Stand Up for Freedom rally is this Friday at noon: be there!
By Jenifer Bowen
Des Moines-On Friday, June 8, as the United States Supreme Court prepares to issue its ruling on the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare), concerned citizens of Des Moines will rally at the Iowa State Capitol to voice public opposition to the Health and Human Services Mandate.
The HHS Mandate forces all employers-including religious schools and hospitals to provide free contraceptives, surgical sterilizations and abortion-inducing drugs through their health plans, regardless of religious or moral convictions.
The Des Moines Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally will begin at 12 noon at Iowa State Capitol, West Terrace, 1007 East Grand Avenue, joining over 150 other cities and towns from Maine to Hawaii that are participating in this national event. A complete list of rally sites and other details are available at www.StandUpRally.com.
The June 8 Stand Up Rally builds on the tremendous momentum created by the first Stand Up Rally held on March 23, with over 63,000 citizens of all faiths attending local rallies in 145 cities. The June 8 Stand Up Rally is expected to draw even larger crowds.
The Des Moines Rally guest speakers will include Monsignor Bognanno of Christ the King Parish and community and religious leaders of several faiths.
What: Stand Up for Religious Freedom Rally
When: Friday, June 8, 12 noon to 1 pm
Where: Iowa State Capitol, West Terrace, 1007 East Grand Avenue
Who: Local citizens opposed to the HHS Mandate
The date for the Stand Up Rally was chosen to highlight the HHS Mandate’s unconstitutional infringement of religious freedom, coming just weeks before the highly anticipated Supreme Court ruling on Obamacare, expected at the end of June.
“If Obamacare is ruled unconstitutional, we must ensure that religious freedom will be protected in subsequent health care legislation” explained Jenifer Bowen, Executive Director of Iowa Right to Life. “If Obamacare is not struck down, we will be sending the federal government a clear message that the faith-based institutions and private businesses affected by the HHS Mandate here in Des Moines will not violate their consciences by complying with it.”
Bowen emphasized that the Stand Up Rally has nothing to do with access to contraception. “There is no ‘war on contraception’ in our country. Contraception is already widely, cheaply available. What is really under attack today is religious freedom.”
The June 8 Rally coincides with the 223rd anniversary of the day James Madison introduced the Bill of Rights to the 1st Congress, including what would become the First Amendment. “We’re standing up for the First Amendment and demanding that all our health care laws respect religious freedom,” Bowen affirmed.
[For more information, please contact Jenifer Bowen, 515.419.7246, outreach@iowaRTL.org . See also StandUpRally.com]