"Adventures in Personhood": Cartoon #2



Cartoon found at: http://theweek.com/section/cartoon/0/222088/all-cartoons

Drawn by Monte Wolverton, this cartoon depicts Bob the "fertilized egg person" trying to drive a car ("a corporation person").  It illustrates the debate between pro-life and pro-choice factions over abortion laws - specifically that pro-life factions are attempting to push legislation that would classify any fertilized egg as a person and would therefore make abortion, many forms of birth control, and some fertility treatments illegal. One specific example of this kind of legislation was recently voted down in Mississippi but the legislation debate continues in varies forms in both the House and Senate. Wolverton mainly uses ridicule and the depiction of absurdity to get across the point that the idea of a fertilized egg as a person seems absurd - as absurd as calling a car "a corporation person" and argues that it is impractical to give a fertilized egg the rights that come with personhood. The cartoonist is then most likely looking from a pro-choice point of view, although in reality much of the public is aligned against the idea of personhood because of the severity of legislation - even many who would generally consider themselves pro-life think that the idea goes much too far.