The Personhood Initiative

[LSN80]

Mississippi residents now have the power in their own hands to decide where life begins, at least within their own state. It forces them to answer one question: Does life begin at conception, or at birth?

http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/09/09/mississippi.personhood/index.html?hpt=us_c2

Late last Thursday, The Mississippi State Supreme Court voted 7-2 to allow the Personhood Amendment to be on the state ballot come November 8th. What is the Personhood Amendment, otherwise known as Measure 26, exactly?

A particular set of characteristics that grant that individual certain rights such as the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. In other words, to be a person is to be protected by a series of God given and constitutionally protected rights.

The obvious goal of said amendment is to give the same rights to fetuses as are given to human being. The amendment desires to outlaw abortions state-wide and charge doctors with murder who commit them. Further, it asks two questions that supporters of said amendment believe need to be answered.

Question #1 "Are they human beings?"
Question #2 "Should they be recognized as persons under the law?

In essence, the defenders of the motion believe the first question is a matter of plain, objective science. They hold to the notion that embryos and fetuses are fully and individually human from the moment of fertilization on. They argue further if this were not true, if unborn children were not demonstrably human, there would be no need to even talk about rights of personhood, answering the second question. They present an example of removing a fetus would be the moral equivalent of pulling a tooth. Believing this not to be true, they believe the debate belongs within the political arena, not the religious or moral one.

General Council for the legal group Liberty Council, Steve Crampton,said the following:

"Although our opponents were beaten in this lawsuit, we know that they will not stop in their desperate attempts to deny the obvious truth that life begins at conception and that every life deserves to be protected in the law. Not only Mississippians, but all Americans, should support this commonsense amendment."

I believe this will be met with stiff opposition from the ACLU and other abortion-rights groups. The Amendment was passed through by the 7-2 measure I discussed earlier when the ACLU filed a lawsuit against allowing this motion to be on the ballot. Even if passed, it would likely be appealed to US Supreme Court. Anti-abortion leaders, if said amendment is passed, are hoping for this. They see it as a chance to revisit and abolish Roe vs Wade from 1973, the amendment that allows abortions. Pro-choice and the ACLU are hoping that if the appeal is held up by the U.S. Supreme Court, it will set a precedent within the nation, discouraging other states from placing said Amendment on future ballots. Right now, there are plans for Florida, Ohio, and Montana to place the same Amendment on their bill, with five more states doing so the following year, including Kentucky and Pennsylvania.

Heavy opposition is already being found through Planned Parenthood, as well as the ACLU. Nsombi Lambright, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Mississippi:

"A measure will be on the ballot that will allow the government to dictate what is a private matter that's best decided by a woman, her family and within the context of her faith. Mississippi voters should reject this intrusive and dangerous measure,"

Nsombi raises several points that I guarantee will be the heart of the arguments for or against this Amendment. A women's right to privacy, her religious beliefs, and the danger of the days of returning to back-alley abortions are all very important issues that must be considered, from both sides. Obviously, this issue is sure to spurn many questions and debate.

If you hypothetically a resident of Misssissippi, how would you vote come November 8th? Why?

What are truly the most important issues at stake here?

Do you agree that there is scientific evidence of fetuses being human beings, as the Personhood Amendment suggests?

Any other thoughts or discussion surrounding this topic is welcome as always.

 

[Little Jerry Lawler]

Being a resident of Mississippi, I can see this going really bad. I'm a believer that if a woman wants to abort a pregnancy due to rape or some other similar circumstance, then she can do what she wants. Otherwise, I'm a bit skeptical and less sympathetic. Best believe religious groups will be in a uproar across the state if this amendment is to be enacted in November.

 

[Mustang Sally]

...to be protected by a series of God given and constitutionally protected rights.

It's same argument that becomes a mess to engage once God is thrown into the discussion. What is a God given right? How does anyone on the planet know what rights have been given to us by God? How is they find themselves competent to interpret what God wants us to do?

Now, if supporters of this amendment are talking about their own morality.....yet throwing God into the equation to give weight to their claims, that's another thing. This is an amendment; meaning it will be voted on by citizens. If the amendment supporters ultimate goal is to get the issue to the Supreme Court for the purpose of getting the subject of Roe vs. Wade reviewed.....well, that's a goal.

If I were a resident of Mississippi, I would vote against the amendment because I believe in the woman's right to choose whether to terminate her pregnancy. Each woman has her own story, her own experiences, her own morality. For others to force their idea of morality on every woman seems wrong to me. However, if a Mississippi voter believes a woman shouldn't have the right of choice, they'll vote for the amendment.

Personally, I don't feel qualified, either morally or legislatively, to decide on this issue for other women. The proponents of this amendment, obviously, feel totally qualified. It's the same old argument.

For now, it's for the voters in Mississippi to decide. God doesn't get a vote on this one......or does he?

 

[Slyfox696]

The fact public money is being wasted on this is so ridiculous it infuriates me. The fact we're trying to push religious beliefs onto women, forcing them to deal with medical consequences as a result of government interference is so beyond absurd, every single person responsible for this initiative being on the ballot should be ashamed of themselves.

If I were in Mississippi, I'd vote no on this seven times (after all, it's Mississippi, it's not like anyone would notice). The truly important part of this legislation is the fact the government is going to tell people they HAVE to undergo medical procedures they don't want to go under, for reasons which very well may have been out of their control. Furthermore, like the comments on CNN are currently saying, who is going to take care of these babies? Who is currently taking care of all the ones who are orphaned now? For all the "pro-life" nonsense which is out there, how many of them are adopting orphaned children?

At the end of the day, if Mississippi votes to pass this initiative, I might very well start an initiative to kick Mississippi out of the United States. I doubt anyone would miss them.