Image from Philly Voices for Life

In Dr Suess’ cartoon “Horton Hears a Who” the kindly elephant Horton is known for saying:

“a person’s a person,no matter how small“

Now there are some in America that want to make that cartoon quote a law

A so-called “Personhood Amendment” was a recent ballot initiative that would have amended Mississippi’s state constitution to declare that personhood begins at fertilization.

This measure would – as proponents intended – cause legal conflict with the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision that protected a woman’s right to reproductive choice.

However, concerns were also raised about what a personhood amendment would mean for certain kinds of birth control, for women who have miscarriages, and for in-vitro fertilization.

Apparently these concerns resonated with Mississippi voters who rejected the ballot initiative by over 55 percent.  However, the personhood movement is still alive and spreading.

Virginia: Introduced on November 21st by state Republican Delegate Robert Marshall.  Attempts to include language that protects “a woman for indirectly harming her unborn child” and fertility treatments.  As Colorlines eloquently puts it, “Phew. That’s a relief. Not.”

Georgia: State Democrat Delegate Rick Crawford and Georgia Right To Life President Dan Becker are working on the language of a Georgia personhood bill that would avoid the vagueness that they think was the downfall of Mississippi’s attempt (you know, ignoring the fact that perhaps voters just didn’t think constitutionally prioritizing a bundle of cells over a woman’s life was the smartest move).  As reported by the Huffington Post,

Becker said Georgia’s latest version of personhood would only ban the methods of birth control, stem cell research and in vitro fertilization that would kill a zygote.

As if the use of the word zygote wasn’t hint enough…

Wisconsin: Republican state legislators are attempting to amend the state constitution to protect all the zygotes by changing the clause stating that “all people are born equally free and independent” to “all people are equally free and independent.”  That whole birthing thing is really just a technicality.

Colorado: Personhood USA has filed to amend include that the right to life ““applies equally to all innocent persons” and “the intentional killing of any innocent person is prohibited.”  The organization says that this amendment clarifies any confusion about their intentions.  Obviously they intend to prohibit abortion and legalize revenge killings.  Duh.

At least 8 other states have introduced similar propositions and 3 bill have been introduced in Congress.  The political fad of 2012 seems like it might be personhood.  Let’s hope voters across the country have the same sense as those of Mississippi.