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The physician members of the Minnesota section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists are saddened and horrified by the senseless attacks on our Minnesota lawmakers and their spouses Saturday morning.
Rep. Melissa Hortman was a tremendous ally for reproductive freedom and a strong force for positive change in our state. Sen. John Hoffman has been a friend to us with his work on the Health and Human Services Committee, and he was devoted to progress for the well-being of all Minnesotans. These were and are good humans who dedicated their lives to helping others.
It goes without saying that no one deserves to be targeted by acts of deadly and life-threatening violence. It is incredibly tragic that this seems to be politically driven, with information pointing to extreme anti-abortion views as a motivating factor. There are reports that the suspect’s list of additional targets included abortion providers and advocates.
We will be clear: Abortion is health care. It is health care that can be emotional, complicated and deeply personal. It is health care that is constantly threatened and restricted by those who do not understand the complexity of pregnancy and its consequences. It is health care that we are proud to say Hortman and Hoffman helped to enshrine in our state Constitution. It is health care that should never be obstructed by anyone, and certainly not by those who use violence as their means. It is health care that we will continue to support and provide.
It is unacceptable that people from within our OB-GYN community must work and live in fear as a result of providing essential reproductive health care. As doctors, we provide compassionate, patient-centered care that our patients need. This should not and must not expose us to violence. Our community too often lives under threat, but no one should have to live in fear because they provide others with the care they need.
We grieve for Rep. Hortman; her husband, Mark Hortman; Sen. Hoffman; his wife, Yvette Hoffman; and all of those in our community who were named as targets, their families and their loved ones. We will honor them with our words and works, passionately defending democracy and reproductive health care.