POLITICAL SALT

Adding spiritual salt to the meat of politics... in the pursuit of good government.

 

"Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt,
so that you may know how you should respond to each person."

- Colossians 4:6

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Name:Guy Chadwick
Location:Arizona, United States

This "voice in the desert" is born out of a heart to see Arizona and our nation return to God. Along with friends who join with me to contribute experience and insight in the pursuit of good government, we will address many of the difficult political issues of the day. Through November 7, this will also serve as a blog for "SIEGE I" and "SIEGE II" times of prayer and fasting for good government, restoration and revival for our state and nation.

Monday, April 24, 2006

"Pro-Abortion" vs. "Pro-Choice" Labels - #1

In political debate, we know that labeling is often used to charaterize sides of an issue. Some labeling is inflammatory and clearly designed to slander and skew an argument, while other labeling, though it may use strong language, is warranted. For example, in the abortion debate, the "pro-choice", "pro-abortion", "pro-life", and "anti-choice" labels are often used. The "pro-choice" side does not like the "pro-abortion" label and the "pro-life" side does not like the "anti-choice" label.

"Pro-lifers" greatly value personal choice, however they believe there is an overall higher moral priority given to the value of a baby's life in the womb over the choice of the mother (or parents) to terminate that life. Similarly, many "pro-choicers" are also horrified by abortion, thus not truly "pro-abortion" in the aggressive sense of the label, though they maintain that there is a higher moral priority for the woman to choose even when it involves abortion.

However, there are those to whom the "pro-abortion" label clearly does apply. For example, the largest abortion provider in the nation, Planned Parenthood, advocates, facilitates and profits from abortions. They may not like the label, but by any reasonable standard they have accurately earned the "pro-abortion" label nonetheless.

Another strong indicator of earning the "pro-abortion" label is for those who actively work against such things as informed choice and parental notification legislation. This further demonstrates that there can be an important distinction between the "pro-abortion" and "pro-choice" positions in the political debate.