Hobby Lobby Protest

Posted by Nicholas Beckman in Santa Fe

On Oct. 6, members of various political and social activists groups met in front of the Hobby Lobby on Cerrillos Road to protest the company’s lack of support for female contraceptives and Plan-B coverage on the company’s  health insurance.

“I think corporations should stay out of women’s bedrooms,” said Becky Langford, vice president of Santa Fe National Organization of Women (NOW).

Center, Christine Winfield of Santa Fe, attempts to block a Knights of Columbus pro life banner on Cerillos road on Wednesday Oct 6, 2014. Photo by Luke E. Montavon/The Jackalope

Langford went on to explain the hypocrisy of Hobby Lobby’s allowance of certain contraception and not others. In addition to the company denying Plan B, aka, the “morning after pill,” Hobby Lobby also denies the IUD, which Langford described as “the most favored by pediatricians for teens to prevent pregnancy.”

Steve Green, president of Hobby Lobby, argues that these birth control methods are a form of abortion. In an interview with MSNBC where Green was questioned about a recent briefing wherein a field of medical professionals deemed such contraceptive devices as non abortion-causing, Green responded, “We want to not be forced to become an abortion provider by freely providing products that take life.”

The protest began at 5:30 p.m. and quickly drew crowds from members of various organizations across Santa Fe including the Santa Fe Atheist Community as well as pro-life members of the Santa Fe Knights of Columbus.

“We’re here to show support for hobby lobby and their efforts.” said Hubert Pino of SF Knight of Columbus as he prepared his counter-protest banner reading: “Life: the greatest gift of all.”