Posted at Ole Miss by Cristen Hemmins and her friends.
Personhood Amendments define not just life but -- as the name suggests -- personhood as beginning at fertilization. This means that IVF treatments, for instance, would raise the question of murder for every embryo that's not implanted and carried to term. It means that miscarriages would be suspect. And it means that, as the people behind the Personhood Amendment in Mississippi write, common forms of birth control would become illegal.
Photo sent by Betsy Chapman.
Not surprisingly, outlawing birth control is an unpopular idea with the general public. In recent years, the Personhood movement was twice able to place their amendment on the ballot in Colorado. It failed spectacularly both times.
The challenge for the "no" campaign in Mississippi is to somehow get the word out to people in Mississippi, a very, very conservative state. When Mississippians are told about the birth control part of the amendment, signs are that they oppose it. But the state supreme court ruled just last week that the measure could go to voters. So far, the "no" campaign is a Facebook page with a promise of more to come very soon.
Meanwhile, people on the "no" side have begun making their own posters. The vote happens November 8 -- they can't wait. Sara Schreiber sends the example above from Oxford, home of Ole Miss. The one below is from
(And thanks to everyone for sending stuff. Send more stuff, please.)
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Note that huge numbers of unfertilized eggs do not succeed in implanting in the uterus. Is the following response a reduction to the absurd? I agree that that consequences are absurd, I am just asking if the following logic does not fairly represent what would happen in Law:
Where is the error in this legal argument? If there is no error, who is going to pay for all the prisons that will be filled with the Women of America, because the statistical probability that every one of them that has regularly had relations with a male during their lifetimes is guilty of such Manslaughter.
Did you mean "huge number of fertilized eggs"? Unfertilized eggs don't count in this law.
OOPS, yes Becky. Exactly- you correctly guessed my intention because the argument makes no sense if this was not a typo. I really hate this 4 minute timeout on corrections.
Note that huge numbers of
unfertilizedfertilized eggs do not succeed in implanting...Since it is the government which apparently wishes for women to carry fertilized eggs to term AND is interested in passing laws to that effect, it appears that the federal government should also assume responsibility in all cases such as:
- the person carrying the fertilized egg(s) cannot afford to raise a child, once born; or
- the person carrying the fertilized eggs to term faces extraordinary medical measures to do so AND to sustain her own life; or
- the person with the fertilized egg(s) who does NOT wish to carry those eggs to term but is now required to by law.
In all of those cases, since the government has defined "personhood" in a way that others do not agree with, isn't it reasonable to assume, then, that the government should be willing to accept the innumerable types of financial responsibility that might be incurred as a result?
Also-
If a person goes to another state for an abortion, wouldn't Mississippi police be obligated to arrest the person for murder, including arresting anyone who were accomplices?
It seems to me that imprisoning the person or "accomplices" would automatically be brought by the ACLU as a Federal civil rights violation, and eventually wind up in the Supreme court. No?
corporations are people already. Apparently anything can be a person, with or without scientific evidence to back it up.
Can I, myself, be considered a corporation? And relinquish any personal responsibility for all of my actions?
If I'm a corporation can the government bail ME out? Please?
Actually ludwig you can. Stephen Colbert did a bit about this on his show, but he wasn't necessarily that far off from the truth. As an individual you can incorporate yourself thereby becoming a business. Technically speaking this is what I had to do in order to get at-home contracting jobs. I did it through legal-zoom. But it's kind've sick when you think about it: that in order to be a person you either have to be unborn or a business.
LOL Debra, It's not that hard to incorporate yourself. They do it all the time so they call themselves a pac and give unlimited money to their cronies. I saw go for it. Let us know how that works so we can follow your model.
If Mississippi does not vote no on 26, then Mississippi will resort to DIY abortions.
This kind of law reminds me why the state motto of Alabama is "Thank God for Mississippi."
Good luck, Mississippi. You're going to need it!
I can't believe there is still swing dancing. Sorry that's first thing that caught my eye.
I noticed that as well, but wondered whether that's an indication as to where the clock (calendar?) is stuck in that state...
Dancing's a thing again, there's a dance revivial on and it's been going for ten or so years now, where have you been--or was that just a cheap shot at MS? If you're heading down that road the proper retort is that dancing is of the devil and sinful so good Mississippians shouldn't allow it.
WOW mechtrek.. Calm down.. I knew there was ballroom dancing that was big again, but not swing dancing..Chill and maybe consider some anger management too..The flyers looked like from back to the future that was all I thought it was funny. Put your arms away GEESH.
Anybody want to finance an advertising campaign against this horrible amendment? You would be doing a great service for the women of child-bearing years in this state.
i unfortunately live in mississippi and will have to continue to do so for at least the next 15 years. worst. state. ever. and it's not even close. generally, things are never as bad as stated, but in mississippi's case, it's worse.
I assume we are all aware of Rick Perry's secessionist statement regarding Texas.
Well, maybe it would be in the interest of the United States to kick out states that behave like morons. Maybe we should vote to kick Mississippi out of the Union.
Think about it.
Ha!
While I understand the degree of amazement among those of you who have never experienced life in Mississippi, please don't let this piece of idiocy color your notions of the state completely. There ARE wonderful, progressive, enlightened, caring people who make Mississippi home and should not be tossed under the bus due to the attitude that "oh well, what can you expect of Mississippi" exonerates ALL progressive thinkers from offering real help and not just glib responses to this situation.
i've been here all of my 41 years. i can count the people that are wonderful and progressive and enlightened and caring people on one hand.
I have to agree with Jason, lived here all my 35 years and know about 5 people I can count as progressive or thinking individuals. Life here sucks. The only reason anyone is here is because either they are one of the silly right wing evangelicals or because they are stuck here out of family obligation or poverty. Worst state ever. You guys up north should have let them succeed so at least we'd be rid of this place as a union. And hypocrites, oh my are they some hypocrites here. You know how many of these non - choice types actually go in for the abortions they think so little of? More than I'd like to name. The conservatives holler about taxes all the while fleecing the government for handouts. I amazed they can get away with it except the population is so zombified they don't seem to notice. It's like sheeple land here.
The "No on 26" people should do an ad showing the police going house to house, medicine cabinet to medicine cabinet removing all birth control pills and arresting the owners. They will then be forcing pelvic exams on all women to make sure they are not hiding a diaphragm or an IUD. After all no birth control MEANS no birth control. Mississippi prisons will be swarming with women arrested for birth control violations. Be careful, women, what you wish for.
Has the insurance industry weighed in on this amendment? For example, are private insurance companies willing to offer life insurance policies for any fetus of any age? A miscarriage is a horrible loss for any family, but if this amendment to their consitution passes, will insurance companies be forced to offer such life insurance policies? (I'm not aware of any that do now.)
I think this is stupidest thing I have ever heard. I am prochoice even though I believe in the sanctity of life and life begins at conception. I believe we don't have a right to tell other people what to do with their life. I believe that sometimes abortion is a necessary evil compared to the alternative. A person at the moment of conception? That's a bit stretching it. I think they are opening a can worms that needs to stay close. I don't think these idiot Republicans have thought this through. Condoms are the number one way a person uses and its effective at containing AIDS. I cannot see people wanting to go back to the days before condom use or diaphragm use. I don't think its a good idea to go there. Sexual diseases will be on the rise again. I don't think people really want the conceptions hid behind the counter again. There is no common sense here. I cannot manager that this will pass.
This is a moot issue because of Roe v. Wade. Any such law violates the SCOTUS ruling until it is overturned or modified. I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for that to happen because abortion is such a contentious issue. If any abortion cases come before the court, it will be on narrow issues.
I will say loud and proudly that I will not obey this law if it is passed. I will continue to use birth control and I will try to help other women get it. This is wrong. The feds need to stop this or what good are they? My rights should not depend on where I live. If black people have civil rights where ever they go why don't women? How dare Washington let these fundamentalists bully us! This is exactly what the bill of rights was for, to prevent this kind of tyranny of the majority.
Of course the fine state of Mississippi will promise to support all children born to mothers who live below the poverty level and educate all their children at least through high school even though it will require more teachers and schools to handle the increase in population. Sure they will because everyone knows what a wildly progressive bunch of politicians get elected in MS. And then of course, there is the problem of population growth causing the need for more jobs which won't be available because those fine Mississippi corporate "persons" can't afford to pay a living wage to anyone but Chinese peasants because they must continue to pay their lobbyists to keep the feds from cleaning up the corporate tax mess. Obviously the only reasonable solution to state and federal economic problems is to ban birth control!
If States make laws that prohibit abortions or make it impossible.
One might argue that this is an unfunded mandate..
If a women is forced by law to carry to birth, then the State should assume all costs to the women from that point of which she is denied her legal choice, until the child was 18 or in school/college as a full time student..She being supported to the standard she is accustomed to, not welfare standards.
There would be a boat load of lawyers lining up for this gravy train....