I don't have words to respond to the murder of Dr. George Tiller this weekend in Kansas - in the foyer of his church as he handed out the church bulletin! I'm just simply stunned. I am going to ask that you read this blog, regardless of your views on abortion:
http://www.salon.com/mwt/broadsheet/feature/2009/06/01/late_term_abortion/index.html
I lost my ability to have children when I was 33 years old, three days after my birthday. I have watched loved ones struggle and pray for a child of their own. The loss of a child is heart-wrenching and I don't know that I would have chosen to abort any of my own pregnancies. I believe that every child is precious and should be greeted with rejoicing. And yet I still feel that abortion should be a choice determined by a woman and her medical care provider(s), not by the State, and definitely not by a murderer.
See below for an article regarding the suspect:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/02/us/02tiller.html?hp
Here's the quote I find chilling:
"Commenting on Dr. Tiller’s death, Mr. Leach [who runs the Prayer and Action News newsletter] said, “To call this a crime is too simplistic.” He added, “There is Christian scripture that would support this."
My anger is so high right now I'm afraid of saying something deeply hateful.
(this post was edited by ABM)
I read both articles and it seems like Dr. Tiller was the kind of man willing to put his life in danger to help women in dire circumstances. It sounds like all the women seeking late-term abortions were for health related issues of either themselves or their babies. This kind of issue takes compassion and it sounds like Dr. Tiller had it in spades. These women were making impossible choices in horrific circumstances.
ReplyDeleteI think it's incredibly ironic that a few of the Pro-lifers out there think it's absolutely horrible to have/perform an abortion, but have no problem with taking a life. It's like they only value life if the person isn't alive yet. And they leave you totally in the dust once you're born. They want all these women to have full term pregnancies, but then scream if women have to use government assistance to take care of these children. And they're usually for the death penalty, which is just ass backwards to me. If you believe in the sanctity of life it means ALL LIFE, not just those who you deem "innocent."
I can't even imagine what Dr. Tiller's family is going through. I mean, he was gunned down in front of them! And then for that asshat, Leach, who runs the Prayer and Action Newsletter to say that there is scriptures that support what the murderer did is absolutely ridiculous and cruel! I have read the "Christian" scriptures and no where in them does it say "thou shalt gun down abortion doctors in church in front of their wives and children." I wonder how Leach would feel if he were gunned down in his church by someone who disagreed with his profession.
Look, I don't like abortion. I see it as a necessary evil. Women are going to have abortions whether they're legal or not and I feel it's a lot better to have them be legalized so that we can make sure that the doctors performing them are qualified and women's health is not in danger. And I firmly believe that if you don't believe in abortion than YOU shouldn't have an abortion. But the government and the asshat next door have no right to make that decision for you. I will always advocate for adoption in the face of an unplanned pregnancy, but I do not have the right to decide for every woman what her plan of action should be.
And I also believe that if men could get pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament.