Whose "Rhetoric" Leads to Violence?
By: Fr. Frank A. Pavone
Take careful note of the latest tactic of the pro-abortion forces.
They cannot say that the pro-life movement promotes violence, because the
leaders of every major pro-life group in the nation have
expressed their opposition to the shooting of abortionists.
So the pro-aborts take this approach, as summarized in the New York Times of
July 30, 1994: "Opponents of choice who call physicians 'baby killers' one day
have no credibility to the next when they issue polite statements of regret
after physicians and escorts have been gunned down in cold blood," said the
statement issued by the National Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League.
There it is. We oppose violence, but our message promotes it. The implication
is, "Shut up." The conclusion is, "Go away -- don't speak to anyone about
"baby-killing." It's quite a self-serving conclusion for the pro-abortion
people, of course, because if pro-lifers keep quiet, then abortion will continue
unchallenged. That's what pro-aborts have wanted all along. Now they exploit the
unfortunate shootings to their own advantage.
But whose rhetoric really fuels violence?
It is the rhetoric of "choice" that fuels violence. By exalting "choice" and
"freedom," even when the free choice is the killing of a human being, this
rhetoric degrades the value of all human life. "Abortion on demand - no
apologies." That is the rhetoric of violence. It does not deny that abortion
kills children. It simply says, "I don't care. My choice is more important than
the child's life."
It is the "pro-choice" rhetoric that promotes violence. A pro-abortion
demonstrator in Little Rock, Arkansas in the summer of 1994 held a sign saying,
"Keep Baby-Killing Legal." He was serious. That's the message of their rhetoric.
As Mother Teresa said in Washington in February,
1994, "If we accept that a mother can kill even her own child, how can we tell
other people not to kill one another?"
Pro-abortion forces promote the death of a child as a solution to a woman's
problems. Can't they see that this is the same thinking by which some will then
promote the death of an abortionist as a solution to society's problems? It is
the same wrong idea that we can do evil to achieve good.
When pro-lifers call abortion the killing of a baby, they condemn such
violence. The pro-life message is a message of peace, of life, of love. It is
not mere rhetoric, it is truth. Abortion does kill a baby. Either society faces
this truth and eradicates abortion, or the killing of babies continues.
Pro-lifers are to refrain from violence. They are also to refrain from
silence. To know the truth and not speak up is irresponsible, and leaves
unchallenged the violent rhetoric of those who support abortion.
Listen to Fr. Frank's talks on:
Don't Be Silenced in Taking your Pro-life Message to the Public!
[Part 1]
and
[Part 2]
How Should We Respond to the Accusation of Fostering Violence? (Note: This
talk helped to convert an abortion mill security guard.)
[Part1] and [Part 2]
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