State Attorney General to Speak at Religious Liberty Rally

On Friday, Attorney General Sam Olens will speak at a rally protesting mandatory birth control provision, as part of a larger protest movement in favor of religious liberty. 

The rally, hosted by Catholic group , is part of the larger Stand Up For Religious Freedom movement. The organization is protesting a birth control mandate issued by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department which would require employers to provide free birth control as part of their health insurance coverage.

The HHS mandate would apply to religious institutions. It has been criticized by some religious organizations as an affront to religious liberty. The Obama Administration has announced that religious employers can alternatively opt-out of the plan, which would require the insurer to pay instead. However, that alternative is not favored by all critics. Some Catholic groups have filed lawsuits against the mandate.

Heather Gardner, who organized the Athens rally, said Stand Up for Religious Freedom believes the HHS mandate violates the First Amendment. She's a Catholic from Jefferson.

"I think the official position of the coalition is we are concerned about religious liberty," Gardner said. "For me, personally, I don't think it's right for any government to require that employers give you any kind of health insurance. Having access to something doesn't mean having it paid for by someone else. At some point people in this country are going to have to take responsibility for themselves."

The mandate is part of an effort to increase contraceptive access to women, but only applies to women with insurance. Katy Janousek, sexual health coordinator at the , said there are several local sources for free or reduced cost birth control.

"The Clarke County Health Department has been advertising free or low-cost birth control. They've really been all over radio and buses, advertising free contraceptives," Janousek said. "In Athens Clarke County we have the Teen Matters clinics, and they offer contraceptives for teenagers. There're two clinics in Athens and they're across from the high schools. They also have free condom machines outside the buildings too. There are a lot of ways, even without insurance, that you can access contraceptives."

Gardner said the event would include a panel with several other speakers, which will include lawyers, religious leaders and professors.

"We have a professor from a Baptist college who is going to talk about how ministries who are not Catholic are going to be affected by this," she said. "We have a lawyer who's going to be talking about the legal aspect. And we've got two religious leaders. We have a Catholic deacon and a priest from the Greek Orthodox Church."

Olens was invited to speak by the group because of his involvement in Georgia's opposition to the Affordable Care Act, which mandates the HHS.

"Georgia is one of 27 states challenging the constitutionality of the health care law in general," she said. "So he really is uniquely qualified to speak on this issue."

Gardner said the rally is one of many being held on Friday across the country in anticipation the U.S. Supreme Court's impending decision on the constitutionality of the ACA. More rallies may follow later in the year, depending on the Supreme Court's ruling.

"If the health care law is struck down, there's really no reason to rally," Gardner said. "However, if Obamacare is left intact you can expect another rally or two before November."

The rally is scheduled for noon in front of The R.G. Stephens Federal Building downtown. Participants are encouraged to bring family and children.

"The more people who come out to the Athens rally and the rallies scheduled all around the country, the more we'll get coverage in the media and more likely it is the Supreme Court will take notice of what we're saying, which is 'You're stepping on our rights. We need our religious liberties,'" Gardner said.