Equal Time to Pro-Choice?
Fr. Frank Pavone
International Director
Priests for Life
Do we have to give equal time to everything? Does every
message we convey need to be counterbalanced by an opposing message?
More specifically, is a Catholic institution or publication
obliged to permit so-called "pro-choice" views to be aired to "balance off" the
pro-life message?
I have heard people assert that the answer is yes. I want to
respond clearly that the answer is "no way!"
It is not that I oppose academic investigation into opposing
views. In fact, a good exploration of the "pro-choice" arguments would do
society a lot of good, because it would reveal not only that such arguments are
weak, but that authentic arguments are for the most part entirely absent from
the "pro-choice" side. "Pro-choice" itself is a meaningless phrase. (Go ahead,
try to just "choose.")
Furthermore, in talking about abortion, it helps to decide
what we are talking about. On a radio talk show that was supposed to be about
abortion, I began to read a description of the abortion procedure from a medical
textbook. I was told we weren't talking about that. So I challenged the host to
make up his mind: either we're going to talk about abortion, or let's not
pretend that we are.
So I'm all for exploring the issue.
What I'm not for is acting as though the two sides in this
controversy are equally valid. If we acknowledge that abortion is child killing,
we insult ourselves by giving child-killing equal time. Do we act the same way
with drug dealing, prostitution, race riots, or other activities harmful to
human persons and the common good? Each time we take a stand on these
activities, do we allow those who promote them to explain why they should be
allowed?
If not, why not?
The reason is that they involve a victim. Airing views on
abortion is more than airing views. It contributes to either saving or
destroying lives.
It also contributes to saving or destroying identities. A Catholic
institution or publication is Catholic because it adheres to and promotes
Catholic teaching and living. This means there are boundaries. Because a
Catholic institution teaches that Christ is the Lord, is it also obliged to give
equal time to the claims of other "Messiahs"? In teaching why people should
adhere to the Gospel, must it also teach reasons they should not? Why, then, if
the Church is the "people of life" (See
Evangelium Vitae #79) should she give voice to those who would legitimize
the destruction of life?
Yes, let's explore the positions of those who permit or
promote abortion. But let's explore them like we explore the reasons for
slavery, or for the Holocaust, or for any other exploitation of human persons.
Let us explore them precisely that we may prevent such tragedies from ever
happening again!
