Whoopi Goldberg made it clear that Walgreens should “be scared” of the women in the country, after the national pharmacy chain announced that they would abstain from selling or shipping abortion pills in 21 states.
Twenty-one Republican state attorney generals threatened Walgreens and competitors CVS, Walmart, and Costco, with federal legal action if they distribute abortion medication Mifepristone to consumers through the mail.
“[M[any people are not aware that federal law expressly prohibits using the mail to send or receive any drug that will ‘be used or applied for producing abortion,’” the AGs wrote in a joint letter.
“Although many people are unfamiliar with this statute because it has not been amended in a few decades,” they explained.
“The text could not be clearer: ‘every article or thing designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion … shall not be conveyed in the mails.’”
“And anyone who ‘knowingly takes any such thing from the mails for the purpose of circulating’ is guilty of a federal crime,” the letter concluded.
In response to the many threats, Walgreens announced that it would not sell abortion pills at their pharmacy locations or by mail in 21 states, despite the medication still being legal in some of them.
“This is a very complex and in flux area of the law, and we are taking that into account as we seek certification,” company spokesperson Fraser Engerman told the New York Times.
The pharmacy chain explained that they plan to become federally certified to dispense the drug through the FDA, and will do so once approved and “where it is legally permissible,” in a letter issued to Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach.
On Thursday’s episode of “The View,” co-host Whoopi Goldberg warned the nationwide pharmacy that they should be more fearful of pissing off the women of the U.S., rather than less than two-dozen lawmakers.
“Twenty-one Republican attorneys general have threatened legal action against Walgreens if they mail abortion pills in their states, citing a federal law that they claim prohibits it,” Goldberg began.
“But the U.S. Justice Department disagreed, saying, ‘It’s okay to mail these pills as long as the drug is taken lawfully.’”
“So Walgreens, are you just scared of all these old white men who are coming after you? Don’t be scared of them, be scared of the women,” she cautioned.
“Because when women decide that you have stepped on their rights, you have to pay attention to that.”
Goldberg claimed that the GOP Attorney Generals used a 150 year old law to rattle Walgreens.
She was likely referring to the Comstock Act of 1873, which “made it illegal to send “obscene, lewd or lascivious,” “immoral,” or “indecent” publications through the mail.”
The legislation also made “writings or instruments pertaining to contraception and abortion,” illegal, even if the materials were written by physicians.
“Women had no rights. Couldn’t vote, barely could go down the street,” she concluded.
“But hey, that’s what they scared them with and they caved to that,” she concluded about Walgreens.
Liberal California Governor Gavin Newsom tweeted that the state was through with the pharmacy chain after they bowed to pressure from the GOP AGs.
“California won’t be doing business with @walgreens — or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women’s lives at risk. We’re done,” he wrote on Twitter.
Filmmaker Michael Moore issued a blistering call to boycott Walgreens on his website.
“This decision by Walgreens to further cement women’s status as second-class citizens must be met forcefully by each and every one of us.”
“Every day of our silence since last Thursday is another day of you and I enabling this bigotry and misogyny,” he wrote.
“Please join with me and others in a NATIONWIDE BOYCOTT OF WALGREENS. They must reverse their decision immediately.”
Moore also cited the Comstock Act of 1873, which he blamed for the “aggressive tactics” used by the group of state Attorney Generals.
“Yes, preventing pregnancy was considered ‘obscene!’ Because anything that gives women even a smidgen of control in their lives was clearly obscene,” he continued.
“It was illegal for them to own property, to have their own bank account, to get a loan — and, god forbid, to decide if they wanted to be pregnant or not! Obscene!!”
He called for followers to make sure Walgreens, their competitors, and the federal government know that the issue will hit their bottom line and affect GOP politicians at the polls.
“Let Walgreens know you have stopped shopping there,” he encouraged.
“Let the other pharmaceutical chains know you’ll do the same to them if they follow Walgreens’ lead. Picket your local Walgreens.”
“Tell the White House to stand strong, and let your members of Congress know this is one of your top issues in deciding how you will vote next year,” Moore concluded.