The Death of Dr. George Tiller
I want to say a couple of things first off.
First I'm appalled that someone would enter sacred space and commit such an act. Now there is no "good" place to commit murder, but to enter a place of worship, during worship and shoot someone is abhorrent.
Abortion is a difficult issue to deal with in part because we don't have any firm understanding of when "life" begins, but also because the reasons for abortions are complex. Abortion is a difficult procedure, so few women would undergo one simply as a means of birth control. Usually there is some other reason why -- health, rape/incest, youth, or simply timing in life (maybe economic changes). Most abortions, as I understand it, occur early on, as soon as pregnancy is detected. Late term abortions usually are health related.
Rather than seeking to make abortion illegal (and thus unsafe), I would rather work on reducing the number of abortions. That would require that we work on issues like reducing poverty, increasing health care, and yes, better sex education.
So, let us not politicize this murder. Let us also call on both sides to check their rhetoric. Whether Radical Pro-Life groups supported this murder or not, some of the rhetoric from people like Randall Terry has given permission in the minds of some that this is permissible. It is not. And thus, the rhetoric needs to stop. I appreciate this statement from a group of different folk from both sides of the debate who are seeking a more positive path:
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Press Release
Religious Leaders Seeking Common Ground on Abortion Condemn George Tiller's Murder, Say Act Offends Us All
In reaction to the tragic murder of Dr. George Tiller, religious leaders and groups who hold different views on the legality of abortion, but a shared commitment to working towards common ground solutions to reduce abortions by addressing its root causes issued the following statement this morning:
"We were shocked and saddened to hear that Dr. George Tiller was murdered at his church yesterday morning. Such violence is an affront to the teachings of all faith traditions and an attack on civil society. Houses of worship have served as sanctuaries providing a safe harbor even in times of widespread violence for millennia -- that this act took place in Dr. Tiller's church where he was serving as an usher on Sunday morning only underscores its abhorrence. We condemn it, and we pray for Dr. Tiller's family, church and community.
"As people of faith working to create civility and common ground on abortion, this reprehensible attack reminds us of our moral obligation to respect the humanity of those on both sides of this issue. Wherever we stand, this act offends us all."
Dr. Joel Hunter, Senior Pastor, Northland A Church Distributed
Rabbi David Saperstein, Director, Religious Actions Center for Reform Judaism
Dr. David P. Gushee, Distinguished Professor of Christian Ethics, Mercer University
Melissa Rogers, Director, Center for Religion and Public Affairs, Wake Forest University Divinity School
Ron Sider, President, Evangelicals for Social Action
Rev. Susan Thistlethwaite, Former President, Chicago Theological Seminary
Chris Korzen, Executive Director, Catholics United
Emilie M. Townes, Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Yale Divinity School
Steve Schneck, Director, Life Cycle Institute, The Catholic University of America
Rev. Derrick Harkins, Senior Pastor, Nineteenth Street Baptist Church
Glenn Stassen, Professor of Christian Ethics at Fuller Theological Seminary
Rev. Meg Riley, Director of Advocacy and Witness, Unitarian Universalist Association
Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, President, National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good
Faith in Public Life
Sojourners
Comments
1. Tiller the Killer is in Hell.
2. Tiller the Killer will kill no more babies.
3. Those who favor abortion will not let this deter them.
What I'm hearing you say is that it is appropriate for someone to take on the role of judge, enter a sanctuary of a church and murder someone. Is it also a threat against others who are pro-choice, that they too should fear the assassin?
Is this the way of God?
So too, from your perspective, will go those who judge him.
John
I never said it was appropriate for an individual to kill The Killer. You assumed I meant that.
I was just stating the obvious.
John,
Wrong.
2. This is circular. Clearly, he is dead, so won't kill. And, ending the life of even a 'fetus' is a form of killing.
3. The majority 'favor' abortion in some circumstances, especially when the health of the woman is seriously at risk. The murder won't deter them. The value of the murder of Tiller thus because dubious.
Are those who favor his death hypocrites? Sure
Favor abortion? Who the heck favors abortion? The right to an abortion actually expresses our basic and rightful ownership of our own bodies. Do you own your own body Curtis? We need more focus on stopping irresponsible and/ or immature couples getting their DNA mixed up. How about some extra “stimulus” money to fund research into ideas and options? Most aren’t very imaginative.
David Mc
An unborn baby is not a part of a womans body. That's basic biology.
If you do not have the heart to be outraged or at least saddened at the murder of another human being, then your views on abortion deserve no serious consideration.
John
If you do not have the heart to be outraged, or at least saddened by the death of 49 million unborn babies since Roe v. Wade, your views on the murder of Tiller deserve no serious consideration .
I do mourn their deaths, and the circumstances, the despair, or the selfishness, or simply the callousness which drives mothers to steal the life from the gift of God which is within them.
I am not defending the work of the abortionist. I am expressing outrage at the terrorists who stole his life and at those terrorists like yourself who express jubilation at another act of slaughter committed in the name of God.
John
You are lying when you say you are opposed to abortion. If you were really opposed to what Tiller has done, you would not be calling me a "terrorist" for not mourning his death. You're a hypocrite.
Just to be clear, you are saying that anyone who is appalled by your joy over the murder of another human being cannot genuinely be opposed to abortion.
And you call ME a hypocrite?
I see.
John
David mc
Chuck
He was braver in action than you or I. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I judge him slightly differently.
David Mc
What infuriates me about this is not opposition to abortion. I oppose most abortions and once opposed them all. But Dr. Tiller's murder appears to have been planned as part of a campaign of domestic terror by anti-abortion extremists who exist on the fringes of the mainstream pro-life movement (and often have membership in mainstream pro-life groups as cover). The "justification" of such terrorism by comparisons with attempts to kill Hitler is done by groups which CLAIM to reject violence--not owning up to the fact that they are creating the climate for this kind of violence.
There have been 10 assassinations of abortion providers, now and 17 attempted murders and 400 confirmed death threats to doctors (far more to women attempting to enter clinics where abortions are performed). There have been over 200 cases of arson or bombings, sometimes double-digit numbers per year. Over 1400 women have had acid thrown in their faces as they enter or leave clinics. This doesn't count the threats, names, hair-pullings, beatings, of walking a guantlet to enter clinics--largely stopped after the Free Access to Clinc Entrances (FACE) act of the '90s--but this act was not enforced during the Bush admin. Operation Rescue's Director of Policy, whose number was found in the car of Dr. Tiller's alleged assassin, herself had done 2 years in prison for bombing a clinic in CA. She had been helping Roeder track Tiller's movements.
There were also 551 anthrax and fake anthrax attacks.
This is terrorism and it is working. Dr. Tiller was one of only 3 physicians who would perform emergency late term abortions. So, even though it is legal, women now have a harder time getting to it even to save their lives. This is the opposite of democracy.
Worse, the anti-abortion extremists are now attacking artificial birth control as the moral equivalent of abortion (which they call murder). Today, they had a national "The Pill Kills" campaign--complete with false medical claims. Instead of seeing the pill as an ally in preventing abortion by preventing unwanted pregnancies, they make them morally equivalent to murder. This is misogyny, pure and simple and destructive. It is only a small step from throwing acid at women seeking abortions (or even information about such) to throwing acid at girls seeking an education. It is only a small step from "The Pill Kills" rallies to forced marriages and condoning marital rape.
Whatever else this is--it is NOT pro-life.