Infringement Of Religious Liberty

During the "Fortnight of Freedom," we may want to consider a little religious persecution even worse than forcing an employer to pay for a health insurance policy in which contraceptives are covered.

June 25, 1976:

Missouri Governor Kit Bond issues an executive order rescinding the Extermination Order, formally apologizing on behalf of the state of Missouri for the suffering it had caused to the members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Missouri Executive Order 44, also known as the "Mormon Extermination Order" (alt. exterminating order) in Latter Day Saint history, was an executive order issued on October 27, 1838 by the governor of Missouri, Lilburn Boggs. The directive was issued in the aftermath of the Battle of Crooked River, a clash between Mormons and a unit of the Missouri State Guard in northern Ray County, Missouri, during the so-called "Mormon War" of 1838. Insisting that the Mormons had committed "open and avowed defiance of the laws", and had "made war upon the people of this State," Boggs precipitously directed that "the Mormons must be treated as enemies, and must be exterminated or driven from the State if necessary for the public peace—their outrages are beyond all description."
While the order is often referred to as the "Mormon Extermination Order" due to the phrasing used by Boggs, relatively few people were killed as a direct result of its issuance. However, the state militia and other authorities used Boggs' missive as a pretext to expel the Mormons from their lands in the state, and force them to migrate to Illinois. Mormons did not begin to return to Missouri until 25 years later, when they found a more welcoming environment and were able to establish homes there once more. In 1976, citing the unconstitutional nature of Boggs' directive, Missouri Governor Kit Bond formally rescinded it.

Nothing like forcibly removing people from their property because you don't like their religion.   While I understand that the bishops don't want to pay for something they are opposed to, but do Quakers have to pay their taxes even if the money goes to fund wars?  I'm guessing the answer is yes.  The Amish got out of Social Security taxes, but it was a damn big fight.  As for the Catholic Church, it just seems like the wrong fight to pick at the wrong time, but I think the bishops don't realize how badly this fight bothers a fairly large minority of the laity.