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File #: RES 20-416    Version:
Type: Resolution Status: Passed Unsigned by Mayor
In control: City Council
Final action: 3/4/2020
Title: Recognizing March 10, 2020 as Abortion Providers Appreciation Day in Saint Paul, to honor the memory of Dr. David Gunn and the many other abortion providers and clinic staff face who support women's patients' reproductive choices.
Sponsors: Rebecca Noecker, Nelsie Yang, Dai Thao, Jane L. Prince, Amy Brendmoen, Mitra Jalali
Title
Recognizing March 10, 2020 as Abortion Providers Appreciation Day in Saint Paul, to honor the memory of Dr. David Gunn and the many other abortion providers and clinic staff face who support women's patients' reproductive choices.

Body
WHEREAS, on March 10, 1993, Dr. David Gunn was shot and killed by a white supremacist anti-abortion extremist, in the first known instance of the murder of an abortion provider; and

WHEREAS, to honor his memory, March 10 has since been established as a day to show appreciation for the high-quality care that abortion providers and clinic staff provide, and to celebrate their courage, compassion, and dedication to their work; and

WHEREAS, the decision about whether and when to become a parent is one of the most important life decisions a person can make, and abortion providers must be accessible in order for people to make real decisions about their bodies, lives, and futures; and

WHEREAS, abortion providers and clinic staff help to ensure that all people who can become pregnant can make their own decisions about their bodies and their pregnancies, and support their patients’ decisions by treating them with dignity, compassion, and respect; and

WHEREAS, abortion is one of the safest medical procedures in the United States, and experts at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine published a study in 2018 confirming that scientific evidence consistently indicates that legal abortions in the U.S., including those performed by advanced practice clinicians and those performed in the second trimester, are extremely safe; and

WHEREAS, the report also reinforced the well-documented reality that recent restrictions in some states have forced many abortion clinics to shut down, such that ninety percent of counties in the United States today do not have an abortion provider, while the Abortion Care Network found that the number of independent abortion clinics in the United States has declined by a third since 2...

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Date NameDistrictOpinionCommentAction
3/13/2020 10:20 PMJonathan Thompson Against I don't get why women can kill their kids if they don't want them, but fathers still have to pay child support for kids they don't want. Anyway, making an abortion appreciation day is ridiculous. That's like making a Holocaust Appreciation Day supporting the Nazis. +1 -1
3/12/2020 9:49 PMDebra Braun Against Two abortion providers in St. Paul (at Planned Parenthood) told one of my clients that most likely they would break the neck of her 22-week-baby if he survived the abortion (apparently to ***ure her that she would not have to deal with a live child). See the pregnant woman’s testimony at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VVUXD-2P1bs This would violate both state and federal law. Fortunately, with our help, this woman decided against the abortion and her son is now a healthy toddler. Do you really want to honor such people who would do this to innocent children? +2 -1
3/11/2020 1:11 PMCecilia Coulter Against What a sad day this is. Abortion is the intentional killing of a live human. Over 60 million dead since R v W, around 9,000 dead per year in MN alone. A society that celebrates this number of murders is sick, a sickness that permeates throughout. The womb is the most dangerous place to be right now. +2 -1
3/11/2020 2:26 AMJeffery T Against The loss of human life should never be applauded or celebrated in any way. +4 -2
3/10/2020 1:36 AMGreg McCool Against I am disappointed to see that this resolution was p***ed, but I am even more disappointed that it was on your agenda in the first place. Ignoring for a moment my own beliefs on abortion: how did any of you think this resolution was a good idea? With polls generally showing only about half the country in support of abortion access, this is a tremendously divisive issue (yes, even in a progressive city like St. Paul). Please stick to the issues your constituents elected you for: public safety, housing, transportation. P***ing resolutions like this one will only divide us further. +3 -1
3/9/2020 8:52 PMShawna Wicker Against As a Saint Paul resident, I am disappointed and saddened that this resolution was even proposed, let along unanimously p***ed. Your job, as City Council men and women, is to represent your constituents and our interests. This is by no means an issue that is decided among St. Paul residents, and therefore should not be something the Council puts forth to represent our city. Why make us more divided than we already are? +1 -1
3/9/2020 1:35 AMPatricia Maetzold Against I am a St Paul resident and I am grieved by the actions of the city council in honoring someone in an industry that makes millions of dollars by playing on the fears of women in the name of women's rights and reproductive choice. Why are we not honoring those who protect and defend life such as the doctors and nurses who work on the NICU or the counsellors that provide better options than ending a life or the teachers who strive to make a difference in the lives of our children? Those are the ones who should be honored. Yes, the death of Dr. Gunn was tragic and totally not prolife. The death of all the babies he destroyed is also tragic and the emotional pain he caused for the many women who trusted him and his council as their child's life was ended deserves no honor. It is horrible to think that our council unanimously voted to approve this. Isn't there anyone in government who will stand up for life?!! +7 -1
3/9/2020 1:23 AMHugh Maetzold  Against My comment was just stated and lacked my name and against. Being for life from beginning to end. +6 -1
3/9/2020 1:16 AMJason Holm Against It is shameful that this resolution was proposed. And it's appalling that you p***ed it unanimously. The Pensacola, FL murder of Dr. Gunn is inexcusable, but how many appreciation days are you going to set aside to honor all of the children he murdered? And how many more days will you allow children to be murdered at the Planned Parenthood in your very own city? +7 -1
3/9/2020 1:00 AM    The death of Dr. Gunn was a tragedy equally as abhorrent to lives taken through abortion. I wish St.Paul had a voice that represented this one for life. +5 -1
3/8/2020 10:06 PMMarla Helseth Against I am against this resolution. It matters not how many euphemisms your Council uses for abortion; abortion is still the intentional killing of human life, and it is not something that should be celebrated and it most certainly does not take courage. There are many in Minnesota that will not be "appreciating" abortion providers on this day (March 10) or any day. Pro-life Minnesotans will continue to speak out against abortion in every lawfully provided avenue and will encourage others to do the same. +8 -1
3/6/2020 2:11 PM  Against disgraceful! babies are humans and have rights too! +7 -1