What Do You Mean When You Say “Choice”?

This article is a contribution to the “Ask ‘Em What They Mean When They Say Choice – Blog for Life Day, Jan 22, 2013.”

Today is the fortieth anniversary of the day that the decision in the Roe v. Wade case was handed down. The landmark case ruled that mothers were legally allowed to have their preborn children killed, up until “viability.” The pro-abortion lobby caught onto the word “choice” and used it very successfully to brand their movement. By framing the question of abortion in terms of choice as opposed to morality or human rights, the abortion lobby was in a much better position to defend this injustice.

I acknowledge it though, abortion is a choice. Abortion is a woman’s choice in the same way that rape is a man’s choice. In 2009 I wrote an article explaining my rationale behind this controversial comment. A short excerpt is below:

“It is clear that every non-coerced action we make is a choice. That a given action was a choice has no bearing on its morality. Rape is a choice. Men have a choice whether they rape a woman or not, however it would be outrageous for me to suggest that somehow, because this is a choice, that it makes rape an acceptable activity. The fact that it’s a choice has nothing to do with its morality, therefore I would be stupid to bring up “choice” as an argument in favour of decriminalising rape. There is only one correct choice, and that is the choice not to commit rape.

The two questions we must ask, – and answer before we make a decision about abortion are: 1) Whose choice are we taking into consideration, and 2) Which choice is the correct one?”

So there we go. Whether abortion is a choice or not has no bearing on its morality.

But… if the pro-abortion lobby insists on using the word choice to refer to abortion, let’s make sure that we’re on the same page. The indefatigable Father Frank Pavone, Director of Priests for Life nails it:

“If you’re going to take a position on abortion, then you’re going to have to come clean about what it is. We are no longer going to let you obscure or trivialize the issue. Whether people agree with you or not, you owe it to them to be honest about what you’re talking about.

Therefore we issue this simple call to honesty: We will describe abortion to you, and you tell us if that’s what you’re talking about.

That’s it, pure and simple. This is not a debate, nor a threat. It’s a call to clarity, a demand for honesty. That is not partisan, nor is it unreasonable; it is not fanatical or inappropriate in any way. Nor is this about religion or morality.

We just want to make sure that we’re hearing you. When you say “abortion,” we just want to make sure we’re both talking about the same thing.“

So let’s describe abortion.

In May 2012, Dr. Anthony Levatino made a short statement before the House Subcommittee on the Constitution, detailing from his own experience, the nature of the abortion procedure, and calling for a ban on abortions. Below is an excerpt from Levatino’s statement (click here for video):

“The toughest part of a D&E abortion is extracting the baby’s head. The head of a baby that age is about the size of a large plum and is now free floating inside the uterine cavity. You can be pretty sure you have hold of it if the Sopher clamp is spread about as far as your fingers will allow. You know you have it right when you crush down on the clamp and see white gelatinous material coming through the cervix. That was the baby’s brains. You can then extract the skull pieces. Many times a little face may come out and stare back at you. Congratulations! You have just successfully performed a second-trimester Suction D&E abortion.

If you refuse to believe that this procedure inflicts severe pain on that unborn child, please think again.”

Now let’s watch an abortion.

In 1984, former abortionist Bernard Nathanson released an educational video entitled “The Silent Scream.” In this video, he uses ultrasound footage of an abortion taking place, explaining each step of the procedure. The video is grainy, but the conclusion is inescapable. In 30 minutes the viewer has witnessed, on film, an entire abortion procedure. The video is below.

Below is footage provided by the Center for Bio-Ethical Reform. Warning: the below footage is exceedingly disturbing, graphic and explicit.

But it’s a choice, right? That makes it ok doesn’t it?

Here are a few photos of children killed by abortion:

I know what most of you are currently thinking. You’re thinking – what a despicable guy this Andy Moore is, for posting these videos and photographs in a public place. You’re so angered by my actions in publishing these images that you’ve forgotten to be angry at the injustice of abortion. You’re so wrapped up in the rhetoric of choice that you haven’t taken a moment to let these images of severe injustice sink in so that you can ask yourself –

“What do I mean when I say choice?”