Huckabee Challenges Obama's Contraceptive Mandate With 'Hobby Lobby Appreciation Day' -- Are You Taking Part?

You may remember that, at the heat of the debate over Chick-fil-A and its stance over gay marriage last summer, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee emerged as a prominent figure who offered support to the fast-food chain. His "Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day" brought hundreds of thousands of supporters out to take a stand in favor of the embattled evangelical-led company. Huckabee is following up on the success of his Chick-fil-A endeavor by promoting a new initiative -- "Hobby Lobby Appreciation Day."

On Thursday, the Fox News host took to his Facebook page and web site to urge supporters to stand behind the craft store chain in its ongoing battle against the Obama administration's controversial contraceptive mandate. As TheBlaze previously reported, Hobby Lobby is refusing to comply with the president's morning after pill mandate, risking potential fines of up to $1.3 million per day.

Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (Photo Credit: Getty Images)

Due to the fact that the craft chain and religious bookseller Mardel Inc. (both owned by the Green family, evangelicals who stand opposed to the mandate) are not faith-based institutions, they are not exempt from the government's force-of-hand on the contraceptive front. Late last month, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor denied Hobby Lobby's request for an inunction on the measure while a lawsuit is ongoing, meaning that the company has no protection against potential federal ramifications.

Now, Huckabee is coming alongside the company -- and urging others to do the same. Here's what the former governor wrote about "Hobby Lobby Appreciation Day" on his official web site:

Hobby Lobby is a respected and very successful business that is privately owned by a family who have sought to honor God in their personal lives and in their business. Their generosity to missions, to the relief of poverty around the world, to Christian education, and to their employees is legendary and exemplifies the kind of business principle that should be applauded and appreciated.

Instead they are having to fight in court for the most basic American rights of freedom of religion and freedom of speech. The Obama administration insists that companies like Hobby Lobby bow their knees to the God of government health care mandates, even when those mandates are a clear and direct contradiction to their personal beliefs of faith. [...]

We will stand with them in their resistance. For we will either stand together or fall together. I choose to stand. What about you?

Customers walk into a Hobby Lobby Thursday, Nov. 1, 2012, in Dallas. An arts and craft supply chain that wants to block enforcement of part of a new health care law that requires employers to cover insurance costs for the morning-after pill and the week-after pill is heading to court. (Photo Credit: AP)

Huckabee encouraged those interested in taking part to show their devotion to the company by logging on to StandWithHobbyLobby.com, an online initiative that was launched by a man named Joe Grabowski. As of 4:00 p.m. E.T. on Friday, there were more than 40,000 Americans signed on to join in on the "Hobby Lobby Appreciation Day."

A screen shot from the "Hobby Lobby Appreciation Day" Facebook page

Supporting the company, though, goes beyond simply joining a Facebook initiative. Grabowski explains: "On Saturday, January 5th, all Americans who value freedom of religion and oppose the HHS Mandate's unfair impositions upon religious individuals and corporate entities are called upon to show their support for Hobby Lobby by shopping either at their local retail Hobby Lobby store or online."

--

Related:

• Hobby Lobby: Go Ahead and Fine Us, We Won’t Comply With ‘Morning-After’ Mandate
• Supreme Court Justice Refuses to Block Morning-After Pill Provision in Obamacare
• 585,000+ Sign Up for Mike Huckabee’s ‘Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day’ Today — Are You Joining In?