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George Tiller Funeral Draws Protests but Ends Peacefully
WICHITA - George Tiller's funeral Saturday morning drew large crowds and some protesters but was peaceful, officials said.
Protesters from Rev. Fred Phelps' Westboro Baptist Church demonstrate during funeral services for Dr. George Tiller Saturday, June 6, 2009, at College Hill United Methodist Church in Wichita, Kan.
(Charlie Riedel) Wichita police Capt. Hassan Ramzah said no incidents occurred at the church or during the service for the slain abortion provider at College Hill United Methodist Church, near First Street and Hillside.
Ramzah said he could not reveal how many police officers worked the service.
Tiller was shot and killed Sunday at Reformation Lutheran Church, where he was serving as an usher. Scott Roeder, 51, has been charged with first-degree murder in the shooting.
Marilyn Grisham, like many funeralgoers, said she attended the service to show support for Tiller's mission.
"I've always been on the side of what he was doing, but I've never spoken out," she said, teary-eyed, after the service. "I just felt it was important to finally speak out with my presence."
The funeral also drew some abortion opponents. More than a dozen members of Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church, which have picketed burials around the country, held signs and sang songs at the corner of First and Volutsia, about a block and a half from the church.
Police kept the protesters at a distance, citing a state law that says they cannot be within 150 feet of a funeral one hour before the service, during it or two hours after it.
Shirley Phelps-Roper sang "Killing children makes God angry," to the tune of John Denver's "Take Me Home, Country Roads."
Across the street, counter-protester Kelly McCormick of Derby yelled, "Blah, blah, blah," back at the Westboro protesters.
At one point, the Rev. John Martin, pastor of College Hill United Methodist Church, approached the Westboro protesters and offered them a white carnation. His church members were distributing the flowers to funeral guests as "a sign of hope and love," Martin said.
Members of the church shouted in Martin's face as he approached, and a police officer warned him to back away from the group. He left.
Tiller's children share memories of Dad
During the service, each of Tiller's four children shared reflections of their father. They and many other funeralgoers, including the Rev. Lowell Michelson, pastor of Reformation, wore Tiller's trademark "Attitude is everything" buttons on their shirts or robes.
Tiller's oldest child, Jennifer, said her father loved to relay axioms, "pearls of wisdom for how life should be lived."
Baskets in the church lobby held copies of a page marked "Dr. Tillerisms" for guests to read and take home.
Tiller recently told Jennifer that "life is like an Impressionist painting," she said. "'When you are up close to it, it can be confusing and not make any sense.... Only when you stand back from it can you see the broad, masterful strokes of the artist.' And then he laughed at himself," she said.
After her father's death and the outpouring of condolences, sympathy and stories, "I thought, well, if life is a painting, then Dad, you're the artist," Jennifer said, addressing the congregation.
"Your painting certainly had color and confusion at times. All the small dots and sweeps of the brush were each and every day of your life.... Maybe my dad wasn't even aware of what he painted because he was so close to it. Maybe he had no idea how it was all going to work out. But for sure, he believed in his art. He believed in the effort and the joy of his work. He loved the feel of the brush in his hand and the paint on canvas, and he kept painting because he had faith and because he loved it.
"As I look out on you today -- all of you, in many colors -- I see all the brush stokes. I see all the dots. I see all the people, the color, the canvas of my dad's life.
"I can stand back from it and I can see the plan. I can see the whole picture. He really did paint an incredible masterpiece, and it's you. It's all of you. You are my dad's living masterpiece."
Tiller's youngest child, Krista, shared a letter her father had written to her when she was 13 years old, after losing a race.
"'I'm proud of the way you handled yourself -- no whining or complaining today,' " Tiller wrote. "'One race does not spoil the entire racing season. Remember, nobody wins all the time -- not Dad, not Mom... Be gracious in victory, never arrogant. Share the credit and the praise.
"'And the sting and the loneliness and the depression of defeat or setback will be less severe. Because the friends with whom you have shared the good times will not abandon you in the bad times.
"'Love, Dad.' Underline, underline," Krista added, chuckling.
Tiller's daughter Rebecca said she shared her father's "warped sense of humor" and his love for action movies and "Star Trek." Years ago, Tiller gave Rebecca a poster of Star Trek axioms -- "Star Trexioms," she said. She says he told her, "Read these every day before you go out, and you will be successful in life.'" Then she shared several: "Seek out new life and new civilizations."
"Keep your phaser on stun."
"Humans are highly illogical."
"Enemies are often invisible. Like Klingons, they can be cloaked."
His two favorites reflect Tiller's life and philosophy, she said, fighting back tears. "'Live long and prosper.' And 'When going out into the universe, remember: Boldly go where no man has gone before.' "
The eulogy: 'Heaven will never be the same'
Larry Borcherding of Overland Park, a fraternity brother and friend of George Tiller's for more than 50 years, delivered the eulogy at Tiller's funeral at College Hill United Methodist Church: "For me to have been asked to eulogize George, who was one of the most accomplished communicators, one of the most brilliant minds I have ever known, is truly and honor and, I've got to admit, somewhat awesome."
Borcherding described Tiller as someone who "always put us first," even when he was experiencing threats to his life and security.
"I'll not get into any of the current political and media frenzy," he said. "George's constant challenges over these last decades have been exemplary of his brave, courageous, passionate and dedicated attitude... most of which the common man can't even comprehend.
"George continued to meet challenges and their associated experiences and overcame the tough ones time after time after time until Sunday, May 31, at his church, when he was tragically taken from us.
"He went to be in that better place. And dear God, get heaven ready, because Mr. Enthusiasm is coming. Heaven will never be the same."
Borcherding and Tiller were members of Delta Chi at the University of Kansas. He said friends called Tiller "Tuna" because he attended college on a swimming scholarship.
Tiller's children and grandchildren called him "Papa."
"George loved his family, there's no question of that," Borcherding said. "Aren't you all proud to be George's family? What a gift of family he has given you.
"All of the traditions, all of his love of skiing and music and the shopping trips and going to Colorado and traveling the world. Probably the most important of anything, though, is the one-on-one time that you each had with him.
"Let your minds and hearts wander through the love of a remarkable husband, dad and grandfather."
The sanctuary and overflow rooms of the church were full for Tiller's funeral, which began at 10 a.m.
The classic hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" began the funeral service. The front of the program read, "Kindness, Courtesy, Justice, Love, Respect: A Service of Thanksgiving to God Celebrating the Life of Dr. George R. Tiller."
Readings included the Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi, which begins, "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace."
The Gospel reading was John 11:25-26 and 14:1-7.
One of the pallbearers was Colorado abortion provider Warren Hern.
A video screen in the overflow room where guests and members of the media were gathered showed scenes from the front of the church, where a portrait of Tiller sat beside a wreath of flowers with the phrase "Trust Women."
The funeral ended at 11:25 a.m. with a rousing version of "Hallelujah! We Sing Your Praises," with piano, bongo drums and many voices.
Scenes before the service
Before the service began, guests were standing along the sides of the fellowship hall, which was warm. Martin, the College Hill pastor, scanned the church kitchen looking for water bottles to have on hand for overheated funeralgoers.
Prior to the service, members of his church handed out white carnations to guests "as a sign of hope and love," Martin said.
Wendy Anderson, spokeswoman for Tiller family, distributed written copies of this statement:
"Family, friends and colleagues have come together to celebrate the life of a devoted humanitarian and loving father, grandfather and husband, George R. Tiller, M.D. People are here today from across the country to celebrate and honor the life of a man who wholeheartedly dedicated his life to kindness, courtesy, justice, love and respect."
More than 50 American Legion Riders arrived at the funeral at 8:24 a.m., riding east along First Street in front of the church.
Cregg "Bronco 6" Hansen, of Derby, a spokesman for the group, said the group was not there because of the abortion issue.
"We're here in respect for George Tiller's Naval service. We're here because he was a veteran," Hansen said.
Police and others arrived on the scene as early as 7 a.m., expecting a large crowd. At 8 a.m., security already was tight, and parking was getting scarce.
Police set cones along some side streets around the church to prevent motorists from stopping or parking in no-parking zones. Some who live in the area were in yards and on porches watching.
At least one protester was there as well.
Daren Buchanan of Wichita arrived at the church at about 7 a.m. carrying a sign that says "Pro-Life (does not equal) terrorism." He said he feels the pro-life movement "has kind of been under attack for the past week."
"I don't support what Tiller did for a living," Buchanan said. "But I was really hurt by the way some people... have kind of turned this into a bash-fest against conservatives in general."
Contributing: Dan Voorhis and Hurst Laviana of The Eagle
34 Comments so far
Show All"Humans are highly illogical."
and then:
Daren Buchanan of Wichita arrived at the church at about 7 a.m. carrying a sign that says "Pro-Life (does not equal) terrorism." He said he feels the pro-life movement "has kind of been under attack for the past week."
"I don't support what Tiller did for a living," Buchanan said. "But I was really hurt by the way some people... have kind of turned this into a bash-fest against conservatives in general."
boo-hoo, daren. which part of hypocrisy do you fail to understand?
The media should be treating this as a case of domestic terrorism:
The FBI defines terrorism as:
The unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a Government, the civilian population, or any segment thereof, in furtherance of political or social objectives.
They hate us for our freedoms to be ignorant, bigoted and exploitive.
Yes, especially since it would "prove that Obama can't keep us safe like Bush and Cheney did." It's rather odd that they're only hyping the attack on the recruiters in Arkansas as domestic terrorism...or at least Fox (not) News is. You'd think they'd push all these murders and mass shootings as domestic terrorism, to imply the Democrats are weak on national security/terrorism for the next round of elections.
Apparently, Lino, Daren understands little of hypocrisy. If you kill a doctor for performing legal abortions and your "group" backs it up - that he deserved it, you are not pro-life. You are a violent terrorist and even if you did not commit this act, you condoned it, which opens the door for more attacks. And to all you super bright pro-lifers out there, are you going to take in all the unwanted children that comes out of outlawing abortion? Are you going to pay higher taxes, to provide agencies that will ultimately be dealing with problems created by unwanted children being brought into the world? Crime, poverty, welfare and foodstamp programs will start to increase. We will need more schools, more prisons and ultimately, our civilization will become like China's. Perhaps, we will only be able to allow each couple to have only one child, a boy child? Hmm, have you thought of solutions to this? And what about the rape victims, having a child at thirteen to be forever traumatized for the rest of their life. Where will you be when that baby needs a home, because the teen mom and their relatives want nothing to do with the rapist's child? Eggs are not chickens and embryo's are not human beings. Who told you that God is angry at people for abortions? Does he speak to you personally? Is it written somewhere by God? Please start thinking and stop being knee jerk ideologues. Mankind as it is now will never be visited by more intelligent civilizations than ours. We are all so stupid and brainless and have very little ability to think for ourselves. We just blindly follow any political fade that pops up. I want to see all you pro lifers join up and sign petitions to create government sponsored agencies to care for all the newborns that no one wants. And I want to see you all offer yourselves up as parents for these children. Also, I believe a baby selling market might arise from this outlawing of abortions. As America gets overwhelmed by the new population explosion, what will you do personally to help? I'm sure you've all thought of how you will deal with this and situations not even thought of. What's your plan of action? But the worst of it all, is the black market abortions that will once again rise to rear it's ugly head as it did before abortion became legal. Women dying in back alley ways and unorthodox people taking advantage of them and making money. It could be your daughter, you know. Sarah Palin's child got pregnant using abstinence, your daughter's might not tell you and go for a back alley abortion and die in the process. Do any of you think at all?
"Who told you that God is angry at people for abortions? Does he speak to you personally? Is it written somewhere by God?"
Yes, it is! Many places in the Bible state that the unborn child is a human being.
At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. (NIV, Luke 1:39-44)
Now the word of the LORD came to me saying, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I have appointed you a prophet to the nations." (NAS, Jeremiah 1:4-5)
"And if men struggle with each other and strike a woman with child so that she has a miscarriage, yet there is no further injury, he shall surely be fined as the woman's husband may demand of him; and he shall pay as the judges decide. "But if there is any further injury, then you shall appoint as a penalty life for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, (NAS, Exodus 21:22-24)
You will note that the above passage does not specify the mother in regards to "No further injury," as some would have you believe. This shows that God hates abortion.
These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.--Proverbs 6:16-19
And that is exactly how George Tiller luved his life---by shedding innocent blood.
"Eggs are not chickens and embryos are not human beings."
Yes they are! You did not come from an embryo--you WERE an embryo. Human embryos are human beings. It is a scientific medical fact.
"We are all so stupid and brainless and have very little ability to think for ourselves. We just blindly follow any political fade that pops up."
A perfect description of a liberal.
"I want to see all you pro lifers join up and sign petitions to create government sponsored agencies to care for all the newborns that no one wants."
Again, I refer you to Birthright, Crisis Pregnancy Centers, and other abortion alternative centers. And again I say to you, there is no such thing as an unwanted child. Again, I say to you that there are lots of couples out there trying to adopt children. Did you take a poll? Then how do you know every single one of these babies are not wanted? And what about all the planned and wanted children that become unwanted later on? Do you suggest that we put them all in a gas chamber and kill them all?
"Also, I believe a baby selling market might arise from this outlawing of abortions."
News for you--even with abortion, the baby selling market exists. You know what else exists? The selling of baby parts taken from aborted babies. Big business--just like abortion!
"As America gets overwhelmed by the new population explosion, what will you do personally to help?"
What about birth control? What about using condoms? Imagine--exercising control over the body BEFORE conceiving a child! What a novel idea!
"But the worst of it all, is the black market abortions that will once again rise to rear it's ugly head as it did before abortion became legal."
There is also a black market of child pornography. Should we legalize that as well?
"Women dying in back alley ways and unorthodox people taking advantage of them and making money."
The number of such inidents were low. Bernard Nathanson admitted that he lied about the figures, that they were not as high as he said they were. In fact, they were low.
"Sarah Palin's child got pregnant using abstinence,"
And right here is where we see your intelligence level. If she got pregnant, she obviously did not practice abstinence. She had sex! DUUUUHHHHH!!!!!!!
And by the way,legal abortion kills women as well, since it is linked to breast cancer. It also renders them unable to have children.
Now if you really want to see how sick SOB Tiller the Killer was, take a look at this: http://kgov.com/gallery/abortion/wichita-memorial/memorial.html
I do not condone Tiller being shot dead, but neither do I weep for his death. I would rather he had been arrested, tried before a court, and sentenced. Go to www.abortionno.org and see the truth about abortion--if you can handle the truth.
I am sickened about how Tiller the killer is being painted as a benevolent man, husband and father. Many Nazis were husbands and fathers as well. They spend the day killing Jews, and then go home to the loving arms of their children. Tiller was a heartless killer. It's terrible how this man receives accolades of a hero. He was no hero, but a cold-blooded murderer!
"And again I say to you, there is no such thing as an unwanted child." You've got to be kidding! I see dozens of them a day, and also the adults they have grown into. You are living with your head up your ass, to put it politely.
Yes, very "politely". Emily Post would be proud.
Check out what else the bible says, and enjoy living your live by its weirdness: http://www.youtube.com
/watch?v=OFkeKKszXTw
A question for pro-lifers: How will you enforce a law against abortion?
I am old enough (73) to remember when abortion was supposed to be illegal, the pill was non-existent, sex was never mentioned in school, and birth control was had to come by.
I say that abortion was supposed to be illegal because many abortions were done. The problem was gaining access to them. I grew up in a poor neighborhood. I never heard of abortions there. As I moved up through toward the middle class, abortion was mentioned more often - never in terms of its legality but rather its expense and safety. At one time, I worked in Chicage and met someone who worked at Cook County Hospital in the area with patients who had blotched abortions. When I expressed shock at the abortions, I was given a lecture I will never forget. I was told that the "immorality" was not the abortion, but rather the lack of money. With money, these women could have had safe, albeit illegal abortions.
I admit that the anti-abortion law stopped some abortions, probably because people did not have access to them, legal or no.
Back in my day, people who didn't believe in abortions didn't have one. The rich, as always, did as they please. Those with sufficient money and contacts could budget for them. The poor had no information on sex or birth control and had the option of having a child they couldn't care for or an unsafe abortion.
So, how will you enforce the law for everyone and not just for the poor?
The other problem is the double standard based on money (money again). I grew up in a poor rather disfunctional family. I learned early on that I could never date since I could not do when was expected of me - this despite the fact the I had a part-time job before I was 16 (you could get work permits then to start working early), was a regular church goer and sang in the choir. Fortunately, in-state tuition was low and I was intelligent and hard-working. So I was able to get a degree and always have a job. I doubt that I could manage in today's world.
I am also angry at the idea that people can not manage because they are lazy or drunks or something like that. Just as some people inherit money, other "inherit" the problems of their parents. There's no way around that. For example, I support our local downtown Christian mission. They problem meals for homeless people. The average age of the people they serve is 9. What employment would you suggest for a 9 year old?
I thought were we progressing. I now think that we are moving back to an age of horrors and hypocrisy.
So god has to hire "Hitmen" with the payoff being eteranl salvation according to these people who were protesting at Tillers Funeral?
Some "all powerful being". Zeus would have used a lightning bolt.
This was a lovely description of the service and a peek into who Tiller was as a full human being. I'm glad to have read it.
It's also encouraging to see that the police kept most of the protesters at some distance during the service.
It's horrible to imagine that "protesters" calling them selves "pro-life" could disrupt a family's profound grief in that way. Just another indication that we're not dealing with a "normal" group of people here. They (the protesters) seem to be COMPLETELY 'round the bend.
Very scary deranged folks.
Hard to know how to ever change their minds- since they have been so deeply programmed.
One can only hope that some day they will awaken and regret the damage they have done.
"This was a lovely description of the service and a peek into who Tiller was as a full human being. I'm glad to have read it."
Hitler was spoken of the same way by his followers. Tiller was a heartless baby killer! Go to www.abortionno.org and see the "lovely description" of what Tiller the Killer did. On second thought, don't do it. You won't be able to handle it. But go to http://kgov.com/gallery/abortion/wichita-memorial/memorial.html and see the lovely memorial he held for each of the babies he brutally killed. Again, don't do it! You can't handle the truth!
You obviously know nothing about the man you call Tiller the Killer, just as you probably know next to nothing about Hitler. Hitler was against abortion (for the master race), a vegatarian, and from all accounts very polite and considerate to his friends. He would be a welcome member to the Westboro Baptist Church.
You've graduated from odious to a pig. Congratulations. Comparison with Hitler. Nice work. And of course the irony is that the comparison is simply one more projection of your ilk.
What a lovely movement you guys have. Thanks for reminding me why I can't take the ridiculously misnamed "pro-life" movement seriously.
By the way, since you guys have this tendency to call everything inside the womb a "baby" or a "child", I'm surprised to see you not push for legislation that would mandate that the first birthday of every infant be celebrated at the three month mark outside the womb.
God, I hate the fucking right wing. And it gets worse every day.
The majority of the "terrorist" bombers are young people who haven't lived long enough to really develop their own concepts, women who've lost their whole family to what they see as "terrorists." All have been the pawns of those with a very rigid fanatical view of things, and an agenda.
So what's the difference in this case? I don't see any. Nor, do I believe, that God sees one.
I'm always amazed at the way some people believe God is the instrument of their purpose.
Yes, the Tiller murder is a very good example of terrorism, just as all "extra-judicial executions" performed by Israel, the USA and others are. That people celebrate this act of terrorism shows the degree of sickness--very deep and profound--existing in the USA.
god is the catchall for the wingnuts in the world. these people are also the ones who
let their kids to go of to war. these pieces of their puzzle some how just don't fit together!
I had the good fortune to see excerpts of Dr. Tiller speaking, and the comments of his colleagues on Amy Goodman's excellent "Democracy Now" program.
Though myself a freethinker and agnostic, it was perfectly clear to me that Dr. Tiller was a man of great wisdom, compassion, courage, humanity and integrity.
He could have run from the barbarian assassins on his trail, especially after he was shot in both arms by a deranged self-appointed Angel of Death; instead, he heroically and selflessly remained at his post in order to provide professional and legal medical care to an oppressed minority of women.
To sum up: Doctor Tiller was either a hero or a saint, and certainly a martyr.
PS: All that said, I do not see why Mato1970's messages should be "flagged".
Mato1970's analysis and opinion is predicated on the assertion that Mato1970 has a special relationship with an invisible, and probably imaginary, Creator of the Universe who teaches Mato1970 life lessons via ancient folk tales rooted in oral tradition, and reworked countless times over the centuries.
Remove the scriptural authority from Mato1970's comments, and there's nothing left but idiosyncratic rage at the persistent failure of Dr. Tiller and millions of other responsible adults to conform to the wishes of The Creator of the Universe as righteously expressed in Holy Writ and echoed by Defenders of the Faith.
I think it's perfectly appropriate to express such comments in this venue, and let readers judge for themselves the comparative rationality, merit, and worthiness of the differing opinions published here.
· Yr Obd't Servant
One letter to the editor described the plight of a woman who took a child to term. She did not want an abortion. Doctors were only something MIGHT be wrong very late in the pregnancy.
The baby was born and starved to death 4 hours later. The Esophagus was solid and the gut and intestines were just a fibrous mass .
Apparently this "God" of the bible would have wanted that child born just so it could die 4 hours later.
And no Eggs are not chickens. If I drop an egg off the roof of a skyscraper I can not be charged with animal cruelty under the law. If I did the same with a Chicken I could be charged.
What makes you so sure that that 13-year-old will be forever traumatized? - mato1970/4:57pm
every now and then someone comes along confirming the belief that stupid people shouldn't breed. you are, mato, the poster child for that belief.
First off, for Mato1970 to call this man a murdering bastard and then then insist that he is in the same league as Hitler is proof that he or she isn't thinking with his or her head, and is just parroting the Hannity/Limbaugh line.
Secondly, for this individual to base everything they say on the Bible is also a showing of a lack of being able to think for oneself. If I decide to live my life by some other book, say Mao's little red book, who is to say that my decision should be used to pound my philosophy down everyone's throats?
And for the record, NO ONE has passed a single law or even proposed one that limits the rights of Christians in any way or form, but it's the "Christians" who have passed all sorts of laws to limit and eliminate other's rights. How is it that the "Christians" can always come back to some imagined slight as persecution? Allowing others to have their rights is NOT persecuting YOU, it's making sure that others have the same things that YOU do. To insist that this is persecution is just childish.
And let's get into what the Bible actually says about abortion. NOTHING. And in fact, it says that man is not man until he takes his first breath. Funny, that is the same thing that is held as a fundamental belief is all kinds of other religions, too. So how about if you stop using your religion as an excuse to punish women for not believing the way YOU do?
If you want to get serious about it, if your holy book says that you aren't considered alive until you are born, then you can't go around claiming that it's against your religion, and so you have to go around killing the infidels. And let's get real, what you are talking about is killing the infidels. Now let's hear it about how you hate the Muslims because they consider you to be an infidel, too....
Late term abortions are VERY rare, and are only done in the case of extreme need. It's the mother's life or an extreme birth defect that makes that choice, NOT, like O'Rielly wants you to believe, just a lark done by a selfish woman who just didn't want to have a child. This is an unbelievably difficult choice for the woman or parents involved, and for anyone to make light of it is just unforgivable.
I choose not to live by every word in the Bible, though I was raised that way. I get really annoyed by those who haven't grown up enough to allow others to make their own decisions, based on whatever THEY decide is the best way for them. The rest of us don't go around telling YOU what to believe, and we don't spout lines from any Satanic book to justify our decisions. You, however, have to shell out meaningless verse after meaningless verse to justify yours, regardless of the part of the book it came from. Christ said that the old ways no longer mattered after him, and yet those in the "Christian" camp keep using the OLD testament to justify your actions and hatreds. Christ said to LOVE, not to kill or express hatred. Calling someone a murderous bastard is NOT a loving act.
And finally, to insist that schools are shutting down because of abortions is just plain foolish. That isn't why, you fool, it's because we are too busy paying for wars and tax breaks for the wealthy that we can't afford to run those schools. In My state, we pay too much for prisons to pay for schools. Stop making such ridiculous statements unless you are going to back them up with facts. You just sound like an idiot. Unless you ARE an idiot, then I expect it.
Shirley Phelps-Roper sang "Killing children makes God angry," God must be really pissed off at George Bush.
Reciprocity
In other news, Roeder has stated that there will be more. Other actions are planned.
I think this makes it official. Anti-choice organizations must be treated as terrorist organizations. There is no way to distinguish which ones are violent, not-yet-violent, or non-violent. Prudence demands that they all be watched closely. Homeland Security will now have to waste valuable resources babysitting this pack of domestic terrorists. Anything less than full focus puts American citizens under a very specific risk. I would also worry that the actions of these terrorist may cease to be focused enough to avoid collateral damage -- as with the Eric Robert Rudolph bombing in Atlanta (at the Olympics).
Following that logic, shouldn't all environmental groups be considered eco-terrorists due to the violent actions of groups like the Earth Liberation Front? How can we discern which are violent, not-yet-violent or non-violent? We'll have the FBI and Homeland Security babysit them all. Anything less puts Americans at risk of targeted arson and their livestock at risk of being slaughtered.
Hmmm... perhaps all "anti-choice" organizations shouldn't be treated as terrorist organizations after all, given the faulty logic there.
(to be read in a hysterical tone of voice)
Hell with the ELF. EVERY political action group should be watched! We have no way of knowing which are only not-yet-violent! Even the advocates of non-violence may become violent! There's no way of knowing! Watch the NRA! Watch the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence! Watch the Council of Conservatice Citizens! Watch the Southern Poverty law Center! WATCH EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO CHANGE THE STATUS QUO!
Wait, what about those people who simply do not-yet-want-to-change-the-status-quo? They might eventually want to change the status quo, and join the ranks of the not-yet-violent! Only one thing to do...
WATCH EVERYBODY!!!!!
p.s. Goodbye, I'm logging off now. I'm afraid someone might be watching me. ;-)
Many of them *are* considered terrorist organizations, actually. So are vegan groups, anti-death penalty groups, grannies protesting outside Air Force bases...welcome to the Land of the Free, where you have your rights until you choose to exercise them.
The spirited (and spiritual) rebuttals from GwNorth, lino, and especially WJM ringingly vindicate my above-expressed case for not deleting Mato1970's comments.
Well stated.
· Yr Obd't Servant
You know, actual birth looks pretty much just as disgusting to look at. Get over it, it's a medical procedure. It's not a reason to gun someone down at church.
Why is Dr. Tiller referred throughout this article as an "abortion provider" rather than a "doctor"? If a surgeon was murdered, would these authors call that person an "appendectomy provider" or a "breast-enhancement provider"? The man was an MD, so show some respect for the level of his education at least. One of the pall-bearers, [Dr.]Warren Hern is identified the same way. Are they trying to get him killed too? Doctors perform procedures all the time most laymen, and patients, find disgusting. It sounds to me like Dr. Tiller provided much more than abortion.
As far as the Phelpses being present to protest at this funeral, what the hell else is new? It's clearly obvious to anyone with a grain of sense that these people are most likely in-bred and are bat-sh*t insane, and they are not doing the "pro-life" cause any favors. These authors present Shirley Phelps-Roper as being an almost benign presence when the fact is her group rates as high as the KKK in the hate category and shouldn't be allowed within 50 miles of any funeral.
'...her group rates as high as the KKK in the hate category and shouldn't be allowed within 50 miles of any funeral."
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Except, of course, their own.
· Yr Obd't Servant
A terrorist has killed an American citizen on American soil. The terrorist has bragged to the press that he knows of other planned attacks.
It's the 'ticking time bomb' scenario that Sham Sannity,'Drug Rush' Limbaugh and Shill O'Liely always use to justify torture. I'll bet that any minute now they'll demand he be tortured to protect the lives of other Americans.
Oh wait. Maybe they won't call for torture because he's an American citizen. But then, so was the John Walker Lindh, and they were fine with torturing him.
Nope, They'll be calling for his torture any minute now.
Yep. Any minute.
Now.
I mean, I'm sure they don't support terrorists who kill abortion providers.
Right?
What in the wide world of whips and chainificationized nut casism? These fake Christian, Protestestant evangeligal fruit case fascists are the enemies of democracy. The complete absolute and complete defeat is a must for victory for democracy everywhere. Let's damn push!
AD