Bishops vs. Lawyers: Part Deux

by Amanda Kloer · 2009-01-15 10:23:00 UTC
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A couple days ago, I mentioned the lawsuit the ACLU filed against the Department of Health and Human Services(HHS).  Here's the synopsis: HHS funds USCCB to provide services to trafficking victims who have been rescued. The ACLU is claiming that by denying trafficking victims access to certain reproductive health care (including contraception and abortion), the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) is violating the separation of church and state and violating these womens' rights. 

Well, USCCB bit back today calling the ACLU lawsuit "without merit and an affront to religious liberty."  To their credit, USCCB has been very forthcoming; they never tried to hide the fact that they weren't using taxpayer money to provide abortion services or referrals to trafficking victims, and they claim they don't legally have to.  They claim the ACLU is violating their religious freedom with the lawsuit.  The issues are complex, but a lot of the argument centers around whether or not HHS or USCCB have violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.

This clash of bishops and lawyers reproductive rights and freedom of religion is certainly not a new one.  It has happened before and will certainly happen again.  From the looks of things right now, this one might just be pretty long and bloody.  And the thing which really upsets me is that at the end of the day, it's the trafficking victims who will end up losing, no matter who wins the lawsuit. 

But if we are allowing wardrobe as weaponry, my money is on the bishop.

 

Amanda Kloer is a Change.org Editor and has been a full-time abolitionist in several capacities for seven years. Follow her on Twitter @endhumantraffic
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