Planned Parenthood has suddenly – and secretively – decided that they are no longer pro-choice. Unfortunately for the babies, they haven’t become pro-life yet, either. For the time being, they are not pro- or anti- anything, although they still cheerfully provide abortion services.
The folks at Planned Parenthood feel that the categories “pro-life” and “pro-choice” are too limiting and too confusing. Personally, I’ve never found them terribly difficult to understand.
“Pro-life” is pretty much self-explanatory: “for life.” Supporting, promoting, and protecting all human life, every human life, from conception until natural death. Go, life! (Applause.)
“Pro-choice” is slightly more confusing: “for choice.” Yes, and what will your choice be today, Ma’am? Hot dog or hamburger?” “I’d like a choice.” “We offer hot dogs and hamburgers here, Ma’am.” “I’d really prefer a choice.” “We don’t serve ‘choice’ here; we serve only hot dogs and hamburgers, Ma’am. So sorry.”
If your choice is a hot dog, you want a hot dog. If your choice is a hamburger, you’d like a hamburger instead. Choice is not an object, or a thing; it is a mental process. You can’t eat it; it doesn’t fill you up.
If your choice is life, if you choose life for yourself and others, could we possibly call you pro-life? If so, congratulations!
And if your choice is choice – what is that choice? The opposite of a hamburger is a hot dog, and the polar opposite of life is death. What is your choice? If it’s not life, then it must be death. There is no middle ground here, folks.
I guess the idea is that by steering clear of the “pro-choice” label, Planned Parenthood hopes to be able to reach out to those who don’t call themselves pro-choice. Fewer and fewer people are identifying themselves as pro-choice – possibly because they are waking up to find that the “choice” they’re talking about is death. When folks start to realize that choice can be a synonym for death, the whole “choice” movement starts to crumble. Very few people want to be called pro-death.
It is an excellent business strategy on Planned Parenthood’s part to move away from “choice,” especially as we figure out the hidden meaning behind that tired word. Planned Parenthood does need a new moniker, because as more people understand the meaning of “choice,” Planned Parenthood will have fewer customers, and therefore less cash.
A name can’t change a fact or reality. Just as a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, a death by any other name is just as sad. I could sell those hamburgers we talked about as ground-up-cow sandwiches if I wanted to. Although I might not sell the same number, it’s still the same product, hidden somewhere behind the name.
“Choice” has served as a curtain to cover up the gruesome realities of abortion for the last forty years. But the curtain’s wearing thin now, and unfortunately for Planned Parenthood, a new word won’t easily cover up those ugly truths again. Abortion in America can’t last much longer now.
“ I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life, then, that you and your descendants may live.” –Deuteronomy 30: 19
