Stop Mississippi Amendment 26!
Signal-boosting, because this needs attention and... well, frankly, it needs to be stopped.
Due to the efforts of an organization called "Personhood USA" (yes, really), this November Mississippi will be voting on an amendment to the state constitution which states:
"The term 'person' or 'persons' shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof." This initiative shall not require any additional revenue for implementation.” (italics added)
Seriously? "Moment of fertilization"? So.... if you and your husband undergo in vitro fertilization, what are you supposed to do with the extra fertilized embryos, which are now constitutionally-protected "persons"? What about women who miscarry? Can they be subject to criminal charges? What about the morning-after pill-- which prevents a (hypothetical) fertilized embryo from implanting itself into the uterine wall? Is that manslaughter?
Regardless of what you think about abortion, this amendment is really terrifying in terms of scope, and what it would mean for women's control over their own bodies (yes, when you are pregnant, you have to think about eating for two, how what you do will affect the fetus, etc.-- but that's not the same thing as saying "the moment the sperm shows up, that cluster of cells has the same rights that you do, and you're going to be subordinate to that").
Longer discussions, and links to petition sites:
LiveJournal Entry
Daily Kos
Due to the efforts of an organization called "Personhood USA" (yes, really), this November Mississippi will be voting on an amendment to the state constitution which states:
"The term 'person' or 'persons' shall include every human being from the moment of fertilization, cloning or the functional equivalent thereof." This initiative shall not require any additional revenue for implementation.” (italics added)
Seriously? "Moment of fertilization"? So.... if you and your husband undergo in vitro fertilization, what are you supposed to do with the extra fertilized embryos, which are now constitutionally-protected "persons"? What about women who miscarry? Can they be subject to criminal charges? What about the morning-after pill-- which prevents a (hypothetical) fertilized embryo from implanting itself into the uterine wall? Is that manslaughter?
Regardless of what you think about abortion, this amendment is really terrifying in terms of scope, and what it would mean for women's control over their own bodies (yes, when you are pregnant, you have to think about eating for two, how what you do will affect the fetus, etc.-- but that's not the same thing as saying "the moment the sperm shows up, that cluster of cells has the same rights that you do, and you're going to be subordinate to that").
Longer discussions, and links to petition sites:
LiveJournal Entry
Daily Kos