A new Associated Press article reports the opening of an anti-abortion pharmacy in Chantilly, Virginia. The store, Divine Mercy Care, will not sell contraceptives -- or sodas and candy. Given the prominent displaying of candy in the local drugstores here in Washington, DC, Divine Mercy Care is potentially forsaking a cash cow.
Arlington Biship Paul S. Loverde presided over a ceremony "blessing" the store. Loverde said that the store would "allow families to shop in an environment where their faith is not compromised." I am not a religious expert, but it is not immediately clear to me how merely shopping in a store that sells contraceptives could impact a person's faith. By that logic, going to a hospital could compromise an individual's faith.
I cannot imagine any legal issues this store presents, although similar stores have committed infractions by refusing to fill prescriptions for birth control -- and refusing to transfer the prescription to another store (which seems unethical and illegal). Despite the legality of the store, local abortion rights advocates are organizing a boycott. Given the conservative politics of Chantilly, I am not sure how much business the store will actually lose from the boycott.
Arlington Biship Paul S. Loverde presided over a ceremony "blessing" the store. Loverde said that the store would "allow families to shop in an environment where their faith is not compromised." I am not a religious expert, but it is not immediately clear to me how merely shopping in a store that sells contraceptives could impact a person's faith. By that logic, going to a hospital could compromise an individual's faith.
I cannot imagine any legal issues this store presents, although similar stores have committed infractions by refusing to fill prescriptions for birth control -- and refusing to transfer the prescription to another store (which seems unethical and illegal). Despite the legality of the store, local abortion rights advocates are organizing a boycott. Given the conservative politics of Chantilly, I am not sure how much business the store will actually lose from the boycott.
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