Taking care of children

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As Trumpian conservatives worry for the rights of the unborn child, perhaps we should be worrying more about infant mortality and its catastrophic effect.

So called “red states” of Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, West Virginia, Louisiana and Arkansas are among the worst, with the suffering being for both mother and child. Perhaps worse still is that so many infant mortality cases occur to families wanting kids.

My belief is that decisions regarding childbearing should be made by mothers and families with the guidance of their trusted physicians. The job of state and federal legislatures should be to guarantee health care for children, born or unborn, and to provide necessary support to mothers so that they can provide sufficient, high-quality care to all kids.

The issue of abortion is one designed as a wedge issue intended to tear us apart and be manipulated by corporate interests. If they were concerned about children they’d be less concerned about profits and more concerned with preventing infant mortality.

I saw the head of Trump’s Project 2025 on TV. He insisted that if abortion was made legal mothers would be pleading for last minute abortions and doctors and hospitals would provide them. The mothers I know, the doctors I know, and the hospitals I know are not like that. Mothers are loving, doctors are kind, and hospitals care.

Do not be confused. Do not be led by conservative think tanks to vote against the best interests of our communities and families. You will be asked to do that while living in a state where the needs of children once born, and their mothers, are ignored.

In case you wonder about Arkansas, thank God for Mississippi. If not for Mississippi we’d be tied for worst infant mortality rate. And we should be dedicating ourselves to fixing that.

Doug Stowe