Because of the abuse of the language, the word "choice" has come to mean, in the minds of many, something unconditionally positive. As Dubay says, all sin is a matter of choice. Thieves choose to steal. Liars choose to lie. Murderers choose to murder. It is what we are choosing that matters.
Furthermore, all law is a limitation of freedom. No one is free to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. And there is a right and a wrong and an absolute truth. Proponents of abortion have cloaked the issue in this rhetoric of freedom in order to manipulate the debate away from the reality of what an abortion is. We must redirect the discussion to the actual truth. It is about babies and whether or not there is ever a time when they should not be considered human beings.
A very "liberal" politician came to my door once asking for my vote. I told her I try to vote only for candidates who believe the unborn have human rights. I asked her if she believed the unborn are entitled to any human rights at all. It really threw her off guard as she tried to rephrase my question in a way that made her response sound like something positive. From that time on I resolved to try to talk about the abortion issue, whenever possible, in terms of human rights. After all, human rights and who is entitled to them is what the abortion issue is really about.
9 comments:
Right now in seventh grade CCD we are learning the spiritual side of man,our immortal soul. This soul gives us the intellect to distinguish right from wrong as well as the free will to choose right or wrong. I am really trying to teach these children that we are always making choices and some choices are right and some choices are wrong.
My favorite bumper sticker says just that: "Some choices are wrong", which I feel hits at the heart of the rhetoric pretty soundly. If we believe that "some choices are wrong" then we *must* have public discussion of which choices are wrong, and why, and how public policy should reflect that. If we don't believe that some choices are wrong then we need to ask why we are relativistic about choices like abortion, and not about choices like wearing a seat belt, vandalism, or assault. The choice rhetoric is absolutely a red herring meant to distract from the central question, which is one of life and inalienable rights.
This issue of life is also a deciding factor in who gets our vote. I believe that everything else they will have a hand in deciding while in office will flow from that one issue. If they don't value life then what do they value?
Deanna, I agree with you that the other issues flow from this very important issue. This is why I am voting almost 100% write-ins this fall. Some call it throwing away a vote, but if a third party candidate promises an unbending stance on life issues, I feel that's who I need to go with.
Earier this year my daughters and were interviewed on CNN and CBS regarding AmericanGirl. I consistantly phrases my oppositions to abortion as a human rights issue "Discrimination of the unborn" and my favorite "Death is never a solution to a social problem". Of course those phrases, which I reapeated often, where edited out. But I had an impact on the camera people and interviewers and producers, I think. Start small.
Oops. I meant "my daughters and I were interviewed"
Catholic Mom, yes some choices are right and some are wrong. Children have no trouble understanding that...
Kate, I would love that bumper sticker. Yes, that's exactly it.
Deanna, I too am a single issue voter-- meaning I consider the prolife issue to be the barometer. of a person's integrity and the most deciding factor in who will get my vote.
MPN-- good job. Those are great phrases to use too. Wish I could have seen the interview. Would love to know what you said about American Girl. Did you write a post about it?
Catholic wife and mother, yes let's not forget write-ins. They send a message too...
May God give you the fortitude necessary to confront all who cross your path who are proponants of 'choice'.
Great post.
Post a Comment