Nevada becomes 7th state to launch “personhood” initiative

The "personhood" initiative is getting some national attention today.

The American Life League, which bills itself as, "the largest grassroots Catholic pro-life organizaiton in the United States," sent out this statement in response to the initiative drive by activist Richard Ziser.

"Washington, DC (22 October 2009) – Nevada became the seventh state to launch a “personhood” initiative yesterday.The amendment reads simply:“In the great state of Nevada, the term ‘person’ shall apply to every human being.”“We are thrilled the people of Nevada are finally taking steps to fulfill the dream of the civil rights movement,” said Judie Brown, president of American Life League. “They are working for the fundamental right to human personhood, without which, no other rights exist. For the people of Nevada and the six other states pursuing personhood initiatives, this is about human rights and justice.”As a citizen-led initiative, approximately 97,000 signatures are needed for the proposed amendment to get on the 2010 statewide ballot. Nevada joins Montana, Michigan, Colorado, California, Florida and Missouri.Personhood Nevada, the group sponsoring the petition drive, is led by Richard Ziser, a human rights activist who recently led the successful campaign to define marriage in the Nevada Constitution as a union between one man and one woman.“It’s time for the people of this country and the people of Nevada to demand that all human beings, from their biological beginning, be recognized and protected as persons under the law.” 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 natural death."