Amendment 1 is not pro-life; elect women

By Julia Hamilton
On Nov. 6, West Virginia voters will have a serious decision to make, so it’s important we know the facts. Let’s start with the actual wording of Amendment 1 — seventeen words, to be exact:
“Nothing in this constitution secures or protects a right to abortion or requires the funding of abortion.”
For the first time in our state’s history, West Virginia voters will decide whether or not to strip a constitutional right from its citizens. Regardless of where an individual may lie when it comes to the sensitive topic of abortion, all citizens should be concerned when a state legislature takes action and precious time from their 60-day sessions to create a pathway to remove an established right from its people, rather than work to pass legislation that benefits them and the land on which they live.
Some back story on how this amendment came to be: Prior to the passing of what was then referred to as Senate Joint Resolution 12 (SJR12), an amendment was proposed to lessen the severity of the legislation and create exceptions for cases of rape, incest, or complications that threatened the life of the mother.
That amendment was voted down by Republicans legislators — and even several Democrats — making this proposed legislation the most extreme attack on reproductive rights of West Virginians in our state’s history.
Point blank, nothing that refuses to make exceptions for young girls who are raped and impregnated at the hand of a relative can be, in any way, pro-life. Nothing that condemns a woman to die on the table, rather than live, breathe and work another day is pro-life.
Last time I checked, the individuals who push these acts of legislation are the same who bemoan the danger of big government in our lives, and who, time and time again, hack away at funding for the programs that keep living, breathing children and their families alive and well.
The real reason for this push to strip rights over such a controversial topic is clear — to turn out conservative voters in the general election, in hopes of holding on to as many seats as they can.
This may be a good time to also remind our legislators that choosing to pass an amendment that would take aim at a woman’s personal medical choices may not be the wisest strategic tactic when also engaging in stunts (see: provoking the teachers’ walk out) that impact the insurance options and job stability of a profession that is approximately 80 percent female.
After years of watching our Legislature waste time and energy on bills centered around reproductive rights, it is clear that the only real way to keep dangerous amendments like these from harming women, is to strip amendments like these off the ballot, and put women’s names on it.
It is time to send a message to our Legislature that we’ve had enough of our bodies being repeatedly placed on their legislative agenda.
Seventeen words. I propose two very different words. Elect women.
Julia Hamilton is a member of the National Organization for Women and was recently elected to Monongalia County’s Democratic Executive Committee. This commentary should be considered another point of view and not necessarily the opinion or editorial policy of The Dominion Post.