By Kenneth Murphy
“The basic constitutional question initially is whether or not the unborn fetus is a person. That’s critical to this case, is it not?” said supreme Court Chief Justice burger during the Roe v. Wade court proceedings. “Could Texas, constitutionally, in your view, declare, by statute, that a fetus is a person for all constitutional purposes?” he asked.
“The state could obviously adopt that kind of statute, and then it would have to be adjudicated,” replied pro-abortion Attorney Sarah Weddington.
This short exchange of words has brought the pro-life movement to push for “personhood” legislation in many states. If the pro-life initiative passes, unborn children will finally have their God-given, inherent right to life recognized from the moment of conception. Innocent life will be protected, not killed.
Mississippi’s Amendment 26
During October and early November, TFP Student Action traveled to Mississippi’s ten largest cities to help push that state’s Personhood Amendment 26.
With big signs soliciting drivers to “honk against abortion” and “honk for life,” the average honks per minute hovered at around 25. At every campaign site, approximately 1.500 honks per hour rippled across the intersection. What a good stir it created! Many cars and trucks stopped to pick up pro-life literature. Other drivers, clapped, waved, or gave double thumbs-up.
In addition to holding signs and waving to passersby at busy intersections, other creative methods were employed to get the message out. TFP volunteers canvassed neighborhoods, going door-to-door. The bagpipes helped. “I don’t agree with the issue,” said one lady, surprised to hear bagpipes. “I ran into my living room to see where the music was coming from. The way you present your ideas trumps everything. It’s the best I’ve ever seen.”
Many hours were also spent at Mississippi’s Jackson State University to talk to those who were most likely to be swayed by argumentation and logic.
A Win-Win Campaign
Pro-Abortion forces, desperate to derail the pro-life Amendment 26, spent tens of millions of dollars to fund TV ads, radio commercials, billboards and phone campaigns. Mississippi residents were receiving long distance phone calls from a center far away in Maine, pressuring them not to vote for the amendment that would protect innocent life. When visiting Jackson State University, many college students were confused on how to vote after seeing billboards claiming that the amendment would be the same as giving personhood to chicken eggs, or hearing the false idea that it would prosecute mothers who have miscarriages.
Although the amendment did not pass, the vote did achiever the goal of promoting the personhood cause. “These amendments are win-win campaigns,” said TFP Student Action director John Ritchie. “They force people to ask if an unborn child is a person or not. We can never lose by bringing up the question.”
Let us continue to work and pray that the sin of abortion is completely eradicated from America.
