For my Public Policy class, one of our assignments is to write a Letter to the Editor. I decided to write mine about religious freedom and the Health and Human Services Mandate that would force Catholic hospitals and companies to provide coverage of contraception, sterilization and abortion-incuding pills in insurance plans. Today, Friday the 23, there are tons of rallies taking place across the country from 12-1 P.M. to protest the HHS mandate and rally for religious freedom.

 

I ended up sending my Letter to the Editor into our local newspaper and it got in, which is pretty exciting. Here’s the link to it in case you want to see it online, and I’ll also put the text below. St. Thomas has publicly come out in opposition to the Mandate so I am glad to get behind St. Thomas and support the decision! It can be pretty fun to be a semi-informed citizen. Have a great day, everyone!

 

Mandate is an attack on religion

Lizzy Schmitt

WATERLOO — The Health and Human Services mandate forces all insurance plans to cover sterilization, contraception and abortion-inducing pills. The mandate still includes religious organizations like Roman Catholic hospitals and other companies whose employees are morally opposed to these things. This mandate violates the First Amendment right to the “free exercise” of religion and must be stopped. It is wrong for the government to force anyone to provide something to which one is morally opposed; it’s called the freedom of conscience.

This attack on religion, on morals, on faith, is unprecedented. This is more than abortion or contraception, more than political parties. This is about the fundamental liberty of freedom of religion. The government has gone too far, and we the people need to put a stop to it.

It is time to take action. On Friday, rallies for religious freedom will be held all around the country from noon to 2 p.m. There will be a rally in Davenport, and all of the rally locations can be found at standupforreligiousfreedom.com.

If you cannot attend a rally, you can write to Rep. Bruce Braley, Sen. Charles Grassley or Sen. Tom Harkin to urge them to stand up for religious freedom. The time to act is now.

 

This spring break I am back in Waterloo, hanging out with my parents and visiting family. Yesterday my mom and I went to Ames, Iowa to visit my grandparents, which is always a treat. My Grandma has always been one of my favorite people and my Grandpa, well, he’s just too funny for words. Before I get to some of my favorite Grandpa-isms, here is a brief background.

 

My Grandpa is the former head of a construction company. He’s Mr. Fix-it and we all received pocket knives when we turned 12. Just today he was soldering his pipes together with a blow torch because they were leaking. He’s a meat and potatoes kind of guy and he’s a bit difficult to describe. He just says what he thinks and usually it is hilarious. He’s grumpy in a good-natured, joking way. So here are some of my favorite Grandpa-isms:

 

Scene: We are playing cards (as always) and Grandpa didn’t deal enough cards to everyone.

My brother Michael: “Grandpa, you’re so good at dealing.” (sarcasm)

Grandpa (with his head down, smirking): Shuttup.

 

Scene: We are still playing cards and Michael wants to go use Grandpa’s computer. He asks him for his password.

Grandpa, completely serious: Claw hammer 2.

And then we all laugh hysterically. What a weird password! Only a handyman would think of that.

 

Other sayings: “Great Lands of Fire!” (instead of great balls of fire)

(imagine an exasperated tone) “You buy em the books, send em to school and they tear out the pages!”

My mom remarked that some guy in a picture had long legs. Grandpa: “Long enough to touch the ground!”

While we’re playing cards, I accidentally give mom a card that makes her get 3 of a kind and therefore saves her a bunch of points. Grandpa scolds me for giving her the card.

I say: “Well what do you want me to do, hang onto it and have 10 extra points?”

Grandpa: “Yes. Eat it! For the cause!”

(he is a former Marine)

 

And so these are my Grandpa-isms. Who needs Hawaii when you have him to keep you entertained? I love you Grandpa!

 

I hope everyone out there is having a great spring break, or had a great spring break. Can’t wait to get back for the last quarter of sophomore year!