The mandate to finance pharmaceutical abortion (and contraception) impacts the religious freedom of all Americans - not just Roman Catholics, not just Christians, not just religious believers, and not just those who work in institutions that are formally religious (and which are therefore impacted by the present “conscience clause” debate). We’re not pleading for special rights as members of some particular religious affiliation or institution. We’re claiming rights all human beings share, and that all Americans have a speical stake in as citizens of the nation most profoundly dedicated to religious freedom.
Even so, William F. Gavin’s comment on The Corner made me laugh out loud:
The obviously exasperated president didn’t even bother to come up with a good cover story. (One could almost hear him say, “Who will free me from these turbulent bishops?”)
My evangelical ears didn’t miss the subtle hat tip. Now that’s a form of ecumenism I can really get behind. Evangelicals and Catholics together!
