Three additional states have taken up the "personhood" cause in a push to guarantee the constitutional rights of the preborn.
Iowa, Virginia and Kansas are now among more than 30 states pursuing personhood amendments – a move pro-lifers view as their best chance of ending abortion in the U.S.
"Personhood is a revolution of the pro-life movement," said Keith Mason, co-founder of Personhood USA, in a statement. "It challenges what's been done in the past, stimulates the movement's present, and eradicates the need for pro-life efforts in the future. Personhood is the best hope to end abortion in America."
In Kansas, a new pro-life organization – Personhood Kansas – is currently collecting petition signatures to push the state legislature to pass a personhood amendment. The petition is being passed around and promoted among Christians and other pro-lifers across the state.
"As a movement, we know what our goal is: to have all children in the womb protected by love and by law," states Personhood Kansas. "It is important that we learn the lessons of history and rely on the moral clarity of our God-given moral law to guide our efforts not on demoralizing legal and moral subterfuge."
Language in each state amendment differs slightly but they generally state that personhood applies to all human beings from the beginning of their biological development and provide that persons, including unborn children, enjoy the right to life as guaranteed by the federal and state constitutions.
Thomas More Law Center attorney Robert Muise says pro-lifers should make personhood their main strategy. Whatever efforts went in to passing the 2003 Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act should be doubled for the personhood movement, Muise said at a recent Washington, D.C., conference, held around the anniversary of Roe v. Wade.
Though the 2003 ban was praiseworthy, partial-birth abortions – performed after the 18th week of pregnancy – account for only a small portion of total abortions. Muise pointed out that nearly 90 percent of all abortions occur in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
Some religious and pro-life groups have opposed recent efforts to move forward with personhood amendments, saying the time isn't right or that such measures could prompt a "super abortion right," Muise noted.
But Muise says the time is now to push their efforts.
Pro-lifers can't wait on a pro-life administration in the White House or Congress. They've already "been there, done that" with George W. Bush. Despite his pro-life agenda, abortions were ongoing.
Also, the current makeup of the Supreme Court is leaning in favor of the pro-life movement, Muise noted. If they wait any longer, more justices appointed by President Obama who will likely be pro-abortion will be seated on the high court.
"It is always the right time to do the right thing," Muise maintained.
