Michael Moore Demands Walgreens Boycott Amid Abortion Pill Ban: ‘Be Relentless’
Samantha Bergeson
Documentarian Michael Moore is joining the nationwide boycott of pharmacy chain Walgreens following its refusal to sell abortion pills in 21 states.
Moore announced his support for access to FDA-approved pill mifepristone amid Walgreens adhering to Republican state attorney generals’ threats of legal action if the pharmacy chain made the pill accessible in their respective states, even if by mail, under the Comstack Act of 1873 banning the transportation of “obscene items” in the postal service.
Moore wrote on his website that Walgreens “caved in to threats from the extremist anti-abortion/Forced Birth movement” amid the overturn of Roe v. Wade.
“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,” Moore said. “Every day of our silence since last Thursday is another day of you and I enabling this bigotry and misogyny.”
Moore continued, “Please join with me and others in a NATIONWIDE BOYCOTT OF WALGREENS. They must reverse their decision immediately.”
The “Fahrenheit 9/11” filmmaker criticized the labeling of body autonomy as “obscene,” adding, “Yes, preventing pregnancy was considered ‘obscene!’ Because anything that gives women even a smidgen [sic] of control in their lives was clearly obscene,” Moore added. “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!!”
Moore likened the court’s actions overturning Roe v. Wade to “our Taliban, our Church of England, our Spanish Inquisition,” calling the Supreme Court’s decision a “legal whipping of women” in the United States under the “authoritarian religion” of Christianity.
“We are now forced to fight our way out of this religious ruling where the majority gender in a democracy must shut the eff up and make that fertilized egg into a baby — or else,” Moore said. “Let Walgreens know you have stopped shopping there. 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, “Boycott. March. Picket. Civilly disobey. Write Postcards. Make Calls. Donate. BE RELENTLESS!”
Roe v. Wade was overturned June 24, 2022. Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Jenny Slate, Shonda Rhimes, Jane Fonda, Bette Midler, Michael Imperioli, Elizabeth Banks, Viola Davis, and more industry leaders shared their shock at the Supreme Court decision.
