Bernie Finn: The Case against Abortion
I would say, "Take a bow, Bernie Finn (Liberal MLC for the Western Metropolitan Region)", but I don't think he's finished yet. I don't know if he ever will be. He resumed speaking this evening at 8pm after having spoken most of the afternoon, and the house has just adjourned at 10pm. I guess so he can give his voice a rest. Seriously, I have heard of cases where, in ancient Rome, speakers held the floor for hours on end to delay a vote from taking place, but I have never heard such a fine demonstration of this tactic in this day and age.
Not that that seems to be his tactic. Rather, given the chance finally to debate the issue of abortion in that democratically elected and representative body which is charged with the duty of making laws for our State, Bernie has taken the opportunity to do a complete "Anatomy of the Case Against Abortion". Truely, if you were to print off his speech from Hansard tomorrow, you would have a compendium - a vade mecum - of every reason why abortion should never ever be removed from the criminal code. Even if you are not a Victorian, or even an Australian, I would urge you tomorrow morning to click on this link and dowload Bernie's speech. Warning: it will be the size of a small book!
For now, Bernie, my suggestion is go home, have a whisky, and rest your throat to resume your speech tomorrow morning at 10:15am.
And the rest of you, if you can, tune into the debate in the Legislative Council at this site here.
posted by Schütz @ 10:03 pm
4 Comments
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4 Comments:
It's called a filibuster. The US Senate and Congress can provide significant examples in recent times. I hear that people have done things like read the phone book into the congressional record in order to prevent a vote before a recess.
Susan Peterson
Yep. That's the word. In the combox to another post, I suggest Bernie could win the Filibuster Award for this debate.
Very reminiscent of that great james Stewart film ,MR SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON ,although in this case it could be titled MR FINN GOES TO TOWN .Both scenarios are about politicians with moral stances talking against evil actions.
Some very good arguments in that longish transcription of the proceedings.
BTW, while we were all so focused on the Abortion Law Reform bill, which sounds eerily like the National Association for the Repeal of Abortion Laws or NARAL), the IVF bill for gay and lesbian couples had passed right through the Lower House.
Danger to the left, danger to the right..
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