Georgia Democrat Seeks 'Personhood' Amendment

A pair of Georgia lawmakers are planning to introduce legislation similar to the "personhood" amendment defeated in Mississippi last week. The bill—which would declare a fertilized egg to be a person, effectively outlawing all abortions—will be introduced in the state Senate by a Republican, but its sponsor in the Republican-controlled House is, oddly enough, Rick Crawford, an extremely conservative Democrat.

“I’m from rural Georgia,” Crawford tells the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “I have to be well in step, and people have to trust me to represent their interests. It’s not a surprise to anyone that I’m pro-life. This is a discussion that is appropriate for us to have." Crawford teaches political science at the university which recently made the news for requiring all its employees to sign a pledge rejecting homosexuality, adultery, and premarital sex. (More Georgia stories.)