Contact: Genevieve Wilson, Personhood Alliance, 770-339-6880
NORCROSS, Ga., Oct. 13, 2014 /Christian Newswire/
-- Defending innocent human life-from earliest biological beginning
through natural death-took a major step forward this weekend in
launching Personhood Alliance (PA).
"This
represents an earthquake in the pro-life movement," Georgia Right to
Life (GRTL) President Daniel Becker said. "Personhood Alliance stresses a
back to basics approach to speaking for those who can't speak for
themselves at the state, national and international level."
Unlike
what he called "outdated top down" groups, Becker said PA's agenda,
strategies and activities will be determined by a confederation of state
pro-life organizations and leaders.
"Many existing pro-life
organizations are out of touch with their base and are more interested
in winning elections than saving lives," Becker said. "Personhood
Alliance will draw on the strength of local organizations in developing
educational and political action strategies and activities."
Representatives
from 15 states-from Florida to Alaska and California to New
Hampshire-attended the founding convention in Duluth, GA which adopted
the group's bylaws and elected delegates and alternates who will have
their first meeting in early March.
Personhood Alliance is a
Christ-centered organization that believes pursuing Personhood is
essential to protecting innocent human life in the 21st century.
"Personhood
Alliance's goal is to bring the movement back to its original mission,"
interim PA President Molly Smith said. "We will honor the fact that
everyone is created in the image of God and deserves protection,
regardless of manner of conception."
Convention speakers
included: U.S. Rep. Paul C. Broun; GA Congressman-Elect Barry
Loudermilk; Molly Smith, President Cleveland Right to Life; Rebecca
Kiessling, founder of Save the 1; Catherine Davis with the National
Black Pro-Life Coalition; Jake DeVantier of 2nd Vote; Ben DuPre, Chief
of Staff to Alabama State Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore; Pam
Stenzel and Monica Kelsey of Living Exceptions; and Joshua Edmonds, GRTL
Director of Education.
Becker noted that the concept of
Personhood has received widespread policy support since the inception of
the modern pro-life movement. It is only in recent years that the
revival of personhood, as a strategy, has been seen. Many of today's
pro-life organizations and leaders have come out in support of
personhood as an immediate objective. A partial list of supporters can
be found on personhood.net.