(no subject)
Dr. George Tiller, a provider of late-term abortions, was murdered this morning. At church.
A suspect is in custody, but even if the murderer is tried and convicted and sent away for life, it won't undo the horrible thing he has done.
Not only has a man been murdered and a family been torn apart, but an important ally to women's health is gone. And what good is the right to choose if doctors are too scared to provide abortions, staff are too afraid to work in clinics, and women who desperately need abortions are too afraid to seek them? The actions of the fervently anti-choice are no less than domestic terrorism, as bad as any Timothy McVeigh or Ted Kaczynski. And, as Brian Kemper so wisely puts it, you cannot murder in the name of pro-life.
Where am I going with this? I don't know. I'm deeply saddened and angered by the murder, the reactions to it, and its long-term ramifications. I've never needed to utilize my right to choose, but I'm glad it's there. I'm glad to know that if I get raped, I can do something about it. I'm glad to know if I decide to have a child and the pregnancy just doesn't go right, I can choose an abortion instead of watching my child be born, only to suffer and die. And I'm glad there are persistent men and women willing to defend my rights - rights that I've taken for granted for a long time.
Tuesday morning, I'm going to call up my local Planned Parenthood, one of the only PPs in my state that offers abortion services, and see if they need any volunteers. And I only say Tuesday because they're not open on Mondays.
Ladies on my flist, if you value your right to choose, I hope you'll also consider helping in some way. Gents, if you believe women should have the right to choose, please do the same. I know it doesn't affect you personally, but a lot of this debate is being argued out by men for God only knows what reason. It would be nice to have more men on our side.
And please keep the Tiller family in your thoughts, if not in your prayers.
A suspect is in custody, but even if the murderer is tried and convicted and sent away for life, it won't undo the horrible thing he has done.
Not only has a man been murdered and a family been torn apart, but an important ally to women's health is gone. And what good is the right to choose if doctors are too scared to provide abortions, staff are too afraid to work in clinics, and women who desperately need abortions are too afraid to seek them? The actions of the fervently anti-choice are no less than domestic terrorism, as bad as any Timothy McVeigh or Ted Kaczynski. And, as Brian Kemper so wisely puts it, you cannot murder in the name of pro-life.
Where am I going with this? I don't know. I'm deeply saddened and angered by the murder, the reactions to it, and its long-term ramifications. I've never needed to utilize my right to choose, but I'm glad it's there. I'm glad to know that if I get raped, I can do something about it. I'm glad to know if I decide to have a child and the pregnancy just doesn't go right, I can choose an abortion instead of watching my child be born, only to suffer and die. And I'm glad there are persistent men and women willing to defend my rights - rights that I've taken for granted for a long time.
Tuesday morning, I'm going to call up my local Planned Parenthood, one of the only PPs in my state that offers abortion services, and see if they need any volunteers. And I only say Tuesday because they're not open on Mondays.
Ladies on my flist, if you value your right to choose, I hope you'll also consider helping in some way. Gents, if you believe women should have the right to choose, please do the same. I know it doesn't affect you personally, but a lot of this debate is being argued out by men for God only knows what reason. It would be nice to have more men on our side.
And please keep the Tiller family in your thoughts, if not in your prayers.