At this writing, we are still waiting to learn more details about the murder yesterday of late-term abortion doctor George Tiller in a Wichita church. A suspect is in custody, and that's all we know for sure at this point. Yet, it is easy to assume that the motive was the shooter's desire to take the law into his own hands for Tiller's actions as a notorious late-term abortionist. Whatever the motive, the killing was wrong.
Tiller had achieved nation-wide notoriety for the sheer numbers of late-term abortions he was conducting. He has been highlighted on the Bill O'Reilly TV show on Fox. The former Kansas attorney general had tried unsuccessfully to prosecute Tiller prior to leaving office. Then a new state administraion came into power under Governor (now Secretary of Health and Human Services) Kathleen Sebelius, and all efforts to shut Tiller down ceased. If any physician was a poster boy for anti-abortion activists, George Tiller was that man. At this point, the suspect, Scott Roeder (51), is not known to be a member of any major known anti-abortion organization.
No matter what one thinks of Tiller (and I abhorred what he was doing), there is no justification for one taking the law into one's own hands and becoming Tiller's executioner. Moreover, innocent people could have been killed or injured in the incident, which took place during a church service. Most major anti-abortion groups are distancing themselves from this action as well they should. The anti-abortion argument, whether one agrees or disagrees, is a valid argument, but it can only lose its validity by being connected to acts of murder, bombings or other forms of violence. Frustrating as it may be when the law protects the George Tillers of the world (who were mockingly carrying abortion to new heights), the rule of law must prevail here.
But this should not be the occasion to try and shut down the pro-life argument. Nor is it proper, in my view, to condemn those critics of the doctor such as O'Reilly. Nothing O'Reilly said could be construed as being of an inciting nature. Already the Daily Kos, Huffington Post and other leftists are going after Tiller's critics and laying partial blame for what happened. The fact remnains that for over 30 years, Tiller performed tens of thousands of late-term abortions and made a fortune doing so. Even in death, that record should be one for us to discuss and debate. In my view, what Tiller did for all these years brought shame upon the state of Kansas.
You are correct, Findalis. No matter what, our side must stand for the rule of law.
ReplyDeleteSo what was that again about right-wing extremists not being a legitimate threat?
ReplyDeleteWhat's right/left to do with this aside from the assumption that the killer is anti-abortion?
ReplyDeleteI love how you're so skeptical of the obvious facts of a case unless it involves Muslims or illegal immigrants.
ReplyDeleteBryan,
ReplyDeleteI am tempted to agree with you that the facts of the case appear obvious as to motive. But what would you and I have on our faces if it turns out it was a jealous husband? You have noted that I am in no way defending this act. Even Randall Terry of Operation Rescue was firm in his statement that the killing was wrong and even castigated a radio talk show host interviewing him for stating that he (the host) would execute Osama bin Laden if he had the chance.
And why is it offensive to write about Athens when the facts are true? In Athens, you have a situation where tens of thousands of people have entered the country illegally, contribute nothing and demand respect-rioting when a Koran is allegedly torn up. It's the same old canard. Complain about illegal aliens committing violence in some country-especially if they happen to Muslims-and we are right-wing fascists/racists.
(You didn't actually say that. I hope you were not implying.)