Friday, July 20, 2007

Fertilized Egg = Human?

I certainly don't think so and I imagine that the majority of people don't think so. However, the anti-choicers are out in full swing in Colorado, pushing their ideologies onto the masses with a ballot proposal that would define a fertilized egg as a human.

From the Associated Press in Denver, CO today, July 20th:

Abortion-rights groups have until next week to appeal the language of a
proposed ballot measure that would define a fertilized egg, either inside or
outside the womb, as a person.

The secretary of state's three-person title board on Wednesday crafted
language for a constitutional amendment that would ban abortions. It would
define humans as existing from the moment of fertilization and extend the
Colorado Constitution's inalienable rights, equality of justice and due process
of law to them.

Arguments by reproduction rights attorney Kara Veitch that the measure's
language be rejected on the grounds it wasn't a single-subject measure because
it applies to three different sections of the constitution were dismissed.

Despite it affecting Article II, sections 3, 6 and 25, the board, which
includes Deputy Secretary of State William Hobbs, cited a common thread of basic
human rights.

Kristine Burton, 19, is working with Colorado for Equal Rights to get the
measure on the ballot.

"Every life needs to be protected," said Burton, of El Paso County. "A
fetus is a separate person from the mother."

The group would need more than 76,000 signatures to get the measure on the
ballot.

In a statement, Planned Parenthood of the Rocky Mountains said it opposes
defining "an egg as a person." "The proponents of this initiative have
been clear. Their intent is to destroy the landmark Roe vs. Wade decision which
legalized abortion," Planned Parenthood president Vicki Cowart said.

Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Lizzy Annison said it will work with the
legal and medical community to identify all the consequences of the proposed
amendment, which Annison said could extend far beyond access to abortion.

As the Planned Parenthood notes in the article, this measure is intended to destroy Roe vs. Wade. These groups have been chipping away for so long and this is a good example at another attempt. However this particular chipping is so blatant and goes too far (just like in South
Dakota last year) I don't think it has a chance in passing.

What do you think?

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