Religious freedom rally June 8

A rally for religious freedom is planned from noon to 1 p.m. June 8 at the bandstand in Fairfield Central Park on the square.

Similar rallies will take place simultaneously in Des Moines, Davenport and nation-wide as concerned Americans gather in response to the Health and Human Services mandate.

The rallies, ?Stand Up For Religious Freedom? are a grassroots movement of citizens taking a stand to raise awareness about the Health and Human Services mandate and its threats to religious freedom, according to organizers.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services website, www.hhs.gov, the mandate, set to begin Aug. 1, requires all health insurance plans to ?provide a full range of the Institute of Medicine?s recommended preventative services, including all Food and Drug Administration?s approved forms of contraception. Women will not have to forgo these services because of expensive co-pays or deductibles, or because insurance plan doesn?t include contraceptive services.

?Nonprofit employers who, based on religious beliefs, do not currently provide contraceptive coverage in the insurance plan, will be provided an additional year, until Aug. 1, 2013, to comply with the new law.?

Supporters of the religious freedom rally object to the requirement for ?abortion-inducing drugs, contraceptives and sterilization procedures, in employers? insurance plans, even if it is contrary to the organization?s religious teaching.?

It is important to note, according to supporters, the issue is not about preventing women from having access to contraception, nor even about preventing the government from providing such services. The issue is the government compelling religious organizations to provide these services.

Lawsuits were filed by 43 religious institutions in federal court on May 21 against the Obama Administration over the Health and Human Services mandate.

More information is available online at www.StandUpForReligiousFreedom.com.