Proponents of the so-called personhood initiative shot down in Mississippi have their sights set on other states, including New York.
On Tuesday, voters in Mississippi shot down a referendum that would have effectively banned abortions in the state.
The initiative was developed under the pretense that life begins at conception. If it had passed, it would likely have led to legal challenges because it directly conflicts with the Supreme Court’s 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that made abortion a legal right.Opponents of the measure say it could make birth control, like the morning-after pill or an IUD illegal. It could also have had implications for those having trouble conceiving. It could have deterred doctors from performing in vitro fertilization because they would fear criminal charges if an embryo didn’t survive. They were also concerned because the initiative did not make exceptions for cases of rape or incest.
Supporters, many with strong religious beliefs, say they are protecting the rights of the unborn. Part of the petition here in New York states, “By stripping personhood from the unborn, their right to life was revoked. By returning personhood to the weak and the powerless, we can restore their dignity and right to life as human beings. It really is that simple.”
"The lines are so unclear on what may or may not happen. I think there are circumstances beyond everybody's control that can't be regulated through an amendment,” one person who rejected the ballot initiative said.
"I figure you can't be half for something, so if you're against abortion you should be for this. You've either got to be wholly for something or wholly against it," said another who voted for the measure.
Now, the group Personhood USA, which pushed the Mississippi ballot initiative, has its sights set on other states. The Colorado-based group is circulating this petition to try to push forward the movement here in New York. They've crafted this petition online. It’s also trying to put similar initiatives on 2012 ballots in Florida, Montana, Ohio and Oregon. Voters in Colorado rejected similar proposals in 2008 and 2010.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.
Do you agree with the push to define ‘personhood?’ Would you support or oppose the initiative if it came up for a vote here in New York? Why? Leave your thoughts below.
