Why can't politicians call abortion what it really is?

May 21, 2000
San Jose Mercury News

BY ROGER MAHONY	
	
	SO OFTEN I hear candidates for political office proclaim their great sup-port for "a woman's right to choose." But choose what?
	As the many political races begin to heat up across the country, I am becoming confused and frustrated by candidates who seem unable to finish a simple English sentence.  
	Of course, what the politicians really mean is, "I support a woman's right to get an abortion." Why can't they just say that? Why do news reporters allow political candidates to get away with this vague, meaningless "choice" language?  
	I am vigorously pro-choice - but I sure want to specify what that choice is all about. As a church leader, I personally support a woman's right to choose a number of moral goods:  
o A religious faith, congregation or community  
o A school to attend.  
o A health care provider.  
o A husband.  
o A school for her children, and if that choice is really to be protected, to have a voucher to back it up.  
	These are just a few of themorally good choices that I fully support for the women of our the choice, to finish the sentence.  
	If political leaders are proud of the fact that they support the termination of a pregnancy, the taking of the life of an unborn baby, then why can't they simply say so? What's with all the wishy-washy "choice" language? 
	No one in our country who is pro-abortion can deny that there is a living being in the womb of the expectant mother. Is that why political leaders and abortion ad-vocates are afraid to speak the truth? If they are so sure that their position is good and valid, why can't they simply say aloud, "I support the right of a woman to destroy her unborn baby"? Or "I support the right of a woman to have an abortion and terminate her pregnancy"? I would have more respect for the politician and abortion advocate who would finish the sentence and tell us the truth. 
	Maybe when we cast the light of truthfulness and honesty on what we speak out loud, we will think through our positions more deeply and force ourselves to identify and weigh the moral good and the moral evil in our choices. And maybe we won't be afraid to finish our sentences.
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Cardinal Mahony is archbishop of Los Angeles. He wrote this column for the Los Angeles Times