In which Linda praises Wal-Mart, and the blogosphere tries not to pass out from the shock

I am all about acknowledging when someone -- the enemy, if you will -- who is consistently wrong actually breaks from tradition and does something right.

And this is a big one! One of the "W" enemies. (I have noticed they tend to be "W"s...Wal-Mart, "Dubya" Bush, etc...)

Wal-Mart has committed in writing to a nationwide Emergency Contraception policy, in which it will stock EC and dispense it without discrimination and without delay. (see: this Planned Parenthood blog)

Now, it is important to note a few things. There may still be problems getting emergency contraception at Wal-Mart, as there have been in the past. Additionally this policy only promises to stock the over-the-counter version when "one or more" customers has requested it. However, they have committed to make the prescription and any number of prescribed/requested refills of the prescription or the over-the-counter product available without refusal, harassment, etc. by the pharmacists, without regard to their personal feelings about birth control.

The most distressing thing of all? With this move Wal-Mart joins CVS, Eckerd's, Walgreens, Rite Aid, and Kmart among others in committing to protect women's health and access to birth control. But Target -- Target!! of all places! -- has not yet made the commitment.

I, however, am part of Planned Parenthood's "Pill Patrol," a nationwide effort to make this happen by contacting our local Target stores.

No, this hasn't changed my opinion about the other insidious crap Wal-Mart does/has done (of which crap there is much). But I am all about acknowledging when they do something right. (I would acknowledge when Dubya Bush did something right, too, if he ever did.)

I am very pro-EC. I myself have taken Plan B, also known as "the morning-after pill," and so totally not to be confused with the so-called "abortion pill," as Plan B is simply a high-dose hormone pill, kind of like The Pill amplified. It is a very high dose of levonorgestrel. It, similar to the regular daily birth control pill, works by preventing release of an egg from the ovary, or preventing fertilization of a released egg or attachment to the uterus, but not by interrupting a pregnancy if an egg is already attached. It won't cause an abortion. You can learn more here. I am very pro-knowledge about contraception, too. I was fortunate to have a doctor who prescribed it in Massachusetts as well as helpful CVS pharmacies there, and more recently to have it available at the Hofstra Wellness Center. I don't usually share such personal information on my blog. But I am very, very pro women's health and women's contraceptive choices. Some other big ones we have to work on, besides Target, are Safeway and Winn-Dixie.

Here's to Wal-Mart doing something good, Jesus rising, chocolate bunnies, and other Easter miracles.