The announcement by Mercy Hospital that it would no longer perform tubal ligations for women causes me great concern. This is not about abortions. This is about birth control.

The church has been emboldened by the Supreme Court ruling Roe v. Wade to attack women’s personal reproductive rights by imposing their religious doctrine on all women – Catholic or not – in a community they claim to serve and offer heath care.

No prohibition on vasectomies? The Catholic Church will not use its doctrine selectively just for women’s birth control. It will attack many other personal rights the church finds not in line with its doctrine (gay marriage, homosexuality). Will this be the church that runs the government? The conservative Supreme Court has already shown its hand in several decided cases in support of religious rights over individual rights.

With U.S. House Rep. Lauren Boebert’s lack of Constitutional and Bill of Rights knowledge, she ignorantly pronounces, “I’m tired of this separation of church and state junk . . . the church should run the government.” Which church does she think that should be? Catholic, Mormon, Islamic, Evangelical, Jewish, Baptist, Unitarian, Christian Scientist?

Danger lurks for each of us when one group has the power to – and certainly will – take the rights of another. Beware, it could easily be your group.

When you vote, be mindful. Religion and government do not belong in medicine and Boebert and “her religion” do not belong in government.

Barbara Morrison

Durango