By John Jalsevac
WASHINGTON, DC, June 2, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A new website launched by pro-abortion and pro-homosexual rights groups ranks each of the United States according to a number of criteria including abortion and contraceptive access, and laws pertaining to homosexuality. The website, called Mapping Our Rights, ranks New Mexico and New York as tied for first place as the two most socially liberal states in the union, while South Dakota and Ohio are tied for last place.
The site has been hailed as a valuable source of easily accessible information for pro-life activists, and as a cause for pride for those working for the cause of life in states ranked lowest. Joe Scheidler of the Pro-life Action League said to LifeSiteNews.com, in regards to the site and its creators, “We’ll watch this daily, hourly…It’s going to be a great help to us…Thanks guys.”
The interactive website consists of a map of the United States. Each individual state can be clicked, bringing up a window providing extensive information about legislation and state-wide attitudes pertaining to social issues in each of the states. The website even provides information about the availability of pro-life license plates in the state, including prices, and information on which pro-life group the additionalÂcost of the plate help support.
Pro-life and pro-family advocates in the two states tied for last place have responded positively to the rankings of their respective states.“I’d have been disappointed if we’d finished any higher than last,” said south Dakota State Sen. Lee Schoenbeck. Schoenbeck looks upon the ranking as a “badge of honor” for his state, according to Associated Press reporting.
Ray Kranz, vice-president of South Dakota Right to Life, upon being told that his state had ranked last on the list, told LifeSiteNews.com that he was “proud that South Dakota has taken the lead in being active in the promotion of life.” While Ohio State Rep. Bill Seitz, a Republican, stated, in response to the ranking of his state, “I think it’s a virtue that we’d be known as a traditional, family-friendly state,” according to the AP.
Jason Cianciotto, however, from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Policy Institute, insists that one of the main purposes of the site is to “demonstrate that political and religious leaders who advocate for restricting access to reproductive health are the same who demonize same-sex couple families and restrict their ability to legally protect themselves and secure a prosperous future for their children.”ÂÂ
“Until the day when all Americans, gay or straight, have equal opportunity to form and protect their families, Mapping Our Rights will help them make informed decisions about what steps need to be taken to protect themselves given how where they live affects their civil rights,” JasonÂwrote in an official statement announcing the launch of Mapping Our Rights.