Oppose Mississippi's Personhood Amendment to Help Keep Abortion Legal

On November 8, voters here in Mississippi will elect our next governor. We will also decide whether to approve the most extreme abortion ban yet to be attempted. This comes in the form of Initiative 26, a measure to amend the state constitution to confer "personhood" on fertilized eggs. Not only would this ban abortion in Mississippi, it may outlaw many popular forms of birth control. If passed, Initiative 26 is likely to have national implications because proponents have been clear about using it to get Roe v. Wade overturned in the Supreme Court.

The proponents of Initiative 26 have the support of Christian extremists throughout Mississippi (and there are quite a few of them). The pro-26 efforts are also being funded by the American Family Association. This should give you some idea of what we're up against.

Rampant ignorance and the influence of evangelical fundamentalist Christianity has resulted in quite a bit of unthinking support for Initiative 26. That sounds dire, but is also means that providing people with correct information about what is at stake here can change some minds.

The no-on-26 efforts have already caught the attention of many prominent atheists, who recognize the implications of this sort of legislation for women. With November 8 quickly approaching, we'd appreciate any publicity you can help to bring to this issue.

Resources

• Mississippi 'Personhood' Amendment Takes Aim at Birth Control as Well as Abortion
• Mississippians for Healthy Families
• Protecting Reproductive Freedom for Women in Mississippi and Beyond
• Saying No in Mississippi: No to Personhood, No to Voter Restrictions
• The Chilling Effect of Mississippi's 'Personhood Amendment'

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