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Columbia, SC

We Won! Read Judge's Ruling at Right.

Next Meeting

There is no meeting in February.  Keep checking for information on the March meeting.

The "Personhood" Bill

The Religious Right Representatives in our legislature are trying to violate the First Amendment again.  They have introduced a bill that defines personhood as beginning at fertilization, thereby entitling a zygote and a blastocyst the same rights as an adult human being.  This violates the First Amendment because it would have our state government endorsing a particular religious belief, namely of when human life begins.  The fact of the matter is that various Christians, other religious people, and people of no faith have variously argued that life begins at fertilization, at implantation, at the first heartbeat, at "quickening" (when the fetus begins kicking), at "viability" (when the fetus is capable of maintaining life outside the womb), and at birth.  Yet this doesn't matter to the Religious Right because they believe that they speak for all Christians and all religious people.  Indeed, they believe that they speak for God.

But we do not live in a theocracy but a democracy.  Our representatives do not represent God but the people -- all the people.  The sworn duty of our representatives is not to enact Biblical law into secular law but to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution, and the Constitution guarantees women the right to choose.

Americans United for Separation of Church and State has written a letter to Rep. Greg Delleney, Chair of the Subcommittee on Constitutional Laws, expressing its opposition to this bill.  I hope that you will join me in contacting Rep. Delleney in expressing your opposition, as well:  (Home) 803-385-3580, (Work) (803) 581-2211.

Neal

PS.  We will not be meeting next Sunday, Feb. 14th.