James Dobson Endorses Amendment 48

James Dobson of Focus on the Family, the fundamentalist Christian powerhouse in Colorado Springs, has just endorsed Amendment 48, the proposed amendment to the Colorado constitution that would grant fertilized eggs all the legal rights of persons. The announcement from Focus on the Family's own CitizenLink says:

Colorado Voters to Decide on Pro-Life Amendment

Human life needs to be protected at every stage, beginning at the single-cell stage.

Colorado's Personhood Amendment (Amendment 48), which defines life as beginning at fertilization, goes to voters in November.

"A founding principle of Focus on the Family -- and a driving belief of Dr. Dobson's -- is that all human life is sacred and that life begins at the single-cell stage of human development," said Carrie Gordon Earll, senior bioethics analyst at Focus on the Family Action. "Amendment 48 articulates this belief and challenges us to declare the inestimable worth of all members of the human family.

"The foundational message of Amendment 48 is clear: All human life has value. Colorado voters should support Amendment 48, and vote for it in November."

Kristi Burton, sponsor of the initiative, said: "It's fact that life has been cheapened over time and Amendment 48, by defining an unborn child as a 'person,' can restore the dignity and respect unborn children have lost."

The fact that Dobson has finally thrown his weight behind Amendment 48 will make its crushing defeat more difficult. Many evangelicals in Colorado will be inspired to activism and voting by his endorsement.