Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Dr. Tiller's death: who's responsible?  

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Remember when Operation Rescue, a prominent pro-life organization, expressed its "outrage" at Dr. Tiller's death?

We are shocked at this morning's disturbing news that Mr. Tiller was gunned down...Operation Rescue has worked for years through peaceful, legal means, and through the proper channels to see him brought to justice. We denounce vigilantism and the cowardly act that took place this morning.

Well now, apparently Dr. Tiller "reaped what he sowed."



Saying that Dr. Tiller "reaped what he sowed" is a way of excusing the horrific terrorist act of murdering an abortion provider. Saying he "reaped what he sowed" implies that he deserved what he got. CERTAINLY, if Operation Rescue "denounces vigilantism and the cowardly act" of murdering for political purposes, they couldn't possibly believe that Dr. Tiller deserved to die?

Oh, but they do. They do. You cannot assert that pro-life organizations, even the ones who publicly denounce the use of violence to assert the anti-choice agenda, are not somewhat responsible for acts such as these. Even though an anti-choice organization might not use direct violence as a tactic, the tactics they do use are inherently violent and gruesome in nature. Displaying large photographs of dismembered fetuses, carrying jars with real fetuses, calling and threatening clinic employees, yelling obscenities at women who enter clinics... these are all, in one way or another, violent acts. They are strategies that breed hatred and anger, leaving many furious anti-choice activists one step away from picking up a gun.

An anti-choice organization cannot separate itself from terrorist acts when they condone activists doing everything but. How can anyone possibly argue that the only person responsible for George Tiller's death is the man who shot him? Yes, most likely, no one forced him to pull the trigger, but you cannot assert that anti-choice propaganda didn't propel him in this direction. He wasn't born a murderer and a terrorist.

And what about the radical "pro-life" organizations? What about Army of God? They certainly condone violence. Currently, on the top of their website, in huge bold letters, it says:

The lives of innocent babies scheduled to be murdered by George Tiller are spared by the action of American hero Scott Roeder. George Tiller the Babykiller reaped what he sowed and is now in eternal hell.

Psalm 55:15 Let death seize upon them, and let them go down quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them.

George Tiller will never murder another child again. Abortionist George Tiller, now in eternal hell fire for shedding the blood of innocent children.

George Tiller's murderer is an "American hero." Army of God even holds banquets, called the White Rose Banquet, to honor anti-choice extremists who have been jailed or executed for committing terrorist acts, such as bombings and shootings.

Though Army of God is the most extreme branch of the pro-life movement, you cannot possibly argue that encouraging people to participate in the type of activism that involves screaming at their opponents and shoving photos of mutilated fetuses in their faces doesn't encourage some people to consider picking up a gun or a bomb.

It pisses me off that not one person in the pro-life movement seems to be willing to re-examine the tactics used by their activists in an attempt to identify any catalysts for violence. Instead, the defenses have gone up, and no one wants to take any responsibility.

What next?

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