Norcross, GA – Georgia Right to Life President Dan Becker today called on the State Legislature to acknowledge clear public sentiment and approve placing a human rights amendment before all voters in 2014. By a 2-to-1 margin the majority party of Georgia has voted to protect all "human life from its earliest biological beginning."
"Personhood amendments do not grant rights to anyone — they merely recognize the God-given rights of every individual human being. The people of Georgia have shown that they are ready to vote ‘Yes’ on personhood, it is time for the legislature to ensure that the Georgia Personhood amendment is on the ballot," Becker said, ". . . time to let every Georgian decide the human rights issue of the 21st century." State law requires legislative approval to authorize ballot amendment questions.
Tuesday’s non-binding GOP primary results showed that a super majority (66% of voters) expressed support for amending the state constitution to grant the "paramount right to life" to all innocent human beings from their earliest biological beginning until natural death. The Amendment question won in 158 of 159 counties, garnering 593,250 votes of the 902,512 cast statewide. In most counties the "YES" vote was between 71% to 78%.
Adopting the amendment — which would be the first in the country — would allow the use of many contraceptives, continue to grant women essential health care, permit in-vitro fertilization and most stem cell research, as well as allowing abortion to save the life of the mother.
Saying it’s time for such a measure, Becker pointed to recent national polls that show most Americans no longer support abortion on demand. He also noted that the elderly, disabled and infirm are aware of the increasing threats to their well-being due to pending Medicare cuts and the looming possibility of healthcare rationing.
"We’re living in a society that sadly accepts death — either abortion or the willful neglect of the fragile — as a way to deal with perceived problems," Becker said, "and that violates both God’s will and our right to life guaranteed in the Declaration of Independence."
Becker said growing worldwide support for the Personhood movement was recently revealed when the Pontifical Council of the Laity called for a similar amendment to be adopted by the European Union.
"The tide is turning," he added, "more and more people are rejecting the culture of death that has pervaded our cultures for decades. It’s time to say — no more."
As for the elderly, disabled and infirm, Becker said the debate over Obamacare revealed that unless stopped " . . . the writing may be on the wall as some people feel society simply cannot afford extensive healthcare for everyone. God help us if we start applying cost-benefit analysis to healthcare."