The Personhood Bill of South Carolina S217 is important because the primary reason for civil government’s existence is to protect life. Therefore, Civil Government cannot fulfill its obligation to society without a proper explanation of what “life” is and what makes a “living being” a “person.” A “person” simply defined from multiple sources is: “a human, a human being, a living human, a man or woman or child, an individual – a natural person, a human being as distinguished from an animal or thing.” One thesaurus included “living soul” as a synonym. These references include law and medical definitions. A child, whatever its state of development, is human. Being human is what gives it the designation of being a person. Darwin, in his infinite wisdom had described a fertilized egg as being as complex as an inked period at the conclusion of a sentence. Carl Sagan reminded us of that in an article in Parade Magazine many years ago... We know that conception produces something far more magnificent than that.
The SC Code of Laws under Title 44 (Health), Chapter 41 (Abortions) in Section 44-41-10 Definitions defines “Conception” as recognized by the State: Subpara. (g) “Conception” means the fecundation of the ovum by the spermatozoa” https://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t44c041.php
The Personhood Bill does not create personhood at conception: it is a clarification that personhood at conception is fact despite what society has chosen to accept to its own moral peril.
January 24, 2018, the organization, Personhood South Carolina, sponsored a Personhood Rally held in the Statehouse urging lawmakers to support the Personhood Bill. Prominent backers of the bill included SC Governor Henry McMaster, SC Lt. Governor Kevin Bryant, SC Attorney General Alan Wilson, Representative Josiah Magnuson, with gubernatorial candidates, pastors and concerned constituents. Despite the high profile attendees, the media from across the state merely mentioned that the governor attended the rally without mentioning anything about the rally itself. One news outlet said there was a rally for the ‘so-called’ Personhood Bill.”
The Governor’s comments prepared for his January 24, 2018 State of the State Address as prepared for delivery the same day as the rally demonstrating his personal support for Personhood included:
“The most important function of government is providing for the safety and security of the people. That extends to all life – born and unborn, young and old... I believe that human life begins at conception. That’s why, in August, I directed state agencies to stop providing state funds to abortion clinics.. This right to life is the most precious of rights – and the most fragile. We must never let it be taken for granted.”
On January 25, 2018 at the State House, Senate Chamber, Senator Richard Cash called for debate:
“There are many important issues that we will debate in the Senate. There are some urgent issues that we need to debate, but nothing is more important, and nothing is more urgent, than debating the Personhood Bill.
It is not a Republican issue.
It is not a Democratic [sic - Democrat] issue.
It is not a black issue
It is not a white issue.
It is not even just a woman’s issue or a man’s issue.
It is fundamentally at its core, a human rights issue.
So I ask at the first available opportunity, that we deal with this question: ‘Who qualifies as a member of the human community, and is deserving of legal protection?’ It is a question that this body needs to debate fully on this Senate floor and to vote on.”
Tuesday, January 30, the SC Personhood Bill S217 was scheduled first on the Judicial Committee Meeting agenda. The State reported that the “Bill to Likely Ban All Abortions Delayed in South Carolin,” The Personhood Bill of SC had once again been delayed with some senators saying “they need time to consider possible exceptions to the law.” The vote was 18-5: Senators: Richard Cash, Mike Gambrell, Rex Rice, Stephen Goldfinch and William Timmons upholding the Personhood Bill resisting the carryover. “I am Republican, pro-life and Catholic,” said Sen. Sandy Senn, R-Charleston. “But this bill is so far out of bounds...” The State reported that similarly worded legislation in other states had been found unconstitutional which some of the dissenting Republicans bought into although that information has yet to be verified.
Democrats suggested if an abortion bill makes it to debate on the Senate floor, nothing else will get done this year, including legislation to deal with the abandoned construction of nuclear plants.
“If it gets on the floor, it will be the last bill you hear this year,” said Sen. Gerald Malloy, D-Hartsville.
These statements are specious in that the Personhood Bill is meant to establish that an embryo has the same right to life as its mother; not a greater right to life. It does not address abortion or punishing abortion. It does not interfere with a doctor making legitimate decisions about health. It is the recognition of the definition of a person. There can be no amendments establishing exceptions because there can be no exceptions to being a person if human. It could allegedly result in abolishing abortions but the bill itself simply clarifies that there are lives at risk as a consequence of bad law that have been overlooked.
How abortions would be handled is a separate issue with its own debate, but that is not what this bill is about.
The idea that this bill would prevent their having to deal with legislation regarding the abandoned construction of nuclear plants? Personhood should NEVER have EVER become an issue. It is God-given and natural! Government interfered in the natural order of things. Abandoned nuclear plants shouldn’t have become an issue either! That’s the lack of oversight of the very men in the legislature who approved the men who approved the raising of the state’s utility bills and taxes to cover the costs of the utility companies enriching themselves beyond what they were willing to provide the consumers. The legislature is responsible for the utility boondoggle and to throw innocents under the bus while claiming it’s to give the legislature time to fix their monumental mistakes is ludicrous! Sen. Malloy, you should be ashamed! The idea that no other business would be able to be conducted would be a relief for SC taxpayers! Like Richard Cash has said, no other issue is as important as Personhood has become. The utility companies stole customers’ monies and taxes, the State is stealing lives. If there are other issues on the table, take care of this one, correctly, and move on!
SC Personhood Bill progress continues to be obstructed by Sen. Judicial Committee Chairman Senator Luke Rankin (Horry), again. After a shortened Sen. Jud. Committee meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 6th which did not even cover S217 Personhood Bill: Senator Rankin has completely canceled the regular Tuesday meeting scheduled for Feb. 13th and no committee meeting at all appears on next week’s SC Senate Meeting Schedule.
How can we expect the legislators to handle fiscal disasters when they don’t even understand the importance of recognizing life itself... They can’t protect us if they do not recognize us... all of us.
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Personhood Day Rally speeches: personhood.sc/2018-per
sonhood-day
