What do Cesar Chavez, “raped animals,” Margaret Sanger fans, and Occupy-esque mantras have in common?
They were all present in front of the Supreme Court today. Hundreds of left-wing activists showed up today to attack Hobby Lobby for its objection to the Obama Administration’s HHS Mandate, specifically that the Christian-owned firm pays for abortifacient contraceptives in the employee health insurance plan Obamacare says it must provide.
Planned Parenthood, NARAL, NOW, the ACLU, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, Secular Coalition for America and several “reproductive rights” student groups were bussed in from within D.C. and even as far as New York for the rally Tuesday morning.
Some of the more interesting signs: “Eating raped murdered animals makes you a hypocrite,” “Get out of my box ,” “This [a Bible] is not a health care plan,” “Who’s the boss? Me!” and “Sex is beautiful, reproduction is optional.”
Activists also chanted “Si Se puede!” (Yes we can), the Cesar Chavez slogan that Obama co-opted, many different times throughout the rally. “We are the 99 Percent!” from Occupy Wall Street, was also co-opted for the pro-choice movement, citing a statistic from the CDC erroneously. Leftist politics were obviously well represented.
This 99 percent statistic isn’t even what the pro-choice crowd think it means. The statistic is from the CDC, which said in 2013, “More than 99% of women aged 15–44 who have ever had sexual intercourse have used at least one contraceptive method.” However, the pro-choice movement twisted this finding to say that 99 percent of all women use all types of artificial contraception on a regular basis, including contraception such as Plan B or “the morning-after pill” which many religious and otherwise pro-life people object to, as ending human life.
Of course the standard, “Get out of my uterus” and “trust women to do what they want with their own bodies” rhetoric was reiterated dozens of times through speakers and signs.
The pro-choice activists message was clear: Hobby Lobby’s refusal to pay for something its management opposes on religious grounds – and which it was not required to provide until Obamacare was enacted – is an attack against all women in general, and their ability to get any type of contraception.
Of course, it’s a dishonest argument. Hobby Lobby’s employees are free to go out and purchase abortifacients with their own money. What the left is really defending is a new entitlement to “free” birth control.
What’s more is that they know it, organized the protest to rely on their numbers, flashy and simplistic signs, vague chants and a compliant media to parrot the bogus “War on Women” rhetoric. This loud and abrasive group went oddly silent when asked factual questions. Culture and Media Institute reporter Katie Yoder attempted to interview several protestors from pro-choice groups such as NARAL and Planned Parenthood, but few would speak to her.
In stark contrast to the yelling and chanting of left-wing mantras and bankrupt slogans, and the signs dismissing the Bible, a simultaneous pro-life rally stood peacefully off to the side, heads bowed and praying.
Editor's Note: Katie Yoder of CMI also contributed to this report.
