Human Life Amendment

Human Life Amendment is a term that refers to proposals to amend the United States Constitution to extend constitutional rights to unborn children, effectively prohibiting abortion. The concept of the Human Life Amendment has been a significant aspect of the pro-life movement in the United States since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision, which legalized abortion nationwide.

History

The first Human Life Amendment was proposed in the United States Congress in 1973, shortly after the Roe v. Wade decision. Since then, numerous versions of the amendment have been proposed, but none have been passed by Congress. The most common version of the amendment states that the right to life is vested in each human being at all stages of life, including the moment of fertilization, cloning, or other equivalent moment at which an individual organism's life begins.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of the Human Life Amendment argue that it is necessary to protect the rights of unborn children and to overturn Roe v. Wade. They believe that life begins at conception and that unborn children should therefore have the same constitutional rights as born individuals.

Opponents of the amendment, including many pro-choice advocates, argue that it would infringe on women's reproductive rights and could potentially outlaw some forms of birth control and in vitro fertilization. They also argue that decisions about abortion should be left to individual women and their doctors, rather than being dictated by the Constitution.

Political Impact

The Human Life Amendment has been a significant issue in American politics, particularly within the Republican Party. The party's platform has included support for the amendment since 1976. However, the issue has been controversial within the party, with some members arguing that it is too extreme and could alienate moderate voters.

See Also

• Abortion in the United States
• Pro-life movement in the United States
• Pro-choice movement in the United States
• Personhood