Mississippi votes on “personhood amendment” - Orlando Sentinal Blog

Catholics — posted by jeff kunerth on November, 2 2011

ReligionLink reports on the new abortion battleground: states defining the beginning of life at the moment of conception:

On Tuesday, Nov. 8, voters in Mississippi will cast ballots on a so-called “personhood amendment” that would define a person as existing from the moment of the fertilization of an egg. Abortion foes in Florida, South Dakota and Ohio are considering similar measures for 2012.

Many abortion opponents back the measure because they believe passage of Proposition 26 would effectively end legalized abortion by making destruction of an embryo at any stage and for any reason illegal.

The measure’s supporters also hope passage will spark a grassroots movement to ban abortion in other states and provide the U.S. Supreme Court with a test case to overturn the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion.

But some in the pro-life movement fear the opposite outcome – that Proposition 26 would be so far-reaching that it would provoke a backlash in favor of the pro-choice side, and that it would lead the high court to reaffirm Roe rather than overturn it.

In fact, the Catholic bishops of Mississippi have called the personhood amendment a “noble initiative” but said they would not support it.

Still, the Mississippi ballot measure has strong support from many well-known groups and state politicians and could make Mississippi the first state to pass such a law.

The personhood amendment is on one level just the latest skirmish in a wider battle over abortion rights that is increasingly taking place in the states rather than in Washington. Governors and legislatures are cutting funds for Planned Parenthood in some cases or are trying to pass laws that, for example, would require abortion providers to show women an ultrasound of the fetus or listen to a fetal heartbeat.

The subject is also returning as a campaign issue as the 2012 presidential election season heats up. The GOP hopefuls are being careful to court pro-life voters, while the Obama administration is angering the Catholic hierarchy and other abortion opponents with policies that many say would sharply expand coverage for abortion and contraception.

1. A flood of abortion-related legislation has been introduced in state legislatures this year. Among other things, a number of states are seeking to limit private insurance coverage of abortions.

1. On Oct. 13, the U.S. House passed the Protect Life Act, 251-172, a move praised by abortion opponents, including the Secretariat of Pro-Life Activities of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The measure aims to protect conscience rights of health-care workers and apply long-standing federal policies on abortion funding and was introduced in response to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed by Congress in 2010.

According to some observers, the Protect Life Act has virtually no chance of passage in the Senate and would be vetoed by President Barack Obama should it reach his desk.

1. Americans are conflicted about the morality of abortion, but a majority say it should be legal in all or most cases, according to a survey conducted in April and May by the Public Religion Research Institute.