Tuesday, November 8, 2011

My Mom Could Have Been Convicted of Murder

So, today the state of Mississippi is voting on the "Personhood" bill that would designate inseminated human eggs as legal persons from the "moment of fertilization."  This would make any end to pregnancy (they are pretty much saying abortion and the morning-after pill) legally equivalent to murder.  (MotherJones.com)  But there maybe more to this then meets the eye.


Let's take for example an ectopic pregnancy.  "In an ectopic pregnancy, a fertilized egg has implanted outside the uterus, usually in the fallopian tubes."  And when the fetus grows, the tubes burst and the fetus is lost.  (KidsHealth.org)  Some time ago, my mother had an ectopic pregnancy that led to a miscarriage.  According to Mississippi, that's murder... or maybe manslaughter.


What might be more scary, though, is not that a miscarriage could be considered murder in Mississippi.  Republicans in congress are endorsing three similar bills that would extend the rights of legal personhood—including equal protection under the law—to a zygote.  This would make it a Federal law, so no matter where you live, you'd be going to jail.


Maybe Mom will get past the statute of limitations...

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