The Mississippi Supreme Court dismissed the challenge by Planned Parenthood and the ACLU against the voters of the state who petitioned for a November 2011 ballot referendum to decide if the unborn are persons. If, as expected, the voters affirm this definition, and the state constitution is so amended, abortion will be unconstitutional in the state per the U.S. Supreme Court ruling on Roe v. Wade of 1973.
For background, read Abortion Unconstitutional via Roe v. Wade: Personhood and also read Abortionists Fear Personhood Movement Gaining Steam as well as Pro-life States Press Personhood, Abortionists Sue
UPDATE 11/9/11: Personhood loses in Mississippi, but moving forward in six other states
UPDATE 11/9/11: President Obama thrilled for victory against the unborn
UPDATE 9/12/11: Passage of amendment virtual certainty
UPDATE 10/27/11: NBC's Chris Matthews says personhood would deprive women of 'free will'
-- From "Miss. court upholds election on ballot initiatives" by Jack Elliott, Jr., The Associated Press 9/8/11
An amendment that seeks to define life as beginning at conception . . . can appear on the Nov. 8 general election ballot, the Mississippi Supreme Court ruled on Thursday.
A majority of the nine justices reinforced a 2000 ruling that said they cannot rule on the constitutionality of measures until voters or legislators have had a chance to pass them. The court dismissed challenges filed by opponents.
While abortion has been central in the debate about personhood, those in the lawsuit have clashed over whether it oversteps the boundaries for proposed state constitutional amendments.
Groups that support abortion rights — Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the state and national chapters of the American Civil Liberties Union — helped sue.
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From "Initiatives OK'd for Nov. election" by Elizabeth Crisp, Jackson Clarion Ledger 9/8/11
. . . opponents are expected to continue their legal challenges if the measures pass in November.
Personhood USA President Keith Mason of Arvada, Colo., who appeared at a news conference in Clinton on Thursday afternoon, claimed victory.
"There have been nationwide attempts to silence the personhood message, so we are very pleased that a high court has ruled against the ACLU and Planned Parenthood yet again. The nation is watching Amendment 26, and it is time now to move forward and pass this crucial prolife amendment to defend human life," he said.
Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann has said he expects . . . personhood . . . to pass.
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From "Mississippi High Court Dismisses Challenge to ‘Personhood’ Initiative" by Joseph Perkins, Christian Post Contributor 9/9/11
“We seek to become the first state in the nation to grant civil rights to the unborn,” said Brad Hewitt, Executive Director of the “Yes on 26” campaign. If approved by Mississippi voters in November, and ultimately upheld by the courts, the proposed amendment to the state constitution will bestow upon the unborn the same right to life as the newborn.
Measure 26, the Personhood Amendment, was challenged by the ACLU, Planned Parenthood, and the Center for Reproductive Rights. The three groups claimed that the measure was an improper attempt by its sponsors to modify the federal Bill of Rights.
The justices simply declared, "Just as this Court cannot prohibit legislators from offering proposals in the House or Senate, this Court cannot impede voters from submitting proposals through the voter initiative process."
Mississippi is just the latest battleground in the quest by the pro-life movement to establish the “personhood” of the unborn in the states. Personhood USA, a Christian ministry based in Arvada, Colo., says that the ultimate object is undo Roe v. Wade.
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