I don’t care what religion Santorum is, really he can be a Catholic, non-denominational Christian, Jewish, Muslim or whatever he’s interested in. However, I do care not to have anyone’s religion shoved down my throat. I do not care to subscribe to the Catholic theology, a hierarchy that has traditionally hung women out to dry in terms of safety and human value in general. I’m also not particularly happy about how this church concealed thousands of child rapes, praying on young souls should they speak up in any way, all while working together in a conspiracy to keep their actions under the radar. Their male-importance is stifling and offensive, which is why I left their church many years ago. I certainly don’t want to be forced to live by the Catholic church rules. I think my religion should be my choice, not the choice made for …me by the President of the United States.

 

I also don’t think that Rick Santorum is qualified to talk to me or any other woman about birth control or any other health issue; he’s not a doctor. Nor do I think it is appropriate for a group of all-male right-wing congressional and religious leaders to determine how to best constrain my reproductive health and freedom. I think such concerns are adequately covered by my doctor and me.

 

Santorum’s narrow view of how the world “should work” is completely and thoroughly out of touch with reality and with a large portion of the citizens of the United States. Anyone who claims they want “less government” should think twice about voting for a man who is clearly on a mission to remove rights and force women to live by his Catholic, stifling beliefs. Anyone who is a financial conservative needs to wonder why insurance companies would be more than willing to collect a higher premium from faith-based organizations to not offer birth control, and then hand out free contraception (because providing contraception is cheaper). People running for office who want to restrict our reproductive health options by limiting or removing birth control as a health care option for hard-working American women clearly are not for women’s rights, nor do they have a good plan to get the US back to a balanced budget.

 

The discussion has moved from pro-choice and anti-choice abortion, it’s now about trying to control women’s lives and limit their sexual freedom. Comments and jokes like “put an aspirin between your knees” as a means for contraception are about as backward thinking and insulting as anyone can be. Having this discussion, even throwing around such a ridiculous “joke” while we’re trying to climb our way out of the financial Bush mess is about as clueless as ever. Does Santorum really think that removing birth control from working-women’s health insurance options will somehow help the economy? Does he think women will go back to letting the man decide things for them? Does he think we want to give up our jobs, our passions, our missions and live by his suffocating theology? Just as a matter of reference, 98% of Catholic women don’t live by the Catholic rules. I hardly want to join that 2% bandwagon. I can’t help but wonder why Santorum would they think the rest of us would be so willing to give up our access to reproductive health care if people in his own church aren’t willing either.

 

Santorum doesn’t like the idea of women in combat, a real insult to our heroic women who have been fighting in our wars. He also doesn’t like the idea of women working period. He thinks women belong at home, cleaning after and cooking meals for their husbands and kids, having sex only for the purpose of procreation. Today’s women are not interested in going backward, we like our choices. And we like having sex for fun, just like men do. OMGosh what a sin! I might have blushed at such an admission in my 20s, but I make no apology for stating my opinions today. Santorum needs to stay out of the bedrooms of the American people. He needs to understand that trying to control and limit reproductive freedom of American women is a big giant mistake while women can still vote (ratified not even 100 years ago). He might have won the anti-choice abortion issue, but his views on contraception are a giant leap from abortion issues, and it directly affects 99% of American women, not just those crazy liberal Democrat women. Republican women use contraception too. And men are happy not to have to chip in on child support en masse. Teen pregnancies are down for a reason. Does Santorum think they’re all going to church and putting aspirin between their knees? Hell no, they’re getting information and they’re getting contraception.

 

Santorum is totally out of touch with the American people. Vote him in now and Obama will win by a landslide. Of course, that’s just what I want.