Thoughts on an Extremist Act

Photo by flickr/21555817@N05/3593152002/ A Vigil for Dr. George Tiller was held in Minneapolis

ALEXANDRIA, VA. - Days ago Scott Roeder, the admitted murderer of late term abortion provider Dr. George Tiller, was found guilty by a Kansan jury of first degree murder. In 2009 Roeder entered the church where Tiller was an usher and fatally shot him.
 
The lethal incident was seen as proof that the polarized American public sphere was hijacked by violent political extremism.
 
At the trial the hot button issue of abortion held a prominent place. The defence attempted to argue that Roeder had, in the words of the Associated Press, “acted to save the lives of unborn children.”
 
Outside the courtroom pro-choice organizations released their statements, hailing this as yet another example of anti-abortion forces going too far.
 
Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards issued a statement regarding the tragedy in which she remarked, “Dr. Tiller showed unparalleled courage and remained steadfastly committed to providing compassionate care to women and families.”
 
Nancy Keenan, president of NARAL Pro-Choice America, also issued a statement on the court’s verdict stating, “Dr. Tiller was a tireless advocate for reproductive health who called on us to 'trust women' to make the personal, private decisions that are best for them and their families.”
 
Across the pro-choice movement, Tiller was propped up as a martyr for a righteous cause. He was an innocent victim whose only crime was providing a needed service to women who have nowhere else to turn.
 
Well, not exactly. Tiller was definitely a victim, someone who was unjustly murdered by an extremist who was justly found guilty by a jury of his peers. However Roeder’s act being wrong does not make Tiller’s acts right.
 
Take this into consideration: a July 2009 study of 100 pregnant women in the Netherlands found that at 30 weeks a fetus can remember sounds for up to 10 minutes and at 34 weeks can remember sounds for several days.
 
In February 2008, University of Queensland Center for Clinical Research Director Nicholas Fisk performed a study on 45 fetuses which required a potentially painful blood transfusion, giving a third of them a painkiller. His conclusions showed that at around 20 to 24 weeks a fetus can feel the sensation of pain.
 
When testifying before Congress in 1998, pediatric intensive care physician Dr. Jean A. Wright noted that comparing 1973 to 1998, the “age of viability has been pushed back from 28 weeks to 23 and 24 weeks. And some investigators are working on an artificial placenta to support those even younger.”
 
Why mention these studies and statements from professional doctors? Well, while among the living Tiller’s specialty was late term abortions, also known as partial birth abortions. The number of partial birth abortion procedures Tiller performed was estimated by some to be in the tens of thousands.
 
This means Tiller aborted thousands of fetuses that could have survived outside the womb, had the ability to form short term memories, and felt the pain of being killed.
 
And one knows these fetuses felt the pain of being terminated because one knows that Tiller did not give them any form of anesthesia. Undoubtedly he considered them less than human, unworthy of being treated like those who have been carried to term and walk among us.
 
Tiller is not alone in this dehumanization. Know who else decided that someone who can form short term memories, survive outside the womb, and feel pain was not worthy of living? Scott Roeder, the man found guilty of murdering the abortion provider.    
 
This would mean Roeder, for all his grandstanding as a defender of vulnerable life, took it upon himself to kill a defenceless human being in the hallowed halls of a church. In court Roeder claimed to be performing a service to the community, but really he is no better than the very monstruous imagery he claimed to abhor.  
 
Roeder has found few allies. In a statement, National Right to Life Committee Executive Director David N. O’Steen said, “the National Right to Life Committee unequivocally condemns any such acts of violence regardless of motivation.  The pro-life movement works to protect the right to life and increase respect for human life.  The unlawful use of violence is directly contrary to that goal.”
 
And Feminists For Life made the following declaration, “Acts of violence must be addressed by peaceful, lawful, and holistic means. Feminists for Life opposes violence against abortion providers, clinic staff and volunteers, and other advocates of abortion, including, most recently, Dr. George Tiller on 5-31-09.”
 
With the guilty verdict announced, Scott Roeder, the murderer of Dr. George Tiller, will be subject to the very law he ignored when concluding that he had the right to terminate another person’s life. As the abortion debate continues after this chapter, being a hot button issue for many nationwide, I pray that civil discourse and legislative action can prevail over political violence and malicious extremism.