August 13, 7:20 PM
Anchorage Liberal ExaminerAlexa Dobson
Dr. George Tiller performed late-term abortions for nearly forty years in Wichita, Kansas. During that time, his clinic was bombed (1986), he was shot in both arms by an anti-abortion activist (1993), he was falsely charged and later acquitted of 19 misdemeanors (2009), and finally, he was murdered by another anti-abortion activist (2009). Right-wing talking head Bill O’Reilly mentioned Tiller in at least 28 episodes of “The O’Reilly Factor,” calling the doctor “Tiller the Baby Killer,” alleging that Tiller was a criminal under Kansas law, and declaring that Tiller was hellbound for providing abortions to women who desperately needed them.
David Gunn, a doctor, was murdered by an anti-abortion activist in 1993. His murder inspired the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which made it illegal for protesters to prevent women from entering reproductive health clinics. The next abortion provider to die was John Britton, who was murdered in 1994 by Paul Hill, a pastor and anti-abortion fanatic. Hill showed no remorse for his actions, and was executed for his crime. Four years later, Barnett Slepian was shot in his home by an anti-abortion activist. The anti-abortion group Operation Rescue praised the murder and held rallies to encourage more violence and bloodshed.
Wikipedia reports that since 1977, there have been 383 reports of death threats made to abortion providers, 153 assaults, 3 kidnappings, 17 attempted murders, 655 anthrax threats, 41 bombings, 173 arsons, 619 bomb threats, and 1264 incidents of vandalism.
It’s about time we stopped calling anti-abortion terrorists “pro-life.”
A pro-life person is a person who values and protects life. A pro-life person opposes war because war kills innocent civilians. A pro-life person is a vegetarian because eating meat takes away the life of an animal. A pro-life person seeks to reduce the number of abortions in this country not by murdering people, but by encouraging people to use contraception.
A pro-life person respects the life of the pregnant woman, and recognizes that her life in progress is more valuable than the potential life of the fetus. After all, she could give birth to a Beethoven, but couldn’t she just as easily give birth to a Stalin? A pro-life person does not seek to manipulate women or take away their right to choose.
People who are pro-life and really want to see fewer abortions in this country need to get real. If they eliminate abortions through a campaign of terrorism and intimidation, all that will result is a higher rate of “back-alley” abortions resulting in two deaths instead of just one. If, instead, they show respect to women and their rights and encourage responsible sexual practices, they will come much closer to their goal.
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