Monday, December 17, 2012

"Papa Says It's Safe": 20 Astounding Gun Ads | Mother Jones

"Papa Says It's Safe": 20 Astounding Gun Ads | Mother Jones:

'via Blog this'

Anonymous Hacks The Westboro Baptist Church: Posts All Their Personal Information

Anonymous Hacks The Westboro Baptist Church: Posts All Their Personal Information:

'via Blog this'

A few minutes after the original commentary was published, The Inquisitr received an email from a sender who claimed to represent Anonymous. The email is similar in content to many other “official” Anonymous emails and we decided to share it with our readers. The email included the following statement:
“Just hacked Westboro’s site. Freedom of speech is one thing. But freedom to hate is another. A domain such as “godhatesfags.com should not exist despite rumblings of members picketing Sandy Hook. Those families have enough anguish to deal with.”

XYY syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

XYY syndrome - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

'via Blog this'

During the late 1960s, geneticists, sociologists, and others began looking atprison populations to see if XYY men were disproportionately represented. (Note: Patricia Jacobs was lead author on the most famous paper about XYY, “Aggressive behavior, mental sub-normality and the XYY male,” and for this reason XYY is also called Jacobs syndrome.) Many people asserted that not only did XYY men commonly have violent criminal tendencies — the biochemist Mary Telfer characterized them as “perhaps too highly sexually motivated” — but that such males could be diagnosed by physical and mental traits, which included tall stature, long limbs, facial acne, mild mental retardation, and aggressive behavior.

Soledad tells gun advocate: Newtown residents would ‘be stunned by you’ | The Raw Story

Soledad tells gun advocate: Newtown residents would ‘be stunned by you’ | The Raw Story:

'via Blog this'

Even as Lott pointed to Germany as an example of gun laws going awry, supporters of regulation are saying Australia — which has seen no mass shootings since the country banned semi-automatic weapons in 1996 — provides a better example for re-configuring U.S. gun policy. The ban was inspired by the Port Arthur Massacre, in which a 28-year-old man killed 35 people with several semi-automatic rifles.
However, even his country’s success in curbing gun violence, former Australian Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer told ABC News Austraila Monday, hasn’t helped him sell that message to his American counterparts

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Charlie Brooker's Newswipe 25/03/09 - YouTube

Charlie Brooker's Newswipe 25/03/09 - YouTube:

'via Blog this'

Bartlesville High School student arrested in school-shooting plot | Tulsa World

Bartlesville High School student arrested in school-shooting plot | Tulsa World:

'via Blog this'Sammie Eaglebear Chavez attempted to recruit students in the school cafeteria on Wednesday to help him carry out a massive school shooting and bombing plot, police allege in a court affidavit.
Prosecutors charged Chavez later Friday with planning, attempting or conspiring to perform an act of violence. District Judge Curtis DeLapp set Chavez’s bail at $1 million.
The charge says Chavez intended to cause serious bodily harm or death to other students.
“Sammie tried to recruit other students to assist him with carrying out a plan to lure students into the school auditorium where he planned to begin shooting them after chaining the doors shut,” Bartlesville Police Lt. Kevin Ickleberry wrote in the affidavit, which was filed in Washington County District Court.
“He also told them that if the students assisting him did not do what they were supposed to do, he would not hesitate to kill them and/or himself.”
Police were notified of the plot Thursday afternoon by school administrators who had been told of the alleged plan by another student, the affidavit states. Chavez had told the students he would place bombs by the auditorium doors and that when police arrived, he would detonate them.
As police conducted their investigation, officers learned that Chavez had told a teacher last week that he’d bought a Colt .45 gun and had spent the weekend shooting it, the affidavit says.
Chavez, who had been attempting to obtain a map or diagram of the high school facilities, had been using a school computer to search for information on a Marlin Model 99M — a .22-caliber rifle on a machine gun platform, the affidavit states.
Students had witnessed Chavez researching the Columbine High School massacre and reading online letters that were written in the aftermath of the April 1999 shooting, which killed 12 students and a teacher in Littleton, Colo, as well as the two shooters. A student also had witnessed Chavez looking at a website on how to build pipe bombs, the affidavit states.
Bartlesville Public Schools issued two alerts to parents on Friday, stating that administrators were informed of a rumor in which a current student “was planning to potentially harm students and staff at Bartlesville High School. School administrators took the information extremely seriously and informed the Bartlesville Police Department of the alleged plan.”

According to Victoria Jackson 20 kids murdered in a school shooting is just like abortion

According to Victoria Jackson 20 kids murdered in a school shooting is just like abortion:

'via Blog this'Victoria_Jackson

Urban Dictionary: angry white man

Urban Dictionary: angry white man:

'via Blog this'
1.Angry White Man288 up169 down
The Angry White Man. The Angry White Man comes from all economic backgrounds, from dirt-poor to filthy rich. He represents all geographic areas in America, from urban sophisticate to rural redneck, deep South to mountain West, left Coast to Eastern Seaboard.

His common traits are that he isn’t looking for anything from anyone — just the promise to be able to make his own way on a level playing field. In many cases, he is an independent businessman and employs several people. He pays more than his share of taxes and works hard.

The victimhood syndrome buzzwords — “disenfranchised,” “marginalized” and “voiceless” — don’t resonate with him. “Pres ‘one’ for English” is a curse-word to him. He’s used to picking up the tab, whether it’s the company Christmas party, three sets of braces, three college educations or a beautiful wedding.

He believes the Constitution is to be interpreted literally, not as a “living document” open to the whims and vagaries of a panel of judges who have never worked an honest day in their lives.

The Angry White Man owns firearms, and he’s willing to pick up a gun to defend his home and his country. He is willing to lay down his life to defend the freedom and safety of others, and the thought of killing someone who needs killing really doesn’t bother him.

The Angry White Man is not a metrosexual, a homosexual or a victim. Nobody like him drowned in Hurricane Katrina — he got his people together and got the hell out, then went back i...
more...
2.angry white man245 up143 down
1. Any white man who is angry due to racial inequality based upon his being white.
2. Any white male who, upon discovery, is upset about anything having to do with other races begging for money or credibility based upon their race alone, or offenses committed against their race generations ago.
Blacks expecting money for slavery so that they may purchase ever-bigger rims for their stolen Cadillac make me an angry white man
Hispanics expecting welfare and SSI because they are here illegally and cannot feed their families make me an angry white man
3.Angry White Man148 up145 down
Someone from a demographic that has the majority of Senators, Law Enforcement officials, Congressman, State Governors, Judges, the top richest people in society, the majority of management positions, yet still thinks he's oppressed because you won't let him call you nigger.

Usually ends up sending letter bombs or killing and eating the women who won't sleep with his bitter, self-righteous ass.
Example:

Angry White Man: How come I have to pay you slave reparations?

Average black person: You've never paid slave reparations.

Angry White Man: How come I have to pay this illegal immigrant?

Average black person: because you hired him.

Strange Gods: The Religious Right’s Offensive Response To The Tragedy In Connecticut | Americans United

Strange Gods: The Religious Right’s Offensive Response To The Tragedy In Connecticut | Americans United:

'via Blog this'If this isn’t your God, or if you’re one of the many Americans who recognize no God, you must speak out against offensive Religious Right foghorns like Huckabee and Fischer. You must challenge those who exploit sorrow for political gain.

Friday, December 14, 2012

Adam Lanza Picture Photo | Connecticut CT Shooting | Mediaite

Adam Lanza Picture Photo | Connecticut CT Shooting | Mediaite:

'via Blog this'

School shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

School shooting - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:

'via Blog this'

2010s

  • February 27, 2012: Chardon, Ohio T.J. Lane, 17, took a .22-caliber pistol and a knife to Chardon High School and fired 10 shots at a group of students sitting at a cafeteria table, killing 3 and wounding 2.[56]
  • August 27, 2012: Baltimore, Maryland Robert Gladden, 15, allegedly took a double barrel shotgun to Perry Hall High School and shot a 17 year old senior with Down syndrome in the lower back.[57][58]
  • September 26, 2012: Stillwater, Oklahoma Cade Poulos, 13, shot himself in the head right before classes started at Stillwater Junior High School.[59]
  • November 30, 2012: Christopher Krumm, age 25, offender in Wyoming school shooting with bow and arrow, 1 teacher, 1 relative and self.[60]
  • December 14, 2012 (Newtown, Connecticut school shooting) Adam Lanza, age 24, killed 20 children and 7 adults, including his mother who worked at the school, before committing suicide.


  • March 21, 2005: Jeff Weise, 16 year old offender in Minnesota school shooting. Fatalities include 1 teacher, 5 students, 1 security guard, 2 relatives.[55]
  • November 8, 2005: Kenny Bartley, age 15, offender in Tennessee school shooting with 1 principal fatality.[55]
  • 2000–2001 (19 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]
  • 2001–2002 (4 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]
  • 2002–2003 (14 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]
  • 2003–2004 (29 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]
  • 2004–2005 (20 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]
  • 2005–2006 (5 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]
  • 2006–2007 (38 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]
  • 2007–2008 (3 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]
  • 2008–2009 (10 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)[citation needed]

[edit]

1990s

 
From the late 1980s to the early 1990s, the United States saw a sharp increase in guns and gun violence in the schools. According to a survey conducted by The Harvard School of Public Health,[51] "15% [of students surveyed] said that they had carried a handgun on their person in the past 30 days, and 4% said that they had taken a handgun to school in the past year," a sharp increase from just five years earlier. By 1993, the United States saw one of the most violent periods in school shooting incidences.
  • May 1, 1992: Olivehurst, California Eric Houston, 20, killed four people and wounded 10 in an armed siege at his former high school. Prosecutors said the attack was in retribution for a failing grade.
According to the National School Safety Center, since the 1992-1993 U.S. school year there has been a significant decline in school-associated violent deaths (deaths on private or public school property for kindergarten through grade 12 and resulting from schools functions or activities):[52]
  • 1992–1993 (44 Homicides and 55 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)
  • 1993–1994 (42 Homicides and 51 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)
  • 1994–1995 (17 Homicides and 20 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)
  • 1995–1996 (29 Homicides and 35 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)
  • 1996–1997 (23 Homicides and 25 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)
  • 1997–1998 (35 Homicides and 40 Deaths resulting from school shootings in the U.S.)
  • 1998–1999 (25 Homicides from school shootings in the U.S.)
  • 1999–2000 (25 Homicides from school shootings in the U.S.)
According to the U.S. Department of Education, in the 1998-1999 School Year, 3,523 Students (57% High School, 33% Junior High, 10% Elementary) were expelled for bringing a firearm to school.[53]
The late 1990s started to see a major reduction in gun related school violence, but was still plagued with multiple victim shootings including;
  • January 12, 1995: Seattle Washington A student left school during the day and returned with his grandfather's 9mm. He wounded two students. The incident is portrayed in the documentary Cease Fire.[citation needed]
  • February 2, 1996: Moses Lake, Washington Two students and one teacher killed, one other wounded when 14-year-old Barry Loukaitis opened fire on his algebra class.[54]
  • February 19, 1997: Bethel, Alaska Principal and one student killed, two others wounded by Evan Ramsey, 16.[54]
  • October 1, 1997: Pearl, Mississippi Two students killed and seven wounded by Luke Woodham, 16, who was also accused of killing his mother. He and his friends were said to be outcasts who worshiped Satan.[54]
  • November 27, 1997: West Palm Beach, Florida Conniston Middle School 14-year-old John Kamel was fatally shot in the chest at 8:40 a.m. outside school on a sidewalk by 14-year-old Tronneal Mangum after an argument over an Adidas watch that Mangum had taken from Kamel.[citation needed]
  • December 1, 1997: West Paducah, Kentucky Three students killed, five wounded by Michael Carneal, 14, as they participated in a prayer circle at Heath High School.[54]
  • December 15, 1997: Stamps, Arkansas Two students wounded. Colt Todd, 14, was hiding in the woods when he shot the students as they stood in the parking lot[54]
  • March 24, 1998: Jonesboro, Arkansas Four students and one teacher killed, ten others wounded outside as Westside Middle School emptied during a false fire alarm. Mitchell Johnson, 13, and Andrew Golden, 11, shot at their classmates and teachers from the woods[54]
  • April 24, 1998: Edinboro, Pennsylvania One teacher, John Gillette, was killed and two students wounded at a dance at James W. Parker Middle School. Andrew Wurst, 14, was charged.[54]
  • May 21, 1998: Springfield, Oregon Two students killed, 22 others wounded in the cafeteria at Thurston High School by 15-year-old Kip Kinkel. Kinkel had been arrested and released a day earlier for bringing a gun to school. His parents were later found dead at home, shot to death by their son[54]
  • June 15, 1998: Richmond, Virginia One teacher and one guidance counselor wounded by a 14-year-old boy in the school hallway[54]
  • May 20, 1999: Conyers, Georgia Six students injured at Heritage High School by Thomas Solomon, 15, who was reportedly depressed after breaking up with his girlfriend[54]

[edit]2000s

A TEACHER SHOT DEAD. - View Article - NYTimes.com

A TEACHER SHOT DEAD. - View Article - NYTimes.com:

'via Blog this'

Fuck The Second Amendment, Twenty Children Are DEAD | The Political Garbage Chute

Fuck The Second Amendment, Twenty Children Are DEAD | The Political Garbage Chute:

'via Blog this'"…children are among those reported dead. In fact, the story I linked to says that “many” of those shot were children. Many. Many children shot. Just one child lost is a tragedy unto itself. but twenty is a nightmare and a black-eye on this country."

Why God, Family and Tradition Do Not Equal Happiness | Alternet

Why God, Family and Tradition Do Not Equal Happiness | Alternet:

'via Blog this'The countries with the highest birth rates aren't just highly religious; they're poor, have abominable human rights records and lack access to reliable birth control. Contrary to New York Times columnist Ross Douthat's position , it is not in fact the country with the most babies that wins: if that was the case, Nigeria would be running the show.
Despite the clear correlation between reproductive rights and prosperity, the report's author, joined by conservative commentators, laments the decline in childbearing because, as David Brooks says , it represents a rise of individualism and personal freedom – and that's a bad thing. Brooks writes:
"People are not better off when they are given maximum personal freedom to do what they want. They're better off when they are enshrouded in commitments that transcend personal choice – commitments to family, God, craft and country."

Thursday, December 13, 2012

It’s on: Elizabeth Warren versus Wall Street

It’s on: Elizabeth Warren versus Wall Street:

'via Blog this'

And now Warren sits on the committee responsible for such regulation and oversight. As one hedge fund manager recently lamented: “At exactly the time that big banks don’t want more oversight — or another potentially activist regulator — that’s what they’re getting,” Or, as Andy Kroll recently put it: “Big banks versus Elizabeth Warren: It’s on (again).”
Warren’s appointment to the committee is likely to anger some top Republican Senators who hate her relentless push for more oversight and have crusaded against her consumer protection bureau as an example of oppressive liberal governance. Indeed, some Republican Senators even joined Wall Street in lobbying against her appointment to head that bureau. Now she sits among them, and is likely to get into spirited fights with them over future battles involving Wall Street regulation. Indeed, some progressives see her as a good counterbalance to Dems on the committee who might be overly solicitous towards Wall Street, too.

Number of Fla. lawyers under investigation for foreclosure-related wrongdoing grows | Foreclosure Fraud - Fighting Foreclosure Fraud by Sharing the Knowledge

Number of Fla. lawyers under investigation for foreclosure-related wrongdoing grows | Foreclosure Fraud - Fighting Foreclosure Fraud by Sharing the Knowledge:

'via Blog this'

Florida Bar President Mayanne Downs predicts some Florida attorneys will pay the ultimate professional price for foreclosure-related wrongdoing – disbarment – as investigations mount statewide.
“It’s the death penalty of the legal profession,” said Downs, who spoke to The Palm Beach Post’s editorial board this week about legislative proposals affecting the courts and the state’s ongoing foreclosure tumult.
The bar, which is responsible for investigating complaints of attorney misconduct, has 222 foreclosure fraud cases open on 157 lawyers.
Those numbers are up from the end of 2010 when there were just 69 cases pending on 48 lawyers.
While specifics of the cases are not public, complaints generally about the handling of foreclosures have included knowingly forged signatures on court documents, bad notarizations on assignments of mortgage and shortcuts taken that led to illegal home repossessions.

NPR | As Number Of Foreclosed Homes Grows, So Does Mold | Foreclosure Fraud - Fighting Foreclosure Fraud by Sharing the Knowledge

NPR | As Number Of Foreclosed Homes Grows, So Does Mold | Foreclosure Fraud - Fighting Foreclosure Fraud by Sharing the Knowledge:

'via Blog this'As huge numbers of foreclosed homes continue to work their way through the real estate pipeline, another problem is blossoming — mold.
In most homes, as residents go in and out and the seasons change, natural ventilation sucks moisture up to the attic and out through the roof. It’s called the “stack effect.” And in many parts of the country, it’s driven by air conditioning in the summer and heat in the winter.
But no one is going in or out of most foreclosed homes — regardless of climate — and the effects can be devastating.
In some states, it’s estimated that more than half of foreclosed homes have mold and mildew issues. Realtors across the country say they’re seeing the problem in everything from bungalows to mansions.

THRIVE: What On Earth Will It Take? | True Activist

THRIVE: What On Earth Will It Take? | True Activist:

'via Blog this'

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Twinkie CEO Admits Company Took Employees Pensions and Put It Toward Executive Pay | Alternet

Twinkie CEO Admits Company Took Employees Pensions and Put It Toward Executive Pay | Alternet:

'via Blog this'

(All the people who are bitching about other people getting "entitlements" should probably shut up. I know so many people who had their pensions stolen and wound up relying exclusively on Social Security. People who fail secure put down people in lesser jobs or with no job, and then in the end so many end up the same way. Basically the story says Twinkie screwed it's employees, big-time.)

Badge Abuse: Judge Impregnates Witness | Spread Liberty News

Badge Abuse: Judge Impregnates Witness | Spread Liberty News:

'via Blog this'"by Shannon Jones
Sometimes it is overlooked that police officers and sheriff’s deputies are not the only employees of the criminal justice system who have the capacity to abuse their power.
Judge Wade McCree, 3rd Circuit Court Judge in Michigan, has made headlines twice: once after sending a shirtless picture of himself to a court bailiff, and most recently for impregnating a witness.
The witness, Genine Le’Shay Mott, has come forward with hundreds of text messages from the judge proving that the two had an affair. After she found out that she was pregnant, the judge texted her urging her to have an abortion; the text reads, “You’ll get whatever you want 4 it.”
Mott and McCree met when she came to court seeking child support from her ex. She states that they had sex in his judicial chamber. Even more shocking is that he let her have a say in the sentence her ex-faced in court.
McCree: “OK, The math will be based on his failures since being placed on probation, but if U’r right, the threat of jail will loosen his purse strings!”
Mott: “OK, So let’s go with what you proposed… Go 2 jail (150 days), release upon payment of $1,500. Or get a tether and bring back w/n 30 days $2,500 or serve 9 months! Bonus: Pay w/n 30 days, remove tether. Now back 2 us … what are we doin’ after court Thursday?”
The ex that is spoken of in the above messages did in fact, go to jail.
McCree and Mott’s relationship ended after his wife found out about the pregnancy. McCree then filed a complaint with the Wayne County prosecutor, saying that Mott was stalking him. The prosecutor refused to bring up charges against Mott because of a lack of evidence.
McCree could face a criminal complaint for obstruction of justice, as well as repercussions for his misconduct, which may entail the loss of his job. He already has a censure on his background for the picture he sent to his fellow employee.
Image Reference
http://madamenoire.com/41441/career-advice-for-aspiring-african-american-lawyers/gavel/"

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

Pharmacy Refusals 101 | National Women's Law Center

Pharmacy Refusals 101 | National Women's Law Center:

'via Blog this'PRESCRIPTION CONTRACEPTION IS BASIC HEALTH CARE FOR WOMEN
  • Family planning is central to good health care for women.  Access to contraception is critical to preventing unintended pregnancies and to enabling women to control the timing and spacing of their pregnancies.  Contraceptive use in the United States is virtually universal among women of reproductive age.  A woman who wants only two children must use contraception for roughly three decades of her life.  Also, women rely on prescription contraceptives for a range of medical purposes in addition to birth control, such as regulation of cycles and endometriosis.
  • Emergency contraception (EC), also known as the morning after pill, is an FDA-approved form of contraception that prevents pregnancy after sexual intercourse.  EC is a time-sensitive medication that has great potential to prevent unintended pregnancies.  Currently, there are several options for emergency contraception available, one that requires a prescription and three that are available without a prescription for individuals 17 and older.
REFUSALS TO DISPENSE CONTRACEPTION ARE INCREASING
  • Reports of pharmacist refusals to fill prescriptions for birth control—or provide EC to individuals who do not require a prescription—have surfaced in at least twenty-four states across the nation, including: AZ, CA, DC, GA, IL, LA, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NH, NY, NC, OH, OK, OR, RI, TN, TX, VA, WA, WV, WI.
  • These refusals to dispense prescription contraceptives or provide EC are based on personal beliefs, not on legitimate medical or professional concerns.  The same pharmacists who refuse to dispense contraceptives because of their personal beliefs often refuse to transfer a woman’s prescription to another pharmacist or to refer her to another pharmacy.  These refusals can have devastating consequences for women’s health.
  • Despite the fact that three brands of EC are available without a prescription to certain individuals, refusals based on personal beliefs are still a problem.  Non-prescription EC must be kept behind the counter, so individuals seeking it must interact with pharmacists or other pharmacy staff who may have personal beliefs against providing the drug.
  • Some examples of refusals in the pharmacy:
    • November 2010: Adam Drake attempted to purchase non-prescription EC at a Walgreens in Houston, Texas and was turned away, despite the fact that the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved that brand of EC for sale to men and women aged seventeen and older.
    • March 2010: A pro-life pharmacy refusing to stock or dispense contraceptives in Chantilly, Virginia closed due to lack of business.  When it opened in October 2008, staff at the pharmacy refused to provide referrals or help individuals find contraception elsewhere.
    • January 2010: A mother of two in Montclair, California went to her local CVS to purchase EC after she and her fiancĂ© experienced a birth control failure. The pharmacist refused to dispense EC to her, even though it was in stock, and told her to “come back in two and a half days,” at which point it would no longer be effective.
    • May 2007: In Great Falls, Montana, a 49-year-old woman who used birth control to treat a medical condition went to her local pharmacy to fill her latest prescription.  She was given a slip of paper informing her that the pharmacy would no longer fill any prescriptions for birth control.  When she called back to inquire about the policy change, the owner of the pharmacy told her that birth control was “dangerous” for women.
    • January 2007: In Columbus, Ohio, a 23-year-old mother went to her local Wal-Mart for EC.  The pharmacist on staff “shook his head and laughed.”  She was told that even though the store stocked EC, no one on staff would sell it to her.  She had to drive 45 miles to find another pharmacy that would provide her with EC.
    • December 2006: In Seattle, Washington, a 25-year-old woman went to her local Rite-Aid to get non-prescription EC after she and her fiancĂ© experienced a birth control failure.  The pharmacist told her that although EC was in stock, he would not give it to her because he thought it was wrong.   The woman had to repeatedly insist that the pharmacist find her another pharmacy in the area that would provide her with EC.
    • January 2006: In Northern California, a married mother of a newborn baby experienced a birth control failure with her husband.  Her physician called in a prescription for EC to her regular pharmacy, but when she went to pick it up, the pharmacist on duty not only refused to dispense the drug, which was in stock, but also refused to enter the prescription into the pharmacy’s computer so that it could be transferred elsewhere.
    • January 2005: In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a mother of six went to her local Walgreens with a prescription for emergency contraception.  The pharmacist refused to fill the prescription and berated the mother in the pharmacy’s crowded waiting area, shouting “You’re a murderer!  I will not help you kill this baby.  I will not have the blood on my hands.”  The mother left the pharmacy mortified and never had her prescription filled.  She subsequently became pregnant and had an abortion.
    • April 2004: In North Richland Hills, Texas, a 32-year-old mother of two went to her local CVS for her regular birth control prescription refill.  The pharmacist refused to refill her prescription because of his personal beliefs.  The pharmacist said he would not fill the prescription because oral contraceptives are “not right” and “cause cancer.”
    • January 2004: In Denton, Texas, a rape survivor seeking EC was turned away from an Eckerd pharmacy by three pharmacists, who refused to fill the time-sensitive prescription due to their religious beliefs.  The pharmacists’ refusal put the survivor in danger of becoming pregnant due to the rape.
THE LEGAL LANDSCAPE: WHAT GOVERNS THE PRACTICE OF PHARMACY?
  • The laws governing pharmacists vary from state to state.  Pharmacists must abide by state laws and regulations, which are written by the state legislature and the state Pharmacy Board.
  • The laws and regulations in most states do not specifically speak to the issue of pharmacist refusals based on personal beliefs.  States that provide general guidance about when pharmacists may refuse to dispense tend to limit the reasons for such a refusal to professional or medical considerations—such as potentially harmful contraindication, interactions with other drugs, improper dosage, and suspected drug abuse or misuse—as opposed to personal judgments.
  • Many pharmacist associations that have considered this issue, including the American Pharmacists Association, have issued policies requiring that patient access to legally prescribed medications is not compromised—for example by either filling valid prescriptions or transferring them to another pharmacist who can.  Although such policies are not legally binding, they encourage pharmacists to meet consumers’ needs.
LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSES TO REFUSALS IN THE PHARMACY
Fewer than half of the states in the country explicitly address the issue of refusals to provide medication to patients in the pharmacy.
Prohibiting or Limiting Refusals
  • Existing State Laws and Policies:
    • Eight states—CA, IL, ME, MA, NV, NJ, WA, WI—explicitly require pharmacists or pharmacies to provide medication to patients.  In April 2011, a court prevented the Illinois regulation from being enforced against two pharmacists and the pharmacies they own; the decision is being appealed.  In February 2012, a court prevented the Washington regulation from being enforced against two pharmacists and a pharmacy; the decision is being appealed.
    • In seven states—AL, DE, NY, NC, OR, PA, TX—pharmacy boards have issued policy statements that allow refusals but prohibit pharmacists from obstructing patient access to medication.
Permitting Refusals
  • Existing State Laws and Policies: Six states—AZ, AR, GA, ID, MS, and SD—have laws or regulations that specifically allow pharmacies or pharmacists to refuse for religious or moral reasons without critical protections for patients, such as requirements to refer or transfer prescriptions.
PUBLIC OPINION
  • According to surveys, the public is overwhelmingly opposed to allowing refusals in the pharmacy that prevent women from obtaining contraception. 
    • A national survey of Republicans and Independent voters conducted in September and October 2008 on behalf of the National Women’s Law Center and the YWCA found that 51% strongly favor legislation that requires pharmacies to ensure that patients get contraception at their pharmacy of choice, even if a particular pharmacist has a moral objection to contraceptives and refuses to provide it. That includes 42% of Republicans and 62% of Independents.
    • In a national opinion survey released in July 2007, which was conducted for the National Women’s Law Center and Planned Parenthood Federation of America by Peter D. Hart Research Associates, 71% of voters said that pharmacists should not be allowed to refuse to fill prescriptions on moral or religious grounds, including majorities of every voter demographic such as Republicans (56%), Catholics (73%), and evangelical Christians (53%).  Even more respondents (73% overall) supported requiring pharmacies to dispense contraception to patients without discrimination or delay.
    • A poll conducted in May 2007 by Lake Research Partners found that 82% of adults and registered voters believed that “pharmacies should be required to dispense birth control to patients without discrimination or delay.”
    • An August 2006 poll conducted by the Pew Research Center on People and the Press found that 80% of Americans believe that pharmacists should not be able to refuse to sell birth control based on their religious beliefs.  This was true across party lines and religious affiliations.  Particularly notable was the poll’s finding that “No political or religious groups express majority support for this type of conscience clause.”
    • A November 2004 CBS / New York Times poll showed that public opinion disfavoring pharmacist refusals was strong regardless of party affiliation.  78% of Americans believe that pharmacist refusals should not be permitted, including 85% of Democrat respondents and 70% of Republican respondents.
HOW TO RESPOND TO A REFUSAL IN THE PHARMACY
  • File a complaint with your state’s pharmacy board to get sanctions against the pharmacist or pharmacy.
  • Communicate your story to the press.
  • Ask the state pharmacy board or legislature to put in place policies that will ensure every consumer’s right to access legal pharmaceuticals.
  • Alert the pharmacy’s corporate headquarters; many of the major pharmacy chains have policies that protect women’s right to receive contraception in store, without discrimination or delay.
  • Get EC today, before you need it!
If you have had trouble getting your prescription for EC or birth control pills filled or getting non-prescription EC, please contact the National Women’s Law Center at 1-866-PILL-4-US orinfo@nwlc.org.