On November 8, Mississippi voters will decide whether to amend our state constitution by redefining personhood to include fertilized eggs. The stated goal of those promoting Initiative 26 is to provide the U.S. Supreme Court with the case they need to overturn Roe v. Wade, effectively ending reproductive freedom for American women. Mississippi was selected intentionally after similar efforts failed twice in Colorado. Proponents of Initiative 26 are counting on Mississippi voters to be less informed and more conservative than Colorado voters.The Goal of Initiative 26
Initiative 26 would ban abortion in Mississippi, even in cases of rape, incest, or cases where the woman's life was endangered. But even this drastic step is of minimal importance to proponents of Initiative 26. Their stated goal is to ban abortion in Mississippi in an attempt to get the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade. The court is far more conservative now than they were when Roe was decided, and there is a good chance that they would overturn it today if given the opportunity to do so.
Proponents of Initiative 26 are supported by the American Family Association and other Christian extremist groups. They have been using statewide robocalls, billboards, TV and radio ads, yard signs, and the like. They are very well funded and have been effective in persuading the Southern Baptist majority to join them.
Unintended Consequences
Besides banning abortion, Initiative 26 appears to have many other serious consequences. Some of these might be intended but are not being publicized; others may truly be unintended. They include banning certain forms of birth control (i.e., most birth control pills), making miscarriage a criminal offense, and costing the state of Mississippi a considerable amount by requiring a thorough re-write of the entire legal code.
Some pro-life groups in our state are coming out against Initiative 26 precisely because they are worried about these possible consequences. Even though they agree with banning abortion, they realize that this is not the way to do it. Unfortunately, they seem to be in the minority.
What You Can Do
Assuming that you want to keep abortion legal in the U.S., here are some things you can do:
- Vote no on Initiative 26.
- Encourage every registered voter you know to vote no on Initiative 26.
- Volunteer to work with Mississippians for Healthy Families or donate to support their efforts.
- Use whatever means are at your disposal to inform and educate Mississippians about the implications of Initiative 26.
There is some evidence that Mississippi voters may change their minds on Initiative 26 when they are informed about some of the possible consequences, especially the implications of banning birth control. It would be naive to suggest that everyone can be reached, but it is possible to change minds on this one.
Subscribe to Mississippi Atheists