Opinion | Michigan should shut abortion clinics and use supplies for coronavirus
Michigan’s coronavirus epidemic has seen exponential growth in the past several days. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has issued a series of executive orders in an attempt to contain the spread, including a “stay at home” order and a directive banning all non-essential medical procedures in order to free up scarce medical supplies.
On March 24, Michigan’s entire federal congressional delegation sent a letter to Vice President Mike Pence imploring him to send more personal protective equipment (PPE) to Michigan since our supplies are at dangerously low levels. Masks, gowns, gloves and other necessary gear are essential for our front-line medical providers who are treating coronavirus patients. They are at heightened risk of contracting the disease. If healthcare workers become sick, a greater strain on the already burdened healthcare system could spell disaster.
Also, the governor issued a news release calling on Michigan citizens and businesses to donate any personal protective gear they may have to their local hospitals. Whitmer has repeatedly taken to the airwaves, calling on the federal government to send more supplies. She has said health care workers are being forced to re-use face masks as a result of a shortage.
Right to Life of Michigan responded with a news release identifying a source of additional PPEs: every abortion facility in the state. As of this writing, elective abortions are taking place across the state using up desperately needed gloves, gowns and masks.
Other surgeons have been forced to close their surgery centers and postpone all non-essential medical procedures. Many people are being asked to live in pain and disability because their knee, hip, and shoulder surgeries are cancelled. Yet, non-emergency, elective abortions are being allowed to continue by Whitmer. These facilities are using up PPE as our doctors and nurses battling the coronavirus are put at risk due to lack of protective gear.
Ideology over safety is never a good idea. Many, including our governor, are so wedded to abortion-on-demand that they are willing to risk the lives of hundreds by allowing abortion providers to selfishly use up the very supplies needed to protect health care workers battling a pandemic. Abortions are almost never medically necessary and should therefore be halted just like all the other non-essential medical procedures.
Abortion may be a constitutional right, but then again so is exercising religious freedom and having the liberty to come and go, yet those enumerated constitutional rights have taken a back seat to fighting this coronavirus. We are all in this together. It is highly unfair to allow some elective procedures to continue while others are denied. We call on our elected officials to temporarily close abortion facilities, thereby freeing up the PPEs for use by our hospitals.
Our governor has taken dramatic steps—unprecedented—to attempt to save lives; that is commendable. So, it is unfortunate that she is unwilling to take even the slightest measures to protect future citizens. As of April 2, 417 fellow Michiganders have died from coronavirus infections. From our first Ccoronavirus death on March 18 until March 30, approximately 940 unborn Michiganders have died in our state’s abortion facilities. Saving all lives matters.
We urge Michiganders to call Governor Whitmer and ask that abortion facilities be closed, and the PPEs be sent to local hospitals for courageous staff on the front lines of the pandemic. She can be reached at her Lansing office at 517-373-3400.
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