This story about an old and honorable charitable institution is about the collateral damage inflicted on society when one faction “wins” and demands imposition of its standards of “morality” on everyone.

Read about the Little Sisters of the Poor here.

Most of us believe that we are free in this country. We can worship God in the way we think best, and follow His dictates as long as we don’t infringe on the rights of others. Contraception is one of those freedoms. Use it or don’t. It’s your choice. No one is forced to participate.

Enter the PPACA. (Obamacare) The PPACA requires employers to offer health insurance, and that insurance must meet a “standard”. That includes companies that “self-insure” by paying the medical expenses of their employees directly rather than employing an insurance company.

Unfortunately, the “standard” includes a list of contraceptive services that certain religious groups find completely unacceptable as an affront to their respect for life.  Many of them are in court today fighting for the right to provide for the medical care of their members and/or employees without being compelled to provide these objectionable services.

Little Sisters is one such organization, and they are running afoul of the law. Because they hire people, they are compelled to provide morally offensive services to their employees. Because they hire, and serve, non-Catholics, they are not “religious enough” for an exemption. The exemption for religious objections is narrow, and this letter highlights why such exemptions are not likely to fly politically.

The Little Sisters do not want to prevent their employees from doing what they find objectionable, but they insist on not participating by paying the bill.

The PPACA makes this impossible. They cannot follow their faith, and the law.

This is why we value freedom. People are free to buy their own contraception. The Little Sisters are free to object. No one forces anyone else to do anything. When we declare something to be a “right” and start forcing those who object to pay for it, that is tyranny.

I find great irony in the fact that the Catholic church has in general been a great supporter of the PPACA, but has fought this battle to be exempt from its mandates. They need to decide what they want: free “stuff”, or freedom.

I choose Freedom.