Held yarn doubled.

Here’s my letter to Senator Scott Brown R MA:

Dear Senator Brown,

Enclosed is a gift for you in recognition of your vote for the Blunt amendment, a knitted uterus and fallopian tubes of your own. Crafters all over the country are creating these and other representations of female anatomy to send to U.S. elected officials who attempt to dictate personal health care decisions for women.

We want to call attention to our concerns about the present debate over women’s healthcare, specifically that we are tired of decisions about our bodies and healthcare being made without our participation or consent.

Introducing the so-called ‘conscience objection’ amendment was a transparent attempt to frame limitations on women’s self-determination in health decisions as a ‘freedom of religion’ issue. It’s not.

• Scientologists don’t believe in mental illness, yet there seems to be no question of Scientology-affiliated organization being permitted to eliminate coverage for prescriptions or therapy to treat mental illness.

• Jehovah’s Witnesses-run organizations cannot refuse to pay for insurance to cover blood transfusions.

• Christian Scientists cannot refuse to offer health insurance at all.

Can you cite any examples of the conscience exemption that are not related to women’s reproductive health?

The First Amendment states that:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Nowhere does it state that individuals have the right to impose their religious beliefs on others. If someone thinks contraception is wrong, they don’t have to use it – the ability to make decisions about care for our own bodies is a fundamental human right.

I look forward to voting against you in November.

Sincerely,

Kathleen Sweeney