The New York Times > Editorial: Moralists at the Pharmacy

The New York Times > Opinion > Editorial: Moralists at the Pharmacy:

"Scattered reports suggest that a growing number of pharmacists around the country are refusing to fill prescriptions for contraceptives or morning-after birth control pills because of moral or religious objections. Although the refusals are cast as important matters of conscience for self-described 'pro-life' pharmacists, they have the pernicious effect of delaying, and sometimes even denying, a woman's access to medications that may be urgently needed. This is an intolerable abuse of power by pharmacists who have no business forcing their own moral or ethical views onto customers who may not share them. Any pharmacist who cannot dispense medicines lawfully prescribed by a doctor should find another line of work."

None less than the editorial board of the NYT is echoing my call. I must say they are rather soft in reality, they point out the hazards of going down this road and say these pharmacists are in the wrong line of work, but they do not call for the revoking of their license to practice as I do. This is a problem I have with progressives at the moment, they are too gentle. While the regressives are out in full force proposing ludicrous and radical bills and getting away with it, the progressives cower and simply say that is a bad idea and we shouldn't do that.

It is like the same sex marriage issue. We watch as state after state gets an amendment through initiative that prohibits the consideration of same sex marriage. The progressives oppose these amendments, but where are they putting initiatives on that would actually promote equal marriage rights. Progressives seem too scared to lead strongly in promoting progressive views, instead seemingly waiting for the courts to hold back the unconstitutional onslaught or the regressives. While we for the moment can trust the judiciary to keep things somewhat sane, we must not rely on them for progress, even if it isn't activism as the right claims, there is much more power in creating change through the legislative/initiative process.