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Real News For Real New Mexicans.
The Chile Wire with Abe Baldonado. Hey, y'all. We're back on The Chile Wire this week after an explosive week of some bombshell investigations conducted by town hall and also our own state, New Mexico Sentinel. We've invited our special guest. And funny enough, Jodi, you were one of the first people we interviewed on The Chile Wire.
Abe Baldonado:Now you're back. We have a little bit of upgrades here at the studio. Yes. But it it's fitting, and it's unfortunate that we have to have this conversation today. Yes.
Abe Baldonado:But I think it's it's needed. It's educational, and a lot of folks maybe don't understand the implications of these investigations and what they found and what it means to New Mexicans and what it means to the country. Yeah. And so I just wanna thank you for coming today. This is going to be a really good conversation, but it's going to be very not graphic, but I think there's going be some tough conversations that we're going to be reflecting on here of what we saw and what we heard in some investigations that occurred.
Abe Baldonado:And, you know, we'll we'll dive into that. So, Jodi, just wanna thank you for coming on today. I'm sure you've seen both publications that did some investigative journaling here in New Mexico. And I'll tell you, I am shocked. You know?
Abe Baldonado:I always heard that New Mexico is the place to be if you want an abortion. It is the hub. It is somewhere where some of our politicians are proud of that. Yeah. They celebrate it.
Abe Baldonado:I never knew at the magnitude. You know, I've I've always looked at abortion as a very delicate conversation because I think it's something and I I'm sure you'll agree. It's a compassionate conversation that we need to have. Yeah. But it's also a hard conversation.
Jodi Hendricks:Yes.
Abe Baldonado:And there are many feelings towards it. And regardless what side of the aisle you're on or what perspective you come from, no matter what, these women who are put into these situations have very difficult decision to make.
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:What we saw was very different. We saw a capitalist approach and I'm all for capitalism, but this was inhumane.
Jodi Hendricks:Oh, yeah.
Abe Baldonado:Like everything we saw on these videos, and we'll share them with you all. It's from a publication called Town Hall and the New Mexico Sentinel right here in New Mexico. Jody, just fill us in on what you saw. And I'm just I'm still at a loss for words because I I honestly don't know how to have the conversation because I'm still in shock. But I don't realize I don't think a lot of New Mexicans understand what is happening here in our state.
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah. The video was definitely eye opening as to the gravity of the situation here in New Mexico. I I hate to say it, but I wasn't as shocked. It was more of a, see, there it is. Yeah.
Jodi Hendricks:And I guess when you're working in Santa Fe, you're working with legislators, and you're seeing the type of legislation that they're trying to push, even just this last session, the different ways they were trying fund abortion, the way they were trying to grow the abortion industry and protect the abortion industry, it's not surprising to see it growing like a business right here in New Mexico. The other thing is the the parent issue. We also see a lot of things attacking parents' rights in And the so those things have already been on our radar. Right? We're we're trying to, you know, shout from the rooftop, hey, New Mexicans, you need to wake up.
Jodi Hendricks:You need to realize that this is happening. And this video was really just proof, like I said, as to the gravity of this situation. So this, you know, video of this man, random man, claiming to be, the uncle of a 14 year old girl. The girl lives in Texas and he tells this person at the abortion clinic that she's really uncomfortable and she needs to be able to take care of this and she can't do anything in Texas, so what can we do here? And so just from the get go of this video that I hope everyone will watch for themselves, you see the questions that are never asked, you see the lack of compassion for this young girl's position and what she might be walking through, And you see this just numb response from the
Abe Baldonado:Business as usual.
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah. Business as And at the very beginning of the conversation, she even says very blatantly and kind of callously, we have no parental controls in New Mexico.
Abe Baldonado:Yeah. Ultimately, I was that's what shocked me was we will not notify parents at all. Like Yes. If this 14 year old girl wants to come here and get an abortion, we're not going to ask any questions. We're going to do it.
Abe Baldonado:We're not going to give her all her options. We're just going tell her, hey, here are the different procedures that maybe you can get depending and the most shocking thing was we don't have any limits really. Like that that was the quote that was we do up to thirty four weeks. Yep. That is a near term baby.
Abe Baldonado:Mean, baby can survive on its
Jodi Hendricks:own. Absolutely.
Abe Baldonado:And they're saying, we pretty much don't have any deadlines here. So come here, we're not going to ask any questions, we're not going to tell you how dangerous it is. Right. And you can send this 14 year old back to her parents who we will not notify or share. And and touting HIPAA, which traditionally HIPAA is like, well, parents have the right to know what medical decisions are being discussed with their children typically.
Abe Baldonado:Yeah. Except for the part that says depending on state laws or New Mexico laws are saying, we're not going to share anything with them. This 14 year old comes in, she makes her decision, we're going to send her back to Texas, and we're not going to tell the parents. Even if there's complications, we're not going to tell the parents what we did.
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah. Which is terrifying.
Abe Baldonado:That is terrifying. I couldn't imagine as a parent being in that position where your child comes home, they've been gone, you probably don't know where they're at because they make some excuse
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah.
Abe Baldonado:To come over to New Mexico. And then they're back home and they suffer a complication which you have no clue why
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:They're dealing with a medical emergency that they are.
Jodi Hendricks:Exactly. And, you know, parents are supposed to be the number one advocate for their children. And parents have a constitutional right that's been affirmed just recently, a constitutional right to make medical decisions for their children, to be involved in what's happening, yet New Mexico just stands up and says, we don't care. We don't care about the parents. It always brings me back to the quote, of one of the legislators in the 2023 session when she said, some kids don't have trustworthy parents.
Jodi Hendricks:That's what our leadership currently in New Mexico thinks about parents. They think that they can parent your child better than you can, and so they're doing all that they can to remove the parent from these types of situations. But they don't think about the ramifications.
Abe Baldonado:And, Jody, on that note, I mean, you could have an irresponsible parent, that doesn't take away the fact that they are the parent. Right. They are the parent. And regardless and I know that there are families out there who are struggling that oftentimes maybe the parents aren't involved with the child. And, you know, we know that given our poverty rates, there are families struggling, and mom and dad may not be as involved or there may just be a single mother, single father home.
Abe Baldonado:It's difficult. It doesn't take away the fact that they are the parent legally. And also, the fact that they don't care about the parent, the fact they don't care about the kid because Right. You're essentially saying, hey, 14 year old, you have this big decision to make. You're going make it, and we're not going to give you any resources of how to deal with this or understand
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah.
Abe Baldonado:Later on as you mature what decision you made. And now we're talking about underlying traumas. And and the other side would like to tell you, like, we want to help people with traumas. Well, you're putting traumas on these young minds who have not developed to make a very, very difficult decision. And do they understand entirely what that decision is that they're making?
Abe Baldonado:Likely not. Right.
Jodi Hendricks:And that's what we have to really come back to is a 14 year old, You know, they're not in a position to make this kind of decision on their own. They are most likely scared out of their mind. They're scared of multiple things. Just the fact that, you know, this young girl finds herself pregnant at 14. Okay, this is a lot to deal with.
Jodi Hendricks:This is heavy. But also, how is that going to change my life? Am I going be in trouble from my parents? No matter how much I think my parents love me, am I going to be in trouble? So they're facing all of these questions everywhere, which a lot of times is what makes a child think, oh, maybe I can do it without mom and dad knowing.
Jodi Hendricks:That doesn't mean that it's good for that child.
Abe Baldonado:Right.
Jodi Hendricks:You know, as a licensed mental health counselor for many years, it was so obvious that when someone faces trauma, the best way through that trauma is with the support of their family. Knowing that their family knows and is with them. Giving the parents, for instance, in this situation, the opportunity to say, how can we walk through this with you? Daughter whom we love. Right?
Jodi Hendricks:But New Mexico leadership is saying, no, we don't want to give parents that because that could mean that they're going to steer their child in another direction and not get an abortion. Okay. What's so wrong with that? Yeah. Right?
Jodi Hendricks:Why can't that be It an option for
Abe Baldonado:comes down to the money, right? It does. That to me is what it came down in the video that we watched was it's all about the money.
Jodi Hendricks:Yep. Yep. And all the different ways that it can be paid for. So it's not out of pocket for them, but it's going to bring money from here, from here, third parties, wherever. I mean, they were talking about all kinds
Abe Baldonado:of different Taxpayers, where's your Exactly. Money
Jodi Hendricks:And I thought that it's just sickening because it really has just become a business. They've taken the compassion out of it. They've really left women and young girls like this no choice, yet their platform is all about choice. There's something wrong with that.
Abe Baldonado:Well, and even the manipulation of words and terminology
Jodi Hendricks:Yes.
Abe Baldonado:To be able to bill. So understanding that, hey, we won't get money from either the state or the federal government if we note it as this type of procedure. So we're going to mislabel it Yeah. As this so that way we get funding and we help you and you go a longer way. Another striking thing that really stood out to me was, you brought this up earlier, the lack of questioning.
Abe Baldonado:And in my head immediately, I'm thinking, why are you not asking this individual a lot of questions? He is a grown adult asking on behalf of his 14 year old niece
Jodi Hendricks:Mhmm.
Abe Baldonado:On procedures for abortion, and yet no one asks him anything. If you are into holding people in the Jeffrey Epstein world accountable and you believe in fighting pedophilia, like many of us believe that, hey, we shouldn't have pedophiles walking our street. Well, they are enabling this now because now you're saying, we're not going to ask you any questions, uncle. Could you perhaps have raped your niece who's a 14 year old? And now you're human trafficking her to New Mexico to receive this abortion to cover it up and keep it quiet and you ask no questions.
Abe Baldonado:Like Right. I am scared for our youth because
Jodi Hendricks:Oh, yeah.
Abe Baldonado:Many of them who are vulnerable are now susceptible to this type of behavior and they're not protected by the institutions that should be protecting them. And that's what they try to say. We're protecting folks. No, you're not. You're enabling pedophilia.
Abe Baldonado:You're enabling human trafficking because that's essentially what it is. When you are transporting a underage child across state borders, that is human trafficking.
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:And for procedures such as this where the parents have no idea what is going on, I like, that is the part that shook me to the core, Jody.
Jodi Hendricks:Oh, yeah. Well, nobody's asking the even bigger question. Are you even her uncle? Mean, mean, you're just taking your word for that you're related to Yeah. That's something that I I've questioned.
Jodi Hendricks:We've thrown out there. We've tried to educate our audience as much as possible to to think this way, to ask these questions. How do we know that now that New Mexico is so proud of being this beacon for the abortion industry in the nation, how do we know that we're not just having human track workers come from all over the country Mhmm. To have things taken care of right here in New Mexico because there are no questions asked. It's in our law.
Jodi Hendricks:We saw it passed in 2023. A third party can bring a minor to get an abortion, and no questions are asked about the person who's bringing them. None whatsoever.
Abe Baldonado:Yeah.
Jodi Hendricks:Does that sound like you care about the child involved?
Abe Baldonado:Recently heard of the commercial flight from Hobbs, New Mexico to Houston where that's how they transport folks over to Southeast New Mexico to get into New Mexico borders and get these procedures and then go back to Texas. It's illegal in Texas for the most part. There are some ways where people can still get medical emergencies. And on that note, you hear, here, well, we need it for medical emergencies. And you and I have had this conversation.
Abe Baldonado:Well, medical emergencies, they're not going to planned parenthood. They're not going to
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:Their local abortion clinic. They're going to a hospital. If there is a major medical emergency where a woman is in danger during her birth, Jody, I'm sure the families that you represent will tell you, I'm going to a hospital.
Jodi Hendricks:Exactly, exactly. Because most of the time, those medical emergencies, you know, it's not a flippant decision like these clinics want to make it sound like it can be. It's very heavy. It's very intense. It's very difficult for a family to walk through that.
Jodi Hendricks:To then have to consider, well, how far into this medical emergency do we go? You're going to a hospital where you're going to have as many of the best doctors available looking at your situation and trying to determine what's possible. So it's something that we really have to recognize. These clinics are here for the business of it. They're not here for the care of women.
Jodi Hendricks:They're not here for those medical emergencies. They're here to make the money, to push an ideology, and to ignore anyone who gets in their way or fight anyone who tries to put up an obstacle. They just want to push their ideology and And their
Abe Baldonado:that shows on the town hall article, which is very similar investigation. A little bit of a difference is that now they go into a school based health clinic, which are funded by you, taxpayers. You fund these. These are your tax dollars going to these school based health clinics, and you would think, hey, these are going to keep my kids safe. If they're feeling sick, if they need something, you know, kind of like when they go to the nurse's office, they have access to that.
Abe Baldonado:Mhmm. Unfortunately, that's not what's happening. Actually, here in Albuquerque at Health Leadership High School, there's a school based health clinic. And very similarly, a journalist went in and asked about gender identity therapy to transition for his 14 year old niece. And no questions asked, talked about it, said that's actually something we encourage here and we push.
Abe Baldonado:The individual who was speaking very freely just even got very personal with his own story and his life and, you know, that to me was like, yeah, hey, we don't we don't notify the parents and I'm having these conversations with your child that comes into this school based health clinic. I'm I'm going to be very open with them. And that to me is scary. It is. And it's a place where I think of when our kids go to school, it's a place where they should feel safe.
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:And unfortunately, these days, it's it's not the safest place, and things have changed. And it's just not even with this. It's school shootings. It's you know, they are a easy place for people who want to do harm to go in. And it looks like now our own government is wanting to do harm to our kids to say, hey, will have conversations with your students and your kids, not you.
Abe Baldonado:We will. And we will keep it completely private and we will not inform you of it.
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah. And not just we're going to have these conversations, you know, if a kid asks, because I want to bring that up. Yeah. I feel like a lot of parents hear that and say, yeah, but my kid doesn't struggle with that, so I'm not worried about, you know, them having a conversation with my kid about gender identity. But what you don't realize is how much it's pushed in the classroom.
Jodi Hendricks:You know, we have situation
Abe Baldonado:Cartoons. I mean, even cartoons now on Netflix and, you know, other channels where you once upon a time, they were harmless cartoons. Now, there's like an agenda behind them.
Jodi Hendricks:Yes. It's everywhere. Well, and we have schools where, you know, I've I've talked with families, one family in particular that shared with me the push on this gender ideology in the classrooms at this particular school with this young lady where she attended. It was so strong and it was so forcible, I guess you could say, in how they presented it, that this young lady felt like she was going to be in trouble if she said anything contrary to this affirmation, gender identity, even if a transgender student did something, which ended up happening in her case, a transgender student was the one that had done something wrong to her, and she didn't feel like she could even say, Hey, this person did something wrong. This person broke the rule and it affected me, because the student was transgender.
Jodi Hendricks:And so that atmosphere, that ideology was pushed so heavily that it's like, if you don't agree with this, you're going be the one in trouble. And so parents don't understand how their kids are already being exposed to very intense conversations about gender identity. So then it's not that far of a leap to think that your student could be the one that ends up in the school health clinic having these types of conversations. These
Abe Baldonado:students are being conditioned, right, to feel either as I'm a hateful person if I don't agree with this or even if I'm in the right and I was wrong Mhmm. Because I brought it up. I'm a hateful person. I mean, even this conversation that we're having, it's not out of hate, it's out of common sense that These are children. These are individuals who have not developed, who do not understand the their choices and their consequences.
Abe Baldonado:And I think many of us as adults will say we made a lot of dumb decisions when we were kids, and I am so glad I had my parents to rein me in because I thought I knew it all and had they not and I didn't have that support and that love and that system, who knows? And we see it. We see that a lot of this is now transgressing to depression and severe mental health issues. And, again, it's because you're empowering a very young individual who has not developed to make a very big decision, not understanding the consequences of their decision. And, you know, with gender transition at 12, 13, 14 years old, you do not understand what you're doing to yourself.
Abe Baldonado:And
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:Later on, if you regret it, what's going to happen? You're going to be very mad at the same institutions that were claiming to protect you were in fact enabling you and finding you in a vulnerable place in your life Yes. And exploited you. And that to me is like that's a conversation we need to have. We're not having these conversations out of hate.
Abe Baldonado:We're having them out of compassion because
Jodi Hendricks:Absolutely.
Abe Baldonado:We don't want to see these students exploited and taken advantage of at some of their most vulnerable moments.
Jodi Hendricks:Yes. And I think we're seeing the proof that that's truly what is happening is they're being taken advantage of in these vulnerable moments. They're being pushed to make these permanent decisions when their brains are not yet developed enough to be able to recognize the full extent and the full consequences of their actions. And so we see that evidence in the many detransitioners we see coming forward, that so many of them are saying, you know, I wish that somebody would have just said, it's okay, let's just get you through a certain period of time before you make any permanent decisions, right? Because a lot of these detransitioners made these permanent decisions when they were young, when they were teenagers, and now they end up regretting it, and they end up having problems for the rest of their lives because of those decisions when they say, I just wish someone would have loved me enough to tell me it's okay to be confused for a little while.
Jodi Hendricks:Let's let you talk to somebody, Talk through it, work through it, understand a root cause rather than just looking at the symptoms, right? Why is it that you feel this way? Well, we've learned mental health. Trauma is a huge proponent to someone deciding it's no longer safe to be a girl, therefore I need to be a boy. Right?
Jodi Hendricks:Okay, well what if someone had asked the questions of that young girl before allowing her or pushing her to transition. Maybe they would have been able to get to the root cause, understand the trauma she'd been through, and she could work on healing, but they're not allowing our kids to do that. And we see that, like I said, as proof. This isn't just theoretical. It's proof in so many of the detransitioners who are sharing their stories, and this is what it comes to.
Jodi Hendricks:I wish someone would have loved me enough to not affirm, to walk through this with me in a different way.
Abe Baldonado:Absolutely. Now more than ever. And your your organization, New Mexico Family Action Movement, is beyond impactful in our state. But now I think it is even more important for your organization to be recognized for the work that you all do because you are the only family focused nonprofit in the state of New Mexico that is advocating for parental rights and parental notification, ensuring that parents are involved in every step of the way of their child's journey that they're not being left out of it. And so I just wanna thank you, and and I think it's a good opportunity for our viewers and our folks who start watching The Chile Wire to become familiar with your organization because you all are the advocates that are fighting in Santa Fe against a lot of this.
Abe Baldonado:What what we've just now seen in these bombshell investigative reports, you all have been talking about this for a very long time. And, you know, I've been keeping up with the the articles, looking at the comments, and so many New Mexicans say, I didn't know this was happening. And I genuinely believe that they don't because they've been conditioned to believe they're just making a big fuss. It's it's not that bad. We're not doing that.
Abe Baldonado:Like, we don't do that many abortions. And quite frankly and what really stood out, we didn't even get to this point on that video, it's not even New Mexicans that are going into these clinics. Yes. 90% of the people they serve are from Texas or other states across It's our not even New Mexicans, but hey, New Mexicans, you're footing the bill. You're paying for it.
Abe Baldonado:We're taking advantage of your funding sources, and we're using them right here to serve non residents.
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah. Wild. It is. It is wild. So I think that I I really hope that this video does something when a parent hears it or a taxpayer hears it, that they begin to see this isn't just been a big fuss over nothing.
Jodi Hendricks:Isn't just rhetoric. This isn't just a conversation that they're trying to, you know, get people riled up.
Abe Baldonado:Yeah, be divisive on.
Jodi Hendricks:Yes, should be riled up as parents, as New Mexicans, because if 90% of their patients are from Texas, and she says in the video, we hardly see New Mexicans here. Okay. Let's just dive into that really quick. Doesn't that tell us, right, this does not reflect New Mexico's values. So why is our leadership so intent on pushing this industry, on growing it, on being the beacon for our country for the abortion industry, when obviously New Mexico's values lie elsewhere?
Jodi Hendricks:New Mexico is a beautiful state, and it is such an amazing culture of family, the family unit. I mean, we thrive in our family units. We have so many different cultures that come together in New Mexico, and each family is able to thrive within their culture, within their background, what their values are. It's great. But a lot of what's happening in Santa Fe, specifically with the abortion industry and with parents' rights, it's not reflecting the family values or the New Yet, Mexico we're paying for anybody else in the country who wants to come and partake in this industry.
Jodi Hendricks:That should really make you hot, I think, because like you said, we're footing the bill for something that's not even really a top priority for New Mexicans.
Abe Baldonado:Right. And they're now finding other ways, and I don't want to go down the rabbit hole. However, it is evident that they're saying, we want more time with your child. Because now with universal childcare not universal, y'all. Y'all are paying for it.
Abe Baldonado:There's a co pay.
Jodi Hendricks:Right. Yeah.
Abe Baldonado:It's not free. Not free. Government is saying, we want more time with your child. So now, hey, guess what? We're going to offer some incentives that sound enticing.
Abe Baldonado:You're not going to know the full details just like the this issue right now where people didn't know I didn't know we were performing abortions up to thirty four weeks near full term. I didn't know that a 14 year old girl can be human trafficked to New Mexico and not any questions be asked at any of these about her well-being and how she even got there and why is a supposed uncle asking these questions
Jodi Hendricks:Mhmm.
Abe Baldonado:And no questions asked. And for me, I I just see it with universal childcare. It's just another way of government saying, give us more time with your kids. We're going to condition them. Yes.
Abe Baldonado:You're going to love us because we're doing all these great things for you, but it's not really for you. It's a way to take your kids and you as the parent out of the the picture. Yeah. And we'll have a conversation with them. We'll tell them, hey.
Abe Baldonado:Your parents, don't listen to them. They're going to tell you the wrong things. Listen to us. Trust us. And it's another get rich scheme.
Abe Baldonado:A handful of people are going to get very wealthy Yeah. Off this universal childcare incentive program, like where they're going
Jodi Hendricks:to milk
Abe Baldonado:state tax dollars and make a lot of money and we're not going to see a big difference.
Jodi Hendricks:Right. And once again, they're doing it under the guise of we care about the child. We want what's best for the child. Okay. So let's pick that apart really quick.
Abe Baldonado:Unless the child comes into a clinic and asks for gender identity therapy or abortion, we're not going to ask questions about why a 14 year old wants to do that when a random stranger brings Right. Them
Jodi Hendricks:Because they're saying, oh, that's what's best for the child. Don't ask any questions. Yeah. Don't. But, okay, that should sound ridiculous.
Jodi Hendricks:If it doesn't, we need to have a different conversation. But they're doing this even with the universal child care. They're saying all of this is for the kids and it's for the families, but they're ignoring the research that is out there. In every single one of these industries, they're ignoring the research. So universal child care, there is research, hard evidence out there that proves a universal child care system is actually harmful to our children.
Jodi Hendricks:There is actual research that has been done over a span of many years. They always like to cite the one case that was done, in I don't remember where it is now, But the the one study that was done that was these kids that were put into this universal program, and they did so well, and they were so successful. But what they ignore is that that was a very intense Mhmm. Program where these kids were paired with one teacher. That one teacher checked in on them at home throughout the week.
Jodi Hendricks:There were different check ins that they did. They were teaching specifically doing educational models. They were doing all of these things. There was an intense program, and that person, that caseworker, that teacher stayed with that child from, like, the toddler age all the way through high school graduation. That's a lot of attention for one student.
Jodi Hendricks:Right? That's where the good outcomes come from. But what's been done now, they see in Quebec that all of this universal child care that they tried, especially in the ages zero to three, they are seeing that it was more harmful because that is the stage where our babies, our toddlers need time, one on one time with adults. They're learning They're how to learning how to communicate. They're learning how to process.
Jodi Hendricks:You need that one on one attention. You need much closer attention. But when kids are put into overcredit classrooms, because let's face it, they're going to grow the system through registration and have all these kids in there, and they're not going to be able to keep up in the workforce. So the quality is going to suffer. The accountability, the transparency is going to all of it's going to suffer.
Jodi Hendricks:So all of this research is there through all of these studies that have already been done that prove that it's harmful to our kids, yet New Mexico dives right in and is so proud that we're first state to do this.
Abe Baldonado:Well, and they sell it that it's going to bring a boom to our economy because people are going to want to move here for our free childcare that's not free, y'all. Got to reemphasize that's not free.
Jodi Hendricks:Right. We are paying for it.
Abe Baldonado:We're paying for it, and there is a co pay slapped on you. Once you make above a certain amount, you have to pay a co pay, so not free. But trying to sell it that, hey, this is going to bring business here. No. People aren't moving to a state just because they offer childcare.
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:There there are other factors like a good education system, good business development, a place that's friendly to entrepreneurs. Yeah. We are not that here in New Mexico with our GRT. There there are other variables that go into this. And so the lie that has been spread is that universal childcare and free childcare is going to fix our problems.
Abe Baldonado:Not true. And, Jody, I would love if you could share that those studies with us because I think it'd be beneficial for our followers even if we could send them over to New Mexico Family Action Movement, if there are resources that you can provide and they can reach out to you as well. I think it's just good for people to actually go read the studies and see because all they're hearing right now is the studies show that this is amazing and this is great and this is why we're doing it in New Mexico.
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:They don't show, hey, well, actually, in some places it didn't work. Actually had a bad consequence instead.
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah. And I think that's important to take that same filter and look at all of these areas that our leadership in New Mexico is pushing. So look at the abortion industry. I'm sorry, but a woman does not come out of an abortion unaffected. There is trauma there.
Jodi Hendricks:There is mental health that you will struggle with and you will deal with for a long time. I've seen enough women in my counseling office to know it's traumatizing. It stays with you.
Abe Baldonado:I couldn't imagine a woman having to make that decision. Yeah.
Jodi Hendricks:A child to make that decision on their own without the support of their parents, without the connection of their parents because, you know, I've said this before, no matter how you feel about abortion, as a parent, wouldn't you want to know if your child was going through that? Wouldn't you want to know if your child was scared out of their mind because they're facing situation that they don't know how to deal with?
Abe Baldonado:Because as a parent, you want to give them that love and support. Yes. You are that support system
Jodi Hendricks:for them. And as a parent, how do I teach my children the values that we hold to?
Abe Baldonado:Mhmm.
Jodi Hendricks:As we walk through trials. Yeah. As we walk through hard times and darkness. That's one of the best teaching opportunities I have for my kids to say, well, look, let's test our values now. Let's test what we've said we believe in.
Jodi Hendricks:How would we walk through this situation according to our values? And that gives your child the opportunity to learn and then decide, do I agree with mom and dad that these are my values and I want to stand firm in this, or do I disagree with mom and dad?
Abe Baldonado:And they do that as an adult, right? As an adult, you are grown to make those decisions for So if you choose to say, hey, I'm going to get this procedure. It's what's best for me. Well, you're a grown adult. You have learned.
Abe Baldonado:You have been given all the resources and values and information needed to you, and then you make your best informed decision. And that goes for everything from the gender identity therapy to the abortions. I think the one thing that stood out to me just as we get near the end here, they also didn't give any other options. They just said, here are the procedures.
Jodi Hendricks:Yeah.
Abe Baldonado:They didn't say, hey. There there's other options outside of that. And also, you and I have had this conversation, you've educated me on this, and so I I thank you for that. But also there are opportunities to reverse. So if you change your mind
Jodi Hendricks:Yes. There
Abe Baldonado:are opportunities to do that as well. And and I think that it's good for people to know that. And we had senator David Gallegos, who's running for lieutenant governor on a couple weeks ago on the Chile Wire, and, you know, I knew he wasn't going to pat himself on the back. He is too humble for that.
Jodi Hendricks:I
Abe Baldonado:had to brag on him a little bit because he was the steward for the baby boxes
Jodi Hendricks:Yes.
Abe Baldonado:Which is an option we have here in New Mexico where as a mother, if you make that very tough decision to give up your rights as a parent to that child, you can give birth and you can drop them off at a baby box and they will be put into a really good home.
Jodi Hendricks:That's right.
Abe Baldonado:And just in these videos, though, there is no compassion. There's no just human to human connection. Here it is. Boom, boom, boom. These are your are your options.
Abe Baldonado:These are your procedures. We'll make that decision for it, we'll send you on your way.
Jodi Hendricks:Right. Well, and even the option of adoption. You know, maybe you don't want to surrender a baby to a baby box. You can be talking about adoption before that baby's born. You can be connecting with a couple who has longed for a child but is unable to have one, and you can connect with them, and you can be prepared so that when that baby is born, there's a home that is ready for them, that can take care of them.
Jodi Hendricks:So when you look at the person who has gotten pregnant, whether it is a 14 year old girl or a 30 year old woman, nine months, nine months to give that baby life, and then you can allow that baby to be adopted. Nine months is not forever. I know a 14 year old is going to think forever, forever, forever. Nine months is not forever. It's not going to be easy.
Jodi Hendricks:I can guarantee that. But you're going to give life to a child. You're going to give them an opportunity to be someone and do something great.
Abe Baldonado:Absolutely. And I think that's a good opportunity for us as a state to lead the nation in adopting strong adoption laws that make it easy for families. I've had some friends who have gone through the adoption process, and it's not easy. It is very hard. So how can we remove those barriers for families who do want to adopt?
Abe Baldonado:And I know a lot of families who have backed out of adoption just because it was so difficult. There's just Yeah. So much red tape, so much barriers. And they are wonderful people that I know are just dying to have a family, but the system makes it so hard on them. So now we enable our communities to have a conversation and promote a community that says, hey, let's make adoption easier.
Abe Baldonado:Let's find ways that we get parents who are truly deserving and can actually support this child. Let's make it easy for them to adopt. And so that way, when we do give those options to these women who are making these tough decisions to to give up their babies, that they're going to go to a great home. We've made it easy for those families to then take custody of the child. I think it just creates a really good dialogue for us to have a human to human conversation.
Abe Baldonado:Yeah. Okay. Now how can we make this better?
Jodi Hendricks:Right.
Abe Baldonado:Like, how can we make adoption easier and just better for families and make it seem like, okay, hey, I want to do this because I'll tell you, like, folks who are in the adoption community, they talk and they share their experience and they're like, it was awful. Like, it was rough. It was hard. Yeah. And now they talk out another family from doing it because they heard it's hard.
Abe Baldonado:So okay. Hey. Let's now get everyone who has wanted to adopt. What were your frustrations? Our lawmakers are are happy to I can probably name a few right now off the top of my head that would be like, I'd love to sponsor that.
Abe Baldonado:Let's do it. Let's run that legislation to take that red tape and that bureaucracy and make it easier for you. If you are a qualified family and you are proven to be able to take custody of this child and give it a good home, yeah, let's get it done.
Jodi Hendricks:Absolutely. And, you know, at New Mexico Fam, we're always happy to facilitate those conversations. So I would just love to put it out there for any family who would love to adopt but has found frustrations or obstacles along the way, reach out to us. You can contact us through our website and just let us know what your frustrations are or if you would like to be a part of that conversation. And we'll work on facilitating it.
Jodi Hendricks:We'll make sure that the right legislators are in the room and that you can talk directly with them so that we can see some legislation passing through Santa Fe that actually addresses some major concerns from the New Mexico value standpoint of thriving family units.
Abe Baldonado:Absolutely. And, Jody, I don't think we can end on a better note than that, than reach out to Jody, has one of the best organizations advocating for families. She'll advocate for yours and always happy to have a conversation. And, Jody, always love having you on The Chile Wire. Thank you for this conversation today.
Abe Baldonado:I think it was well needed, and I hope we can educate viewers to hold their elected officials accountable, but also read the fine print and believe what you're seeing because that is real. And don't be gaslighted to believe something else that it's not that bad because these videos are just and I'm sure we can add them to our post on this so folks can actually go back and we can relink them back to the New Mexico Sentinel and town hall so they can see these videos for themselves. Because, again Yeah. You all decide. You're informed.
Abe Baldonado:Watch the videos. You make the decision. I will tell you, you'll probably see what we saw, and it is shocking.
Jodi Hendricks:Yes. So, Abe, thank you so much for having me again and being able to be a part of this conversation. And I just want to encourage everyone to be engaged, to be informed, be educated on what's happening in our state, because when you're educated, you then know how to use your voice to speak up for your values right here in the land of enchantment.
Abe Baldonado:Absolutely. And on that note, y'all, thank you again for tuning in to The Chile Wire. We'll see you next time.