Liberty Counsel continues its efforts to convince the U.S. Supreme Court to take a case involving Oklahoma's personhood amendment.
While proponents of the measure, which defines life as beginning at fertilization, were gathering signatures in a petition drive to get the issue on an election ballot, the Oklahoma Supreme Court cut the drive short by ruling that the measure conflicts with past U.S. Supreme Court abortion decisions.
Liberty Counsel founder Mat Staver says that is a premature decision.
"First, the people have a right to vote; they have a right to be able to amend their state constitution, and that's in fact what they want to do," he notes. "We believe that this case is one that the Supreme Court could rule upon and ultimately send this back down to the people in Oklahoma, allowing them the opportunity to vote on this critically important issue."
Staver points out that groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and Planned Parenthood always want to prevent the people from voting on such language.
"[It's] because they're afraid of the consequences," the attorney asserts. "They're afraid because of the people's will to protect innocent human life."
He believes that will happen if Oklahomans are given a chance to vote on it.
The U.S. Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to hear the case, but word on that should come within the next 30 days.