Friday, December 02, 2005

Via Pound: Time for Plan Brat!
    Ladies! Are you sick of getting the stink-eye whenever you bring your small children to froofy coffeehouses? Tired of having to take them to some sticky McDonaldLand to turn them loose? Or maybe you keep reading about those snotty parents who seem to feel no compunction about letting their spawn run amok in grown-up places and find yourself wishing that you could act that entitled and self-righteous. Looks fun, doesn’t it?

    But where can you take your kids, relax a little, and impose your own values on strangers? Forget those twee little bakeries with their overpriced scones and tin ceilings: Why not take your kids to the pharmacy at Target instead? Or Rite Aid? Or Walgreen’s? Any pharmacy, in fact, with a policy of employing pharmacists who believe children are so special, they think it’s a shame when you try to not conceive them. These nice people in white coats will be thrilled to host your rambunctious toddlers for a couple hours while you shop. Sure, they make it hard for you to get Plan B, but you can always count on them for a big dose of Plan Wheeeee!

    Who says a pharmacy isn’t a kid-friendly place? Some of these pharmacists like children so much, they want you to have the ones you didn’t even mean to have! And when you think about it, pharmacies are awesome places for young children to run and play, especially behind that door marked PRIVATE (Go on in! These folks don’t care about privacy!) which leads to a wonderful land of bottles and jars to shake shake shake. Plus plenty of childproof caps to challenge them, hundreds of colorful little beadies to count, lots of new words to learn (Say it: “Meth-o-trex-ate.”) and no shortage of arthritic elderly friends to trip up. Really, it’s like a Montessori school with Muzak.

    Some folks think the kind of pharmacists who refuse to fill emergency contraception prescriptions are judgmental and stodgy, but that's just not true at all. They're actually spontaneous and fun, always encouraging you to embrace the unknown! Hey, take a chance on that broken condom!, they'll say, or aw, what's another baby? or just because he's a date rapist doesn't mean he can't be a good daddy! This whimsical approach to life means they won't mind at all if your 3-year old wants to repeatedly kick the glass case where the razor blades are kept, stick Nicorette patches on Mrs. DeSimone's leg while she waits to pick up her heart medication, or see what's inside Mr. Thermometer. In the meantime, especially if you're at Target, you can shop for thongs, or liquor, or wholesome toys, content in the knowledge that someone with moral values is looking out for your children, even the children that don't exist yet. Try getting service like that at some dismal Chuck E. Cheese with stained carpet.

    Of course, if something happens to your child, you can always sue. Which is more than you can do in the event your pharmacist decides he doesn't want to commit a "pharma-sin" by filling your emergency contraception prescription, but I digress. While I'm not a mother myself (as long as my birth control works, ha ha!), it heartens me to know that should I ever choose to have children (or NOT choose and still have 'em, ha ha!), they are some places where they'll always be welcome.

13 Comments:

At 3:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

At least if your brother ever becomes a vegan he'll be able to refuse, on grounds of conscience, to help serve about 90% of his employer's stuff. And think of the endrun around that pesky second amendment if the Brady bunch simply get jobs in gunstores and refuse to sell guns or ammo?

 
At 2:04 PM, Blogger Brian said...

Did you read over at Pandagon--related to this story--about the pharmacist who tore up a woman's prescription for Valtrex because he/she (don't remember which) said she ought to suffer for her sins? Valtrex, for the uninitiated, is for the treatment of herpes.

Wonder if any of these pharmacists would even consider refusing to fill a prescription for Viagra?

 
At 4:32 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't see any difference between what these pharmacists are doing and a racist pharmacists refusing to serve black people because black people deserve to get sick and die.

Maybe it sounds too blunt to most people, but I think this entire issue is about hatred of women. I don't think it's about "religion" or "faith" or "beliefs," it's about hating female human beings so much that you want them to die if they do the slightest thing to tick you off. It's about consciously wanting to hurt female human beings whenever you are given the power to do so. It's about wanting to deny the humanity of 51% of the human population.

I'm not at all surprised that there are pharmacy workers who are sick enough to pull this kind of crap. What horrifies me is that the MSM appears to be unwilling to just call this what it is. They appear content to empower those who wish to hate, hurt, and kill female citizens of the United States. Pathetic.

 
At 6:54 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh come on. Why isn't it hatred of men? Do you know how much we appreciate birth control? If they were refusing to serve women, your racism analogy would fit.


I don't see anything wrong* with opposing birth control, I just don't think someone who does should have that job or be allowed to use it that way. If you want to make a statement about birth control, don't whine for a law to protect you from the consequences of your righteousness. Get yourself fired as a statement, you fucking pansies.


*Differentiating between wrong and stupid.

 
At 8:08 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Oh come on. Why isn't it hatred of men? Do you know how much we appreciate birth control?"

Notice that all the people being blocked from getting their Rx's just happen to be female. And all the people complaining about the new vaccine that could prevent cervical cancer just happen to be concerned that girls might get the vaccine. And Plan B just happens to be the one medication being blocked using extreme and "unique" methods within the FDA.

Funny how men aren't being blocked from purchasing contraceptive medications. Funny how men aren't being denied access to STD treatments. But I guess it would be silly to think there might be a pattern when all the people being discriminated against happen to be members of a particular "minority" group, a group that has been discriminated against for virtually all of human history.

"If they were refusing to serve women, your racism analogy would fit."

Riiight. We let the darkies ride the bus like real people, so it's not racist for us to insist they sit in the back. I guess it's not discrimination to deny certain services to a certain population based on their race or gender. I must have missed the memo on that one.

Show me one case of a male trying to fill a contraceptive prescription and being refused. Want to know why you can't find one? Because if a man is buying The Pill it means he has decided that his female may use it. That's perfectly acceptable to the female-haters, unlike when some uppity woman thinks she has the right to block The Manly Sperm.

"I don't see anything wrong* with opposing birth control, I just don't think someone who does should have that job or be allowed to use it that way. If you want to make a statement about birth control, don't whine for a law to protect you from the consequences of your righteousness. Get yourself fired as a statement, you fucking pansies."

I don't especially care if certain pharmacists oppose birth control. I don't even particularly care if some pharmacists hate women. All I care about is that they are being allowed to violate the basic rights of citizens of this country, and the media is portraying them as heroes and martyrs for doing so. And most people are content to stand around blabbing some mushy crap about how "it's okay to oppose birth control." As if that has the slightest thing to do with this.

Yes, there are some people who oppose birth control but do not hate women. That doesn't change the fact that the agenda against women's health is being waged by people who oppose birth control AND hate women. Quit falling for the pathetic misdirection that they are throwing at you.

 
At 9:07 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I can't believe anyone would be simple-minded enough to believe that anyone who believes that abortion kills a baby hates women. Still, it seems that some people hold on to this belief. I don't like Plan B. I think it's wrong. As a result, I would feel guilty handing out the medication. I don't like the death penalty. I think killing criminals is wrong. As a result, I would feel guilty voting on a jury to send someone to the chair. Fortunately, we live in a society where one persons personal views do not govern all. I have no right to vote against the death penalty if I have sworn to uphold the law and the law says he should get the death penalty. I have every right to refuse to serve on the jury (or refuse to work at the pharmacy) but I don't have the right to impose my beliefs on others any more than they have the right to impose their beliefs on me. If I don't like the law, I can fight to change the law so it agrees with my beliefs. I cannot ignore the law for the sake of my morality. That is unamerican.

CF

 
At 10:31 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

1. ==Notice that all the people being blocked from getting their Rx's just happen to be female. And all the people complaining about the new vaccine that could prevent cervical cancer just happen to be concerned that girls might get the vaccine. And Plan B just happens to be the one medication being blocked using extreme and "unique" methods within the FDA.
Funny how men aren't being blocked from purchasing contraceptive medications. Funny how men aren't being denied access to STD treatments. But I guess it would be silly to think there might be a pattern when all the people being discriminated against happen to be members of a particular "minority" group, a group that has been discriminated against for virtually all of human history.==

I know a fair number of guys who would be in pretty dire straights if their girlfriends couldn't get the pill.

=="If they were refusing to serve women, your racism analogy would fit."

Riiight. We let the darkies ride the bus like real people, so it's not racist for us to insist they sit in the back. I guess it's not discrimination to deny certain services to a certain population based on their race or gender. I must have missed the memo on that one.==

It's probably a good thing you probably don't care what I think of you. Can you show any valid comparison between "We let the darkies ride the bus like real people, so it's not racist for us to insist they sit in the back" and refusing to sell birth control? Where did I say that "it's not discrimination to deny certain services to a certain population based on their race or gender."?

==Show me one case of a male trying to fill a contraceptive prescription and being refused. Want to know why you can't find one? Because if a man is buying The Pill it means he has decided that his female may use it. That's perfectly acceptable to the female-haters, unlike when some uppity woman thinks she has the right to block The Manly Sperm.==

Has it occured to you that men don't buy perscription female medication? No?

==Yes, there are some people who oppose birth control but do not hate women. That doesn't change the fact that the agenda against women's health is being waged by people who oppose birth control AND hate women. Quit falling for the pathetic misdirection that they are throwing at you.==

How about instead of saying it over and over you actually explain that claim?

 
At 10:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Ah, CF, believe it or not I'm glad to see you. You and MT are perfectly suited to debate eachother, you seem to have the same style and a similar grasp of facts, so I will bow out and allow this clash of the intellectual champions.

 
At 3:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't want to get in the middle of this (looks like you're having fun, Mike!), but I noticed two things that need correcting:

CF said: "I can't believe anyone would be simple-minded enough to believe that anyone who believes that abortion kills a baby hates women."

This discussion has nothing to do with abortion, CF, it has to do with contraception. Well, I suppose in a way it has something to do with abortion, because the best way to reduce the number of abortions is to increase women's access to contraception.

At any rate, the whole "abortion murders babies" thing is boring. I was hoping I could have a post that mentions contraception without sparking bunch of fetus fetishizing in the comments section, but I guess not...

CF also said: "I don't like Plan B. I think it's wrong. As a result, I would feel guilty handing out the medication."

You do know, of course, that Plan B does not cause abortion. Plan B prevents conception, and abortion occurs after implantation. If you have a problem with abortion then you should be among the strongest supporters of Plan B, since it will prevent abortions from being necessary in the first place.

Or are you saying you oppose Plan B because it will prevent pregnancy?

 
At 5:37 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

MT's a guy? And doesn't Plan B sometimes prevent a fertilized egg from attaching to the uterus (although anyone who says their problem is with late term abortions should prefer that)? That's a real question not an attempt to make a point, I could be thinking of something else.

 
At 8:45 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Author,

'Holiday' Cards Ring Hollow for Some on Bushes' List

By Alan Cooperman
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, December 7, 2005; Page A01

What's missing from the White House Christmas card? Christmas.

This month, as in every December since he took office, President Bush sent out cards with a generic end-of-the-year message, wishing 1.4 million of his close friends and supporters a happy "holiday season."


Many people are thrilled to get a White House Christmas card, no matter what the greeting inside. But some conservative Christians are reacting as if Bush stuck coal in their stockings.

"This clearly demonstrates that the Bush administration has suffered a loss of will and that they have capitulated to the worst elements in our culture," said William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights.

Bush "claims to be a born-again, evangelical Christian. But he sure doesn't act like one," said Joseph Farah, editor of the conservative Web site WorldNetDaily.com. "I threw out my White House card as soon as I got it."

Religious conservatives are miffed because they have been pressuring stores to advertise Christmas sales rather than "holiday specials" and urging schools to let students out for Christmas vacation rather than for "winter break." They celebrated when House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) insisted that the sparkling spectacle on the Capitol lawn should be called the Capitol Christmas Tree, not a holiday spruce.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/06/AR2005120601900.html

 
At 10:34 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Plan B prevents conception, and abortion occurs after implantation."
Plan B also prevents implantation, which occurs after conception. I don't have a problem with preventing conception, only with preventing implantation.

"This discussion has nothing to do with abortion, CF, it has to do with contraception. "

Technically, this is true. In the same way it is true that third trimester partial birth abortion has nothing to do with abortion since the term "abortion" describes the termination of a pregnancy, voluntary or involuntary, when the fetus is incapable of surviving outside the womb. Still, prior to implantation, before pregnancy truly begins, the fertilized egg may have already started to grow. That leads many of us to believe that life has begun and that Plan B is morally the same as abortion.

All that said, this discussion truly has nothing to due with the morality of Plan B either. This discussion has to do with whether or not an individual has the right to ignore certain duties of their occupation, while working for a private company, on the grounds that those duties are morally wrong, despite being completely legal. I believe they do not have that right. My wife works for a credit card company. She was being asked to sell a product that she felt was worthless on a premise that she thought was dishonest. Had she refused to sell that product she would have rightfully been fired. She choose instead to apply for a transfer. Pharmacists can find other places to work if they don't want to perform one of their necessary duties.

-CF

 
At 2:06 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

These noble pharma-martyrs remind me of when Henry David Thoreau demanded that the US pass a law exempting people who objected to slavery and war from paying taxes.

 

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