We are all warriors now…
This Covid-19 virus is a dire threat to the health and well being of the entire country.
Each day, each hour there is a new body count and New York City is now the epi-center of the virus.
Here, in New York, we are struggling to receive much needed ventilators and PPE (personal protective equipment) from the Federal Government to go to our Hospitals. Over 30,000 retired doctors and nurses have volunteered to go in and help.
Choices, as a licensed surgery center, has been deemed an essential facility by the State and is still operating doing abortions, seeing our pre-natal patients and some gynecological visits that are essential.
We have also offered our operating Rooms to our back up Hospital a few blocks away to help them deal with the overflow of the critical patients with Covid-19.
A two front war
In the midst of this panic, anxiety and pressure on all of us, we now have to battle a two-front war — not only against the virus but against the “antis” — who have now weaponized this pandemic to lock down their anti-woman policies. They are actually putting forward the argument that abortion is “not an essential service”.
Abortion is not an essential service?!
The right to Choose is a constitutionally protected right thru Roe V. Wade.. and has the unique character of being the only right that requires the direct intervention of a licensed medical provider to make it a reality. Which is why the Hyde Amendment (denying Medicaid funds for abortion) is such a betrayal of this right as well as a major discriminatory vehicle against minority poor and young women.
I despair for the women of Ohio and Texas — who I am sure will now have to either bear a child against their will — (a definition of slavery), push back their abortions to the second trimester — which has been fully documented as far riskier than first trimester abortions, and as a result will have far fewer doctors are available to do them.
Because of the fact that so many medical schools have not taught abortion techniques, that abortion has been made into a pariah and as such are done in individual facilities’ without the support — collegially medically and professionally of the community, many of the doctors who are doing abortions are in the “high risk” age category — (two of our Choices doctors are over 70 — so they cannot even come into the clinic!)
Once again, women will try dangerous “home abortion remedies” which have killed thousands in the past and will continue to do so now.
And of course — women who cannot access abortions in Texas and Ohio are not going to be able to travel to other states to get them.
IT IS A PERFECT STORM FOR WOMEN — AND A PERFECT STRATEGY FOR THE FUNDAMENTALIST RIGHT WING!
BUT THE EMPORERS HAVE NO CLOTHES, NO COMPASSION AND NO MORALITY.
Now we see them in the full light of their ideology.
I am so proud of my staff, who are at Choices with their necessary precautions — the ones at home who are doing whatever is necessary to keep going — financially legally regulatorily-creatively and all of us who are now called to further work and sacrifice.
It is now — here — in this time and place that we are being tested..
Be a Warrior
But remember — there are many ways to do battle.
Please do what you can — this is not the time for guilt or to feel inadequate! — keep safe and remember each one of us can be a teacher and role model for those who we interact with.
Merle Hoffman
Founder/President,
Choices Women’s Medical Center
