THE IMPACTS OF SINGLE-ISSUE ZEALOTRY
(….erode everyone else’s freedom of choice)

The flap about the Obama administration’s mandate that employers’ health insurance plans for employees include free access to contraception for women, regardless of any moral or religious viewpoints on the subject, is another example of how the impacts of single-issue zealotry erode everyone else’s freedom of choice. It’s the old story of “squeaky wheels” which, instead of just getting more grease, manage to sway or stampede our collective psyches to abandon common sense and take actions which may not only be ill-advised, but also, inevitably, must overcome whatever personal liberties we supposedly have protected by our Constitution.

In that sense, zealous advocates for or against everything from contraception, abortion, to whether we can indulge ourselves in consuming pate de foie gras, use extremes of venomous rhetoric ( viz. Senator Santorum, Rush Limbaugh, etc.), just to force legislative intrusion into issues that don’t warrant such intrusions. Unfortunately, our current mode of debating the pros and cons of so-called “public interest” has become hostage to these single-issue zealots. So, rational common sense discussion is out….and name calling a la Limbaugh….is in….none of which accomplishes anything other than to paint everyone into their respective ideological corners with no way out.

Frankly, categorizing free access to contraception as a –right- and a matter of -justice- is a stretch. As far as I can determine the Constitution makes no mention of such a “right”. Nor does it in any way suggest that being able to indulge in recreational sex without consequences is a matter of “justice” either. So whatever one’s proclivities might for such matters, they’re strictly personal, have no justification for being in the political arena, and so, there’s no reason why either employers or the government should be involved with them.

But the really overriding issue here is not about personal “rights” or matters of conscience; rather, it’s the fallacious notion that whatever we want or need for our pursuits of life, liberty, and happiness, must depend on erstwhile employers or some sort of government program or subsidy. Why anyone in their right mind would want to depend on either of these for that…is hard to fathom. It may just be, alas, that we have indeed become a nation of sheep….and panhandling sheep…. besides.

Well, perhaps the real reason for this flap is because the Obama administration tried a stealth maneuver to pander to the critical demographic of the women’s vote if it hopes to get re-elected next November…. regardless of the provisions of the Constitution it had sworn to uphold, protect, and defend.

CENTURION