoherent*
er...now that I've gone nuts all over your lj...I think I'll remove myself ^^;;; sorry...
no subject
Date: 2008-08-25 10:37 pm (UTC)I just do not get how anybody can think it is okay for them to tell other people how to live their lives and what to do with their bodies. I just don't.
no subject
Date: 2008-08-25 07:58 am (UTC)(A very minor point, I don't have an underscore in my LJ name.)
no subject
Date: 2008-08-25 10:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-08-25 04:38 pm (UTC)Supports the theory that the next stage on from permissiveness is puritanism, doesn't it?
no subject
Date: 2008-08-25 10:36 pm (UTC)This whole business is just scaring the hell out of me. Human rights really seem to be falling by the wayside in this country.