On November 29th, Hobby Lobby CEO David Green released a letter explaining the company’s decision to challenge the Obamacare mandate that requires Hobby Lobby (like all businesses) to provide insurance access to Plan B and Ella, pills that prevent pregnancy. I have absolutely no problem with running one’s business based on Christian principles, as Hobby Lobby has made clear it does—the company is successful and employee-focused, which is great.
However: Green’s issue is that “a new government health care mandate says that our family business MUST provide what I believe are abortion-causing drugs as part of our health insurance.” I’m sorry, Mr. Green, but there’s something called science, and it’s not really opinion based. You can BELIEVE all you want that those pills cause abortions, but it’s actually a researched FACT that they don’t. Ask a pro-lifer when life begins, and you’ll hear “conception.” Ella and Plan B prevent conception from occurring, NOT pregnancy. If a woman is already pregnant, the pills don’t work. So what exactly is Green fighting against? How far back does Hobby Lobby want to roll back the definition of human life? To the twinkle in a potential father’s eye?
There needs to come a point where people don’t get to abstain from reality, no matter how confusing or morally bewildering to them it may be. Rules and laws should not be bent because people either don’t like them or choose to remain ignorant of fact. Now the company faces fines totaling 1.3 million dollars for every day they do not comply, and fusses that “the government threatens to fine job creators in a bad economy.” It must have been a shocking revelation to them that being a job creator doesn’t make them immune to the law.
There are regulations that businesses must be willing to adhere to here in America. Just because you don’t believe in environmental protections, or a minimum wage, doesn’t mean you get to opt out. Providing access to Plan B and Ella is now one of those regulations. To your indignant whining, Hobby Lobby, I say this: No.
If Hobby Lobby’s self-righteousness really makes you rip-roaring mad, sign the petition pledging to boycott them until they drop their suit. Find it at http://act.weareultraviolet.org/cms/sign/hobbylobby/
Upholding the pledge shouldn’t be hard—there’s no Lobby in which to Hobby in all of Oregon.
by Mica Habarad
Do you have a story for The Advocate? Email editor@corvallisadvocate.com