North Dakota wants to give sperm Human rights!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090218/ap_on_re_us/abortion_restrictions

The bill declares that “any organism with the genome of homo sapiens” is a person protected by rights granted by the North Dakota Constitution and state laws.

The official text http://www.legis.nd.gov/assembly/61-2009/bill-text/JRDS0300.pdf

So what’s a genome?

More precisely, the genome of an organism is a complete genetic sequence on one set of chromosomes; for example, one of the two sets that a diploid individual carries in every somatic cell.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genome

Sperm contains a complete genetic sequence on one set of chromosomes.  Sperm is alive.  Depending on the definition sperm may be more alive than the egg.  Sperm can readily respond to stimuli whereas an egg is much more limited.  Even a fertilized egg can not respond as a sperm can.  How would North Dakota enforce this law?  Every sperm a human?  I’d be a mass murderer.  What if it was an accident?  Would 12 year old boys be charged with manslaughter for a wet dream?

Humans are born.  That should be the definition of humanity.  Before being born you are not human, you are not a citizen.  You are not a “you”.  If you want to give rights to non-people, give it to all non-people, chimpanzees, cats, dolphins, cows, pigs, birds.  If life is that important to you, why make a distinction between genomes?

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