Speaking of Sebelius, I’m proud of the accuracy of another headline and subhead on the Register’s front page:

“Clone-and-Kill Boondoggle” is the head. The sub: “President commits millions to Iffy, Risky, Fatal Research.”

Tim Drake’s story avoids the usual cloak of euphemistic language to tell it like it is:

“Despite advances in ethical adult stem cell research, President Obama is pursuing clone-and-kill stem cell research.”

“Obama’s plans will take money withheld from American workers’ paychecks and transfer it to scientists to create and kill human beings to harvest their stem cells.”

That, after all, is what is happening.

Anyway, we have language rules here at the Register to ensure accuracy.

For one: When you mention embryos, you don’t leave it at that. You add this:

“Embryology teaches that a human embryo ? from inception to eight weeks ? is an individual boy or girl with his or her own unique DNA and normal life-expectancy.”

Then there are the “abortion” entries in the Register stylebook for writers …

abortion    Avoid terms that imply abortion is merely a medical procedure, a service or a choice and not the taking of the life of an unborn child. Avoid terms that imply there is a right to abortion. Use such terms only in quoted material, with an explanation in brackets if needed. Do not use derogatory terms.

abortion alternatives    Use pregnancy assistance.

abortion clinic    Change to abortion site or abortion business.

abortion debate    Use abortion problem or struggle over legal abortion.

abortion doctor    Change to abortionist or abortion practitioner.

abortion issue    Use abortion problem.

abortion options    Use pregnancy assistance.

choose life    Change to defend life. See abortion.

perform an abortion    Use abort a child.

privacy rights  Do not use as a euphemism for abortion.
See abortion.

pro-life    Do not use for persons or groups that advocate violent tactics against abortionists; in this case, use violent anti-abortion activists.

reproductive rights, right to privacy, to choose, to the body, etc.  Do not use as euphemisms for abortion.
See abortion.