CHOICESPEAK: THE LANGUAGE TO ABORT THE CONSCIENCE
by Robert Evangelisto

From where Winston stood, it was just possible to read, picked out on its face in elegant lettering, the three slogans of the party:
WAR IS PEACE
FREEDOM IS SLAVERY
IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH
1984, by George Orwell

Language has always been used for deceitful and misleading purposes. Misrepresentations, distortions and outright lying have been employed for ulterior motives throughout all of recorded history. And, as man has “progressed,” his abuse of language has reached new levels of sophistication and treachery.

The abuse of language for devious purposes has been given several definitions over time. The term “doublespeak” (or “doubletalk”) refers to language which APPEARS to be meaningful, but is actually a mixture of sense and nonsense. George Orwell, in his famous novel *1984*, coined the word “Newspeak,” denoting a propagandistic language marked by ambiguity and contradictions. Its stated purpose: to “diminish the range of thought.”

Never has language-for-propaganda been more cleverly or effectively used, however, than by our contemporary pro-abortionists. To as great an extent as possible, abortion advocates have conceptualized and debated abortion without mention of, or attention to, the act itself. For the last twenty years, they have strived to redefine child-killing as a “choice.” Sadly, their endeavor has met with great success. One commonly hears, for instance: “Whose CHOICE is it, who decides?” “This fight is for reproductive CHOICE.” “Pro-lifers are the anti-CHOICE minority.” “Pro-CHOICE is not pro-abortion.” “The issue is not abortion, the issue is CHOICE.” And even in the “neutral” media: “Anti-abortion demonstrators squared off with pro-CHOICE activists.”

Given the spread, like so many cancer cells, of such pro-abortion euphemisms throughout our language, it is clear that a new term is necessary to definitively characterize the pro-abortionists’ misleading use of words for propaganda purposes. The term I propose to serve this purpose is “Choicespeak,” which I define as “propagandistic language marked by ambiguity and contradictions DESIGNED TO INCREASE ACCEPTANCE OF THE ANTI-LIFE MENTALITY.”

Specific examples of Choicespeak are not at all hard to find. A preborn baby becomes, via Choicespeak, the “product of conception.” The scientific fact that a human being’s biological life begins at fertilization (conception) becomes, via Choicespeak, a “religious view.” The killing of a CHILD becomes, via Choicespeak, the “termination of a PREGNANCY.” (In terms of intent and effect, abortion and childbirth should be contrasted as follows: CHILDBIRTH is the termination of a PREGNANCY; ABORTION is the “termination” of a CHILD.) And, last but not least, abortion — the killing of an innocent preborn baby — becomes, via Choicespeak, a valid “choice” that a woman may consider.

Words can be used as weapons so long as there is a target. In abortion, the targets are easy prey. Simply put, the abortion industry has wielded its powerfully deceptive words against vulnerable mothers and the innocent children within their wombs. Women are exploited; their babies destroyed; men are alienated. And the family, the very foundation of society, is assaulted at its core.

Therefore, the Choicespeaking zealots must be exposed; their NON-truths must be replaced by THE truth. To do this, one must be alert when exposed to pro-abortion rhetoric and anti-life logic. Probe beyond the surface and ascertain the underlying principles; uncover the real meaning behind the alluring message. Otherwise, the abortion seducing “Big Brother” may very well distort YOUR perception and diminish YOUR “range of thought,” increasing your acceptance of and tolerance for abortion — a truly unthinkable crime.

Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil, who change the darkness into light, and light into darkness, who change bitter into sweet, and sweet into bitter! (Isaiah 5:20)

Robert Evangelisto, recently appointed to the American Life League Media Outreach Program, is the co-author of a new booklet entitled MORAL AND LOGICAL ARGUMENTS AGAINST ABORTION, which will be made available from American Life League in January 1990 for $2.00

This article was taken from the November/December 1989 issue of ALL About Issues, copyright 1989 American Life League, P.O. Box 1350, Stafford, VA 22554. The American Life League gives
permission for reprint of this article provided that credit is given to the American Life League, their address (above) is mentioned, and that you send a copy of your publication to Editor, ALL About Issues, at the above address.