Maryland’s pro-abortion activists are up in arms after an Anne Arundel County councilman introduced a nonbinding resolution recognizing the unborn as human beings.
Resolution No. 30-18, which was introduced on July 18 by County Councilman Michael Anthony Peroutka, reads: “RESOLUTION recognizing and declaring humanity of preborn children and urging the citizens of Anne Arundel County to encourage the humane treatment of all human beings, including the preborn children, as well as promote and defend the dignity of all human life.”
The resolution added in the concluding section:
In other words, the language outlines a policy of preferring that abortion be safe, legal, and rare. For some of the state’s prominent pro-abortion activists, this is a bridge too far.
“As Mayor of Annapolis, I will not stand by quietly while this type of extreme and unprecedented language is passed as public policy by the Anne Arundel County Council. Instead, I will stand with women, who have the right to make their own personal healthcare choices without interference from government,” Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley said this week at a press conference hosted by Planned Parenthood of Maryland.
[Also read: Patty Murray slams Trump administration move to shorten family planning grants as a ‘gimmick’]
Maryland House Speaker Michael E. Busch announced in remarks of his own, “I am introducing an amendment to the State’s constitution during the 2019 legislative session to ensure that this does not become a legislative bargaining chip at the State or local level each year. A woman’s health decisions should be between her and her doctor,” he added.
Representatives for NARAL Pro-Choice Maryland, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Women Indivisible Strong Effective were also at the presser.
PPM President and CEO Karen J. Nelson said, “The majority of Americans believe the most personal medical decisions should be made between a woman, her loved ones, and her doctor. The women of Anne Arundel County are no different and deserve nothing less.”
She added, “Instead of supporting policies that threaten access to reproductive health services, we ask for the Council’s support of funding and policies that promote access to healthcare.”
PPM also put out a press release, titled “Anne Arundel County Council Resolution Intended to Restrict Abortion Access,” characterizing the Peroutka nonbinding resolution as an “outright attack on women in Anne Arundel County.”
“The intention is to declare a public policy that would eliminate access to or ban abortion,” the release warned.
Resolution No. 30-18 is scheduled to be heard on September 4th.
PPM urged its supporters in the press release to attend the hearing to “show their opposition” for the “potentially harmful resolution.”
For fun, try reconciling the terms “unprecedented language” and “outright attack” with the press release’s final characterization of the nonbinding resolution as being “potentially harmful.” Nothing sets these people off quite like being reminded of the scientific fact that an unborn fetus is a human being, capable of pain and suffering.
