Georgia Democrat Seeks 'Personhood' Amendment

Pro-life lawmakers sponsoring measure that failed in Miss.
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 17, 2011 3:03 AM CST
Georgia Democrat Rick Crawford Seeks Personhood Amendment
A pro-life activist holds a sign as he participates in the annual 'March for Life' in Washington, DC.    (Getty Images)

A pair of Georgia lawmakers are planning to introduce legislation similar to the "personhood" amendment defeated in Mississippi last week. The bill—which would declare a fertilized egg to be a person, effectively outlawing all abortions—will be introduced in the state Senate by a Republican, but its sponsor in the Republican-controlled House is, oddly enough, Rick Crawford, an extremely conservative Democrat.

“I’m from rural Georgia,” Crawford tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I have to be well in step, and people have to trust me to represent their interests. It’s not a surprise to anyone that I’m pro-life. This is a discussion that is appropriate for us to have." Crawford teaches political science at the university which recently made the news for requiring all its employees to sign a pledge rejecting homosexuality, adultery, and premarital sex. (More Georgia stories.)

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