The public healthcare debate is still underway, but another healthcare issue is emerging. This issue is viewed as a “right” by some, and “murder” by others. It’s one of the most controversial aspects of womens’ rights: abortion.

Abortion brings out strong emotions in many people, which which can include violent threats. In the past year alone, we have seen many abortion providers murdered by pro-life activists.

Hypocritical? I’d say so.


With the recent murder of Dr. George R. Tiller of Wichita, Kan. on the last day of May, this hypocrisy comes back on the scene.

The New York Times referred to Dr. Tiller as “schrewd and resourceful… the nation’s pre-eminent abortion practitioner.” People had been trying for more than 30 years to stop Dr. Tiller from performing late-term abortions. He was hit with lawsuits, gun shots, death threats and even had his clinic bombed.

This guy was seriously persistent.

“If a stake has to be driven through the heart of the anti-abortion movement,” he said, “I want to have my hand on the hammer.”

On May 31, Dr. Tiller’s part in the movement ended when he was shot in the head while ushering at church. The man who shot him: Scott Roeder. Roeder says that if he’s convicted, he will say his motive was to “protect the unborn.”

The gun was shot at point blank range. In a church. Now, you tell me what part of that is right. For people who are so convinced that “murdering” babies is so wrong, how can murdering adults be justified?

One in five abortion clinics are violently targeted each year, and many fold under the pressure. Dr. Tiller’s clinic stood strong for more than 30 years until his death when his family decided to close it.

Ms. Magazine reported that since the early 1990s, there have been nine doctors and clinic workers who have died because of pro-life extremists and an additional 30 have been wounded.

Will people only stop when abortion is deemed illegal? Because if Roe v. Wade is actually overturned, the abortions that are being safely conducted now will no longer be performed safely and will like result in more deaths because of this negligent care.

A common misconception about the idea or abortion is that mothers only kill their babies because they’re being selfish and don’t want them. While this is sometimes true, imagine finding out that your child will be a vegetable once it’s born and will only live for a few years. Or, imagine that you’ve been raped by your father and you’re now pregnant with your brother/son. If you’re a man, imagine that your sister was raped by your father and is pregnant. Or, imagine that you and your wife find out that your child has a fatal heart problem and won’t live for an hour after he or she is born.

Abortion provides a way for these women to avoid the pain of these horrible situations. Most of the time, the child is very loved, so loved that the parent(s) don’t want to bring them into the world in any of those awful situations.

Dr. Tiller provided women with a way, controversial though it is, to live their lives to the fullest.

For those who are so anti-abortion, please tell me how the heartless death of Dr. Tiller is any less horrendous.