[Quick1]

If a pharmacy OWNER is to be COMPELLED to do something that he/she believes is grossly immoral, or even a crime, aren't we saying that pharmacists, unlike every other category of American, have no right to actually live and work according to their conscience?

No pharmacy owners have been compelled to sell birth control. We're talking about EMPLOYEES here. It would be like a video store employee who wouldn't sell porn because of his moral beliefs, even though the store owner stocks it, and the employee knew about it before being hired.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I agree that an employee has to do the job or seek a different employer. This is a private employment issue; it does not require new legislation.

What this article deals with, is an attempt by the state to coerce, not only individual pharmacists, but pharmacies (businesses) to fill all prescriptions for contraceptive and abortive devices.

The governor of Illinois is prepared to deny licenses to these "conscientious objector" pharmacists AND pharmacies.

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Ill. Pharmacies Required to Fill Prescriptions for Birth Control

By Kari Lydersen

Special to The Washington Post

Saturday, April 2, 2005; Page A02 CHICAGO, April 1 -- Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich (D) issued an emergency rule Friday that requires pharmacies to accept and fill prescriptions for contraceptives without delay, after a growing number of complaints nationwide that some pharmacists are refusing to dispense birth control pills and the "morning-after" pill.

He also established a toll-free number that residents can call to report refusals by pharmacies.

(Emphasis added by me) ------------------------------------------------------------

This is state coercion on a private business and an attempt to coerce conscience. To use you analogy, it would be more like the state saying that every video store must service the customers' desire to buy porn; either by selling the porn, or possibly by making a referral only to a conveniently-located porn store for same-day service.