2008 Woodie Awards
Fertilized egg rights initiative is immoral, sexist
Catherine Morrisey
Issue date: 11/19/07 Section: Editorials
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On Tuesday, Colorado's Supreme Court issued a ruling that allows a proposed ballot initiative to extend certain rights to fertilized eggs.
If it passes, Colorado could have a law that bans all abortion and makes it illegal to use the most effective forms of birth control.
The initiative would amend Colorado's constitution to redefine the legal term "person." A human would be identified at the moment of fertilization, and this newly fertilized human is protected by the state constitution. It has inalienable rights, equality of justice and due process of law.
In addition, any form of birth control that could inhibit the natural development of a fertilized egg could violate the egg's right to life. NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado states that the pill, the patch, the NuvaRing, IUDs, Depo-Provera, Implanon and Plan B all could be illegal if this initiative passes.
National statistics say that 80 percent of college students are sexually active during the four years of undergraduate education. Birth control would be made illegal for all women - married or single. Outlawing birth control to people who are sexually active is not going to reduce abortion rates; it is going to make them skyrocket.
The Colorado Supreme Court is allowing this ballot proposal to proceed on the grounds that the title is not misleading. In reality, the entire goal is misleading. The issue is driven by the determination of some people to end all abortion rights, despite the fact that a federal court case - Roe v. Wade - protects all first term abortions.
The point of this proposal is also to define when life begins for people. The problem is that no piece of legislation can do this without simultaneously disregarding the right to religion protected in the first amendment. This proposal is undoubtedly influenced by the traditional Christian viewpoint that life begins at conception.
Not all Coloradans, or Americans for that matter, believe life begins at conception. In general, Buddhism believes that life begins at physical rebirth, or with the first breath a child takes. Some Muslim scholars interpret the words of the Qu'ran to suggest that human life begins when the woman's stomach shows that there is a fetus. This is considered a sign from Allah that the fetus is fit to live.
If it passes, Colorado could have a law that bans all abortion and makes it illegal to use the most effective forms of birth control.
The initiative would amend Colorado's constitution to redefine the legal term "person." A human would be identified at the moment of fertilization, and this newly fertilized human is protected by the state constitution. It has inalienable rights, equality of justice and due process of law.
In addition, any form of birth control that could inhibit the natural development of a fertilized egg could violate the egg's right to life. NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado states that the pill, the patch, the NuvaRing, IUDs, Depo-Provera, Implanon and Plan B all could be illegal if this initiative passes.
National statistics say that 80 percent of college students are sexually active during the four years of undergraduate education. Birth control would be made illegal for all women - married or single. Outlawing birth control to people who are sexually active is not going to reduce abortion rates; it is going to make them skyrocket.
The Colorado Supreme Court is allowing this ballot proposal to proceed on the grounds that the title is not misleading. In reality, the entire goal is misleading. The issue is driven by the determination of some people to end all abortion rights, despite the fact that a federal court case - Roe v. Wade - protects all first term abortions.
The point of this proposal is also to define when life begins for people. The problem is that no piece of legislation can do this without simultaneously disregarding the right to religion protected in the first amendment. This proposal is undoubtedly influenced by the traditional Christian viewpoint that life begins at conception.
Not all Coloradans, or Americans for that matter, believe life begins at conception. In general, Buddhism believes that life begins at physical rebirth, or with the first breath a child takes. Some Muslim scholars interpret the words of the Qu'ran to suggest that human life begins when the woman's stomach shows that there is a fetus. This is considered a sign from Allah that the fetus is fit to live.
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