I am utterly ashamed with America right now. On Monday, June 30th, 2014 the United States Supreme Court ruled on the Burwell versus Hobby Lobby case. The result was a 5-4 in favor of Hobby Lobby et al. The general gist of the situation is kind of like this.

  • The Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) mandates that employers provide health coverage for their employees.
  • Part of that coverage includes contraceptives which more conservative business owners consider similar enough to abortion as to cross a line dictated by their religions.
  • In ruling for Hobby Lobby et al, the Supreme Court has allowed these corporations to opt out of having to pay for contraceptives.

The ruling was made with reference to the Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which was signed into law by Bill Clinton back in the early 1990’s. That act prevents the government from interfering in the exercise of religion.

Monday’s decision was seen as a victory by not only the corporations with at least 50% of the controlling interest being held by one family with clear religious beliefs, but also by folks who don’t like Obamacare.

Both of those sets of people are assholes.

I don’t care about the Affordable Care Act. I don’t care about free exercise of religious beliefs. I care about women having access to birth control and other things which are entirely within their scope of what’s known to some people as “their own decision.”

Some people have made the argument that if you can’t afford birth control you shouldn’t have sex. Those people are even bigger assholes than the previous two groups. At least for people concerned with religious beliefs and people concerned with sticking it to the Commander in Chief, being a part of either group isn’t inclusive of being a dick. If you can honestly say something as cold as, “If she can’t afford it then maybe she shouldn’t spread her legs,” then guess what? You are an exemplary example of a ruthless jerk!

Anyway, while I do support all of the stuff that women are concerned about there’s a much simpler reason for my ignominy and it stems from an even more base thing that Americans seem to have a problem comprehending: logic.

These same corporations, during their hiring process, cannot discriminate against potential employees who don’t share their religious values. THEREFORE, the very same law that prevents such treatment also prevents the corporation from forcing those values upon said employees since that would be the exact same discrimination.

That’s the end of the fucking discussion. That trumps the exercise of religious freedom – which, by the way, is a thoroughly disingenuous rallying cry for anything that anyone does in its name. Want to have a discussion about abortion? That’s fine, it’s a perfectly acceptable topic. But don’t operate a for-profit business in the United States if the issue means that much to you because you’re hiring from a diverse crowd who, guaranteed, will not share your views.

There’s talk of liberal idiots saying to burn down Hobby Lobby stores and whatnot, as well. If you’re a person of sound mind and you see talk of such things, please take appropriate action and report it. This is a tremendously important issue but it certainly doesn’t warrant violence or vandalism.