The Freedom From Religion Foundation’s TV ad currently playing around the country, countering the Catholic bishops’ war against contraception, remains timely and current after today’s decision by the U.S. Supreme Court upholding the Obama administration’s Affordable Care Act.
FFRF is countering the bishops’ “Fortnight for Freedom” June 21-July 4 with a historic TV ad campaign featuring a 30-second spot by actress/playwright Julia Sweeney:
“Hi, I’m Julia Sweeney, and I’m a cultural Catholic. I am no longer a believer and I even wrote a play about it called “Letting Go of God.” But I wanted to let you know that right now Catholic bishops are framing their opposition to contraceptive coverage as a religious freedom issue. But the real threat to freedom is the bishops, who want to be free to force their dogma on people who don’t want it. Please join the Freedom From Religion Foundation and help keep church and state separate. [FFRF's name, toll-free number and website are displayed throughout the ad.]
The ads will continue through July 4 on an impressive variety of national TV shows, mainly news-oriented, airing regionally to about 42 million viewers whose carriers include Dish, DirecTV, Cox, Comcast, Verizon and Viamedia. Shows include first-run and reruns of shows hosted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper, MSNBC’s Chris Matthews and Rachel Maddow, “Mythbusters,” and even Comedy Central’s “Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report.” Other stations include LOGO, Discovery, Science and WE (Women’s Entertainment).
FFRF produced the TV ad in direct response to the Catholic bishops’ posturing as victims of religious persecution, while working to limit female employees’ access to contraception. In August, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is scheduled to expand preventive care to provide FDA-approved contraceptives without charging female employees a co-pay. The bishops claim their “religious liberty” is jeopardized by this guideline, even though they and all churches and denominations are explicitly exempted from providing this benefit to their own employees.
The bishops have orchestrated federal lawsuits against the Obama administration’s mandate, involving 43 Roman Catholic institutions, most of them dioceses.