Full service, maybe

Ah, self righteousness!

Recently a woman attempted to have a birth control prescription filled at a downtown Chicago drug store (one that I am VERY familiar with, by the way) but was turned away because the pharmacist on duty had a "moral objection" to birth control.

May I suggest a career change, sweetie?

I have no problem with people having strong moral beliefs.  I like to think that I have a few myself.  But I would think that if I had a moral objection to certain parts of my job, I'd either change my belief on that issue or I'd leave that job.

That's why mothers who concern themselves with making sure their kids have a healthy diet generally do not work at McDonald's.

And yes, I think that is the first time ever I have connected morality to McDonald's.  I'm being a bit extreme.  I know, shocking.

In my time as a manager for a drug retail company, one of the things that amazed me was the reverence that most customers had for pharmacists, especially among the older clientele.  Pharmacists were treated like doctors.  A pharmacist refusing to fill a birth control prescription based on morals could cost a lot of business.

I can only imagine dealing with a situation like this.  The safe thing to do would be to defer to the higher ups and let them handle everything, but I'm sure this customer complained to management right away.  I'm not sure how I would have responded.

But I know I would have rolled my eyes as soon as I was alone, and reached for the antacid.

I'm reminded of this incident by reading this.  The governor of Illinois wants it to be a law that a prescription has to be filled regardless of "moral beliefs."  I'm not sure I agree with that, I don't believe government needs to be involved in everything.

I'd support a law requiring that pharmacist to switch careers though.