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(New Hartford, NY – July 24, 2014) Local advocacy group CNY Citizens in Action held a demonstration against the Supreme Court’s decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc, and Hobby Lobby’s corporate policies regarding their workers’ healthcare choices.

About 25 people attended the demonstration, held on Thursday, July 24 at 6 p.m. on the sidewalk alongside Hobby Lobby’s Commercial Drive location in New Hartford. CNYCIA members displayed their opposition to the Supreme Court’s decision to allow the craft store chain to disregard portions of the Affordable Care Act, which state that their health insurance must cover contraception.

CNYCIA said that this decision sets several dangers precedents.

“We feel that corporations are not people, and as such cannot prescribe to a particular religion,” said CNY Citizens in Action member Trinh Truong. “Not only does this decision take us another step closer to labeling corporations as ‘people,’ this decision opens the floodgates in terms of what employers are now allowed to do based on their ‘religious convictions.’”

CNYCIA members also feel that this is another blow to women’s rights. “Women earn their insurance as a condition of employment,” said CNY Citizens in Action member Diane Berry. “The insurance plan belongs to the employee, not the employer. Women should be free to spend their insurance dollars how they see fit, without interference from their boss.”

Another point CNYCIA makes is that more than a million American women use contraception for health reasons other than preventing pregnancy. They argue that the CEO of Hobby Lobby is not a doctor, and does not fully understand the medical necessity of contraception or why a doctor may prescribe certain forms over others.

“Due to a family history of cancer, the only viable method of contraception I can use is the IUD,” said CNYCIA member Amy Francisco. “If my employer refused to cover it, it would cost me a month of wages to pay for the device and the procedure to install the device.”

Visuals included colorful signs, banners and American flags.

 

By martha

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