ANNAPOLIS, MD (19 March 2010) – As part of American Life League’s nationwide efforts to recognize the personhood of the preborn child, its personhood project director Johanna Dasteel will testify in Annapolis Friday in favor of the Maryland Personhood Amendment (HB 1078) introduced by Delegate Don Dwyer and 19 other Maryland delegates.
A synopsis of the amendment is available at http://mlis.state.md.us/2010rs/billfile/hb1078.htm.
The Personhood Amendment would “establish that the right not to be deprived of life is vested in all human beings, irrespective of age, health, function, physical dependency, or method of reproduction, from the beginning of their biological development; making technical changes; and submitting the amendment to the qualified voters of the State of Maryland for their adoption or rejection.”
The hearing begins at 1 p.m. on March 19 before the Health and Government Operations Committee.
The hearing is open to the public and testimony is not limited to citizens of Maryland, but is open to anyone who wishes to testify.
Those testifying on behalf of the Maryland Personhood Amendment will ask the Health and Government Operations Committee to let the bill onto the floor of the House of Representatives for a vote.
Testimony in Support of the Maryland Personhood Amendment:
American Life League is pleased and privileged to endorse the Maryland Personhood Amendment (House Bill 1078).
“Proposing an amendment to the Maryland Declaration of Rights to establish that the right not to be deprived of life is vested in all human beings, irrespective of age, health, function, physical dependency, or method of reproduction, from the beginning of their biological development; making technical changes; and submitting the amendment to the qualified voters of the State of Maryland for their adoption or rejection.”
American Life League works tirelessly to promote and advance the rights of preborn persons, and we find that the Maryland Personhood Amendment is the perfect vehicle to do just that in the state of Maryland.
This amendment is a historic step toward reclaiming the civil rights, equal rights and human rights of every innocent person, including those not yet born.
American Life League commends Delegate Don Dwyer and all of the cosponsors of this amendment, for addressing the grave injustice that has been created by the negation of these rights for an entire class of human beings. Until we recognize the civil rights and personhood of all human beings, we will not have justice in this country.
This amendment asks for the legal acknowledgment of the objective, empirical fact that, when reproduced sexually, a human being’s life begins when the spermatozoon penetrates the oocyte. Further, it asks that it be acknowledged as a physical, observable reality that, when reproduced asexually, a human being’s life begins with a process of events using various methods, involving or not involving the use of sperm and/or oocytes or their components, the result of which is a single-cell human being. These are internationally recognized objective, empirical facts. The Carnegie stages of human development, among other reference points, attest to this fact beyond the shadow of a doubt.
American Life League asks that these empirical scientific facts be acknowledged by way of incorporating the Maryland Personhood Amendment into the Maryland Declaration of Rights. Currently, the Maryland Declaration of Rights states,
That no man ought to be taken or imprisoned or disseized of his freehold, liberties or privileges, or outlawed, or exiled, or, in any manner, destroyed, or deprived of his life, liberty or property, but by the judgment of his peers, or by the Law of the land.
As Americans, we have a strong sense of justice and we advocate for human rights. However, law is written in a different language. Laws are not written to govern and protect “human beings,” but “persons” and “men.” Unfortunately, the courts have abused this discrepancy to deny a whole class of human beings their inherent rights. We must close this gap, and restore common sense and justice to our legal system.
Notice that the Maryland Declaration of Rights currently states that no “man” may be deprived of “his” life. This amendment changes the language to read that no “person” may be deprived of life and that this right of a “person” is vested in all human beings.
American Life League begs this body to allow this amendment out of committee for a vote on the floor of the House of Representatives, so that justice, equal protection and equal care may be restored to every person in Maryland.
American Life League was cofounded in 1979 by Judie Brown. It is the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organization in the United States and is committed to the protection of all innocent human beings from the moment of creation to death. For more information or press inquiries, please contact Katie Walker at 540.659.4942.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
- MD Personhood: http://mdpersonhood.com/
- American Life League: Personhood http://all.org/personhood/
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