Dear President Trump,
Two of my favorite gals were in your hood last weekend. Did you see them? How about the estimated half million protestors that marched in DC? Did you hear them? Last Saturday, protestors in many cities, Chicago, New York, Boston, LA, Kalamazoo, Austin, Seattle, Madison, Cincinnati and more, expressed their concern with you in your new job. Did you contemplate how to connect to them? They are also the American people that you have vowed and reiterated your commitment to serve.
One of your attributes seems to be loyalty. Your first week on the job seems to reinforce this. You are dedicated to the people who voted for you. You already moved on some of your campaign promises to dismantle OBamaCare, to build a wall and to renegotiate NAFTA. You’ve also spent a significant amount of energy on the inauguration crowd count and voter fraud by “millions.” You have definitely been busy!
I want to draw your attention back to the Women’s March. The Resistance is millions of American women (and men)that are concerned that you don’t care about them. Some of the uneasiness is the uncertainty around women’s healthcare under your administration. Your impact on women’s health is multi-faceted in your upcoming decisions, including; your new and better healthcare act, de-funding Planned Parenthood and your Supreme Court Justice pick:
- You have cut the Affordable Care Act. YOUR replacement of accessible healthcare for all Americans must have adequate coverage for women’s health.
- You are the leader of the Republican party that is committed to de-funding Planned Parenthood. The issue with Planned Parenthood is they perform abortions. Yet, federal funds aren’t used for those procedures. Federal funding provides accessible, vital contraceptive and healthcare screening services. YOU have the ability to ensure Planned Parenthood is funded and available for Americans.
- One of your legacy moves will be appointing a Supreme Court Justice. That SCJ could reverse the 1973 decision of Roe verses Wade that legalized abortion.
As I understand, you used to be vocally supportive of reproductive rights. And may be your current pro-life stance is an extension of Vice President Pence’s belief. I do know something about changing my pro-choice opinion. I actually marched in the 7o’s in DC to protest Roe v Wade. I was a teenager. After three decades in human services, I have changed my opinion. I believe pro-life people are really pro-birth people. Their focus is on ensuring the baby is born. What about after that? You can’t insist on birth and not provide quality of life for babies, children, and youth through government supported human services. There isn’t adequate programming to help people to have quality of life. Instead, children are abused, neglected, hungry, homeless, addicted, victims, predators.
Abortion needs to be a legal and accessible choice for all women. Today, pro-life protestors will march in DC to try to influence YOUR choice for SCJ. When you contemplate their protest, please remember the larger number of millions of women across the country that protested last Saturday to ensure their reproductive rights are not threatened.
“Remember the ladies” is a famous quote of First Lady Abigail Adams. When her husband and legislators were forming a declaration as the foundation for this country, she sent this request…
“I long to hear that you have declared an independency. And, by the way, in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands. Remember, all men would be tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.”
And in hindsight, we know John and company didn’t fulfill her request. It would be 144 years until the ladies even received the right to vote. I do love the spunk that Abby shows in her threat of rebellion. Maybe The Resistance is 241 years in the making. I will encourage you in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors.
As always President Trump, have courage and be kind.
Katy Walsh