Pro-life or Pro-death?
Suspect captured in killing of Kansas abortion doctor
Mon Jun 1, 2009 9:43am EDT
By Carey Gillam
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - A Kansas doctor reviled by anti-abortion groups for his work providing "late-term" abortions was shot and killed in his Wichita, Kansas church on Sunday, and police said they captured the man responsible.
Police said they planned to charge a 51-year-old man on Monday with homicide and two counts of aggravated assault in the death of 67-year-old George Tiller, who died from a single gunshot.
Tiller was shot while serving as an usher for Sunday services in the foyer at Reformation Lutheran Church. The shooter threatened two other men at the church who tried to intervene, police said.
"We feel that this is an act of an isolated individual, however our investigation continues," said Wichita deputy police chief Tom Stolz.
Stolz said they were investigating whether the shooter had any ties to anti-abortion groups.
President Barack Obama expressed shock and outrage, saying in a statement, "However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said federal law enforcement officials would work with local authorities in investigating the crime. He directed federal agents "to offer protection to other appropriate people and facilities around the nation."
The killing comes as the Obama administration is seeking confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court of Sonia Sotomayor, whom many anti-abortion groups have vowed to oppose for her perceived support of the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in the United States.
"For the movement, it could not come at a worse time," the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, which lobbies against abortion, said of the killing.
"If they make it seem that people who embrace the pro-life movement are kind of this extremist violent group, that could diminish some of the passion and energy on confronting Sotomayor."
Mahoney said that while it was likely Tiller's killing was motivated by anti-abortion beliefs, the movement did not support violence. Anti-abortion leaders will hold a news conference in front of the U.S. Supreme Court at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday to discuss the matter.
Tiller was one of only a few physicians in the United States willing to perform late-term abortions, those performed after the 20th week of gestation when a fetus potentially could survive outside the womb and legal under certain conditions.
PREVIOUS ATTACKS
Tiller's Wichita clinic had been the site of several mass protests by anti-abortion groups and was bombed in 1985. The doctor was shot in both arms by an abortion opponent in 1993.
Abortion foes celebrated earlier this year when Tiller was brought to trial on charges of illegally performing certain abortions in his Wichita clinic. But he was acquitted in March.
One anti-abortion group, Operation Rescue, had been particularly outspoken against him, maintaining a "Tiller Watch" on its website. But the group on Sunday denounced "vigilantism" and said it was praying for Tiller's family.
Police declined to name the suspect in Sunday's shooting, saying only that he was captured a few hours after the killing about 180 miles north of Wichita, near Kansas City. Police said he was a resident of Merriam, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City.
Tiller's family released a statement through its lawyers calling the killing a "unspeakable tragedy."
"This is particularly heart wrenching because George was shot down in his house of worship, a place of peace," the statement said.
(Reporting by Carey Gillam; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Peter Cooney)
===============================================================
If this anti-abortionist believed he was saving valuable life by terminating the life of an abortion doctor - how does that reconcile with his conscience?
The suspect has not been named, but I can't help but wonder if he was a Christian but, how could a God-fearing Christian gun down a man at his place of worship?
How does 'thou shalt not kill' not apply?
Save a few babies, kill an established human life?
thoughts?
Mon Jun 1, 2009 9:43am EDT
By Carey Gillam
KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - A Kansas doctor reviled by anti-abortion groups for his work providing "late-term" abortions was shot and killed in his Wichita, Kansas church on Sunday, and police said they captured the man responsible.
Police said they planned to charge a 51-year-old man on Monday with homicide and two counts of aggravated assault in the death of 67-year-old George Tiller, who died from a single gunshot.
Tiller was shot while serving as an usher for Sunday services in the foyer at Reformation Lutheran Church. The shooter threatened two other men at the church who tried to intervene, police said.
"We feel that this is an act of an isolated individual, however our investigation continues," said Wichita deputy police chief Tom Stolz.
Stolz said they were investigating whether the shooter had any ties to anti-abortion groups.
President Barack Obama expressed shock and outrage, saying in a statement, "However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence."
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said federal law enforcement officials would work with local authorities in investigating the crime. He directed federal agents "to offer protection to other appropriate people and facilities around the nation."
The killing comes as the Obama administration is seeking confirmation to the U.S. Supreme Court of Sonia Sotomayor, whom many anti-abortion groups have vowed to oppose for her perceived support of the landmark Roe vs. Wade ruling that legalized abortion in the United States.
"For the movement, it could not come at a worse time," the Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, which lobbies against abortion, said of the killing.
"If they make it seem that people who embrace the pro-life movement are kind of this extremist violent group, that could diminish some of the passion and energy on confronting Sotomayor."
Mahoney said that while it was likely Tiller's killing was motivated by anti-abortion beliefs, the movement did not support violence. Anti-abortion leaders will hold a news conference in front of the U.S. Supreme Court at 10 a.m. EDT on Monday to discuss the matter.
Tiller was one of only a few physicians in the United States willing to perform late-term abortions, those performed after the 20th week of gestation when a fetus potentially could survive outside the womb and legal under certain conditions.
PREVIOUS ATTACKS
Tiller's Wichita clinic had been the site of several mass protests by anti-abortion groups and was bombed in 1985. The doctor was shot in both arms by an abortion opponent in 1993.
Abortion foes celebrated earlier this year when Tiller was brought to trial on charges of illegally performing certain abortions in his Wichita clinic. But he was acquitted in March.
One anti-abortion group, Operation Rescue, had been particularly outspoken against him, maintaining a "Tiller Watch" on its website. But the group on Sunday denounced "vigilantism" and said it was praying for Tiller's family.
Police declined to name the suspect in Sunday's shooting, saying only that he was captured a few hours after the killing about 180 miles north of Wichita, near Kansas City. Police said he was a resident of Merriam, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City.
Tiller's family released a statement through its lawyers calling the killing a "unspeakable tragedy."
"This is particularly heart wrenching because George was shot down in his house of worship, a place of peace," the statement said.
(Reporting by Carey Gillam; Editing by Cynthia Osterman and Peter Cooney)
===============================================================
If this anti-abortionist believed he was saving valuable life by terminating the life of an abortion doctor - how does that reconcile with his conscience?
The suspect has not been named, but I can't help but wonder if he was a Christian but, how could a God-fearing Christian gun down a man at his place of worship?
How does 'thou shalt not kill' not apply?
Save a few babies, kill an established human life?
thoughts?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Celticlass...FAERIE QUEEN on -
They buy me drinks Lord Charles.I AM the Faerie Godmother!
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Permalink Reply by LORD CHARLES on -
So,... What does everyone think about the woman that murdered the pregnant woman and cut the unborn child from her womb?
Should this "aspiring abortionist" be charged with 2 counts of murder?
I've been talking to a few so called pro-choice people that think she should be!
Hummm?
Can anyone tell me what is fundamentally wrong with that position?
Bet ya can't...lol
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Permalink Reply by William on -
The woman who was murdered and had her unborn cut out had NO CHOICE in the matter.
Seriously, dude
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Permalink Reply by William on
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These day that would depend on the state the crime was committed in. Some states now have fetal protection laws, but I would agree with you on the one count of murder, as tragic as the crime was
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Permalink Reply by SIN on -
Yes, it does vary from state to state, but my personal opinion is that the person should be charged with one count of murder, not two.
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Permalink Reply by William on
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It seems to me that the extremist christian right believes that the right to life begins at conception but ends at birth
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Permalink Reply by Inner Seeker on -
Thank you for posting this William. It amazes me that so many people believe that the woman just pops up on the table, goes to sleep and wakes up no baby. All this documentation about what the fetus goes through, but none of what the woman goes through. It is painful, bloody, scary. It is basically a surgical procedure - it ain't getting a teeth cleaning. The argument of using it as a birth-control choice is retarded.
But we are discouraged in talking about birth control. I remember at my job as a former benefits manager, we were trying to reduce the costs of our medical insurance as to not make it prohibitive to our employees and the men in the room actually suggested to stop covering birth control methods such as the pill (dangerous for older women & smokers - blood clots, heart attack, stroke) and IUDs as well as the reduction of women's gynocological visits to coverage for every two years! (a woman could be have uteran or ovarian cancer and die before her next exam!) However, they would still cover viagra - go figure.
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Permalink Reply by Flame on -
However, they would still cover viagra - go figure.
Yes, because gods forbid some narcissistic douchebag *cough* wouldn't be able to pass on their DNA.
I noticed this years ago when my husband and I were doing our health care elections for the year. They will cover Viagra, and all costs associated with maternity, but not birth control. It seems to me that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
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Permalink Reply by Inner Seeker on
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You would think!!! Let's see:
- abortion is wrong - killing the unborn
- birth control is wrong - killing the potential unborn
- a public healthcare system is wrong - caring for the born
- providing a proper budget for the agencies that oversee the foster care system and child welfare services is wrong - again caring for the born
I agree with another poster, life is sacred until you are born.
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