Day: October 23, 2007

A lot of the opposition to emergency contraception (EC), also known as Plan B–which is being debated now in the PA House of Representatives–comes from the Catholic Church and other religious opponents of abortion. Because I’ve taught a course on Just War Theory, and most of the leading contributors to that theory work in the Catholic tradition, I have some familiarity with Catholic moral thought. And I must say that there is a plausible argument from within that tradition for allowing EC. Catholic just war theory teaches that it is permissible to do evil—that is, kill innocents—provided that one is doing so in a war of self-defense and provided that one is not aiming at the innocents. The doctrine of double effect says that so long as the death of innocents is not the intent of the military action but rather that one intends to strike at a legitimate military… Continue reading

Sometime this week—perhaps as early as tomorrow, although I don’t know for sure—the PA House of Representatives will take up once again HB 288, Daylin Leach’s bill to require hospitals to inform all rape victims about the availability of Plan B also know as Emergency Contraception (EC) or the morning after pill. We need your help to enact this piece of legislation. The bill probably had the votes to win a few weeks ago, but some presumed supporters— including Philadelphia Representatives Donatucci (D-185), Kenney (R-170), J. Taylor (R-177) and D. O’Brien (R-169) agreed to put off the vote for a time in the hopes of finding a compromise that would not incur the wrath of the lobbyists for Catholic Church. Rosita Youngblood (D-198) did not vote. Please act today to encourage these and other legislators to support HB 288, without any damaging amendments. Continue reading