<\/p>\n
\nAnti-choice activists tried mightily to put a
\nhappy face on their annual March for Life rally but the news was grim for its
\npriority project — placing another "personhood" constitutional
\namendment on the Colorado ballot.\n<\/p>\n
\nPersonhood USA co-founder Keith Mason told the January 2010 rally
\nparticipants that the proposed measure to give civil rights to fertilized eggs
\nis short the required 50,000 petition signatures needed to place it on the 2010
\nballot. Audible gasps rippled through the rally crowd estimated at under 300 by
\na Colorado state trooper.\n<\/p>\n
\nIn yet another setback, the group was also
\ninformed by the Colorado Secretary of State that a clerical error miscalculated
\nthe date by which petitions must be submitted for verification. Now, Personhood
\nColorado must return its petitions by February 12 — four days earlier than expected
\nfollowing a six-month certification drive to collect 76,047 voter signatures.\n<\/p>\n
\nEven so, Mason was defiant as he tried to whip up
\nthe crowd by refusing to declare defeat.\n<\/p>\n
\n"I want to tell you that the Colorado
\npersonhood effort didn’t get enough votes if you didn’t already know
\nthat," said Mason. "It was the first one in the country. But we
\ndidn’t get enough votes. But it wasn’t a failure. It was a start."\n<\/p>\n
\nIn fact, the group, then known as Colorado for
\nEqual Rights, was defeated in a landslide 73-27 vote in 2008 when other
\nreligious conservative-backed ballot measures in recent years have passed
\nhandily.\n<\/p>\n
\nThe latest Personhood Colorado campaign has been
\nmarred by poor fundraising and divided attentions as its national organizers
\nattempt to place constitutional amendments in all 50 states.\n<\/p>\n
\nWoes from the Centennial State Friday continues a
\nstreak of bad luck for the paleo-conservative anti-choice movement.\n<\/p>\n
\nNevada District Court Judge James Russell ruled \nThe Personhood Mississippi push has been rocked by \nLambright said she isn’t detecting any enthusiasm \nDespite the on-going bad news for personhood \nEven the noon pre-march festivities themselves was \nThe 2010 Denver March for Life kick-off rally in
\nJanuary 8 that a like-worded personhood amendment declaring fertilized eggs as
\npeople<\/a> imbued with civil rights protections was unduly vague and threw it off
\nthe ballot. Supporters have vowed to appeal the decision to the Nevada Supreme
\nCourt.\n<\/p>\n
\non-going confusion over ballot deadlines and a well-under-the-radar campaign,
\nas RH Reality Check reported earlier this month. Nsombi Lambright, executive
\ndirector of the ACLU of Mississippi, said the group appears to be working on a
\nparallel legislative effort with a constitutional amendment that will require a
\ntwo-thirds vote of the general assembly to place the initiative on the ballot
\nshould the petition effort fail.\n<\/p>\n
\namong state lawmakers to wade into a protracted and highly contentious process
\nto approve a personhood amendment. She doesn’t expect it to get far.\n<\/p>\n
\nproponents, the show must go on. A frigid mid-morning press conference was
\nattended by less than a dozen personhood campaign supporters – about half of
\nwhom were staff members and rally organizers from Colorado Right to Life.\n<\/p>\n
\ndecidedly more subdued than last year’s spectacle<\/a> that featured gory images on homemade posters and fiery anti-abortion
\nspeeches.\n<\/p>\n
\nsights and sounds:\n<\/p>\n