An immodest proposal to amending Project 2025 National Abortion Ban

Dear Editor,

In the interest of a national Christian nation, we should consider making all things equal. It is unreasonable for women to be solely responsible for the risk of childbearing. Men after all are responsible for causing this condition.

Let us place the financial burden and responsibility of parenting on both men and women. Too often, it is the woman who is left with the child and no means of support. Meanwhile, the man responsible has fled the scene or denies responsibility for what has taken place. He was seduced. “She wouldn’t have dressed that way if she didn’t want it.” Mark Robinson, North Carolina GOP gubernatorial candidate, said it best, “She should have kept her skirt down.”

If women are denied contraception or even life-saving legitimate treatment for a miscarriage, how can we possibly correct the values placed on us by the chauvinist males who advocate this and then run, deny and hide from their responsibilities? Who is paying for these babies? Who will support the innocent victims of rape and incest?

I humbly suggest the following. We should fine or prevent those male individuals who seek vasectomy, and we should remove condoms, foams and any other devices that prevent childbirth from sale in the United States. A first offense at extramarital or unwed intercourse for the male should be $1,000. A second offense could be $5,000. A third offense might place the offender in prison. Women can readily obtain a DNA sample from the male sperm after intercourse. Women who participate will be immune from prosecution. Special clinics paid for by these offenses can be constructed for this purpose. If a child is conceived, the male individual responsible confirmed by DNA testing will be required to support the child until he or she is 21 and fined or imprisoned as circumstances may dictate.

I believe women who support MAGA and its agenda “Project 25” are doing anything and everything they can to ingratiate themselves with the misogynists who are proposing these changes. Additionally, they are pouring more “glass” on their own “ceiling” and that of their mothers, sisters, daughters, granddaughters and fellow women. For these MAGA women, I recommend watching “The Handmaid’s Tale.”

To quote Melania Trump on abortion, “Do they think we’re stupid?”

This year it is more important than ever to vote. Women, undoubtedly, have the strongest case for saving democracy for us all. Those of you saying you were better off when Trump was president are forgetting one important fact: you were better off before COVID. COVID drove up inflation and the price of everything including price gouging. What did we get from Trump? Inject bleach. Try getting ultraviolet light inside your body. That will get rid of it. Plan your events outside in the sunlight. Over 400,000 people died from COVID 19 in the U.S. while Trump was in office. How many of them might still be with us but for Trump’s ineptitude, lies and denials.

Consider this: I am a retired medical doctor and trained surgeon from a Yale affiliated residency program. I have personally seen and helped treat a woman who was literally bleeding to death from a miscarriage. A D&C and multiple units of blood were required to save her life. Today doctors and caregivers in Texas, Florida and many other states face criminal charges for providing appropriate care and an “abortion” for any woman who is miscarrying and bleeding to death.

What is happening in Texas right now is the maternal mortality rate is increasing. This has occurred since Donald Trump had his appointed U.S. Supreme Court justices overturn Roe v. Wade. I don’t see how they profit financially from this, so I am chalking it up to straight forward misogyny and their proposed “Project 25” national abortion ban.

What is truly ironic about U.S. abortion laws is that they were put forth by the then recently formed AMA of the mid 1800s. The doctors of the time felt they were losing patients to the midwives. In short, these doctors were not motivated by moral conscience. It was the “dollars” they perceived they were losing.

 In 1847, doctors banded together to form the AMA. It became the male-dominated authority on medical practices. The AMA scrutinized reproductive health care workers, like midwives and nurses, and the obstetric services they provided were phased out. 

AMA members believed they should have the power to decide when an abortion could be legally performed. At the same time, the AMA was composed of physicians who lacked expertise in pregnancy and reproductive health.

AMA members launched a full-fledged criminalization campaign against abortion and female abortion providers. State legislatures moved to ban abortion.

Now is the greatest opportunity for women to come together and break through the “ceiling” created by misogynists and their greed. Who knows what can be achieved by women electing the first woman POTUS? Perhaps she could help pass ERA for women. I bet she’d sign it into law.

David Hoffman

Lovell