Press Release

Reuters has reported that doctors have, for the first time, begun treating a patient using stem cells derived from the killing of innocent human beings.
Embryonic stem cell therapy and research systematically destroys living human persons who are frozen in their early stages of human development.

The Carnegie Stages of Human Development, a universal system for staging and comparing embryologic development, states that “human development begins at fertilization…” which “marks the beginning of each of us as a unique individual.”

“These unique human beings deserve better than experimentation, death, and destruction,” stated Jennifer Mason, a spokesperson for Personhood USA. “Reuters did not mention whether or not the parents of the children used for this therapy were notified of the deaths of their babies, but I cannot imagine parents are willing to sacrifice their children’s lives for research and therapies that may not even work.”

Adult stem cells have already proven successful, and therapies using adult stem cells have been reported to treat cancers, auto-immune diseases, cardiovascular problems, immunodeficiencies, neural degenerative diseases and injuries, anemias, wounds, and dozens of other illnesses and injuries.

“Social justice begins in the womb. A single cell embryo is a part of the human family. It’s what all human beings look like at their biological beginning,” explained Walter Hoye, spokesman for Personhood USA. “The grave reality facing us today is this: If anyone can be denied their humanity … then everyone can be denied their humanity. Colorado’s Amendment 62 understands this, gets the life question right and offers real hope to America.”

According to Reuters, most babies used in the new embryonic stem cell therapy are the children of couples who have undergone in-vitro fertilization. These babies used for embryonic stem cell research are the “leftovers”, unwanted and unloved. Those same babies could have joined their siblings and families, or they could have been placed for adoption. Even at the earliest stages of human development, there is no question that the new life is human. Regardless of the location of their creation, in a woman’s body or in the lab, all human beings are people.

Personhood amendments, such as Colorado’s Amendment 62, would protect all children from the beginning of their biological development, ensuring that even babies created through in vitro fertilization were not sentenced to death for research.

Today Judge Hyatt decided to dismiss the lawsuit filed against the Colorado Blue Book by the sponsors of Amendment 62, claiming that the court has no jurisdiction over the Colorado Legislative Council.

Article V, Section 1 of the Colorado Constitution states: “A fair and impartial analysis of each measure, twhich shall include a summary and the major arguments both for and against the measure, and which may include any other information that would assist understanding the purpose and effect of the measure. Any person may file written comments for consideration by the research staff during the preparation of such analysis. “

Amendment 62 sponsors and lawsuit plaintiffs Gualberto GarciaJones and Leslie Hanks say that there is no question that the analysis of Amendment was not fair or impartial, that it did not include the major arguments for the measure, and that their comments were completely disregarded by the research staff of the legislative council.

“The Blue Book’s false claims are so egregious that we were forced to take action,” continued GarciaJones. “Outright lies were printed about Amendment 62, and it is ridiculous that we weren’t even allowed input into the ‘Arguments For’ the Amendment that we wrote and sponsored. That is why we plan to appeal this dismissal and right the grievous wrong that has been committed against our campaign. The Colorado Blue Book is incorrect and unfair, and must be corrected immediately.”

Although the Colorado Blue Book has already been printed and distributed, Gualberto GarciaJones and Leslie Hanks are requesting that the Colorado Legislative Council correct the erroneous statements immediately by mailing a correction to every Colorado voter that received the Blue Book.

The Colorado Blue Book also claimed that treatment for miscarriages, tubal pregnancies, and infertility could be limited by the Amendment, all of which is false. The Blue Book also claimed that the measure could subject doctors and nurses to legal action for providing medical care to a woman of child-bearing age, which is also false, and alleged that “the beginning of biological development” has no established legal meaning and is not an accepted medical or scientific term, despite pages of expert evidence to the contrary. These are just some of the blatant falsehoods and biased statements published in the Colorado Blue Book, which sponsors may attempt to correct through the appeal process.

Denver, CO, 09/14/2010 –Pro-life voters will have only one pro-life measure to vote on this November, and that is only if they are registered to vote in Colorado. Colorado’s Personhood Amendment, Amendment 62, is the only pro-life ballot issue to make it to the November polls this year in the United States.

“Ballot initiatives are very difficult,” commented Keith Mason, Manager of the Amendment 62 campaign. “Our initiative efforts were successful because, with God’s help, we seek to protect every human person in the state of Colorado. We have truth, medicine, and scientific fact on our side. The people behind Amendment 62 have given their all to see Personhood on the ballot, because they are passionate about defending human life.”

Volunteer researchers for Personhood Colorado discovered that although quite a few pro-life ballot initiatives were attempted on a wide range of pro-life issues, yet only Colorado’s Personhood Amendment was successful for the November 2010 ballot.

“Personhood Nevada, Personhood Alaska, and Personhood Missouri were denied their rights to even begin collecting signatures, which is why you won’t see Personhood on the ballot anywhere other than Colorado,” clarified Cal Zastrow, co-founder of Personhood USA. “The ACLU and Planned Parenthood joined forces in the name of baby-murder to keep us from moving forward in Nevada and Missouri, in particular. We are looking forward to Personhood in Mississippi in 2011 and Florida in 2012, and of course, to victory in Colorado this November.”

“Personhood is about recognizing the dignity of every human life – the young, old, disabled, or infirm – every human has a right to live,” explained Gualberto Garcia-Jones, sponsor of Amendment 62. “Amendment 62 will protect every person, regardless of their circumstances, by love and by law. To be a person is to be protected by a series of God-given and constitutionally protected rights. ALL human beings are people, and must be recognized as such. A “Yes on 62” vote is a vote for life. ”

Personhood Colorado is a grassroots organization comprised of Colorado citizens who value all human life, from biological beginning to natural death. Personhood Colorado has sponsored the Personhood Amendment to the Colorado constitution, which reads: “Section 32. Person defined. As used in sections 3*, 6**, and 25*** of Article II of the state constitution, the term “person” shall apply to every human being from the beginning of the biological development of that human being.”

www.personhoodcolorado.com

Personhood Colorado and Colorado Right to Life, co-sponsors of Colorado’s Personhood Amendment 62, have discovered that their only opposition, ‘Protect Families Protect Choices’, is backed by none other than abortion profiteer Planned Parenthood.

“Protect Families Protect Choices” is co-chaired by Planned Parenthood and NARAL, two of the largest pro-abortion organizations in the United States. Planned Parenthood has reportedly brought in over $1.02 billion dollars in recent years, and NARAL’s financial reports have shown over 6 million.

“’Protect Families Protect Choices’ appears to be a cover group for Planned Parenthood,” stated Keith Mason, co-founder of Personhood USA and Manager of the “Yes on 62” campaign. “Of course Planned Parenthood opposes Amendment 62, because it would cut into their profit, and tax dollars for abortion on demand. Who cares more about women: the multi-million- and billion-dollar-per-year organizations who profit from abortion, or the thousands of volunteers who don’t want to see even one more woman hurt by abortion? Clearly, those of us who do not profit from abortion are more invested in speaking the truth – abortion kills babies and harms women. Planned Parenthood and NARAL exploit women for financial gain, and Amendment 62 is primed to put a stop to their profiteering. This is a case of big money versus the people of Colorado, and the people will prevail.”

Personhood Colorado volunteer researchers have uncovered a myriad of deceptions and outright lies from the abortion-proceeds camp, some of them boldly posted on the groups’ websites.

“Our opposition is relying on scare tactics to frighten voters,” explained Leslie Hanks, co-sponsor of Amendment 62. “For example, NARAL’s claims about miscarriages and ectopic pregnancy are patently false. Women would not be investigated for miscarriages, and of course women wouldn’t be denied health care or forced to carry an ectopic pregnancy that would kill both her and the baby. Even the No on 62 slogan is disingenuous – claiming that 62 goes ‘too far’, when any abortion regulation is ‘too far’ for these abortion profiteers. These false claims are calculated to frighten women away from the truth.”

“It’s become abundantly clear that as Planned Parenthood and NARAL’s coffers increase, so does their propensity for deception,” added Hanks. “’Protect Families Protect Choices’ is a misnomer, and misleading to the public. An organization that profits from the killing of children is not protecting anything or anybody. On the contrary, women are endangered by ‘Protect Families Protect Choices’ and their attempts to dehumanize children in the womb. Amendment 62 supports the human rights of all human beings, while ‘Protect Families Protect Choices’ appears to seek the best interest of Planned Parenthood – lining their pockets – and discriminates against babies in the womb.”