North Dakota’s latest under the radar assault on reproductive rights
by digby
While allegedly “modern” Republicans like SE Cupp may pooh-pooh the Democrats’ War on Women rhetoric, very few people are noticing the under the radar shift in “personhood” salesmanship that’s being tried out in North Dakota:
Amendment 1 may be flying under the radar because it doesn’t specifically mention abortion, birth control, or conception. It’s an extremely vague measure, saying only that “the inalienable right to life of every human being at any stage of development must be recognized and protected.” In fact, its supporters have pointed to the broad language as proof that Amendment 1 isn’t a personhood measure at all, claiming it has nothing to do with redefining life.
But according to Nash, who tracks state-level abortion legislation, Amendment 1 uses pretty much the same language as the other personhood initiatives that have previously come up for a vote in Mississippi and Colorado. It has what she calls the “hallmarks” of fetal personhood measures: it’s seeking to amend the constitution, and it says that life starts at conception. The only thing that’s changed is the messaging strategy around it, since Amendment 1 proponents used to make more explicit connections to abortion.
“This shift in the language is because these measures have been defeated,” Nash said. “They’re moving more toward this incremental language, because when they come out and say the goal is to ban abortion, they lose.”
They know they have to sneak it through because people don’t agree with them.
Keep your eye on this one. If it works they’ll be trying it out in other states, you can be sure of it.
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