While young boys and girls can walk into a pharmacy and purchase condoms, the new HHS policy, which allows women and girls of any age to purchase "Plan B" emergency contraception, is throwing the Christian right into a total tizzy. After the Obama administration lowered the Plan B age (in violation of a court order which mandated that the drug be available to all ages) to 15, Fox's "The Five" whined that this would encourage "promiscuity"; and, according to the vehemently anti-choice Eric Bolling, would "cover up rapes." In other words, young girls who are sexually abused need to have that baby as evidence for the prosecution. Now that the HHS has complied with the court order, this morning, on Fox & Friends, "Pro-life Media Luminary, Laura Ingraham, provided yet another iteration of the crazy talk with her commentary that Plan B encourages rape and sexual abuse. True story!
On the grownup morning MSNBC "Morning Joe" show, both a medical doctor and Dr. Howard Dean spoke in favor of this policy which with Mika Brzezinski had problems. But there was no voice of reason on Fox & Friends which was a platform for more anti-Obama propaganda and Fox patented "outrage" based on "bogus medical facts."
Wall of genius Steve Doocy said that "the Obama administration has, extraordinarily, has said that girls of any age and, actually men as well, could have access to the morning the morning after pill..." His voice rising to the requisite propaganda screech he added "plus no parental consent as well."
Fact Check - The Obama administration was complying with a court order to immediately make the two-dose medication available. The administration is still appealing age restrictions for one dose emergency contraception. Doocy didn't mention that.
Laura Ingraham responded that "it's a good deal for pedophiles, good deal for people who commit statutory rape against young girls." She whined that "if mothers and fathers across this country hear this and I guess my daughter, or her boyfriend, or her rapist, can go out to a pharmacy and get a bunch of, you know, hormone pills to give a little girl, we don't really know the long term effect of spiking or dropping...a little girl's hormonal levels." In the middle of her screed, Doocy said "nope."
Fact Check - The FDA, based on studies, has established that the pills are safe.
Ingraham asserted that "it's outrageous" because "they can't get their ears pierced, they can't take an Advil at school without parental permission, yet they can go into a pharmacy in this brave new world of women's equality and quote reproductive health and get a morning after pill." She opined that it "empowers men who want to abuse women." Gretchen Carlson said that "you still have to sign and show a drivers' license for Sudafed; so go figure." Figure this, Gretch -the reason why you're carded for Sudafed is because it can be used for the manufacture of meth and as such, can't be sold to children. Plan B has nothing to do with the manufacture of addictive drugs.
Reality Check - While ideally, teens should be communicating with their parents, not all teens have the type of family structure or dynamics where that is possible. And the reality is that teens are having sex. But the idea that this "empowers" rapists is totally ludicrous given that men have been raping young girls for centuries - without the availability of Plan B. In other words, rapists are gonna rape, Plan B or no Plan B. Does Laura Ingraham actually think that the existence of Plan B will unleash a whole new crop of child abusers who, heretofore, were under control? I guess Ingraham doesn't know that when women, who have been raped, go to hospital emergency rooms, they are offered Plan B - even in some Catholic hospitals. And does she actually believe that raped teens should give birth to their rapists' babies? Her false analogy to the permission for Advil thing is also ridiculous as that involves children in schools which do have some responsibility for the child's health. Plan B, over the counter, has nothing to do with school but is a personal choice. (EWWW)
Laura Ingraham and her friends on the curvy couch should take heed of what a real teen says about access to Plan B: "This is a matter of life and death for teens. As a teen myself, I want to be able to go into relationships informed and with the tools I need to make healthy decisions. This should not be a big request. We all have the right to choose if and when we become parents—no matter our age."
The masses should inquire the Fox “News” frauds their age when they first had sex. Ms. Laura won’t answer that question for obvious reasons.