HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2003.10.16 - 27292z
October 16, 2003
Miscellaneous Resolution # 03298
BY: Tom McMillin, County Commissioner, District #11
RE: SUPPORT THE LEGAL BIRTH DEFINITION ACT
TO THE OAKLAND COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
Chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen:
WHEREAS, the Legal Birth Definition Act was recently passed in
both the Michigan House (74-28) and Senate (25-11); and
WHEREAS, partial-birth abortions are currently legal in Oakland
County; and
WHEREAS, the Legal Birth Definition Act would make partial-birth
abortions illegal throughout Michigan, including in Oakland County; and
WHEREAS, Governor Granholm vetoed the Legal Birth Definition Act
on October 10, 2003; and
WHEREAS, Ohio Registered Nurse Brenda Shafer in 1993 described
what she saw when assisting in a partial-birth abortion, "The doctor
delivered the baby's body and arms, everything but his little head.
The baby's body was moving. His little fingers were clasping together.
He was kicking his feet. The doctor took a pair of scissors and
inserted them into the back of the baby's head, and the baby's arms
jerked out in a flinch, a startle reaction, like a baby does when he
thinks that he might fall. Then the doctor opened the scissors up.
Then he stuck the high-powered suction tube into the hole and sucked
the baby's brains out. Now the baby was completely limp"; and
WHEREAS, Democrat Representative Triette Reeves of Detroit, when
speaking to the Legal Birth Definition Act, said recently, "This is not
about constitutionality. This is about a procedure that I personally
find to be horrific. Remember it was considered constitutional at one
time for a person of my race to be a slave. It was considered
constitutional at one time for a person of my race to be considered
three-fifths of a person"; and
WHEREAS, Oakland County's State Representatives Amos, DeRoche,
Garfield, Johnson, Pappageorge, Shulman, Stakoe, Taub and Ward and
State Senators Bishop, Johnson and Cassis voted in favor of the Legal
Birth Definition Act; and
WHEREAS, Oakland County's State Representatives Condino, Meisner,
Phillips, Vagnozzi and Woodward and State Senators Cherry and Jacobs
voted against the Legal Birth Definition Act, and thus against
outlawing this torturous and barbaric procedure in Oakland County and
statewide; and
WHEREAS, it is expected that a veto override will be attempted in
the near future.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of
Commissioners agrees with Representative Reeves that partial-birth
abortion is a brutal and horrific procedure and urges all of Oakland
County's legislative delegation to vote in the affirmative to override
the Governor's veto of the Legal Birth Definition Act.
Chairperson, I move the adoption of the foregoing resolution.
Resolution #03298 October 16, 2003
The Chairperson referred the resolution to the General Government Committee. There were no
objections.