Amidst a Budget Crisis and Record Unemployment, What Concerns Michigan’s Republican Lawmakers? Eggs-As-People, Of Course!!!

Amidst a serious fiscal crisis and record unemployment, Republican lawmakers in Michigan had not much better to do than to propose a law to recognize fertilized eggs as people. Thanks to our colleague Todd Heywood of Michigan Independent for the document.

Amidst a serious fiscal crisis and record unemployment, Republican lawmakers in Michigan had not much better to do than to propose a to amend the state’s constitution to recognize fertilized eggs as people.  Thanks to our colleague Todd Heywood of Michigan Independent for the document.

According to the State of Michigan official website, the state’s unemployment rate in September 2009 was 15.3 percent, not counting those who have stopped looking for work altogether.  Cuts to education, health services, and other social safety nets not to mention in other areas of the state are being made regularly.  In fact, the legislature recently cut funding for family planning services.

So, while women now face increasing difficulties gaining access to contraceptives to prevent unintended pregnancies at a time when millions are less able to actually afford an unplanned pregnancy right now, the helpful Republicans of the Michigan legislature want to make sure that they are unable not only to obtain abortions, but also to use any form of birth control that might interfere with this bill’s definition of "life."

As Wendy Norris and others have regularly reported here (see links below), the implications of these so-called "personhood" amendments, which are spreading like the swine-flu in state legislatures, such laws would also outlaw any activity or medical treatment required by a woman–radiation or chemotherapy for breast cancer, say–that might interfere with the "personhood" of fertilized eggs, or the possibility that a fertilized egg might be present in the carrier of said egg-people.

It is hard to believe that proponents of these laws can actually take themselves seriously when untold numbers of people, including live born children, in Michigan and across the country are finding it difficult to afford food if they need medicine, or shelter if they need food, or clothing when money is short for shelter….

But no: We will make sure that every fertilized egg has its day in court.

Let the rest of them eat cake. 

Other articles on Rewire about egg-as-person laws…

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/08/17/eggasperson-crusade-drives-big-money-antichoice-groups

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/07/07/antiabortion-activists-push-new-more-radical-personhood-measures

http://www.rhrealitycheck.org/blog/2009/09/16/eggasaperson-state-law-campaigns-attract-new-faces-old-radicals