Re Rick's posting on Abortion and Catholic Hospitals

Rick is right to be troubled by the unwillingness of the pro-abortion lobby to recognize the freedom of conscience and religious values that justify allowing e.g., a Catholic hospital to refuse to provide or pay for abortions without being penalized.  The rhetoric of NARAL is that abortion is an important component of comprehensive reproductive health care.  The more that rhetoric is permitted to prevail (think: Kerry's promise to make abortion part of mainstream health care), the less likely it is that the law will protect the freedom of those who oppose abortion on moral grounds to refuse to provide or pay for them.

I have already expressed some concern about this issue in my forthcoming Harvard Journal of Law and Public Policy piece on the application of mandatory contraception coverage statutes to religious employers (the link to which is on the right side of this page under Papers).  The New York Times article to which Rick refers suggests reason to be concerned about increasing infringement on religious freedom. 

Susan