Plan B

23. And now We wish to speak to rulers of nations. To you most of all is committed the responsibility of safeguarding the common good. You can contribute so much to the preservation of morals. We beg of you, never allow the morals of your peoples to be undermined. The family is the primary unit in the state; do not tolerate any legislation which would introduce into the family those practices which are opposed to the natural law of God. For there are other ways by which a government can and should solve the population problem—that is to say by enacting laws which will assist families and by educating the people wisely so that the moral law and the freedom of the citizens are both safeguarded.

Alright, so with this part in the Pope's piece, I thought of the Plan B pill. What I took out of this paragraph is the Pope preaching the public not to allow giving the people "those practices" such as the pill, condoms, the Plan B pill, and others, which would hinder the natural law of God. The Pope doesn't want those type of things being publicly advertised as ways to help not get people pregnant. There had been some controversy over the idea of changing the rule that people 17 and younger need a prescription to obtain the "morning after" pill. This is another contraception pill that women can use the morning after if something went wrong (condom broke, forgot to take their birth control pill) that will prevent a fertilized egg from attaching the uteran wall if taking within 72 hours of the act. People have an issue with the idea of the pill was to be over-the-counter for women of all ages who could get pregnant. I believe it's because we have a problem with thinking of a young 13 year old having sex and worrying that she is pregnant, therefore going and buying the pill. We don't want to think of someone so young becoming pregnant and raising a child when she herself is a child. I feel that for those reasons, it is okay to have contraceptives. If a girl is not on the birth control pill or using a condom and something bad happens, she should have that other option to get the Plan B pill, which one would be able to right now, just with the embarrassment and shame of her parents when she has to go get a prescription for it. One thing that isn't working for the Pope in this paragraph is when he mentions that there are other ways in which we can solve this problem: enacting laws and educating people. People in this world are being educated about sex and ways to be safe, but obviously the people aren't listening. I feel that it is our right to choose when we want to follow that "natural law of God" and have kids. We should be able to use contraceptives such as the Plan B pill and birth control. We aren't hurting anyone, we are just prolonging a process that can be achieved at any time, when you want it to happen.