Today 43 Catholic agencies filed suit in 12 different federal courts over the federal mandate requiring employers to cover contraception in their health insurance policies. The Catholic Church claims that they are being denied their right to freedom of religion.

Of course, I acknowledge that we absolutely do live in a country where we have a first amendment right to freedom of religion that should protect people who honestly take religious issue with having to pay for another person’s birth control. However, I also recognize that free exercise of religion also means protection from religion. Those who voted against, and successfully denied the Blunt Amendment understand that the federal mandate doesn’t ask anyone to pay for anybody else’s birth control. So let’s lay that myth to rest right here and now. The federal mandate simply ensures that women and men are treated equally when offered employee wage and benefit plans.