Tim Tebow plays quarterback at a college in Florida. Aside from that, the only other fact I know about Tim is that his mother was working as a missionary in the Philipines when she was pregnant with him. She became ill and needed heavy-duty antibiotics, which doctors warned her could potentially damage the fetus. In fact, the doctors worried that Tim would die in utero, putting his mother’s life in danger too. They urged her to consider terminating the pregnancy. She weighed the option against her faith and continued with the pregnancy. Tim is a Heisman Trophy winner today.

During the Superbowl this coming Sunday, The Focus for Life group will run an ad about Tim and his mother. The ad’s message clearly being that given Tim’s accomplishments in football, what a loss his non-birth would have been.

The loss to professional football aside, what strikes me about Tim’s mother is that she was given a choice. Her doctors presented her with the medical facts, their recommendations and allowed her to make her own decision. Wow. A woman granted the right to choose. Powerful.

Women’s rights groups are beside themselves with horror at the idea of this ad running. Focus for Life is an anti-choice group which makes the story they are championing all the more necessary to be heard.

Pro-choice groups are lobbying CBS (the network airing the Superbowl) to nix the ad. Ridiculous. Stop being old school reactionary. Women’s groups amaze me with their short-sided hysteria. Let it air. And then spend a lot of time reminding people that Tim’s mother had a choice. What a woman chooses is not the point. It’s never been the point. The point is HAVING A CHOICE.

What is so difficult about that message that the choice people constantly manage to screw it up?