The story of the death of Dr. George Tiller (the guy who gives late-term abortions... but as commenters on the NYTimes article pointed out, shouldn't be reduced to simply an "abortion doctor") has really been eating at me.
I just finished reading the book This Common Secret by another "abortion doctor" Susan Wicklund, and so it's weird that this murder occurred when it did. Wicklund spends a lot of time describing her encounters with pro-lifers. They were often outside her clinic terrorizing women as they tried to enter, and Wicklund herself received death threats and feared for her safety so much that she requested police protection. There was even one incident where protesters camped out on her property, and Wicklund was scared to leave her own house (the police didn't do much to mitigate the situation).
It just baffles me that people are allowed to go so far and take such strong action against something that is legal. And all because their faith tells them it's not right. Sure, I don't like abortion protesters, but I wouldn't go and kill one of them just because of what they are. I truly believe these people are crazy, immature, and unwilling to have a dialogue, which makes them all the more dangerous.
Pro-life groups are coming out and saying that this man doesn't represent them, but I think the example of this murder should bring to light the terrifying and uneccesary tactics these people use to scare doctors who are providing legal and life-saving services to women in need.
In the NYTimes article one group, Operation Rescue, says they always used "nonviolent" measures to "challenge" Dr. Tiller. Things like bringing lawsuits against him and trying to put him out of business. They may be nonviolent, but how are they in any way right? Trying to put a doctor out of business because he does something you don't agree with? Something that's legal in this country? Something that several women need? Something that, without safe methods, could kill women or cause them mental and physical suffering?
It just seems that these people are so hateful. And it really makes me hate them in return. But still, I won't kill them, because killing is wrong. And there is no such thing as "justifiable homicide" as the murdered believed in. That is just insane. I hope Scott Roeder gets put in jail for the rest of his life, and that this story brings to light the problem of anti-abortion protesters.
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4 comments:
agree with all you said
there is music attached to your blog did you know that?
it's jamaican
Nancy and I referred patients to Dr. Tiller
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