Speaking of religious rallies, this Friday (March 23rd) will see nationwide protests outside federal office buildings by people of faith opposed to the HHS mandate:
The Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom is set to take place on Friday, March 23, in more than 100 cities across the country. From Hawaii to Maine, citizens are preparing to let their voices be heard on the value of religious freedom. Meeting places include historic sites, congressional offices and federal buildings. The theme for the rally is “Stand Up for Religious Freedom — Stop the HHS Mandate!”
Coverage of the planned protest has been light so far outside of the media sources who follow the debate most closely (largely Catholic sites and action-oriented conservative clearinghouses), although it could also be partially due to the fact that this is a decentralized event, and that turnout will be difficult to estimate given that this is taking place midday during the week.
Nevertheless, these public demonstrations come on the heels of an apparent expansion of the HHS mandate to include all student healthcare plans alongside private, market-based ones. Whether the administration would go forward on this point was one of several details left ambiguous in the feint at “compromise” announced several weeks ago. Since the issue isn’t going away any time soon, one wonders if there aren’t plans in the works for a larger March on Washington-style event at some point in the future if the rule is not revised.
March 19th, 2012 | 6:37 pm
I’d just like to point out that, given how many who sympathize with this cause actually hold down jobs that require our presence in an office, store, or factory, it’s a little odd to hold this on a Friday.
March 19th, 2012 | 6:49 pm
Tina Korbe of Hot Air says, “Consider also that many religious employers are self-insured and have no insurer onto whom they can push the cost of contraception insurance.” She mentions in her opening paragraph the Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Preventive Services Policy but has clearly not read it. It discusses several possible ways the new regulation might be formulated so that self-insured religious organizations do not have to pay the cost of contraceptive coverage.
March 19th, 2012 | 8:22 pm
Have you heard that the Boston rally has been cancelled because no one wanted to be a rally captain. I was thinking maybe someone could ask Tim Thomas from the Bruins to take on that role or he could emcee the event. Just a thought. Let’s spread the word.
March 20th, 2012 | 8:12 am
Jack —
We decided to organize the Nationwide Rally for Religious Freedom on a Friday when we’d be far more likely to get press as well as interaction with the general public, since most of the Rallies are being held in city centers.
We chose the noon hour to maximize the opportunity for working people to attend during their lunch hours.
Eric Scheidler
Stand Up Rally Co-Chair
Executive Director
Pro-Life Action League
March 23rd, 2012 | 7:56 pm
Your timing seemed logical, Eric, but I was SO disappointed that only one of our 3 local major TV stations covered our event in San Antonio after calling them all this morning. It is amazing, and so disappointing, what news our stations decided to air. The rally was inspirational but the word needed to get out better. Wondered why these rallies were not mentioned in church announcements this past weekend!
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