to think that contraception should be free in America?

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a Facebook friend (I use the term loosely) is ranting on her Facebook status about contraception, complaining that her tax dollars shouldn't be funding contraception, that women should 'close their legs' if they can't afford contraception and anyway sex outside of wedlock is 'immoral' don't ya know. I am seething. I know it's only Facebook, but when I'm faced with such blatant stupidity, I have to say something. She's a Christian Republican Bible Belter, and has had plenty of people agreeing with her, people who I know would be financially much better off with some sort of Obamacare. It defies belief. I cannot understand this attitude.
I commented.. was very very calm and diplomatic, and two people agreed with me, the rest are asking questions such as 'who won the war for you, we wont bother next time?' and other really irrelevant moronic statements like that.
So, anyone got any comments or experience about American healthcare and the contraception issue that I can pass on, or should I step away from the keyboard?!

step away if she's your friend - it won't end well

Step away and hide her status updates but why are you friends with a Fundy nut in the first place

Well to be fair, people in the UK don't take it very well when their arrangements are criticised.

The US has a different culture to the UK, your way is not necessarily the right way and here's the thing, they don't give a fuck what you think.

The vast majority of Americans are very concerned about freedom IMO, sometimes that means freedom to starve and die, but it is freedom nonetheless, they have very little interest in socialism.

Defriend. Simples.

It's an argument you'll never win with a Republican. I too have American friends and one has told me if she's ever in an accident, she hopes she dies, rather than be financially liable for her medical bills for the rest of her life as she can't afford health insurance.

My understanding is that contraception IS free in America providing the person seeking it goes to a free clinic where the choice is poor and options aren't properly discussed. If someone wants more choice/more advice they have to pay. Personally, I think this is appalling as many young, uneducated women, usually from high poverty ethnic minority backgrounds, end up pregnant and then either raising children they cannot afford or risking back alley abortions as, again, they can't afford to have proper procedures carried out. Usually the under educated ones are also religious and therefore wouldn't consider abortion anyway.

America as a country needs to accept that sex outside of marriage happens. They also need to accept that young girls in particular need much more guidance about contraception and that the advice should be free and readily available in ALL areas.

Desperately, that's kind of what I put in response (yours is better written though!). It makes me very angry. I don't know why. Because I'm a woman? And if Americans are so keen on freedom, why do some of these Bible bashing Republicans want to take away a womans freedom to choose abortion, to choose appropriate contraception? It is bonkers.

America has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the world, whereas the Netherlands, where sex education is widespread and widely discussed and where parents freely discuss sex with their children, has the very lowest.

Women (because of course the responsibility lies with women ) simply being told they're 'immoral' and should 'close their legs' works well. Real well.

YANBU and you know it, but good luck with getting that across to her.

Isn't it odd how a large number of people who are against abortion are also against free contraception, and against any kind of welfare state.

If you think that abortion is murder then surely the best way to prevent it is to help people to not get pregnant unless they want to be pregnant. And if someone does get pregnant, make it so that they will find it financially viable to have and raise a child.

It makes me think that these people are not actually that bothered about babies or children or humans (born or otherwise), they just don't like that women have sex without having "consequences".

Defriend her she is obviously very religious and her views upset you.

or at least hide her, what she is saying is a load of rubbish

If you are not an American and don't live in America, she has more right to an opinion on what happens in America than you do, no matter what it is.

It is not up to people living in the UK to decide what Americans spend their tax money on.

Americans do need to be reminded that they didn't win the war for us though. We only got into the war because we were brave enough to stick our necks out and stand up for people in other countries. Something they didn't bother to do until they were attacked themselves, and even then had to be persuaded into it.

It is free, in free clinics.
However in America no medication is free, it is paid by health insurance or out of your pocket.

As much as it might piss some people off, nobody has more right to an opinion.

It is not up to people living in the UK to decide what Americans spend their tax money on.

There's a big difference between deciding and simply having an opinion.

I can have opinions on all sorts of things that I have no possibility of changing.

I will probably defriend her when Mitt Romney has lost the election and she's posting scathing updates about Obama

Of course they do! We (in the uk) have more right to an opinion that actually carries some weight in the UK than someone who lives in America does.

An opinion is only an opinion, but as some are listened to and some are not, then that's what actually makes a difference.

some Americans genuinely believe that if you work hard enough, you will gain decent healthcare.

They genuinely believe that if one is without healthcare of any sort, it is up to them to fix it/work harder.

This is a very common feeling, it originally came from a good place: ie everyone should be able to able to have anything they want.

Cool as that is, it can not possibly extend to healthcare.

I must reiterate though, its just some Americans ~ I don't have anyone in my American family that thinks that way. I know (of course) there are millions of others! :)

I would go with her right wing way of looking at things. Say It cheaper to fund contraception than a lot of poor kids need food aid, and then grouing up to vote Democrat.

I've heard real horror stories of women with my conditions (severe Endomtriosis and very prone to Endometiomas/PCOS) being denied birth control -which is treatment FFS- by employers because it goes against their religious beliefs.

and the USA has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the developed world. The highest.

Is she a real friend or just someone you have friended through FB?

I'd have to defriend just to keep my stress levels down!

not a real friend, someone I met through a dog lovers forum.

I'd just defriend then.

I would imagine that you will end up reading a lot of things that you find offensive!

oh god, yes. She's anti gay marriage, anti immigration, anti abortion.. and is always making thinly veiled racist comments.