The murder of Dr. Tiller while in a House of G-d is unfortunately only the latest episode of domestic terrorism in the name of Life done by right-wing religious crazies who give ALL pro-lifers a bad image. Even though prominent right-wingers such as Sarah Palin have publically condemned Dr. Tiller's murder, it has become fodder for sniggering jokes and sly encouragment of even more domestic terrorism in the right-wing extremist blogosphere and forums where such hatred is spewed on a daily basis.
Not all pro-lifers are pro-terrorism or pro-murder. Not all pro-choicers are pro-abortion. You can be personally decided against ever choosing an abortion for yourself (which would make you
anti-abortion) but still not 100% comfortable with the notion of the government crawling up inside of women's vaginas and uteruses and telling them what's allowed to go on there. You can be personally against abortion without feeling any compulsion to inflict your personal views (religious and otherwise) upon the choices made by another human being regarding their own bodies.
There is room for communication. There is no need for murder. Gunning down another human being while they are at worship in a House of G-d is telling G-d exactly how much you DON'T respect Life. Don't the crazies get it?
Here's a little timeline of right-wing domestic terrorism "in the name of Life":
_ May 31, 2009: Prominent late-term abortion provider George Tiller is shot and killed in a Wichita church where he was serving as an usher. The gunman fled but a city official said a suspect is in custody.
_ April 2007: Authorities say Paul Ross Evans placed a homemade bomb in the parking lot of the Austin Women's Health Center in Texas. A bomb squad disposes of the device, which contained two pounds of nails. There are no injuries.
_ Oct. 23, 1998: Dr. Barnett Slepian is fatally shot in his home in a suburb of Buffalo, N.Y. Militant abortion opponent James Kopp is convicted of the murder in 2003 and sentenced to 25 years to life in prison.
_ Jan. 29, 1998: A bomb explodes just outside a Birmingham, Ala., abortion clinic, killing a police officer and wounding several others. Eric Rudolph later pleads guilty to that incident and the deadly bombing at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. He justifies the Alabama bombing in an essay from prison, writing that Jesus would condone "militant action in defense of the innocent."
_ Jan. 16, 1997: Two bomb blasts an hour apart rock an Atlanta building containing an abortion clinic. Seven people are injured. Rudolph is charged by federal authorities in October 1998.
_ Dec. 30, 1994: John Salvi opens fire with a rifle inside two Boston-area abortion clinics, killing two receptionists and wounding five others. Sentenced to life without parole, he kills himself in prison in 1996.
_ Nov. 8, 1994: Dr. Garson Romalis, who performs abortions in Vancouver, Canada, is shot in the leg while eating breakfast at home.
_ July 29, 1994: Dr. John Bayard Britton and his volunteer escort, James H. Barrett, are slain outside a Pensacola, Fla., abortion clinic. Barrett's wife, June, is wounded in the attack. Paul J. Hill, 40, a former minister and anti-abortion activist, is later convicted of murder and sentenced to death.
_ Aug. 19, 1993: Dr. George Tiller is shot in the arms as he drives out of parking lot at his Wichita, Kan., clinic. Rachelle "Shelley" Shannon is later convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison.
_ March 10, 1993: Dr. David Gunn is shot to death outside Pensacola, Fla., clinic, becoming the first U.S. doctor killed during an anti-abortion demonstration. Michael Griffin is convicted and serving a life sentence.
