Montana AG Approves Language of Personhood Bill
The Montana Attorney General has approved the language of a proposed constitutional amendment that would define a fetus as a “person” from the moment of conception. Two groups, Montana Pro Life Coalition and Personhood USA, are organizing the petition drive to get enough signatures for the personhood amendment to make its way to the ballot. They’re need 44,000 signatures to make that happen.
Whether or not the proposed amendment makes it onto the 2010 Montana ballot, one thing is clear – defining a fetus as a person with constitutional rights would radically challenge that standing medical wisdom, and it would affect all pregnancies. Check out this video for the specifics. But consider this – the medical community currently defines pregnancy as occurring at the time of implantation. A fertilized egg must actually be in the uterus in order for a woman to be pregnant. Drugs that prevent implantation, such as emergency contraception (aka
“Plan B”) could be deemed illegal the definition of pregnancy is defined from the moment of conception.
The other thing to keep in mind is that these personhood statutes are a huge cash cow for the anti-choice movement. According to a story on Air America:
In just five short years, the primary movers and shakers in the absolutist anti-abortion/anti-choice movement seeking to promote the “personhood” of zygotes (the single cell that forms after a sperm fertilizes an egg) have amassed nearly $58 million in tax-deductible contributions for their cause.
That money is spent on lucrative salaries for the CEO’s of anti-choice groups.
If you live in Montana, get involved and stop this bill from getting approved.
