Nuns in the Crosshairs

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TRANSCRIPT

Counterfeit Catholic Xavier Becerra is continuing his attack on religious sisters and Catholic health providers from his new office in the Health and Human Services Department (HHS).

Secretary Becerra is appealing the decision of a North Dakota court that gave the Religious Sisters of Mercy protection from health care insurance that funds gender-transitioning procedures.

Paul Jonna, special counsel and partner for the Thomas More Society, takes a look at the religious freedom case from the outside.

Jonna: "No American should ever be forced to violate his or her conscience, their sincerely held religious beliefs. That's a concept in constitutional law. That's kind of a broad concept, but it's been upheld in a number of different forums whether through legislation or court rulings."

Becerra, as California attorney general, twice failed in 2016 and 2020 in his attempt to target the Little Sisters of the Poor, who similarly did not want health insurance that covered contraception.

During Becerra's HHS confirmation hearing, Becerra repeatedly said he was not specifically targeting nuns.

Becerra: "Our action was against the federal government."

Sen. Ben Sasse: "No,  no, you continued, and you said, 'so that California could administer your program.' What did the nuns do that made it difficult for California to administer that program?"

Becerra: "We were not looking at the actions of the Little Sisters or any other program. Our actions were against the federal government and the way it was applying the laws that existed to California."

Jonna: "We're dealing with radical, left-wing activists who are trying to fundamentally change this country. It just seems to be the strategy of the Left to push and push and push, even when it's clear it is not only unconstitutional, but un-American."

When Biden was campaigning, he presented himself as a devout Catholic guided by the moral upbringing of nuns. Biden, however, expressed dismay when the Supreme Court rejected Beccera's lawsuit involving the Little Sisters in 2020.

Even journalists who don't agree with what religious orders represent see Biden's actions as intolerant and are displeased with the administration.

Jonna: "People react and respond in different ways but, for the most part, people who are in these legal battles are in them because they've decided to resist — they've decided to stand for the truth and to be a witness in this dark and confusing time that we live in."

Religious freedom is expected to be upheld again, but the narrative is being driven that it's religion versus science. However, so-called gender-affirming procedures are anything but scientific.

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