OPINION, July 6 /
Christian Newswire/ -- Keith Mason of Personhood USA submits the following and is available for comment:
Last week was a busy one for those pushing for the civil rights of all human beings. Montana and Colorado both launched renewed efforts to affirm the Personhood rights of all humans.
Part of the reason that these efforts must continue is due to the continued efforts of some journalists, who insist on furthering the "fertilized egg" deception.
The 2008 Personhood campaign stood for the truth that all humans are persons and should be recognized as having equal rights.
This concept is drawn in part from the scientific fact that at the very beginning of our biological development (conception, fertilization, etc) a unique human is present who is completely different from anyone else in the entire world that has ever existed or will exist in the future.
The accurate, more detailed scientific fact has also been known for decades, at least since 1942, when the Carnegie Stages of Early Human Embryonic Development were founded. According to the Carnegie Stages, the new human being begins to exist at first contact of the sperm with the oocyte - that is, immediately, or within nanoseconds. And because of this, the amendment language has been strengthened in Colorado.
The new language has been endorsed by Georgetown University medical ethicist Prof. Dr. Dianne N. Irving.
Last year Abortionist Warren Hern led the charge in the opposition against our campaign. He invented the hoax of the "fertilized egg" stage of human development that the media echoed throughout our entire effort.
This fraudulent science was adopted by some reporters, and by our opposition, which prevented debate of the real issues. Using the term "fertilized egg "when referring to the incredibly awesome beginnings of the lives of human is meant to dehumanize and devalue these little girls and boys, whose gender is already determined by DNA.
There is no stage of human development at which we are "fertilized eggs". Using this term is a mishandling of the facts. This continued mishandling of facts begs the question: Why can't we have an honest debate?
Why can't there be two positions presenting their views accurately, allowing the public make up their minds?
Our position clearly states that all human beings are always persons, no matter their age or condition of dependency ( or health, function, or method of reproduction)from the beginning of their biological development and should be protected by our law.
The opposition's position has never been clearly defined except by individuals like Peter Singer, Professor at Princeton University. Peter Singer has argued for decades that the term "person" should apply only to those "entities" who actively express "rational attributes" (e.g., knowing, willing, choosing, relating to the world around them) and "sentience" (feeling pain and pleasure).
Singer thus argues that apes, gorillas, monkeys, dogs, chickens, pigs, etc., are "persons" because they do actively exercise rational attributes and sentience - while adult human beings such as the comatose, the frail elderly, the mentally retarded, the mentally ill, drug addicts, alcoholics, paraplegics, etc., are not "persons" - and therefore they do not have the same moral and legal rights and protections as real "persons".
Is this the opinion of Planned Parenthood, NARAL, N.O.W., and those who are opposed to affirming the personhood of all humans?
We won't know for sure until the "fertilized egg" fairy-tale ceases to be echoed by several media outlets.
Once the false science used by our opposition is removed, the issue will be clear and both sides will be able to articulate their positions.
The people deserve to hear both sides of the story.
Keith Mason
Personhood USA
Personhood USA is a grassroots Christian organization founded to establish personhood efforts across America to create protection for every child by love and by law. Personhood USA is committed to assisting and supporting Personhood Legislation and Constitutional Amendments and building local pro-life organizations through raising awareness of the personhood of the pre-born.
