'Personhood' Amendment Defeated: Pro-Lifers Continue Fight Against Abortion
Despite Mississippi voters shooting down a bill that would ban abortion in the state on Tuesday, abortion opponents say they will continue to fight for their cause.
Keith Mason, the founder of Personhood USA, which initiated the amendment, said in a statement that his organization would continue to seek banning abortion in other states, such as Florida, Montana, Ohio, Oregon, Nevada and California.
"I am ready to go again...We accomplished our mission to be a voice for the voiceless who have no one else speaking for them," said Mason.
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Buddy Hairston, 39, took his daughters to a precinct outside Jackson to hold signs backing the amendment.
"Unborn children are being killed on a daily basis in our state and country, and it is urgent that we protect them," said Hairston to the Associated Press.
The Christian community was disappointed by the loss.
"We mourn with heaven tonight over the loss of Initiative 26, which would have provided the hope of life for thousands of God's unborn babies in Mississippi. Instead the unborn in Mississippi will continue to be led down on a path of destruction to horrible deaths both inside their mothers and in laboratories,” said Director of the Christian Action Committee Rev. Jimmy Porter.
Mason said Planned Parenthood falsely represented the amendment.
"It's not because the people are not pro-life. It's because Planned Parenthood put a lot of misconceptions and lies in front of folks and created a lot of confusion," Mason added.
Voters in Mississippi rejected the “Personhood” amendment on Tuesday by a vote of 55 to 45 percent.
Mississippi has strict laws governing abortion, such as requiring parental or judicial consent for a minor to get an abortion and mandatory in-person counseling and a 24-hour waiting period before any woman can get an abortion in the state.
