Phoenix's more religulous politicians and individuals gathered outside the Sandra Day O'Connor Federal Building in Phoenix today to complain about a real burning issue -- women not getting pregnant.
This was billed as a "religious freedom rally" -- coinciding with rallies going on in cities across the country -- to protest the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services directive for employer healthcare plans to cover, among other things, contraception.
This is just devil-speak to Herrod, her lapdog legislators, and the largely older group of people who showed up to be preached to on the issue.
The speakers, including Herrod, state Representative Debbie Lesko, Catholic Bishop Thomas Olmsted, anti-abortion ob-gyn William Chavira, and Congressional candidate Wendy Rogers, among others, all brought along the same drivel about the "attack" and "war" on religion that's supposedly being waged.
Chavira says he personally is under attack by the government for some reason he didn't go into detail about, but added that he only plays by the rules of the Catholic Church, if you'd like to take that into consideration before scheduling an appointment.
Chavira went on to explain that he's a "true feminist" because he plays by the church's rules, and said he doesn't understand why there's no public uproar over this HHS directive like there was for the swine flu epidemic or the trapped West Virginia coal miners.
Lesko touted her bill that Governor Jan Brewer signed into law, which allows "religiously affiliated employers" to refuse covering contraceptives in their insurance coverage -- apparently a real high priority to these folks.
Also spotted at the event was Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery, who apparently decided to engage in a little religious activism at noon on a Friday.
Long story short, we went to find out what the actual objection to the directive is, and all we got were glares for not bowing our head for prayers or singing along to the National Anthem.