PROP 1: End the euphemisms

Clump of cells, inconvenience, unwanted, result of violence. These are euphemisms used to dehumanize the unborn. Stop, end, terminate, abort. These are verbs used to explain the stopping of a beating heart. I can’t even describe the process because it would violate the decency standards of this paper.

A euphemism is the substitution of a potentially offensive or unpleasant word or expression with one that is more pleasant or inoffensive. Or to put it another way, it is a mild, indirect, or vague term to replace one that is considered harsh, blunt, or offensive.

Don’t get distracted. The bottom line of Prop 1 is about abortion, not healthcare. A life is on the line. Human life, innocent, unborn, preborn, precious. No need for euphemisms. Keep, cherish, love, blessed.

Most mothers remember that precious moment when their newborn child was placed on their chest — skin to skin. I remember looking at my son and saying, “Well, hello. Glad to meet you.”

As a parent, the overwhelming responsibility hits you, but at the same time, you experience a sense of wonder as you have the joy of helping your child discover the world around them: splashing in a puddle, smelling a rose, tasting a lemon, opening a present, watching a sunset, riding a bike, and blowing out a birthday candle.

Then, the end of innocence. I remember my 10-year-old daughter asking me what an abortion was. What do you say? You can’t candy-coat abortion; how a human heart is terminated or how an innocent body is ejected. Reality is cruel.

JENNY HOLMES

Post Falls