North Dakota House passes ‘egg as a person’ bill

[Hepburn]

Source: The Colorado Independent

A controversial political tactic to ban some reproductive health services moved a step closer Tuesday. A bill to confer constitutional rights on fertilized human eggs passed the North Dakota state House Tuesday and moves on to the Senate.

AP reports that the measure’s sponsor, North Dakota Rep. Dan Ruby, R-Minot, denies the legislation will ban abortion, a long-held and as yet unsuccessful aim in previous legislative sessions.

Bismark CBS affiliate KXMB broadcast snippets of the House debate where the true goal of the law — challenging Roe v. Wade — was made public.

Opponents of the tactic argue that the proposed law’s overly broad language could also outlaw reproductive health care, contraception, in vitro fertilization and stem cell research that involves fertilized eggs.



Read more: http://coloradoindependent.com/21867/north-dakota-house-passes-egg-as-a-person-bill

---

Denies that it would ban abortion...right...:eyes:

It just bans some reproductive rights! GMAFB!

These people are fucked up beyond all repair! I wish to hell they would get out of the bedrooms and uteruses of others!

[Buzz Clik]

1. That bill won't stand up to court scrutiny.

Another idiot attempt by ... idiots.

[and-justice-for-all]

2. It is always the Rs....always

They have major issues with women and their power to decide who lives and who doesn't. Reich wingers and their ilk do not really care about a fetus, it is really about their idea of where they think a woman's social standing should be.

[duhneece]

34. Yup, we women just need to learn our place nt

[TwilightGardener]

3. It seems that while the rest of the country is focused on the collapsing economy, the

pissant GOPers of various state legislatures are busy with culture-war sneak attacks while everyone's distracted. Glad to see they have their priorities in order.

[EFerrari]

36. It hasn't hit ND as hard as other places yet. There was an article about that

around here last week or so.

[Hepburn]

4. More: ND measure says fertilized egg has human rights

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A measure approved by the North Dakota House gives a fertilized human egg the legal rights of a human being, a step that would essentially ban abortion in the state.

The bill is a direct challenge to Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that extended abortion rights nationwide, supporters of the legislation said.

Representatives voted 51-41 to approve the measure Tuesday. It now moves to the North Dakota Senate for its review.

The bill declares that "any organism with the genome of homo sapiens" is a person protected by rights granted by the North Dakota Constitution and state laws.

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jCYLBnGybRvUb4qdAa71wFCbEg0wD96DUE3G0

So.....does this apply to, for example, a leg which has been amputated as an "organism with the genome of homo sapiens?"

Genome = "All of the genetic information, the entire genetic complement, all of the hereditary material possessed by an organism."

http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=3580

:shrug:

[sinkingfeeling]

13. Then each and every sperm produced in ND is a person. Better think about that boys!

[Hepburn]

14. OMG....

....that means that a used rubber may contain an entire civilization!

:wow:

[endarkenment]

17. No - each sperm and unfertilized egg contain 1/2 the genome.

So they don't qualify for full rights.

[KnaveRupe]

22. That's some Dredd Scott reasoning right there.

What gives you or anyone else the right to say that having only half of the genome means you are less than a full human being?

:sarcasm:

[sinkingfeeling]

23. Not sure I agree with that. The genome is an organism’s complete set of DNA.

DNA in the human genome is arranged into 24 distinct chromosomes (22 autosomes and a pair of sex chromosomes). Each egg or sperm cell contains 23 chromosomes, being 22 autosomes and an X chromosome in the egg and either an X or a Y chromosome in the sperm.

So I think the genome is present in both the egg and the sperm.

http://www.ornl.gov/sci/techresources/Human_Genome/project/info.shtml

[AndrewP]

32. I live in North Dakota, and I'm going to make some villages tonight!

Some of these people in this state are so fucked up, you can't do anything other than laugh in disdain.

The funny thing is, here in Fargo, it's actually a progressive city. We voted for Obama 57/43 in this city. When you go to the small towns, that is where it goes to hell.

Sad. I'm embarrased for my state.

[Odin2005]

46. This fellow Fargoan agrees with you.

Thank God for our universities.

[Cha]

49. That's good to know..I did

not know that about Fargo, ND!

[KittyWampus]

5. so all those frozen embryos are individual people with constitutional rights?

that's just whacky

[Hepburn]

8. Maybe the RWs are hoping they can register them as Repubbies?

Unbelievable...but I can just see the RW idiots doing something like that.

So....would that mean since as a female, I have a few million eggs, I get to register them and vote over and over again?

:shrug:

[hobbit709]

20. You've heard of the "cemetary vote"?

This will be the freezer vote.

[Deb]

21. Why, they might be expecting an extra Congressional seat!

Not to mention extra Fed funding based on population. :grr:

[BlueMTexpat]

26. If they are frozen for 18 years, could they vote?

Just wonderin' ... :crazy:

[KittyWampus]

29. yes, after 18 years an embryo can vote & it also has to sign up for military service but it can't

drink until it's 21.

[daleo]

6. Humpty Dumpty can take refuge in North Dakota. n/t

[astonamous]

7. Does that mean one could get life insurance for the egg?

You know, just in case there is a spontaneous abor...I mean misscarriage. Can you claim the egg on your taxes?

[Hepburn]

9. Well, think of all the eggs a female carries ....

... and multiply that times the allowable dependent deduction! :rofl:

What idiots in ND!!!

[KamaAina]

39. ND men get three brazillion deductions!

:P

[Hepburn]

10. Oh, it gets better ~~ Check out the terms of the bill:

The North Dakota House has passed HB 1572, which reads,

SECTION 1. References to individual, person, or human being - Legislative intent. For purposes of interpretation of the constitution and laws of North Dakota, it is the intent of the legislative assembly that an individual, a person, when the context indicates that a reference to an individual is intended, or a human being includes any organism with the genome of homo sapiens.

SECTION 2. STATE TO DEFEND CHALLENGE. The legislative assembly, by concurrent resolution, may appoint one or more of its members, as a matter of right and in the legislative member's official capacity, to intervene to defend this Act in any case in which this Act's constitutionality is challenged.

http://culture11.com/diary/37020

They can appoint ANY member to defend this act against a constitutional challege. What total bullshit!

[sinkingfeeling]

11. And who will be driving the fertilized egg to the voting booths in November? How will they decide

which fertilized eggs will be eligible for jury duty? To have constitutional rights, one might think the 'thing' would have to be capable of drawing a breath or at least, signing its name. Wonder how they're going to deal with the 67% of fertilized human ova that never implant.

Stark-ravingly mad!

[Hepburn]

12. Just amazing that those in charge of making the laws in that state...

...are so totally clueless. Apparently NO thought at all to the ramifications of this bill...obviously!

[radfringe]

15. if "egg is person"

can you now claim the egg as a dependent on your income taxes? can you count the "egg" as a member of the household when seeking government assistance?

[mac56]

27. And if the egg is a person -

how does this impact the upcoming 2010 Census?

[endarkenment]

16. I''ll have two scrambled people and a side of home fries. nt

[bluevoter4life]

18. So every time I masturbate....

I kill potentially millions of "people". What about every time my girlfriend gets her period? Seriously? What loonies are running that state?

[blueclown]

33. Well, to be fair, this bill says 'fertilized eggs' are persons.

Your jizzing, as an independent action, does not create a zygote.

[sinkingfeeling]

38. No, the bill uses different language entirely... See reply #4 above.

"The bill declares that "any organism with the genome of homo sapiens" is a person protected by rights granted by the North Dakota Constitution and state laws."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jCYLBnGybRvUb4qdAa71wFCbEg0wD96DUE3G0

[blueclown]

50. Isn't an organism created when the sperm and the egg meet?

Am I correct in saying that sperm is not an organism, it is merely just a cell?

[Hepburn]

51. OMG.........

....I misread "organism" for "orgasm."

:rofl:

You gave me quite a giggle today! :hi:

[okoboji]

65. here we go......

The year is 2018. The President of the United States is a woman. The Supreme Court has eight women and one man. Ninety percent of the House and Senate are women. Men make 59 cents for every dollar a woman earns. Men are getting angry. They want to be equal. We feel they are getting a bit out of hand. Looking back through history, we see that the laws that control the human body are an effective means of oppression. We act. The Supreme Court rules 8-1; ejaculation without the express intent to create life is unconstitutional. The sperm contain half of the genetic material to create life. To ejaculate without intending to create life will be a felony and will carry harsh sentences. The men in our country are in an uproar. Their cry is heard throughout the nation... “Our bodies, our lives, our right to decide!”

[peaches2003]

19. They will be volunteering to implant ...

all the presently frozen embryos into their own bodies or their wife's and give birth to these people? Thought not.

[Wizard777]

24. Does it also impart liability? If the mothers dies as a result of pregnancy or birthing.

Were going to charge that egg or infant with Homicide. Right? They will able to reply the Miranda question. Do you understand these rights? Will they have to wait for until the egg is capable or responding to the question? This is just damned silly. It's okay for the egg to have no rights if it has no liabilities. But once you give that egg rights. Someone's going to want to put those rights to a test by arresting or suing that egg.

[daggahead]

25. I smell a new tax write-off! Hooray!

:sarcasm:

[RBInMaine]

28. IS this what these crackpots are really concerned with, with all the real problems people have?

[AB_Positive]

30. There's no way to properly word my reaction...

...since it's pretty much a spastic flailing of hands while screaming in frustration. Followed by a face-first plunge into my keyboard.

[spanone]

31. ok, i'll have scrambled chicken for breakfast

[kestrel91316]

35. Unconstitutional on its face due to it making abortion into murder.

[hayu_lol]

37. OK, time for North Dakota to...

get all these eggs into school. Only eggs that have accepted toilet training will be enrolled.

[KamaAina]

40. No Egg Left Behind

:rofl:

[DemWynner]

41. So I can get 3 days off every month

For the death of my egg? That is awsome! I will have to invest in more black clothing.

[MountainLaurel]

45. There you go

Personally, I'm a bit squicked out about the idea of a little colony living in my nether regions.

[leftstreet]

42. So then, Easter Egg coloring is basically out?

[TalkingDog]

43. So a boiled hen fruit is a chicken dinner as long as its fertilized?

Well, by that logic ketchup is a vegtable.....

[Vinca]

44. I wonder if North Dakota might give old, fertilized eggs -

people like me - health care. Are these people nuts or what? People dying in the streets from lack of food and shelter and they've got their panties in a knot over fertilized eggs that haven't even thought of implanting in a uterus. I hope they're conducting last rites over toilets every month because that's where a whole lot of fertilized eggs end up thanks to Mother Nature.

[Odin2005]

47. This Fargoan thinks those idiots in Bismarck need a swift kick in the ass.

:grr:

[Hepburn]

48. Shameless kick for the afternoon crew....

...:hi:

I had eggs for lunch....does that mean I violated some constitutional rights of a hen?

:shrug:

[Ohio Joe]

52. It is worse then that, 7 states are trying to do this

http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/53199479.html

Damn fundies will never stop.

[Nevernose]

57. Not until they get 5 SCOTUS votes

That's what this is all about: keep losing in court, keep appealing until they get to a more favorable Supreme Court (which they might have right now).

[kiranon]

53. But will they pay their fair share of taxes? Eligible for SSI?

Every one who voted for this should take their fair share of eggs and make sure they raise the babies in their own households. How about 8 for every Republican in North Dakota? That should keep them busy and out of such mischief in the future.

[IndianaGreen]

54. Then the fundies in ND should contribute money to the mother of the octuplets

If every egg is precious, so is every child. Fund all these eggs and kids through college and buy them homes to boot.

[pleah]

55. Are these people mentally challenged?

I would have to say, YES! OMFG!

[Hepburn]

60. I would second that opinion!

Can you believe all of the bullshit that comes out of ND???

I feel so sorry for any progressive that has to put up with Neanderthals like this!

:hi:

[pleah]

61. You and me both, babe.

:hi: ;-)

[WePurrsevere]

56. These RW RepubliCons are pathetic & disgusting...

they care more about something that only has the vague potential for human life over those who are living breathing human beings. The later can starve, be thrown out of their homes, die from illness and diseases that can be cured, freeze to death, be sent to be killed for a war based on lies, etc.

This is so foolish too. The economy is in the toilet and these idiots want to waste precious taxpayer money defending something that has a very high probability of simply being tossed or laughed out.

[fascisthunter]

58. as if they cared about life....

fucking nutcase frauds

[LanternWaste]

59. Obama recently indicated that stem cell research will happen in this country...

President Obama recently indicated that stem cell research will happen in this country during his administration. If this particular state bill in fact results in the denial and stricture on research into this field in the state of North Dakota, which law would have precedence-- the state or the federal law?




As an aside: I think this one is going to get ugly if it gets any play and copy in the news...

edit: clarity

[DCKit]

62. So, if I go to KFC in ND for an eight piece meal, I'm getting a hard boiled egg...

four biscuits and two side orders?

Freaks.

[windoe]

63. So sperm are people too

no more jacking off, itz mass murder. Don't get me started.

[ProudDad]

64. This is the week for "life" imitating Python...

Every Sperm is Sacred...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U0kJHQpvgB8


The Galaxy Song:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x3740699#3742221

[Kip Humphrey]

66. Can we give Canada North Dakota? Maybe in exchange for renegotiating NAFTA?

[JCMach1]

67. Not to mention how we treat chickens...

On a serious note, this sucks!

[GinaMaria]

68. The incredible edible egg eom

[Joe Bacon]

69. Gimme my Bacon with my Eggs!

and don't forget the hash browns, toast and orange juice too!

[PassingFair]

70. One snowflake, one vote! n/t