HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolutions - 2022.04.14 - 35443BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS
April 14, 2022
MISCELLANEOUS RESOLUTION #22-116
Sponsored By: Marcia Gershenson, Robert Hoffman, Adam Kochenderfer, Thomas Kuhn, Christine Long, Gary
McGillivray, Charles Moss, Philip Weipert, Charles Cavell, Yolanda Smith Charles, Janet Jackson, Karen
Joliat, Penny Luebs, Gwen Markham, William Miller III, Eileen Kowall, Angela Powell, David Woodward,
Kristen Nelson, Michael Gingell, Michael Spisz
Board of Commissioners - Resolution Observing April 2022 as Genocide Awareness Month in Oakland
County
Chairperson and Members of the Board:
WHEREAS genocide is the ultimate display of hate, fear, and violence, that may cause persecution and
annihilation of innocent people. Genocide ideologies are learned attitudes and behaviors; and
WHEREAS the dictionary defines genocide as the deliberate and systematic destruction of a racial, political, or
cultural group; and
WHEREAS genocide can result from multiple dangerous factors or conditions, including the promotion of one
group's social, economic or political advantage at the expense of another's human rights; compliance with
authoritarian leaders, governments or groups; a crisis of resources; and/or prejudice resulting in negative
reactions to, or evaluations of, groups and their members; and
WHEREAS the negative effects of genocide magnify distrust, fear, vigilance, suspicion, anxiety, stereotypes,
and disconnection; and
WHEREAS basic human rights of survival, security, development, and social participation are threatened by
genocide; and
WHEREAS over the years, millions of survivors of genocide were forced from their homelands and scattered
around the world; and
WHEREAS genocide continues to occur throughout human history; and
WHEREAS the psychological devastation of genocide has been established in psychological studies of the
genocides of the Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, Africans in the Trans -Atlantic Slave Trade, Jewish people
in the Holocaust, Armenians, the Tutsis in Rwanda, Cambodians, Guatemalans, Ukrainians, Chinese in the
Nanking Massacre, Muslims in Bosnia, Christians in Iraq, and most currently the Black people of the Darfur
region of the Sudan; and
WHEREAS genocide has long term intergenerational traumatic effects on whole communities; and
WHEREAS even as we confront the inhumanity of genocide, we also are inspired by the remarkable spirit,
strength, tenacity and courage of people who are survivors and their contributions which have enriched our
communities, spurred our economy, and strengthened our democracy; and
WHEREAS the people of Oakland County should always remember the horrific persecution of innocent people
throughout history from genocide and remain vigilant against hatred, persecution, and tyranny; and
WHEREAS as citizens of Oakland County, we should actively rededicate ourselves to the principles of
individual freedom in a just society; and
WHEREAS the Oakland County Board of Commissioners opposes all manifestation of hate, prejudice,
discrimination, and violence and affirms the basic human rights of all people for survival, equality, dignity,
respect, and liberty.
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Oakland County Board of Commissioners hereby declares
April 2022 as Genocide Awareness Month in Oakland County in remembrance of the victims of genocide and
in honor of all survivors.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we, as citizens of Oakland County should work to promote human
dignity and confront hate whenever and wherever it occurs.
Chairperson, the following Commissioners are sponsoring the foregoing Resolution: Marcia Gershenson,
Robert Hoffman, Adam Kochenderfer, Thomas Kuhn, Christine Long, Gary McGillivray, Charles Moss,
Philip Weipert, Charles Cavell, Yolanda Smith Charles, Janet Jackson, Karen Joliat, Penny Luebs,
Gwen Markham, William Miller III, Eileen Kowall, Angela Powell, David Woodward, Kristen Nelson,
Michael Gingell, Michael Spisz.
6ziduDate: April 14, 2022
David Woodward, Commissioner
"^`� au Date: April 22, 2022
Hilarie Chambers, Deputy County Executive II
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Date: April 25, 2022
Lisa Brown, County Clerk / Register of Deeds
COMMITTEE TRACKING
2022-04-05 Legislative Affairs & Government Operations - recommend to Board
2022-04-14 Full Board
VOTE TRACKING
Motioned by Commissioner Gwen Markham seconded by Commissioner Penny Luebs to adopt the attached
Resolution: Observing April 2022 as Genocide Awareness Month in Oakland County.
Yes: David Woodward, Michael Gingell, Michael Spisz, Karen Joliat, Kristen Nelson, Eileen Kowall,
Christine Long, Philip Weipert, Gwen Markham, Angela Powell, Thomas Kuhn, Charles Moss, Marcia
Gershenson, William Miller III, Yolanda Smith Charles, Charles Cavell, Penny Luebs, Janet Jackson, Robert
Hoffman, Adam Kochenderfer (20)
No: None (0)
Abstain: None (0)
Absent: (0)
Passed
ATTACHMENTS
None
STATE OF MICHIGAN)
COUNTY OF OAKLAND)
I, Lisa Brown, Clerk of the County of Oakland, do hereby certify that the foregoing resolution is a true and
accurate copy of a resolution adopted by the Oakland County Board of Commissioners on April 14, 2022, with
the original record thereof now remaining in my office.
In Testimony Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of the Circuit Court at Pontiac,
Michigan on Thursday, April 14, 2022,
Lisa Brown, Oakland County Clerk/Register of Deeds