by A Christian Fundamentalist Terrorist murdered Dr. George Tiller in his Wichita Church yesterday.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Dr. George Tiller, one of the nation’s few providers of late-term abortions despite decades of protests and attacks, was shot and killed Sunday in a church where he was serving as an usher.
The gunman fled, but a 51-year-old suspect was detained some 170 miles away in suburban Kansas City three hours after the shooting, Wichita Deputy Police Chief Tom Stolz said.
Although Stolz refused to release the man’s name, Johnson County sheriff’s spokesman Tom Erickson identified the detained man as Scott Roeder. He has not been charged in the slaying and was expected to be taken to Wichita for questioning.
If Dr. Tiller’s slaying was an act inspired by the Lord — why would his killer turn tail and run?
Why not stay and celebrate the deadly deed if you truly think you’ve done the proper and morally legal thing?
Running away from the death is pretty good evidence that the Christian Fundamentalist Terrorist is no better than some of the thugs we have stowed away in military hulks and at Guantanamo.
Let’s hope the radical right wing comes out against the killing of Dr. Tiller — but we know they won’t and they will only continue to celebrate Tiller’s death — and that is the divining rod that forever separates “us from them” because, too conveniently, the “them” becomes the “us” and those niches are purely dependent upon the side of the aisle on which you choose to stand.
One man’s murderer is another man’s savior; and one peoples’ occupation is another’s repression — and so as we try to dig ourselves out of Dr. Tiller’s grave — let’s remember the lessons of his death that must ring in our ears like warning bells at home and abroad when we take up arms and decide to shoot first instead of trying to find a peaceful end to irreconcilable, tragic, positions.
I have seen some pretty deplorable things written about him on twitter – like referring to it as a super late term abortion. Carnal Nation has a whole list of them : http://carnalnation.com/content/7628/3/tweets-hate-crazy-right-twitters-about-murder-dr-tiller
So sad.
Thanks for that link, Gordon — it proves there is a certain, justifiable, lawlessness embedded in the fundamentalist mindset that is dangerous to the rest of us. I hope they are being monitored with the same vigor we monitor international terrorists — but I don’t think they are — or Dr. Tiller would still be alive today.
I’m not sure, David, that there is a justifiable reason to take another persons life. I assume that would be a highly debatable subject matter.
It is an atrocity, the acts of abortion that Dr. Tiller was performing. However, the brutal shooting of Dr. Tiller is just as evil!
To the best of my knowledge, I still think that “Two wrongs don’t make a right!” Unfortunately, both Dr. Tiller and the gunman acted unjustly and I am pretty certain that God didn’t have anything to do with it!
Worse characters have died an even more brutal a death than Dr. Tiller. Why would anyone celebrate another person’s death, especially those who behaved as these men have? We should honor those who have passed on with reverence. Some we may reflect on their lives and death with regret and contempt. But to celebrate the death of someone who will have to face a just God for their actions … is beyond cruel! These Christian Fundamentalist groups do not display the image of God or even resemble His nature! Even evil professes religion!
That is in the same category as the Church Fundamentalist group that shows up at the funerals of fallen soldiers and protest in the name of God. How absurd! God is not in any such protest! I do feel for the families that have to endure such ridicule.
These acts smear the influence of those who actually try to live a christian life with a sincere heart. It makes me wonder … “What’s this world coming to?”
Kimberley —
Dr. Tiller was doing nothing illegal. If we believe in the rule of law and if we believe we are a “nation of laws and not men” then there is no excuse in the killing of Dr. Tiller no matter what he was doing. If you don’t like his job, then change the law, don’t take up a gun and do your own rough justice.
Dr. Tiller did not, in any way, act “unjustly.” He neither deserved nor earned his death.
I in no way agree with the unlawful taking of Dr. Tiller’s life. On the other hand … Tiller himself was in fact taking innocent lives. I view both men as be guilty of taking innocent lives. One is just as wrong as the other. In either case, death occurred.
You are right in that according to our laws Dr. Tiller was not doing anything illegal … just unethical! But seriously, what is the difference in taking a life at gun point or by surgically eliminating it. It is still killing. Lawful or not. Death is the permanent termination of bodily functions as that which defines a living organism. The actual debate that seems to be getting no where is “When should a fetus be considered a life?”
Killing another person is punishable by death in every other country but ours, unless society deems you a serial killer then you are expedited to the head of the line on “death roll.”
Yes, we do desperately need new laws concerning the issue of abortion. I am not pro-choice! The baby doesn’t have a say in the matter. If the mother didn’t want a baby … then she should have practiced abstinence! The act of abortion is determined by adults without reasoning.
If the acts of abortion that Dr. Tiller was performing seems logical to society then why punish Dr.Josef Mengele for his experimental procedures on twins and the death toll that followed his work? Should we also consider the doctors that assist the terminally ill in the pre-mature termination of their lives? Why should we not just pass a law and make killing of any kind completely legal? Can you imagine just how insane that would be? Abortion is just as insane! How do we determine which killings are heinous and which are lawful? All killing is heinous and cruel! Our society needs to re-evaluate their ideas and laws concerning the termination of another person’s life.
I am certain that the gunman will be severely punished by law for the killing of Dr. Tiller, as he should be. Taking the law into our own hands is nothing more than “redneck” justice to some. It is also wrong! When will the killing end lawful or unlawful?
Kimberley —
Under the law, Tiller was not taking lives of any sort. You can try to “bible-ize” his work as a medical doctor to justify his killing — but he wasn’t “killing” anything because if he were, he would have been prosecuted by his home state.
Dr. Tiller was not unethical. If he were behaving in an unethical manner his license to practice medicine would have been revoked. It was not.
Society approved of Dr. Tiller. He was in a legal business. Religious radicals tried to stop his lawful behavior with their illegal harassment.
To lump together Mengele and Tiller is convenient to try to prove a point — but their linking is illogical.
Doctor assisted “suicide” for the terminally ill is only legal in Oregon. It is against the law everywhere else. Dr. Kevorkian can testify to that fact.
Abortion is not insane and it is legal right for women.
I’m not saying that these acts were not considered legal according to the laws of our land. I do understand the law here. Unfortunately, we need new laws! I also, did not incorporate bible issues into my opinion. It’s just simply my opinion … killing is wrong and unethical in my mind whether it be by gun, bomb, or surgical knife. A life is a life and to terminate one is just immoral!
Kimberley –
I agree with you. If we don’t like the laws, we have to change the laws instead of taking justice into our own hands. The political process is set up to argue and defend these sorts of heartbreaking issues and we need that sort of tension between two sides to find an unhappy common ground.
As my first attorney told me: “If no one on either side is happy after I write up a contract, then I know I’ve done my job.”
That’s an interesting point your attorney made! It would be beneficial if more people reflected on that comment. I think that is precisely where we need to start to overhaul the mess that has been made in the law making process. The people need to have a voice!
It really is the only way to negotiate, Kimberley. Each side has to give something of value in order for the contractual dyad to work. If one side gets everything… or even just a bit more… the other side will fight even harder to sabotage the agreement.