Maryland Introduces Personhood Amendment, Joins 15 Other States

Pewsitter.com

Febraury 6, 2009 - Washington, DC – The Personhood movement is catching fire as Maryland joins 15 other states across the country working toward the legal recognition of all human beings as "persons" under the law.

Delegate Don H. Dwyer, Jr. will introduce a Personhood Amendment this coming week in the Maryland General Assembly. The amendment recognizes all human beings from their biological beginning as "persons."

"The personhood movement marks a monumental shift in pro-life legislation of the past 20 years," said Judie Brown, president of American Life League. "It strikes at the root of the culture of death and discusses life issues in their true context – as the foundation of all civil rights issues."

"Here we are some 36 years after Roe v. Wade, (the Supreme Court decision that decriminalized abortion), and we now have 3-D and 4-D color sonograms that give us a real-time look into the womb," Del. Dwyer said. "There is no doubt today that there is a human being in the womb and that human being should be considered a person."

Colorado became the first state last fall to allow its citizens to vote on a Personhood Amendment ballot initiative. Since 15 other states are pursuing similar measures – recognizing the viability and growing strength of the movement – pro-abortion activists were quick to attack.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America, NARAL and RH Reality Check are all actively opposing the measures.

"I believe that as we approach nearly 40 years since the court ruled on Roe v. Wade, we must once again open the public debate to review when each human being's life begins," Del. Dwyer said.

"There is no doubt today the human being in the womb is a person. In the end, my goal would be that not only Maryland, but every state, would grant the protections of the state and U.S. Constitutions to all persons, born and preborn."