Matt Gaspers: On Personhood

| Posted on |

The Personhood Strategy to End Abortion

It is critical to understand that state lawmakers and governors, not Supreme Court judges, legalized abortion. In 1967, Colorado legislators successfully passed the first state law that made abortion legal in certain circumstances. Several other states followed suit by passing similar laws. Then, in 1973, those existing state laws were reinforced by the Roe v. Wade decision, the ruling in which a majority of U.S. Supreme Court judges chose not to recognize unborn human beings as persons (inherent dignity, inalienable rights) in the context of the U.S. Constitution.

The legal status of abortion was initially changed by written law, not judicial dictate, because the foundation of our republic is the rule of law. The principal law of each state is its constitution, just as the U.S. Constitution is “the supreme Law” of the nation at large (Art. VI). Thus, the only way to eliminate abortion is by means of a constitutional amendment. The people of Colorado have the right “to alter and abolish their constitution and form of government whenever they may deem it necessary to their safety and happiness, provided, such change be not repugnant to the constitution of the United States” (Colorado Constitution: Art. II, Sect. 2). Amendment 62 contains nothing contradictory to the U.S. Constitution; therefore, any legal challenge at the federal level can be defeated simply by citing the 9th and 10th Amendments to the U.S. Constitution (rights of States and the people), as well as the Roe v. Wade decision itself: “If…personhood is established, the appellant’s case [for abortion], of course, collapses, for the fetus’ right to life would then be guaranteed specifically by the [14th] Amendment [to the U.S. Constitution]” (Sect. IX, A.). Amendment 62 is the constitutional means that will eliminate abortion in the state of Colorado. The proponents of the amendment urge all pro-life citizens to help with the campaign (visit MyCampaignTracker.org) and trust that God will bless our uncompromising efforts with victory (see Nehemiah 4:19-20).

Matt Gaspers
Greeley