One huge contemporary issue in America right now is abortion. Now the state of Mississippi is going to have a portion of their ballot dedicated to “personhood”. “Personhood” entitles the question “When do you think life starts?” The voter can either choose at birth or at conception.
“Personhood” was a very controversial litigation case passing through the Mississippi courts. On Thursday, the Supreme Court in Mississippi refused to block bill known as the “Personhood Amendment.” The final vote on the Supreme Court was 7-2. They cited that they cannot restrict the citizens rights to amend the constitution.
“We cannot invade the territory of the legislature or the electorate to review the substantive validity of a proposed initiative, and thereby, we will honor the maxim embodied in the constitutional mandate of separate of powers,” said Justice Randy Pierce for the court.
He went on to say that unless more control is given to the Supreme court regarding matters of public opinion, they cannot restrict the voters rights to voice their opinion on an open ballot.
Anti-abortion groups are hoping that if the law is passed, it will move on to the United States Supreme Court and perhaps give the justices the option to overturn the Roe v. Wade decision in the 1970s that legalized abortion.
“Although our opponents were beaten in this lawsuit, we know that they will not stop in their desperate attempts to deny the obvious truth that life begins at conception and that every life deserves to be protected in the law,” said Steve Crampton, general counsel of the conservative legal group Liberty Counsel. “Not only Mississippians, but all Americans, should support this commonsense amendment.”
As of now, Mississippi is the only state in 2011 to have the “personhood” issue on their ballot. However, there is approximately 5 states that are looking to get this issue on the ballot in 2012.