I happened to see this exchange in person, as I was in Jeff City testifying on ANOTHER 10th amendment bill. This bill being discussed here, I testified on last week, and they just happened to be debating it while we were there.
http://www.kansascity.com/news/breaking_news/story/1027076.html
JEFFERSON CITY | A Missouri House member apologizes for any offense caused when he referred to the Civil War as the “War of Northern Aggression.”
The comment from Bryan Stevenson came during debate Tuesday on a resolution urging federal leaders to oppose an abortion proposal that could overrule many state-level restrictions.
The Republican from the southwest Missouri town of Webb City said it would be the “greatest power grab by the federal government since the War of Northern Aggression.”
The remark prompted House member Don Calloway, a Democrat from St. Louis, to request an apology. Calloway, who is black, said the Civil War restored the union and freed the slaves and it’s inappropriate to call it “Northern aggression.”
Stevenson responded that he is “sincerely apologetic for any offense my comment made.”
The House didn’t vote on the abortion resolution.
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Okay....First off...this was NOT an "Abortion" resolution. It was a resolution for Missouri to affirm the right to make its own Abortion laws, and preemptively reject federal passage of the Freedom of Choice Act. In other words, Missouri affirming its sovereignty under the 10th Amendment.
Secondly, Rep Calloway did not seem to understand the above, as he was ruled against the rules of the House for attempting to introduce non-related amendments to the bill concerning family planning.
Third, Rep Stevenson made the miscalculated comment during a three-minute long passionate emotional speech on State Sovereignty, Constitutional Rights, and the Federal Government being a creation of the states.
Lastly, it IS the thought of many, that if you were in Missouri during the civil war, that the War's entry into Missouri was Northern Aggression. The demanded apology, was received...but he apologized not for the comment, but for the way his comment was received. (As soon as the comment was made, many house members screamed "OHHH")
My testimony to the committee last week concerning this bill
(I messed up due to being nervous and trying to "dumb it down" for them....as their argument was that the Freedom of Choice Act has not been introduced into the US congress this session yet.)
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5 comments:
I give respect for your action, but I have to disagree on abortion being a state rights issue. It seems to me that it is a human rights issue and should be settled by federal law. Women should have the right to decide what to do to their own body.
The tenth amendment is clear. If the Constitution does not give the Federal Government the power to make Abortion Law, then it is a state law issue.
As far as it being a human rights issue, where does one make a law asserting their own rights?
To the proper legislative bodies.
Then, for the folks like you, we should make a new amendment- not give it to the states.
Which requires a constitutional convention.
Good Luck!
Or we can go with what it already says in the 1st, 9th, and 14th. No established religion, no denial of personal rights, no invasion of privacy.
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