Dr. Tiller Assassinated in His Church
On Sunday Dr. George Tiller, who survived an assassination attempt in 1993, was shot dead in his church. Some may be shocked that a murder would occur at his church, but the church and all of its members had to endure protests for years.
I never had the chance to meet Dr. Tiller, but I have a good friend who escorted at his clinic for years. She would often remind me that Dr. Tiller could see a woman yelling ugly things at him and the patients one day and greet her as a patient the next. A few weeks later she'd be back out on the line yelling hateful things.
This murder is meant to not just kill one man, but to silence everyone who supports a woman's right to decide when and if to become a mother.
A lot of press time was devoted to a recent Gallup poll that claimed that 51% of Americans call themselves pro-life. Despite being a person who clings to her own labels, I prefer to look at the policy questions asked in the poll than the label people choose. As Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn points out, the numbers we should be paying attention to are the most extreme sides:
Those who say abortion should be legal under any circumstances -- April 1975: 21 percent; May 2009: 22 percent.
Those who say abortion should be illegal in all circumstances -- April 1975: 22 percent; May 2009, 23 percent.
The person who shot Dr. Tiller is among that 23%, thinking in some manner that by killing one doctor, they are saving lives. And like Ann Coulter, the shooter thinks that murdering an abortion provider is akin to proving an abortion on them, only with a gun. And as upset and shocked I am at the terrorist act perpetuated on the women's reproductive health community on Sunday, I know that they are outnumbered.
I know that 77% of this country knows that abortion is an optional part of every women's reproductive healthcare. According to the Guttmacher Institute:
About half of American women have experienced an unintended pregnancy, and at current rates more than one-third (35%) will have had an abortion by age 45. A broad cross section of U.S. women have abortions:
- 56% of women having abortions are in their 20s
- 61% have one or more children
- 67% have never married
- 57% are economically disadvantaged
- 88% live in a metropolitan area
- 78% report a religious affiliation.
The women who have abortions are not all one thing or another. Except for one thing, you know one. You may not know it, but you know one. The odds are that 1 in every 3 women have one by the age of 45... that's pretty good odds that someone you work with, ride on the bus with or love has had an abortion.
Where that 23% is not outnumbered is in the number of people willing to put their lives on the line for women's health. Due to threatening rhetoric and pressure by anti-abortion forces, medical schools do not offer abortion as a requirement for OBGYN students. This has lead to a graying of our abortion providers, where 57% of providers are over 50. This also has lead to perhaps one lone doctor willing to perform late-term abortions in the USA:
Hours after the Sunday morning shooting death of late-term abortion doctor George Tiller in Wichita, Kan., a Boulder physician -- who says he could be the only doctor in the world still performing the procedure -- said Tiller's assassination was the "absolutely inevitable consequence" of decades of anti-abortion fanaticism.
Only one doctor in our entire country who will be available to help women like Gretchen Voss.
[Image: Wichita Eagle]
add to del.icio.us
add to digg
add to yahoo
related at technorati
share on facebook
Check our most impactful articles and see how popular these opinions are with you.
Will others follow in your footsteps? Share your thoughts and ideas for changing the world.
I don't believe in aborting a fetus based on a person just not wanting that baby. I'm a Republican, Christian, mother, sister, and daughter. I was dealt a set of cards back in 1998 that were extremely hard. I had a much wanted baby growing inside of me. I found out around 28 weeks that the baby that I adored, wanted, loved and would die for had a condition and sickness that would if she was born died at birth or lived a very complicated life. Who would want that for their child??? I was also told that the doctors (Johns Hopkins) would have to do everything in their power to keep my baby alive regardless of what I wanted once she was born. After many tough complicated days, crying, hoping, blaming, thinking...we decided to terminate the pregnancy. I was sent to Dr. Tiller in Kansas. Dr. Tiller was very kind and made me feel as comfortable as possible under the conditions. Dr. Tiller does not see every patient sent his way...he has to have a doctors approval that something is wrong with the baby or that the mother's life is in jeopardy. I will never forget my baby...the one that was wanted, the one that was loved...NEVER...but I believe I did the right thing and the doctors believe I did the right thing and Dr. Tiller was there to do that thing...that decision...that hard hard decision.
Dr. Tiller - Rest in Peace!!!
I have just a few words, for you, Brave Lady, Bravo!!! I applaud you for having the guts to come fwd, God Bless you!!!
so there is something wrong with the baby, big deal, who said you were suppose to have a perfect baby? YOU? who the hell are you to decide what kind of baby you get. all you get to decide is wether you will love that baby or kill that baby. you dont get to decide if the baby is perfect or not you IDIOT. Were you hatched. Do you not have a brain. Tell sara palin she was suppose to abort.Show me a mother that loves her child unconditionally and i'll show you one beautiful child. I could go on and on and on but until you know the definiton of love you just wouldnt understand. Check out the real meaning of love and see how it lines up with KILLING YOUR CHILD no matter what. 1st corinthians Chapter 13. Learn it Live it.
Why don't we issue a life certificate, the moment a pregnant woman step under a physicians care? Instead we have a birth certificate, right in line with Jewish law, that believes birth is a righteous rite of passage. The pro-life movement needs to research this more and perhaps consider an adamant protest on capital punishment also, because logically if follows that it is also murder. Is there not a quote from the Bible, 'justice is mine says the Lord.' Because the Bible has many contradictory statements, it surprising that the Spirit of the Bible does not take precedence.
so there is something wrong with the baby, big deal, who said you were suppose to have a perfect baby? YOU? who the hell are you to decide what kind of baby you get. all you get to decide is wether you will love that baby or kill that baby. you dont get to decide if the baby is perfect or not you IDIOT. Were you hatched. Do you not have a brain. Tell sara palin she was suppose to abort.Show me a mother that loves her child unconditionally and i'll show you one beautiful child. I could go on and on and on but until you know the definiton of love you just wouldnt understand. Check out the real meaning of love and see how it lines up with KILLING YOUR CHILD no matter what. 1st corinthians Chapter 13. Learn it Live it.
I'm assuming the reason why most abortions take place in metropolitan areas is because there aren't more doctors in rural areas who are able/willing to perform the procedure. I can't help but wonder how many doctors perform abortions in this country and how many areas of the country are unserved.
To the anonymous who was Dr. Tiller's patient:
Thank you for sharing your story. It was very moving. It is the reason why issues around abortion are not black and white. I am staunchly pro-choice, but I also consider myself anti-abortion. I do not think I would be able to have an abortion.
I am thankful that I haven't been in the position you were in. A friend of mine was and she and her husband made the same decision you did. It was awful for them, but it was the best and most humane decision for them and their baby.
listen to how stupid you sound. Im staunchly pro choice. you believe its ok for any woman to kill their baby for any reason that suits "them". However, your friend was put in the same position as the other lady who had the abortion and you said they made the right choice. knowing this you also made the satement I do not think i would be able to have an abortion, extending the sentence, given the same circumstances. you are a hypocriye lady, dumb as a rock. you're too scared to say since im humane you too should be humane. DO YOU CREATE LIFE OR GOD. YOU CAN ONLY DESTROY LIFE. GOD creates it and you think cause some idiot told you, you have a choice, you can destroy that which god created. well good luck with that MISS ALmighty. Learn How to love. Love never destroys in the name of love. love never kills in the name of love and oh yes it is killing. if you dont agree tell that to my 5 yr old. he was once just a helpless fetus. just like your dumbass, God made you dummy,not your mommy your mommy just didnt kill you. YOU GOT IT IDIOT. GOD bless all the mothers who have not killed their children and god help all the ones who have.
Yes, yes! Thank you Anon #1 for commenting and telling us your story.
Anon #2 - 87% of our counties do not have a provider, so your theory is spot on.
Anon #3 - I also have 2 friends who had to make this tough decision late in pregnancy. what is most upsetting is that I know at least one of them had to go to another doctor to get it done. Why can't more doctors learn this procedure? I'm sure it would lessen the stress and fear on women if they could always be cared for by their OBGYN. Or at least stay in the same practice, since I know surgery requires additional training.
As President Obama said in his speech at Notre Dame, coming to some compromise between the far-flung positions on this issue may be almost impossible, but speaking about it honestly and listening to the stories in good faith is a first step. Thank you Anonymous #1.
You all make me sick.
amen
i believe in a womens right to chose, wether it is right or wrong i do not believe it is the governments right to tell you you may not abort your pregnancy if you want to.
i personally would not have an abortion but it is not my place to judge those who would, nor is it anyone else's place.
ps, please ignore the multiple spelling errors in the previous post.
I would simply like to point out the nature of the previous posts. All those that are anti-choice are filled with insults and hate. While, those who support Dr. Tiller and a woman's choice use positive and respectful language when dealing with this controversial issue. How truly revealing.